For many people, the idea of designing a house tailored to their specific tastes, needs and desires, and building it from scratch is a dream come true. Custom home design makes this a possibility, and companies specializing in design-build will work closely with owners to create their perfect home.
However creating a home from scratch is not always a completely simple task. There are some issues to think about, speed bumps to watch out for, and pitfalls to avoid. Custom home design companies, and the advances in tech and innovation in the industry have made a big difference, but it is still worth planning a custom home design project very carefully.
It is worth speaking to the professionals early on in the process, before even buying the land. Not all plots are the same, and the space you have to work with will have a big impact on the design and reality of your new home. Location is key, and as it is the one thing you can’t customize, it’s worth thinking long and hard about it, and getting as much advice as possible. The architects for your custom home will be able to advise about access, utilities, even light and shade. When you are designing the perfect home, these are absolutely vital components.
During the design process, communication is key. Producing mood boards of places that have inspired your design vision, being upfront and frank about budgetary restrictions, and sharing the detail and the broad brush likes and dislikes will help everyone get closer to your idea.
A few common mistakes that people make when starting out with the process of custom home design:
● Storage - incredibly easy to forget, but unbelievably annoying not to have. Forgetting to design in enough storage will have a huge impact on the eventual livability (and potential resale!) of your home.
● Second bedrooms - understandably the master bedroom will be your focus, but don’t forget to spend a little time thinking about the functionality and space of any additional bedrooms. You don’t want awkward, uncomfortable spaces even in rooms that are not the main focus of the home.
● Flow - flow is hard to define, as it is essentially just how a house ‘works’, but you need to make sure to get it right. Thinking about how you move around your home, and where essential rooms are in relation to each other, is very important.
● Needs vs wants - unless money is no object, you’ll need to carefully differentiate between essential elements and ‘nice-to-haves’. Obviously the more of these you can achieve, the better, but don’t allow yourself to get caught up in the fun extras, and miss out something vital!
Working with a good custom home design company can help avoid many of the problems, pitfalls and potential issues of design-build. They will work with you throughout the project to deal with anything and everything, and deliver the perfect home for you and your family.