7 Custom Home Building Mistakes You Don’t Want to Make

louisville custom home buildersThe plan for your custom dream home is something you have visualized in your mind many times. How will the color flow? What lighting fixtures accent the decor? What type of wood will look best with my counter tops? All of these are questions you consider when building a custom home, but building a custom home that will grow with you over the years requires looking at your home from many angles and considering all aspects of your lifestyle and future needs. Poor planning can turn a beautiful home into a poorly functioning and sometimes unhealthy place to live. Here are 10 mistakes you want to avoid when building your custom home.

Poor Planning

Always think long-term when building a custom home. Does your lifestyle include a lot of entertaining? If so, you may want to consider a coat closet in the great room or you will be forever piling coats and purses on your bed for events and celebrations. Are your kids close to leaving the nest? Do you have young children? There are many additional safety features to consider if small children will be living or visiting there. Consider lifestyle and future needs in your plan.

HVAC System

Always seek professional guidance when selecting your HVAC system. Choosing a model that is too small will cause underperformance issues and a home that is too cool in the winter and not very cool in the summer. As a result, you can create moisture and mold issues that are not only damaging, but difficult to correct. Selecting a unit that is too large will utilize too much energy and boost utility bills unnecessarily.

Poor Space Planning

Think about the lifestyle of your family members and the flow of your activities before finalizing your plan. If you have a larger family, or one that cycles through uniform and sports clothes changes frequently, consider the volume of activity that may take place in your laundry room and don’t cut back on room. Pay attention to the placement of your closets. Do you really need to expand the master walk-in closet when you can expand the bathroom? These are all things to consider when planning the space in your custom home.

Lighting

One area you don’t want to cut back on is lighting. Light fixtures, outlets, and windows should be plentiful to add natural and electrical lighting and avoid the gloomy, cave like a feel a room can have without proper lighting.

Where to Put the Kitchen

This may seem like a small thing, but as time goes on it can become very frustrating. Many homeowners fail to design a kitchen that is close to the garage, causing hassle and frustration when dragging in groceries. During large celebrations or dinner parties, it is helpful to have the kitchen close by the dining room to facilitate taking dishes and hot food back and forth.

Where to Put the Garage

With the garage becoming the new “hot spot” for traffic, you may want to consider locating your garage next to a mud room or laundry room so that dirty sports uniforms or muddy shoes have a place to land before they go trekking through the house.

You Be the Judge

Designers and builders have some great insight and experience in making recommendations, but ultimately you are the one who knows your family patterns best and can make the best plan to accommodate your family’s lifestyle and needs. Take all opinions and advice into consideration, but make a firm decision based on your own experience.

When it comes down to the actual design, architects, engineers and builders are all trained to help you make effective decisions.They can help advise where you can save few dollars and where it is not a good idea to cut corners. But when it comes down to the actual flow and practical elements of your house, remember, you are the best decision maker in these areas.

If you need some assistance in making decisions for your next custom built home, fill out a few lines on this form. If you have been considering building a custom home, let us know here how we can help you fulfill your dream.

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