Henry JohnsonMaybe you dream of a beachfront getaway on the Venetian islands, a Georgian-style Cape Cod home, or a log cabin retreat in Denver. Whatever your dream home looks like, you can spend your life searching for a house that matches the image in your head—or you can create it yourself.
But even if you have the income to make your dream home a reality, that doesn’t mean building a home is easy. Knowing what to consider before your build your own house will help you make your dream come true.
Your Lifestyle
You can build a gorgeous house, but it won’t feel like a home unless it fits your lifestyle’s needs. When you’re looking to build a house that revolves around your lifestyle, make sure you ask yourself these questions:
- Do you have a romantic partner?
- Do you have children or plan to have more?
- How often will you be home?
- Do you plan to entertain guests regularly?
- Do you have hobbies that require space in your home?
Also, keep in mind where you are as far as your career. If there is a chance you may need to move in the next few years, you may want to put off building until you’ve settled.
Your Vision
When you’re planning your home, you can’t just have a vague idea of the general aesthetic you want. You have to have to know what you want from every room in the house. Otherwise, you may build a room a certain way, only to realize that you hate it later or don’t have places to put all your things.
Having to think about all these details leaves a lot of home builders with decision fatigue—when you’ve made so many choices that you start to feel indifferent toward everything. To reduce fatigue, remove the pressure to make perfect choices and narrow down your options for every decision.
Are You Hiring the Right People?
Unless you work in this field, the chances are good that you’ll need to hire a whole team of people to help build your home. But hiring the wrong people can make all the difference in the world.
When looking for a building company, don’t be afraid to walk through model homes that the company has built, looking for the quality of the build itself and the aesthetics. Typically, if you choose a company with years of experience, you can rest assured they will do a good job.
How Ready Are You for Setbacks?
We are all eager to move into our new homes. But despite knowing all the things to consider before your build your own house, setbacks are sure to happen. New construction equipment has hydraulic fluid complications, and dry seasons may be rainier than we expect.
Don’t set your heart on moving in on your projected move-in date. Plan alternate housing options for at least a few weeks afterward before you can finally go home.
