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8 Crucial Tips for Your First-Time Home Build

Published on:

2/22/23

written by:

Carrie Barker

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Building a home will likely be one of the largest projects you ever take on. It can be emotionally and physically draining, but it can also be really fun. Believe me … I know this from first-hand experience so I’m sharing 8 CRUCIAL tips for your first-time home build to help make this process easier for you.

I’m not gonna lie … building a home can be an emotional roller coaster.

However, I don’t want this to scare you. Just like pregnancy and childbirth, building a home is ALL worth it in the end (and you’ll eventually block the process from memory). Promise!

 

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8 CRUCIAL TIPS FOR YOUR FIRST-TIME HOME BUILD

All right, let’s dive into the 8 crucial tips for your first (or next) home build.

TIP 1. HAVE AS MANY FINISHES PICKED OUT AS POSSIBLE BEFORE YOU BREAK GROUND

Choosing finishes (e.g. your home exterior materials or flooring) very early in the process will keep your home build running on time and smoothly. 

You’ll find that some finishes are on backorder or have a long shipping time (especially in the last few years since Covid began)

Other finishes might not even be available anymore, so choosing finishes early in the process allows you time to go back to the drawing board and make a different selection if needed.

When you choose and order your finishes (or fixtures) early, there’s a much better likelihood that the products will be in your builder’s possession as soon as the subcontractors are ready to install them.

And believe me … you want things ready to go when your subs are ready to work on your home. Otherwise, you might have to wait while they move on to another project that does have materials in hand.

helpful tips for first-time home build

TIP 2. BE PREPARED TO GO OVER BUDGET (BUT IT DOESN’T HAVE TO BE A LOT)

I’m sure you’ve heard friends and family say, ‘you’ll go way over budget because everyone does’. 

Raise your hand if you’ve heard that one … I know I have.

However, it’s not always true. 

My husband and I were able to stay VERY close to budget when we built our home because we were very clear with ourselves and our builder about the caliber of finishes we wanted BEFORE he priced our custom home.

And that’s one of the keys to staying close to budget when building … you need to be very clear about the level of finishes and upgrades you want. 

If you are 100% honest and upfront with your builder about EXACTLY what you want BEFORE he or she prices the house, then you won’t go over budget very much. 

The people who say ‘I was 50% over budget … blah blah blah’ likely had many change orders and ‘upgraded’ their home while they were building because they weren’t clear about the caliber of home they wanted before they started building.

Psst … Wanna know how I was able to build my house VERY close to budget (without sacrificing my must-haves)? Register for my FREE on-demand training, ‘3 Simple Steps to Build a House You Absolutely Love (without blowing your budget)’.

TIP 3. IF YOUR BUDGET IS TIGHT, LET YOUR TOP PRIORITY BE YOUR GUIDE

If you have a tight budget, focus your budget on aspects of your future home that are most important to you. 

If you’re interested in fancy custom details in your home (e.g. window seats, crown molding, high-end appliances, custom cabinets, etc.), then focus your budget on your finishes rather than your square footage.

On the other hand, if you have a large family and you need more square footage, focus your budget on the size of your home rather than the level of your finishes. That is, opt for stock cabinets, laminate counters, inexpensive carpets, low-end appliances, etc.

Keep in mind that you can always upgrade finishes and fixtures in the future, but it is much harder and more costly to add square footage after you build your home.

Psst … looking for advice on how to stay close to budget while building? Register for my FREE on-demand training, 3 Simple Steps to Build a House You Absolutely Love (without blowing your budget).

TIP 4. DOUBLE-CHECK ALL INVOICES (EVEN IF YOU DON’T CARRY THE LOAN)

Double-check all your invoices even if your builder is carrying the construction loan. 

Let me say it again … DOUBLE CHECK ALL INVOICES!

Many times the builder carries the construction loan so homeowners don’t take an active role in reviewing invoices and making payments. 

If this describes your situation, make sure to include yourself in this process.

We carried our own construction loan so we signed off on all invoice payments. My husband diligently checked all invoices before signing off on draws. 

He found very few errors, but there were some minor errors that may have been overlooked by our builder if we had only relied on him.

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TIP 5. MAKE SURE TO INCLUDE ROOM (LOTS O’ ROOM!) IN YOUR BUDGET FOR WINDOW TREATMENTS

It can be insanely expensive to do even basic window coverings when you’re talking about covering an ENTIRE house of windows.

People typically budget for new furniture and home decor post-move-in, but it’s also VERY important to add window coverings into your budget as well.

TIP 6. BE ON-SITE DURING INSTALLATIONS

One of my top crucial tips for your first-time home build is to be on-site during installations.

I learned this lesson the hard way. 

My electrician hung my kitchen table pendant where he thought it should go … which was not where I thought it should go.

He didn’t center the pendant above where our future table would be placed. He did (reluctantly) move the pendant placement for me, but my ceiling still has a scar from this change. I can still see where the ceiling was patched and re-painted almost ten years later.

Electricians and other subs will make decisions FOR you if you aren’t on-site.

You do NOT want them to make the decisions for you. TRUST ME! 

If possible, be on-site for all installations so you can answer questions and point out exactly where you want things to go. 

If you’re building in a different location than where you currently live and you can’t be on-site, I recommend that you’re very clear with your builder ahead of the installation. Let them know exactly what you’re thinking for placement and then your builder can relay the information to the sub. 

