Are you worried about going over budget on your custom home build? You’re not alone! But what if I told you budget overruns aren’t inevitable? In this episode, I’m sharing the 3 biggest budget busters that cost home builders TENS OF THOUSANDS in overages (we’re talking $15K-$50K+ mistakes!), plus my proven system to avoid them completely.
If you’re tired of hearing “just expect to go 20% over budget” and want to build your dream home WITHOUT the financial stress, this episode is for you!
👉 Ready to take control of your home build? BEFORE YOU BUILDâ„ enrollment closes Monday 9/22/25 at 11:59 PM! Don’t miss your final chance to join at this price. Click here for ALL the BEFORE YOU BUILDâ„ details.
Listen to this episode or read the full transcript below.
Links Mentioned in this Episode:
Nervous about blowing your budget while building? Grab a seat in my FREE on-demand class, ‘The 3 Most Expensive Home Building Mistakes (And How to Avoid Them!)’.
Below is the full podcast episode transcript:
Hey there! Welcome back to the Before You Build podcast. I’m your host Carrie Barker, aka Caroline on Design, and today in episode 92, I’m doing an impromptu episode based on a live webinar I hosted this week about the biggest home build budget busters.
Possibly you were at the webinar, but in case you weren’t, I want to share a Cliffs Notes version of this webinar with you because it could literally save you THOUSANDS when building your home.
I mean, we’re talking TENS OF THOUSANDS of dollars in budget overages avoided when you know what to look out for.
Now, before we dive in, I do want to mention – the doors to my program, BEFORE YOU BUILDâ„ , are open right now, but only through this Monday, September 22nd, 2025 at 11:59 PM. After that, I won’t be enrolling anyone new until January 2026. Also, this is the final time I’ll be offering an enrollment discount.Â
So if what we talk about in this episode resonates with you, don’t wait … go ahead and join us inside BEFORE YOU BUILDâ„ . You can get all the details at carolineondesign.com/before-you-build.
All right, let’s jump into the good stuff!
IT’S POSSIBLE TO BUILD ON BUDGET!
So in the webinar, I broke down the three biggest home build budget busters that cost people THOUSANDS of dollars in budget overages.
But here’s the good news … every single one of these is completely avoidable when you know what to look out for.
And let me address something really quickly that you’ve probably heard.
We hear from just about everyone that we should just expect to go 20% or more over budget … people say to just assume this from the start.
But here’s what you rarely hear … you CAN build your dream home without blowing your budget.
It’s NOT inevitable that you’ll go over budget!
Sure, most people DO go over … some significantly over.
But it’s not inevitable!
I’m living proof of this. We built our custom home on budget without sacrificing any of our must-haves, and many of my BEFORE YOU BUILDâ„ clients are doing the same.Â
I shared in the webinar how Mare came in $6,500 under budget, and Monica was $12,000 under budget.
It’s totally possible when you avoid these three budget busters.
3 BIGGEST HOME BUILD BUDGET BUSTERS
Budget Buster #1: No Clear Vision = Expensive Changes
Okay, so the first budget buster is starting to build without a CLEAR vision of what you actually want in your future home.
I know that you probably have inspiration photos saved ALL over Pinterest and Instagram (I do too!), BUT this isn’t what I’m talking about when I say a CLEAR vision.
I’m talking about really understanding how your family will LIVE in your home.
You need to think about things like your morning routine and how your family organizes things.
You need to think about how YOU move around your kitchen and what layout works the best for YOU.
Here’s what I see happen all the time … people start building their home with tons of inspiration photos and a general idea of how they envision their home, but they haven’t taken the time to truly think through the day-to-day stuff and how their family will use their home.
This becomes a problem because mid-build, they’re like “Oh wait, we actually need way more storage than this,” or “This kitchen layout isn’t going to work for how we cook,” or “Where are the kids going to do homework?”
And boom … they have to make changes in real time while building, and these change orders can cost $15,000 to $50,000 or more.
