Imagine the blueprints for the room you’re sitting in right now.
There’s the layout. Dimensions. Materials. Utilities. Door and window placements.
Even in just one room, the details of the space can get pretty overwhelming quickly.
Now imagine what the blueprints for the rest of the building you’re in look like.
Suffice it to say, when designing a custom home, there are a lot of custom home details to go over and think about. And with any major project, there are always some details that don’t always get the attention they deserve.
What are they?
We’ve created this custom home building checklist for 6 details we often see future homeowners overlook.
One of the worst things that we hate to hear is a Barden homeowner say after some time living in their custom home “I wish I would have thought about that during design …”
Obviously, that means some detail (usually small) was missed or not given its due. And making a correction or fix might not be possible.
In truth, it would take years to outline every single custom home detail to account for when custom home building. For the purpose of this guide, we’ve compiled the most common 6 small, yet important details that are often overlooked into an easy-to-follow custom home building checklist:
Lot selection is the first step when building a custom home, and homeowners know it’s one of the most important decisions about their project. But, unfortunately, sometimes future custom homeowners overlook important details of the lot that are key for building on it:
The truth is if you find the lot of your dreams, but it’s going to be a headache and money suck before you even move in, it might be worth looking into other lots that are more conducive for building your home.
While it’s important to consider the utility requirements while you’re in the process of selecting your lot, the considerations do not end there.
One of the most important things to consider is the timing of your scheduled utility hook-ups. Oftentimes, we see homeowners neglect to coordinate utility set-up and hook-up far enough in advance. This can cause delays in the build, as there are several processes that are dependent on utility installation to be accomplished.
For example, when building in the Northeast, it’s important that heat is in place to help speed along the process of the drywall setting. Without the utilities being connected prior to the beginning of the drywall process to enable heat flow through the structure, it is impossible to move forward with drywall and the following stages.
It’s best practice for homeowners to coordinate with their utility installation contractor and their general contractor to ensure there is no downtime in the project. Thinking about utilities early and often helps limit any delays down the line.
When choosing a home building method to complete your custom home, you want to make sure that the method of choice coincides with the amount of customization you want in your home.
While there are many ways to build a custom home, the three most common are:
No matter what method you choose, your building partner’s capabilities are in line with your final goals for your home. This means thinking about the little things and inquiring about them early, to guarantee they’re within their skill-set.
This can include anything from basement creation to the logistics of adding a garage to the lot. Never assume that all home builders are equal -- always ask if their capabilities are in line with your goals.
It’s also important to inquire about your home building partner’s relationship with their subcontractors including questions such as:
Asking these important questions early on prevents any surprises arising down the line, and helps you decide on a home building partner with integrity.
When opting for Barden panelized home construction, you have the ability to get involved with the process as much or as little as you’d like.
This ranges everywhere from homeowners becoming their own General Contractor on the project, to choosing a General Contractor to handle it for them.
Becoming your own General Contractor or even just getting involved in your home building process is a great way to have the experience of making not just a custom home, but your dream home. However, there are some things to keep in mind before embarking on the journey. Including:
No matter how involved you choose to be in the project, open the lines of communication early so you understand the full scope of your role.
When drafting the plans for your home, make sure you are as positive as possible on the features that you are planning on integrating into your home.
Too often we see projects delayed because of something that seems like a minor aesthetic detail, but can actually greatly slow down the build. This includes choices like the colors of your shutters or outdoor trim, or even the internal configuration of the walls in the home.
Take a little extra time while drafting your home to make sure that everything is perfect. By doing so, you’re saving countless time and money while the project is underway.
And finally on our custom home building checklist …
Some homeowners never need to worry about this aspect of custom home building, but for others this becomes a major impediment to getting the process completed as quickly as they would like.
Legal items to consider include:
Similar to the other items we’ve discussed, it’s important to bring in an expert early. Contact your surveyor prior to purchasing your lot to ensure there are no encroachments onto your property, as this can become a liability when the build begins.
Additionally, talk to an expert about the legal considerations associated with the area in which you’re building. Each town, city, and neighborhood has different requirements that can be confusing and complicated to understand. But, it’s important to ensure your build is in compliance with all of the above items before breaking ground.
The #1 recommendation that we can give to prospective custom homeowners is to get in touch with a home building partner that you trust as soon as possible, and ask questions as frequently as possible.
For more information on the process of custom home building, check out our guide to answer questions about home building methods, financing, the step-by-step process, and more.
This piece was originally published in 2019 and was updated to reflect current industry trends and insights.