Building a dream home from the ground up provides an opportunity to decide exactly how your new place should look, from the size of the bedrooms to the layout of the kitchen. You even choose the location and design of the home.

Homeowners enjoy the idea of building a custom home in Denver. From an outside perspective, it seems pretty simple and of course, lucrative to know you designed every square inch of the property. Just tell the architect and custom home builder what kind of features you want in the home and they take care of the rest.

Unfortunately, it does not work like that. Before the custom home building process begins, it is imperative to know what you want and need in the new property and how to find builders willing to go the extra mile to construct a home that exceeds expectations.

The best way to decide those things is by asking yourself the following seven questions. The answers to each of the questions can help ensure you find the right builders eager to construct the perfect home for your family. It takes time and planning to design a home that fancies all of the needs of your family, but these answers ease some of the process.

7 Important Questions to Ask Before Building Your Custom Home

Your family’s needs for a home may be very unique to the next family’s needs. For example, you may have pets that need a large yard whereas the next family is pet-free. That is why asking yourself questions before the building process begins is so important. When you answer the following seven questions, you’ll have a better idea of the type of home suited best for the needs of your family.

What does my Family need to Live Comfortably?

Firstly, decide the number of bedrooms you want in the home, keeping in mind your family size may increase or decrease in the future. If you plan to have kids, for example, you may want a home with more bedrooms than you currently need. Do you want features such as oversized bedrooms, a laundry room, or a garage? Is the addition of a pantry a necessity? It is important that you take time to really consider the features that are important to your family to design a home that exceeds expectations.

Do you want bedrooms located beside each other or prefer a design with them on opposing ends of the house? Do you want a walk-in pantry? Is a patio the perfect outdoor space for your family?

Decide what you need in the home versus what you want. Remember, those needs may drastically change in 5, 10, or even 20 years. Will the home still accommodate your foreseeable needs even many years down the road?

Create two separate lists to identify each of them to help move the home design process right along without moving so quickly that it sacrifices the features that your family needs to live comfortably.

What Location is Best for my Family?

Choosing the best location to build a custom home in Denver is challenging. So many amazing neighborhoods exist in The Mile High City, each bringing different vibes, amenities, and price ranges to the mix. Choose a location that provides the amenities that you need, good schools for the kids, and the vibe that best suits your personality. It is difficult to narrow down locations but when factoring in other needs for the home, the right place sort of sticks out in your mind.

The location should be easily accessible to schools/work/interstates to keep commute times down and reduce wear and tear on your vehicles. Choose a location that fits the lifestyle of your family so you feel more comfortable.

Am I Confident in the Custom Home Builders I’ve Selected?

Choosing a custom home builder in Denver backed by an excellent reputation and other notable qualities better ensures you are happy with the final product. Nothing is more important than finding builders offering open, honest communication, great pricing, and an excellent reputation.

• Look for licensed, insured, and bonded custom home builders
• Ask for references and check with previous clients that can give firsthand information about their service(s), quality, and results.
• Intuition can guide you to great homebuilders; trust it
• Request estimates/quotes and compare rates from a few builders before making your final selection

Can I Really Afford This?

It is easy to focus on what you want instead of what you can afford when customizing a dream home. Do not go overboard and get in over your head. Losing that custom-built home because you can’t pay the mortgage is the last experience you want.

Rather, accordingly budget -making certain the monthly mortgage combined with other bills and fees is comfortable to your budget. Keep in mind reducing the costs of a custom-built home is possible when you make simple changes, such as opting for a traditional brand of cabinetry rather than a luxury provider.

What Happens if I Need to Make Changes After I Sign a Contract?

Changing the design or features of the home after signing a contract may or may not be possible. The type of changes you want and the terms of the contract can help better determine whether this is possible. Read the contract thoroughly before signing!

In situations when design changes-known as variations- are permissible, expect them to come at tremendous cost. The actual variation cost depends on the changes and their complexity based on the construction already completed.

Changing the home design after signing the contract also delays the expected completion time of the custom-built home. Expect a few weeks

How Long will it take to Build the Home?

Completing the average custom-built home takes seven-eight months or longer in some situations. The home size, features, weather conditions, and custom home builders in Denver selected all factor in on the completion time. Some builders work faster than others and many will put in the overtime to get a home built during a specific time period.

Inquire about the length of time building your home takes before signing a contract. Should you need the home erected by a specific date, ensure the builders are aware of deadlines ahead of signing the contract.

Should I Buy a Pre-Built Home Instead?

Benefits exist whether you buy a home or build from the ground up, although we fancy the idea of choosing the exact design of our house, its location, and features more than settling for someone else’s ideas. However, buying a pre-built home may better suit some individuals. If you wonder if buying a pre-built home is better, you should closely evaluate the pros and cons of each decision.

If you need to close on a new home within the next few months, buying an already-built home is the better idea. People with restricted budgets or poor credit scores may also find buying an already-built home better for their situation.

Evaluate the pros and cons of buying vs. building your new home. We think you’ll agree with our synopsis that building a custom home from the ground up is the better idea in most situations.

Denver Urban Builders can help design your dream home when you are ready to take that step. Reach out to request a free quote or to discuss your needs with one of our custom builders.