Keeping Costs Manageable When Working With A Custom Home Builder
Posted on: 10 July 2023
Are you looking for a specific aesthetic or some very specific features in your new home? If so, you may want to work with a custom home builder. This does tend to cost more than buying a pre-built home. But thankfully, there are several steps you can take to help keep costs manageable when working with a custom home builder.
Design the home with the surrounding landscape in mind.
If you design the home to work with its surroundings rather than against them, this will help keep costs lower. For example, if your land is hilly, having a home built into the hill is likely to cost less than having the hill flattened. If the land has rock a few feet down, designing the home with a crawlspace will likely cost less than a basement. Ask your custom home builder what structural changes will lead to the most savings and be open to making those structural changes.
Opt for a second floor rather than a larger first floor.
Adding a second floor often costs less than adding more square footage to a single floor. When you add a second floor, you don't need to have a larger foundation or roof built. And foundations and roofs are some of the most expensive components of a new home. If accessibility is a concern, you can design the home with less-used rooms on the second floor so that you don't have to climb the stairs as often. Or, consider including an elevator in the design. Residential elevators are more affordable than you might assume.
Look at prices when choosing finishes.
A home's finishes include the carpet or flooring, the counters, the cabinets, and other decorative features. It's common for customers to just look at a variety of samples and then pick the finishes they like best. However, finishes can vary widely in price. One type of counter may cost twice as much as another type. To keep your new home within your budget, always ask to see prices when choosing your finishes. Aim to pick finishes that you like and that are of good quality, but steer away from the top-of-the-line materials that come at a higher cost.
Building a custom home isn't cheap, but there are definitely ways to keep costs manageable throughout this process. Contact a local company to learn more, like Fragoso Construction. Be sure to ask about any customizations you are interested in.
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