You’ve checked out available houses in your area, and you’re not all that impressed. As such, you’re considering building your own house instead. And not only that, but you’re thinking of opting for custom home design.
The problem is: you don’t know how to design a house. Fortunately, you’ve come to the right place. In this article, we’re going to discuss the key tenets of designing a house, helping you design your dream home.
Ready? Let’s go!
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Think Again
There’s a big difference between the ideal of building your own home and actually building your own home. The process is almost always more complicated than what is imagined and, in some cases, ends up being more stressful than what it’s worth.
After all, there are many different components that go into building a house. You have to buy land, prepare the land, find the necessary contractors, fill out the paperwork with the local government, and much, much more. You might even have to install a septic system and dig a well.
And there’s no way to legitimately be prepared for what might happen. Weather delays could disturb the schedule; your contractors could make time-consuming mistakes; your actual costs could far exceed your budget.
As such, before you get started with this, we urge you to think again. Make sure that this is really what you want to do. Even with a solid building company on your side, unexpected things will occur.
That said, if you’re ready to accept all of this, it can be an exceedingly fulfilling experience. Living in a house that you designed is a great feeling and could greatly contribute to your everyday wellbeing.
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Hire a Professional Designer
Designing a home isn’t as easy as it looks. Though there are all sorts of software available to help you with your home’s layout, they come up short on a lot of the technical aspects of home design. As such, if you don’t have any design knowledge yourself, you’re advised to hire a professional house designer.
A professional designer will work closely with you to ensure that you get the features that you want, but will also ensure that those features are practical and will not detract from the home’s functionality.
Now, there are a few options when it comes to finding a designer. You can search for an independent designer and then take his or her designs to a construction company. On the other hand, you can just hire a home builder company, which will provide both design and construction services.
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Envision Your Furniture Placement
At its core, house building is about accommodating the functional. If a house doesn’t serve practical purposes, it’s not even worth the materials it’s made from.
So, when starting your design, you’re advised to envision the placement of your future furniture. Think about how it will be situated around the TV, or in proximity to the kitchen layout, or in your bedroom, and then design the house around those positionings.
This shouldn’t just be an abstract thing, either. You need to account for the exact measurements of your furniture, as they will dictate just how large individual rooms need to be.
Account for sunlight as well. Remember: the Sun rises in the east and sets in the west. Position your furniture so that you’re not experiencing glare the entire time you’re relaxing in your home.
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Communicate Constantly
When it comes to building the house of your dreams, communication is of utmost importance. The more you communicate with your designer and your builder, the fewer mistakes there will be, and the less money the build will require.
Don’t feel bad about butting in if something about the design concerns you. You’re paying your crew to do the job the way that you want it done. You have every right to ask questions and make suggestions.
That said, you need to be kind. Acting in a domineering way is only going to result in resentment with the builders. And if resentment arises in your construction crew, it could end up doing haphazard work.
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Think to the Future
You’re building your house for the now. But you have to remember that you’ll be living in this house for a long time, maybe as long as 50 years and perhaps even longer. As such, thinking about the future is a necessity.
There are a few different things to remember in this regard: 1. you could have children, and if you do, you’ll need more space for each one, 2. you could find new interests that require the use of more space, and 3. design elements go out of vogue, some more than others; so, the elements you utilize should be able to hold up fairly well throughout the years.
Sure, you could always add on at a later date. But if you do, you’re going to end up spending a lot more money. It’s much cheaper to get everything in place now.
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Have Plenty of Money Handy
It’s rare that a house build ends up costing what it’s estimated to cost. In most cases, it ends up being quite a bit more. As such, you need to come prepared.
It’s wise to add at least 10% extra onto any estimate that you receive. You never know what could go wrong during the building process, but any of it has the potential to increase your overall cost. The last thing you want is to be put in a situation where you can’t afford the home you’ve just built.
Custom Home Design Opens Up a Range of Possibilities
By opting for custom home design, you open yourself up to a range of different possibilities. There are all sorts of things you can do with house design, so use the tips above to get out there and do them!
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