Custom Building a home is an exciting albeit stressful undertaking. The priority is to research a credentialed and quality professional builder in Livingston County to help develop a plan with a reasonable timeline and realistic budget that can be submitted to a lender to obtain financing for the project.
Planning and budgeting are exhaustive parts of the process and can be challenging particularly when trying to find ways to save. In that vein, it’s actually wise to invest a higher price upfront for quality materials to ultimately see the greatest value.
Where Should You Spend and How Can You Save With a Custom Home Build
Key factors contribute to budgeting decisions when planning a New Home Construction in Livingston County MI aside from the dollars and cents such as the quality of the materials, design elements, and labor.
The planning and budgeting stage can be stressful considering the impact of your choices on the house’s current and future value, not to mention affecting your daily function and efficiency.
You don’t want frequent repairs or additional investments in premature replacements but instead choose materials that will endure an extended longevity. Where should you spend and when is it wise to conserve funds? Let’s explore some ideas.
Focus on function
Function and efficiency are prioritized in every aspect of a custom home build; the greater the square footage, the higher the price point. The focus should be on preferred features and a desired layout to meet your daily needs. The best designer will reduce dead space in favor of savings.
This includes tucking rooms under the stairs, adding storage in empty spaces, and removing inner walls for an open floor plan to give the illusion of a much bigger property.
The permanent parts
Spending more makes sense when it means maintaining the structural integrity and securing the house, such as with the doors and windows and insulating the property; these are aspects that call for energy efficiency and higher quality. Visit https://www.investopedia.com/articles/personal-finance/032315/getting-mortgage-when-building-your-own-home.asp for guidance on funding your house construction.
The following ideas should be considered alongside your builder when planning and budgeting for the house.
- HVAC-Heating/Cooling: The HVAC should be appropriately sized for your house and rated for optimum energy efficiency, keeping the home safe and healthy and saving on utility costs.
- Insulation:Proper insulation works cohesively with the HVAC system to maintain a consistent and comfortable temp, helping to keep the house efficient. Proper and quality insulation should be applied in the attic, walls, and with the flooring.
- Doors/windows: Double/triple panes coated for low emissivity allow optimum thermal efficiency. Windows and doors must be adequately sealed to prevent drafts and heat transfer for the greatest energy efficiency.
- The thermostat: A programmable thermostat is recommended to regulate indoor temperature.
- The appliances: ENERGY STAR appliances are designed for optimum energy efficiency with comparable performance.
The kitchen and bath
The kitchen and bathrooms are essential spaces and must be able to withstand the most abuse, which means spending more to ultimately see the greatest overall value. Family and friends spend the majority of their time gathering in the kitchen where they can socialize and prepare meals.
These rooms see the most use and should have the greatest investment, such as in high-quality fixtures and finishes, specialty tiling, and high-grade countertop materials such as quartz.
Adding a touch of luxury not only improves your comfort and function but also will increase your resale value. That can mean a walk-in spa-like shower or a classic claw-foot tub.
The features
The idea behind building a home is to have a unique result, get away from the cookie-cutter homes on the market, to find an ideal house to meet your specific needs and preferences. That means including design elements and specific features that fit your lifestyle and are tailored to your particular needs.
These could include distinct built-in designs, a distinct architectural detail, or another element that gives the property a sense of individuality.
In today’s modern home, many people choose to incorporate innovative technology such as security systems, lighting, thermostats, and other conveniences meant for optimum function and efficiency.
These come with a higher upfront investment reduce daily living expenses ultimately providing greater value over the long term. Read here for details on house construction funding.
Final Thought
A custom home should reflect your personal style and fit your lifestyle; this is why more people are choosing to construct the ideal house instead of searching for an existing property in Livingston County Michigan.
When deciding where to spend and whether to conserve costs, you must strike a balance in deciding which areas and features are most relevant. And then it’s a matter of finding the best builder whose project expectations align with that vision and those budgetary guidelines.
