by Christy Heitger-Ewing | 360 Tour Design
Building a house is exciting and fun when the process goes smoothly, or it can be overwhelming and frustrating when it doesn’t. According to custom home builder Joe Garcia, the key to a great custom home building experience is following the right steps in the right order. Below are four steps to take before you begin construction of your home:
1. FIND THE BEST BUILDER FOR YOU.
Meet with the builder to determine if they’re a good fit.
“The most important part of the building process is transparency at the front end,” says Joe Garcia, owner of G&G Custom Homes.
When Garcia prices out a home, he asks the homeowner about the types of appliances, flooring, cabinets, lighting, etc. that they like so he can price those items into the estimate. When a builder draws up a home estimate without asking the homeowner any questions, the project can go south quickly.
“If someone has never built before, they don’t know what allowance numbers mean,” says Garcia. “When they start making their selections and they go over budget, they’re confused and understandably irritated.
2. DISCUSS YOUR WISH LIST AND BUDGET WITH THE BUILDER TO MAKE SURE WHAT YOU WANT IS IN YOUR BUDGET.
Some homeowners ask an architect to design their plans prior to meeting with a builder. Garcia says this usually leads to problems early on.
“I’ve had people come to me with plans already done. I ask them their budget and without even pricing it out, I know the house they want can’t be built with that budget,” says Garcia, who discusses square footage and amenities with his clients right from the start.
Architects and builders generally work in tandem with different areas of expertise to make sure your home is beautiful, functional, and within budget.
“The last thing you want is to get the design, which they’ve already fallen in love with, and find they are well over budget once you price it out,” says Garcia.
3. FIND THE RIGHT LOT OR PIECE OF LAND.
According to Garcia, roughly 80% of his prospective clients already know they want to live in a particular neighborhood or side of town. A builder can suggest lots in those neighborhoods that fall within their price point, then pare those down based on preferences—e.g., a walkout basement or a garage facing a certain direction.
4. DESIGN YOUR HOME AROUND THE PROPERTY, TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THE VIEWS AND TOPOGRAPHY.
If you know you’re installing a pool, you’ll want a lot that will provide afternoon sun. If you’re building a covered porch, you’ll want it to face in the direction that offers the best views.
“We’ve had people who don’t yet have a lot but want to start designing the house. That’s a bad idea.” says Garcia. “Find your lot and then we can design it.”
To begin step one of your build process, contact G&G Custom Homes today.
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15530 Shining Spring Drive
Westfield, Indiana 46074