I’m not exaggerating here, guys. I’ve seen this over and over … and that’s exactly WHY you have SO many people telling you just to assume you’ll go over budget.
It’s because so many people do not envision how their family will live until it’s too late.
BUT when you get crystal clear on your vision BEFORE you build, these surprises don’t happen.
You’re not scrambling to make decisions under pressure.
You know your vision before you even create your budget.
Budget Buster #2: Unrealistic Budget = Blown Budget
The second budget buster is creating an unrealistic budget from the start.
Most people get a ballpark quote from their builder and think “Great, that’s our budget!”
But that quote? It’s usually builder-grade everything. And I assume you probably want some upgrades, right?
When you start with an unrealistic budget that doesn’t consider your must-haves and the upgrades you know you want in your home, you’ve already blown your budget before you’ve even broken ground.
Now, if you’re building a true custom home, your builder will most likely account for some upgrades initially, but they aren’t going to account for things like high-end appliances, extensive millwork, or 12-foot ceilings unless you tell them you want that included in your quote.
Starting with an unrealistic budget leads to SO. MANY. change orders and surprise costs throughout your build.
Unfortunately, many people have to sacrifice things they really wanted because they didn’t plan for them up front.
This is exactly how people end up with those 20-30% overruns that you hear about … and that freak you out!
But when you create a realistic budget based on what you actually want, you stay in control of your budget.
Budget Buster #3: Wrong Builder = Wrong Results
The third budget buster is choosing the wrong builder.
This is especially an issue when people choose their builder based on price alone.
They go for the lowest quote, thinking they’re getting a great deal.
It almost seems too good to be true … and guess what, that’s because it IS too good to be true.
These lowball quotes lead to significant budget overages in ‘upgrades’ and changes orders happening in real time. We’re talking $100,000+ over budget in some cases.
Here’s the thing … when you don’t know what questions to ask or what red flags to look for, you could very likely end up with a builder who is lacking in communication, significant building delays, and you might even end up with a house that is nothing like you envisioned.
When you know how to properly vet builders and you know exactly what questions to ask and what red flags to look out for, these issues don’t happen.
THE BEFORE YOU BUILD BLUEPRINTâ„
So you’re probably wondering how you avoid these home build budget busters. I know the people attending my webinar were wondering this.
And that’s where I introduced my BEFORE YOU BUILD BLUEPRINTâ„ – my simple four-step system that helps you build with complete confidence and avoid all of those budget killers we just talked about.
The BYB BLUEPRINTâ„ is NOT based on theory.
This is my proven system that’s been tested through my own building experience and refined through helping hundreds of other families get incredible results over the past 5+ years.
Step 1: Clarify Your Vision
Step one is to clarify your vision using my VISION CLARITY FRAMEWORKâ„ .
And when I say ‘clarify your vision’, I mean you’ll get crystal clear on exactly what you want before you start building.
Inside BEFORE YOU BUILDâ„ , I walk you through specific exercises to define how you actually live. We’re talking about your morning routines, how you cook, where your family gathers, how you entertain – all the real-life stuff that determines whether your home works for you or against you.
A real vision isn’t just knowing you want your kitchen to have white cabinets, for example.
It’s knowing that you need extra counter space because you make sourdough bread with your kids every Sunday.
It’s knowing you need sight lines to the playroom because you have young children.
It’s knowing you want that cozy bunkroom for when your grandkids sleep over.
When you have this level of clarity, you don’t make those expensive mid-build changes because you already know exactly what your family needs before you ever break ground.
Step 2: Hire the Right Builder
Step two is hiring the RIGHT builder using my BYB BUILDER AUDITâ„ .
You’ll have the tools to hire someone to execute your vision without drama, delays, or budget surprises.
Not all builders are created equal, and most people have no idea how to tell the difference.
I teach you my exact vetting process:
- Specific questions to ask that reveal whether a builder is right for you
- Red flags to look out for that save you from a disastrous home building experience
- How to spot the difference between a builder who’ll nickel and dime you versus one who’s transparent from day one.
