CUSTOM HOME BEGINNINGS: 

OK, you have decided to consider building a a home. Building can be overwhelming, but here are a few very essential things to think about from the very start. 

*Start Here* 

1. Location, location, location- where do YOU want to live. 

2. Setting of building lot- trees, water edge, rocky hillside, flat land. 

3. Do you want a garage? 

4. How long you plan to reside in this home and what stage of life you and your family are in. 

Walk out basement

Of course, selecting your location is the first step. A few things to think of if you plan to build in a subdivision: is the lot you considering going to have headlights shining across it? That would tend to place your bedrooms, especially the master bedroom, away from the side of the house facing the traffic. 

Cul-de-sacs are a nice choice, but the lot is usually priced higher. 

Consider choosing a lot in an older subdivision or on the edge of town for a slightly more reasonable cost per parcel. 

If choosing a remote location, be sure to budget enough money for the driveway. Home owners like to go with the lowest bid that they receive, but remember that about 95% of the bids you receive are actually “bid estimates” meaning that the contractor will guarantee the price for exactly the labor and materials included in the bid. But if the driveway crosses a very wet place, you can end up with 10 extra dump truck loads of road base just to get across the boggy ground. On one of our personal homes we were quoted $7,500 to lay in a 1/2 mile drive back through the woods. In the end we ended up paying $13,000. No joke! And this did not include top dressing the drive with nice gravel. 

Mountains and remote locations

Now about #2- setting of your custom home. If the lot has many trees and you would like to have them around your home, remember to figure in how much room the actual footprint of the home and the work that has to be done around the home. A few trees can usually be marked and avoided, but not very many. One might imagine a home nestled in amongst the trees, but those trees have to grow there after the house is complete. Additionally, vegetation right up against a home can damage a home when the plants and trees touch it. Also it provides a safe haven for insects and birds that can harm your custom home. 

If building close to the water, a crawl space for a basement may be your only solution due to the water table. Also consider researching flood plain before deciding exactly where to locate your home. I have been told that flooding from being in a flood plain is typically not covered in a homeowners insurance plan. But there is a type of flood plain insurance that is government backed (here in the USA). 

If building on a rocky hillside, consider extra digging costs. In the Rocky Mountains of the western USA, some builders have to resort to dynamite blasting to get the footers and basements in. That of course increases costs. 

#3 Garages- A very cost effective way to add a garage is to place it in the basement. If the lot has a slight drop of just 12″ across it, a walk-out basement, or daylight basement, might be just for you. You can double the size of your home, plus not have the added cost of an attached garage, by installing a walk-out basement with garage doors. 

An attached garage always can be added later, but you would not have to leave your vehicle (probably your second biggest investment behind your new home) out in the weather. Also seriously consider having your basement wall 9′ high instead of the standard 8′. By doing this you have a higher ceiling for any of your living space down there. Plus you can have an 8′ tall garage door installed to accommodate most pickup trucks, SUV’s and vans.  

And, finally, consideration #4- How long you plan to live in this home. If you are going to raise a young family in this home, or if you are retiring, a ranch style home is a wise choice. This eliminates the stairs for small children and older seniors. 

A cost effective and enhancing addition to a home is a loft. If you already have a high pitched roof, it is not much more materials and labor to add the 

Open Loft

flooring and railing for a second floor open loft. This can add anywhere from 200 sq. ft. to over 500+ sq. ft. to your home at a relatively low cost per square foot. Plus you have somewhere to put company. 

A two-story home is a good option for those who want to keep the living space and the private space of a house separate.  It also can be less expensive to go “up” than “out” with a home and see lower cement costs due to a smaller basement, but still gain extra rooms. 

Outdoor spaces can be further enhanced with patio covers. Everyone today seems to be drawn outdoors more and more. 

So no matter where you are building your custom home, these 4 points are a good place to start. But above all remember that your custom home needs to meet your needs and reflect your dreams.