Are you dreaming of building a home, but you aren’t quite sure if you’re ready to take the plunge? In this episode, I’m sharing 7 signs you’re ready to build a custom home.

I have to be honest though … building a house is kinda like having your first baby.

No one is ever 100% ready to add a baby to the mix, but you do it anyway and it all somehow works out better than you could have imagined.

Same thing with building a custom home :).

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Welcome back to the Before You Build Podcast! I’m your host, Carrie Barker (a.k.a. Caroline on Design), and today in episode 44, I’m answering the question ‘how do you know when you’re ready to build a house?’

Again, you might never feel *fully* ready because it’s a big project. 

However, if you feel *pretty darn* ready to build and the seven signs below describe you, then go for it!

7 SIGNS YOU’RE READY TO BUILD A CUSTOM HOME

1 | YOU’VE WEIGHED THE PROS + CONS OF BUILDING VS BUYING

The first sign is that you’ve weighed the pros and cons of building versus buying.

You’ve done your due diligence and you’re aware that it might be less expensive to buy an existing home (that already has mature landscaping and window coverings), BUT you’re willing to spend a little more money to build a home and get exactly what you want.

There are certainly pros and cons to both options (buying vs building). 

It’s up to you to decide what’s most important to YOU when making this decision.

Would you rather spend a little less money and get a house that’s ok and meets most (but not all) of your needs?

Or …

Would you rather spend a little more money and build a house that is perfectly designed for your family?

It’s up to you.

2 | YOU CAN’T FIND THE ‘RIGHT’ HOUSE

The second sign is that you can’t seem to find the ‘right’ house.

You’ve been searching for the ‘perfect’ house for months (maybe even years) and you just can’t find it.

If you’ve exhausted all the options for homes available to purchase in your area, it might be a sign that it’s time for you to build a home that is ‘perfect’ for your family’s needs and your design aesthetic.

3 | YOU’VE RUN THE NUMBERS

The third sign you’re ready to build a custom home is that you’ve run the numbers and you feel confident in the amount of money you can comfortably spend on your new home. 

Plus, you have a good idea of how much it costs to build a house where YOU live. 

Not just the cost to build in general … the cost to build in YOUR location.

4 | YOU’RE READY TO PUT IN THE TIME

The fourth sign you’re ready to build is that you’re ready (and willing) to put in the time.

Building a custom home can sometimes feel like a full-time job (on top of your real job + parenting + life).

Even when you have a qualified custom builder to help you through the process, the amount of time it takes to create and tweak your floor plan plus choose all of your design finishes can really add up.

If you want to reduce the amount of time it takes, I can help you with my proven step-by-step path that is laid out for you and ensures you’ll build a home you absolutely LOVE, is perfect for your family, and saves you lots o’ money in budget overages.

I’ve helped hundreds of clients reduce the amount of time spent on trial + error and design research through my ‘Before You Build’ (BYB) process and group coaching program. 

5 | YOU’RE READY TO PUT IN THE EFFORT

The fifth sign you’re ready to build goes in tandem with time. 

Are you ready to put in the effort?

It takes a lot of effort to build a custom home as well. 

You need to be willing to put in the effort to clarify your vision, hire the right builder, create the perfect floor plan, and research (and choose) design finishes.

All of these pieces of the building puzzle do take effort.

And, again, we cover all of this inside the BYB Program. 

All of these pieces are much more manageable when the steps are laid out for you.

6 | YOU HAVE A GOOD IDEA OF WHERE (+ WHAT) YOU WANT TO BUILD

The sixth sign you’re ready to build is that you have a good idea of where (+ what) you want to build.

It’s ok if you don’t answer ‘yes’ to this ‘sign’ yet, but … it’s really helpful if you already have an idea of what land (or what neighborhood) you want to build on. 

This certainly isn’t necessary to know before you’re ready to build, but it is helpful.

The same thing goes for knowing what style of home you want to build. 

This can be figured out after you decide to build, but it’s helpful if you already have some idea of how you envision the layout and style of your future home.

7 | YOU HAVE REALISTIC EXPECTATIONS

The seventh sign you’re ready to build (and it’s an important one) is that you have realistic expectations about what you can afford and how the home-build process will go.

While the sky is the limit when it comes to creating your custom floor plan and choosing your home features or design finishes, you have to be realistic and understand that your budget is actually your limit.

If you have realistic expectations for what caliber and size of home you can comfortably afford and you understand how to create a realistic budget (which is another piece we cover in-depth inside the BYB Program), then you are ready to build.

NEXT STEPS

All right, there you have it … 7 signs you’re ready to build a custom home.

As I mentioned earlier, you might never be *fully* ready to build a custom home (just like most people are never fully ready to have their first baby), but you’re probably pretty darn close to ‘ready’.

If you have the desire to build your dream home, you’re financially prepared, and you’re willing to put in the time and effort, then go for it. 

Nothing should stop you!

And if you would like some help planning for your home build in a smart and strategic way (that helps you build a house you absolutely LOVE … without blowing the budget), join us inside the ‘Before You Build’ group coaching program so you don’t have to figure everything out on your own :).

We’ll be there to walk you through a simple process that helps you bring your dream home to life … and we’ll be cheering you along every step of the way :).