Building Your Own Home Is A Dream Not A Headache

Building your own home for many people is a godsend. Some people save up their whole lives so they can build their true dream home. Many think that in order to get their dream home, they need to buy a home that already exists, that is as close to their idea of a perfect home. Then they will change it to their liking by extending, knocking down walls to create open plans, fitting a swimming pool and more.

First impressions do count so planning is key from your ideal room sizes, bathroom colour and kitchen design.

Ensure you have plenty of space for parking and a landscaped garden for that all important kerb appeal. Investing in your property can pay dividends in years to come.

The first impression your home makes is the one that buyers want to see and that it’s one your proud off too.

The style features

When you get into the nitty-gritty of the design, this is when it will get interesting. Once your frame has been built, the exterior is being slowly compounded together, then the features will take shape. For example, for your foyer, you will see it take shape. Now is the time you need to pay a visit to your home every single day. Before you may have gone to see your home being built, every other day. This is normal as the foundation and frame take time to set. Since the features are now taking shape and coming to life, you need to be on-site every day for an hour or so.

The key questions will be how many rooms do you want, how much room do you want outdoors and what will the style be? At this point, the designer will show you different kinds of home styles, ranging from Georgian, classic American, mansion, villa and or contemporary block style. It’s vital that you select a style that you will be happy with forever as once the home is built there is no going back, at least not in terms of the exterior. Unless of course you want a total refacing, which will be horrendously expensive. The interior can be changed of course but even then, you should set your heart on merging the exterior with the interior in terms of style.

If you want to go all out why not add something bespoke from a handmade ornament, or an animal area or search for a flagpole for sale to make your home or business stand out. There has been a significant rise in the number of businesses and individuals choosing to invest in flagpoles.

However, that just means the overall cost will virtually be the same as if you were to build your dream home from scratch. So we ask, why not build your dream home from the get-go? You will have complete control, every room will be to your shape, design and liking. The gardens, driveway, garage and other unique features such as a loft reading room, can be yours for the taking. Here is what you need to do

Work with a trusted bespoke designer-builder

Rule number one is to not go to your average home builder. They will have expertise in building homes for the masses as they get contracts from governments but building a totally unique home is not perhaps their forte.

So, try to find a design-builder that has both experiences in designing bespoke homes and using their construction expertise to actually make it. Also, be wary of designers that hire construction companies themselves. It’s very fishy when you notice that a home designer doesn’t have their own in-house construction team. It means, they are essentially charging you extra for something you could have done yourself. They may be able to design your home, but if they need to outsource the construction of it, then think twice about their services.

Of course it depends on your country and your location as to what kind of design-builders there are, but you can always search for ‘bespoke home design’ and ‘custom home builders’ that are located in your area. Always make sure you check if they have an in-house construction team and if it’s not clear, contact them to find out.

Design your own home

When you work with a designer they will give you questions to answer in your own time. This might be in the form of an email and some of the questions will be like the following:

What is the house size going to be? I.e. How many bedrooms and bathrooms?
What will the siz e of each room be on average?
What kind of entrance do you want, i.e. archway staircases? A hallway?
What will the outside look like, how large will the gardens be?
Will you have features such as driveways, patio, decking, terrace, loft extension, swimming pool, relaxation room?
Do you need storage space and how much, i.e. pantries and closet rooms.
What kind of style do you want the house to have, exterior and interior?

Your say in the materials

So work will begin by choosing the types of materials you require to get your home off the ground, for instance, you may want stacked stone veneer wall panels. Very often, the designer-builder will have their options in mind and that is okay

But you are the boss, you’re paying for everything so, you should select your own material where you think it is relevant. For example, if you want a very strong frame and structure because you don’t want to have to worry about storms, floods and earthquakes, you might not get the better option given to you by the designer-builder.

So, go out on your own and look for Treated Timber Joists. These will be used for your roof and other structures which receive periodic treatment or replacement. They will give you at least 15 years of service life which is used about DPC and if properly in accordance with approved trading practices. If covered with high-grade roofing material, they could give you more years of service than advertised.

If you don’t quite know why the service you are working with is choosing certain materials such as architectural cladding, do not be afraid to ask why. They might be choosing materials that are too expensive just to charge you more.

Or there could be a very good reason why. It’s important you are always informed of any changes and decisions, especially on materials as this will be concerned with the things that keep your home strong and protected from the weather. If they change the brick type, or perhaps timber, they should inform you right away and give good reasons for doing so.

The front entrance will be taking shape, so if you are building an archway, make sure it’s to your style. What kind of design features are you having, i.e. scrolls, birds, plants and leaves in the stone column? Maybe you would like the archway to be bigger or smaller, maybe you want the foyer to be slightly brighter and more natural light to enter, etc. Now is when you make these adjustments since you no longer have to rely on blueprints as it’s right in front of your eyes.

The outdoor features

Now that the style features have been completed, the outdoor features will need to be developed. These will be things such as your garden design, landscaping, privacy, conservatory, swimming pool, jacuzzi and hedges etc.

What kind of features do you want, in terms of curb appeal? Will you have a garage or driveway created by a concrete contractor in Naples Fl? Will you have a flower patch garden, or a lawn? Will you have fountain water features or stone sculptures? Now is when you have to think about how you would like others to view your home, what kind of features you want to enjoy all year round and how much maintenance is going to be required for the garden in all four of the seasons.

The interior design

The challenge that the interior design will bring, is vast and can be daunting. How the home looks and feels is now up to you. The designer will have the least amount of say, in this process. They are the experts in constructing and designing homes, but when it comes to the interior design style, this is now in your hands. You can always use their expertise and many times, designer-builders will have their own in-house interior design expert or they allow you to outsource and they will work with whoever you hire for the job.

Building your own home is a dream come true, and it doesn’t have to be a headache. Absorb what you have read, let it sink in and approach your project with zeal and knowledge so you can truly build a home that will be loved and enjoyed for many decades to come.