What is the Custom Home Building Design-Build Process?

Building a custom home can be intimidating if you've never been through the process before - but it doesn't have to be. When you're working with professional home builders in Cincinnati OH, you'll be amazed at how streamlined and easy home building can be.

What's more, there's nothing more rewarding than building a custom home, especially on that first night sleeping in your brand-new home that's been designed and built just for you! Here's everything you can expect about the custom home process.

How to Build a Custom Home

Building a new construction home can be broken down into steps, starting with considering your goals in building a custom home. 

As a part of these considerations, it's also important to make a list of "must-haves" versus "nice-to-haves" so you'll know what to discuss with your home builder when you reach that step.

1. Find a Builder

Once you've made the decision to build a custom home, finding a builder is the next step. Vet builders by looking at their portfolios, meeting with builders to have an initial consultation, reading online reviews, and checking references.

When vetting builders, check that they are licensed and have experience building homes. When looking at the builder's portfolio, examine their work to ensure quality and to see that the builder's style matches your personal style. This is important! Finally, check all references to ensure that other clients have had good experiences with your builder of choice.

2. Make a Budget

Know your budget for your home building project. Getting approved for a mortgage for a home that is not yet built can be complicated, so you'll want to start discussions with mortgage brokers early in the process to find out how much you'll be approved to borrow. Once you know your budget, talk to your home builder to ensure that the home you're planning to build will fit in your budget.

3. Choose a Site

Selecting a site for a custom home is a big step. It may look like an empty piece of land now, but someday it will be the site of your forever home. Exciting, right?

Know what kind of features you'd like to have on your property, how close you'd like to be to your nearest neighbors, what kind of commute you'd like to drive, and so on.

The size, layout, and design of your house may also be impacted by the topography of your property, so work with your builder as you choose the site for your new home.

4. Approve a Design

Your home builder will create a design for you to approve, based on conversations during your design meetings, your needs for your new home, the style you envision, and all the cool and convenient features you simply can't live without.

It's important to ensure that you're in love with the design you approve. Once the work begins, changes to the design can cause delays and may even add to your final cost. There's no such thing as over communicating when it comes to the largest investment you're likely to ever make. Don't assume that a problem or concern will go away once the building begins - talk about it during the design phase!

5. Let the Work Begin

Once the design is approved, your contractor will order materials, create the schedules, give you access to the construction management software, and then begin work.

Keep in mind that ordering materials can take time. Your builder should be able to give you an estimate of how long this will take and when the building will begin. Once work starts, you may be asked to review work, visit the work site, weigh in on building decisions, and provide feedback to your builder. Be ready and available for communication to keep things rolling!

Pros of Building a Custom Home

There are many advantages to building your own custom home, but perhaps the biggest advantage is the satisfaction you feel living in a home that was designed exclusively for you! You choose all the details of your custom home - so that it truly fits your lifestyle.

Other advantages of building a custom home:

• Less maintenance: New homes don't come with the frustrations and constant maintenance that pre-owned homes do. You'll spend the first several years loving the lack of maintenance!
• Make it your forever home: If you're hoping to live in your house forever, it's easier to make that happen if you can build the home to your specifications.
• Total choice: You get to pick where your home is built, how big it is, the materials used to create your home, and every other aspect of a home. Isn't that nice?
  
  

Is New Construction More Expensive?

New construction can seem more expensive at the outset, but that's offset by the lack of maintenance and renovations. Think about all the money you'll spend trying to make a pre-owned home match your style and your needs.

Often, homeowners who move into a pre-owned house must make cosmetic changes, structural changes or maintenance upgrades. You won't have to do that with your new custom home - it's made just for you!

This means you'll enjoy significant money savings and also means you'll spend less time trying to make your new house meet your needs.

The Benefits of Using the Design-Build Process in Custom Home Building

The custom home design-build process involves a series of coordinated steps from conception to completion. This method, known as design-build, streamlines the journey of creating your dream home.

Stages of Designing and Building a House

The stages of designing and building a house encompass planning, designing, obtaining permits, construction, and finishing. This comprehensive approach is particularly effective in design-build construction company projects, where the focus is on efficiency, quality, and (most importantly) your experience.

Careful Planning and Custom-Design

Building a custom-designed home requires careful planning, design customization, construction management, and attention to detail. With design-build, these elements are integrated, providing a cohesive experience.

Key steps in the design-build process for custom homes include collaborative design between your builder and designer, streamlined project management, and integrated construction. This approach is super beneficial for your experience and the finished product: your dream home.

The Design-Build Difference

The stages of the custom home design-build process are characterized by integrated teamwork, efficient communication, and a unified workflow. This is particularly evident in design-build project management, where each phase is carefully orchestrated and incredibly organized.

The design-build process differs from traditional home construction by combining design and construction services under one contract. This is where it gets impressive. This method offers time and cost efficiency, improved communication, and cohesive project execution.

Timelines and Team Selection in Design-Build

Specific timelines vary based on the scope of work and it's important to understand these timelines to set realistic expectations. Factors to consider when selecting a design-build team for a home include the team's experience, portfolio, communication style, and client testimonials. 

Design-Build Contracts and Success Stories

Design-build contracts differ from other construction contracts because both design and construction services are included, offering a single point of responsibility. No relaying messages between your architect and builder, acting as the go-between.

This is particularly advantageous in building design service projects, where coordination between design and construction is key. Examples of successful custom home projects using design-build consistently showcase efficient project timelines, budget adherence, and high client satisfaction. 

Ready to Get Started? 

Get ready to see just how rewarding home building in Cincinnati, Ohio, can be. Contact Chris Gorman Homes to get started with your custom home.