Another option is to FaceTime the electrician (or other subs) during installations.

helpful tips for first-time home build

TIP 7. YOU CAN HIRE A DESIGNER TO HELP WITH DECISION-MAKING

There are sooooo many decisions to make when building a home. There will be decisions you didn’t even know existed (for me, this was choosing my grout color and doorbell).

If this sounds overwhelming to you and your builder doesn’t have an on-site designer to help with selections, you CAN hire an interior designer to help with your decision-making. This can significantly decrease your stress and overwhelm.

You can work with an e-designer (a designer in another location), but it’s optimal to work with a local designer who can be on-site and understands your local building codes.

TIP 8. DON’T STEW OVER IMPERFECTIONS DURING YOUR HOME BUILD

If you are a perfectionist and detail-oriented (like me), you will (probably) stress over all the imperfections during your build. 

I vividly remember calling my builder when I first saw my daughter’s bathroom tile grout after it was laid. I freaked out because the grout was so dark and noticeable, but he assured me it would be ok (and it was once we moved in)

Same thing with a small gash in our wood flooring. That gash just stared at me as we finished building our home … it drove me crazy. 

Guess what, I forgot about it once we had furniture in the house. It’s still there almost ten years later, and I never notice it. 

I forgot about all of the imperfections (and they were no longer obvious to me) once we moved our furniture into the home.

The same will happen to you, too. 

I will say that if something isn’t just an ‘imperfection’, but more of something you just don’t like the way it was installed and never will like, then go ahead and make a change. 

I did this with my fireplace surround. I didn’t like how the tile was installed, so I had them tear it out and start over. I would have never gotten over that :). 

NEXT STEPS

All right, there you have it … 8 crucial tips for your first-time home build. I hope you find these tips useful as you embark on your home-building journey.

If you’re dreaming of building a home and have no clue where to start, download my *FREE* Custom Home Build Prep Guide and learn my simple framework to build your dream home with less stress, more confidence, and a strategic plan to stay on budget. Yes, please!

  1. Myan says:

    Thank you thank you THANK YOU for this post! My fiancé and I are planning to custom build in the next few years and even though we’ve done a few multi-room renovations, we are still super nervous about building from the ground up. I shared this post with him & we both agreed that these tips are supremely helpful.

    Thank you!

  2. […] You might enjoy reading 8 Crucial Tips for your First-Time Home Build. […]

  3. nancy atz says:

    My husband and I are in process of building a semi-custom home. Framing is being done now. I have met with two designers for kitchen and vanity cabinets. The meeting also included selecting hardware for cabinets. I haven’t gotten the estimate yet, but I am concerned the cost of hardware will be higher than what I can find on-line or at Lowes. I am thinking about just purchasing my own hardware if their cost is high. Does this seem reasonable? Thanks, Nancy Atz

    • I purchased some of my hardware on my own (i.e. not through our builder). It really depends on the hardware you want. You could price what you can find online vs. what the builder will charge you. The builder’s discount could make it less expensive than online.

      • Erin says:

        You also should think about the amount of holes you will have to drill or pay someone to drill for you if you decide to install after the build. We are building now and that was one of the biggest points they made is making all holes perfect and lined up is really difficult.

  4. I liked what you said about how the sooner finishes are in the builder’s hands the sooner they can work on their home and the less distracted they will be. My mom has been thinking about building a home so that she can have it made so that it is really accessible and there won’t be any problems for a wheelchair to move around. She really wants to get a professional to help her design it so that it can be done better.

  5. My fiancé and I are planning to custom build in the next few years and even though we’ve done a few multi-room renovations, we are still super nervous about building from the ground up. I shared this post with him & we both agreed that these tips are supremely helpful

  6. Catherine Crain says:

    Love your kitchen and flooring..could you share the brand and color?
    I love the look of darker floors with white kitchen but they show every speck you drop in the kitchen, are you happy with your color choice ?
    Thanks!

    • Hi Catherine! Yes, I’m happy with my floor choice. It isn’t too dark and isn’t too light. It certainly isn’t the latest trend (light floors), but I do love it. If I were building today, I would choose lighter floors though. Not because of dirt and dust (that isn’t an issue with dust showing) … it’s because I like the current trend of lighter flooring. My floors were pre-stained and you can find the info
      here.

  7. Tammie Houston says:

    I liked your tip about preparing to go over budget, it’s definitely true with most other things and it’d only be realistic to expect the same to happen in home construction. My husband and I finally saved enough money to build our own home and I think it’d be best if we save a bit more so that we can accommodate any possible spending that may arise. We’ll be sure not to do anything like get large upgrades while building and be upfront with our builder as much as possible. https://nobleheritagebuilders.com/customs/

  8. […] major deciding factor in what type of house you can have built is your budget. Before you even begin assembling your dream team, it is […]

  9. home builder sedona says:

    The very first step to building your home comes way before selecting any materials or locations. Before you can choose a home, you must know what type of home you can afford. Setting a strict budget and knowing how much you can or cannot budge will help you to make the best choices and help to save money in the long run. Learn more https://www.morgantaylorhomes.com/our-communities/sedona/

  10. […] of flooring is crucial as it sets the tone and atmosphere of the home. Homeowners have a variety of flooring options to choose from, including hardwood, laminate, vinyl, tile, and carpet. Each option has its unique […]

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I designed my own custom home from the ground up, inside and out. A home that is cozy, comfy, laid out perfectly for the way my family lives, and makes us happy every single day. Oh, and did I mention I did this all without blowing the budget?! 

Yep, it’s true. I’ve been there, done that, and actually lived through it … and you will too. Pinkie promise!

a.k.a. Caroline on Design

I’m Carrie Barker.

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