Finalizing a design is the step people often look forward to the most when building a custom home. There is something so satisfying about seeing a design on paper or on screen and knowing that's the actual design that will be used for your home. But before you reach this big step, there are a few other, smaller steps you need to take when designing a custom home.
Finding the right land.
You generally do not want to finalize the design of your home until you've picked out the land upon which it will be built. The land you choose may impact how you want the home designed. For example, if you end up buying property across the street from a beautiful forest, this may inspire you to put the living room at the front of the home to take advantage of the view. Sometimes, the terrain of the land also dictates design. You may learn, for example, that it is easier to design a home to be built on a hill than to have that hill flattened. It's fine to come up with a rough draft of your design before you buy land, but don't finalize anything until the land has been purchased.
Setting a budget.
It's not uncommon for people to have a home designed, fall in love with the design, finalize it, and then learn that the home will cost more than they can afford to build. By this point, you've paid for a design you can't use! As such, it is much smarter to decide on a budget before you finalize a home design. Only agree to the design if the home can be built to that design within your budget.
Learn local building regulations.
Most builders will do a lot of this research for you, but you should at least check with them and make sure it has been done. Get a copy of all relevant building codes that dictate where you can build, how large the home can be, what kind of plumbing you need, and so forth. This way, you can double-check that the home being designed will meet all of the regulations so you don't have to backtrack and make changes later on.
Finalizing a design for your home is so enjoyable. It will be more enjoyable if you first approve a budget, learn the local building codes, and choose property. Contact a custom home builder to learn more.