design phase

The most difficult part of building a new home can be just getting started. This is the third part of a series on how to get started with your new home project. You have come up with stock plans you like, or have a good idea of your floorplan. The next step is to get plans that are in your budget. We have people who have spent a lot of time and money on their plans without our input. Then we price it out, and it is way over their budget. They have to spend more money changing the plans, or worse, trashing those plans and starting over. Getting help early on is critical to make sure your plans and budget are going to come together. We like to work with you and the architect during the design phase so that everything is coming together properly. If you are purchasing a stock plan, we can offer input on changes (almost everyone makes some changes, that is what a custom home is about). We will then provide a rough cost analysis. This ballpark estimate provides a good idea of what it will cost to build that plan. That way you have the information needed to decide if that plan is going to work. If it is too high, then you know to look for smaller plans before purchasing them. If you have more room in the budget, then it can be expanded, or you can add to your selection budget. If you are having the plans drawn, we can provide input during the design. We have been doing this a long time, and have a lot of experience in what works and what should be avoided. Ballparks can be done on the sketches and drafts. That way you know that the plans are working within your budget during the entire design process. This allows you to make intelligent decisions, and saves you money at the plan stage.