We talking about communication styles, how they handle change orders, their approach to timelines, and whether they actually listen to your vision or push their own agenda.
You’ll hire a build who respects your vision and keeps you in control of your budget and gives you a great home building experience, instead of feeling like you’re at their mercy and you’re not getting what you want.
Step 3: Create a Realistic Budget
Step three is creating a REALISTIC budget using my BYB BUDGET BLUEPRINTâ„ system so you know exactly where to splurge and where to save based on your actual priorities.
Here’s where most people get into trouble … they get a builder quote without understanding what the quote is based on (i.e. builder grade vs high end finishes) and call it their budget.
But my BYB BUDGET BLUEPRINTâ„ works backwards from your vision and your actual must-haves. You truly think about what you want in your home so you can get a REALISTIC dollar amount for what your house will cost.
I walk you through my SPLURGE + SAVEâ„ strategy and how to identify what’s worth the investment versus what you can save on without regretting your decisions.
No more budget surprises. No more having to sacrifice things you really wanted. You’ll spend intentionally on what matters most to YOUR family.
Step 4: Design with Confidence
Step four is designing with confidence so you make functional, timeless choices you’ll love for decades, not trendy decisions you’ll regret in five years.
Through my FLOOR PLAN FRAMEWORK℠, I teach you how to evaluate and design a floor plan for your family’s real-life functionality, not just what will look pretty on Instagram!
We’re talking about traffic flow, natural light, storage solutions, and how spaces connect to support YOUR family’s daily routines.
Then my DESIGN FOUNDATION FORMULAâ„ helps you choose finishes that work together beautifully and stand the test of time.
No more Pinterest paralysis – just a cohesive design direction that feels like YOU.
You’ll end up with a home that’s both gorgeous AND functional – one that makes your daily life easier and still looks amazing years from now.
Nervous about blowing your budget while building? Grab a seat in my FREE on-demand class, ‘The 3 Most Expensive Home Building Mistakes (And How to Avoid Them!)’.
WHY PLANNING MATTERS NOW MORE THAN EVER
So that’s my BEFORE YOU BUILD BLUEPRINT℠… my simple four-step system to avoid those costly budget busters we talked about and to build with complete confidence.
In today’s home building market, following a system like this is more critical than ever – strategic planning isn’t just helpful, it’s absolutely essential.
We’re dealing with unpredictable material costs from potential tariffs that could affect pricing overnight.
We’ve got lengthy construction timelines that seem to keep getting longer.
And the stakes are higher than ever because building costs have gone up so much.
The people who are staying in control of their builds and their budgets are the ones who plan ahead strategically. They’re not winging it and just hoping for the best. They’re PLANNING.
We’re talking about your biggest investment … your home.
One costly mistake, one overlooked detail, one rushed decision can cost you tens of thousands of dollars.
But with the right system – like the BEFORE YOU BUILD BLUEPRINTâ„ – you can absolutely build your dream home without the stress, surprises, or regrets, regardless of what’s happening in the market.
YOUR NEXT STEPS
So look, if you’re feeling overwhelmed about your home build right now, I totally get it. But you don’t have to figure this out on your own.
The BEFORE YOU BUILD BLUEPRINTâ„ has helped over 500 families avoid these exact budget busters and build with complete confidence. And honestly? I’d love to help you do the same.
If what we talked about today resonates with you, I want you to know that doors to BEFORE YOU BUILDâ„ are open right now, but only through Monday (9/22/25) night at 11:59 PM. After that, I won’t be opening enrollment again until January 2026, and the price will go up to $2000.
This is honestly the last time I’ll be offering the program at this price point.
So if you’re ready to take control of your home build and avoid those costly budget busters we talked about, head over to carolineondesign.com/before-you-build to get all the details.
I’d absolutely love to have you inside the program, and I can’t wait to help you build your dream home the right way!
