Custom home building near me is a good place to start if you are searching for information on building a custom house is a complex process and involves very meticulous planning even before the first shovel is lifted.
There are so many design and construction detail decisions to make that anyone can feel the process overwhelming and be a daunting task.
But worry not, we are here to break down the custom house design and construction process for custom home buildings near me locally into a series of steps.
You may also read our detailed resource page on preparing, pre-planning, and evaluating the design and construction process of a custom house.
The quarry of a custom home building near me will also provide you with the needed content for taking the required due diligence steps necessary for preparing your dream home vision.
Getting started with your custom home building near me
Given that building a custom home is more about your personal ideas rather than the designer’s, you need to get things ready, at least in your mind.
Think about the things to be included or removed in your dream home, and try sketching them on a piece of paper.
Sketch the layout:
You don’t have to be an artist to draw a conceptual design containing your ideas. Make a list of the features you would want in each room and draw rough sketches of them.
These may include the locations for cabinets, special furniture pieces for room arrangements, doorways, and windows.
These rough sketches will serve as a guide to help your architectural designer to take the cues for developing a professional design plan.
In case you are still finding it difficult to jot down the layout, refer to some magazines, browse online designs, or drive around your neighborhood to at least capture find the type of architectural design style you want for your custom house – modern, cottage, traditional, or craftsman.
To learn more about architectural design ideas for your Houston custom home building near me journey visit our link.
Check for any Architecturally Restricted Areas:
There are residential design and construction restrictions in each neighborhood in Houston that are a part of the property deeds.
These are called deed restrictions and are enforced by the Home Owners Association (HOA).
Each community HOA typically has an Architectural Review Board, an Architectural Review Committee, or a Design Review Committee with the mandate of maintaining the architectural character of the neighborhood.
So, in the case of custom house building, you will need to update yourself with all the criteria including the restrictions to be incorporated in the basic design.
You will normally be required to submit the preliminary plans to the above-mentioned board or committee for review before you submit for a building permit.
Your design plans will then be evaluated to ensure the draft plan fits into the architectural style and building restrictions of the neighborhood.
Commit to your design detail decisions:
It is better to commit to your custom house design as early as possible to ensure a smooth build process without encountering changes, schedule delays, and budget overreach.
The Houston home builders prefer a final design to work with albeit some suggestions here and there may be accommodated provided there are no slippages in terms of budget and timelines due to them.
The final selection may consist of some of the following items, elements, or aspects:
- Number Rooms
- Number of Stories & Ceiling Heights
- Brand & Types Windows and Doors
- Flooring Types
- Type of Roof Materials
- Cabinetry
- Kitchen Appliances
- Lighting Fixture
- Structural features of each room
- Plumbing Fixtures
- Green design, if needed
The abovementioned items should be selected beforehand as their installation can impact the architectural design, foundation, and plumbing work of your house.
For instance, flooring materials such as tile, granite, and wood can have an impact on the height of the finish floor elevation. If you have stairs, the finished height will greatly impact the structure of the tread heights.
Also, since many of these items may have longer lead times, they need to be procured early so that they are around when the time is ready for installation.
Further, several items can make a significant impact on the way your custom house will look, feel, and function. So, it is important that you focus on the following areas:
Exterior detailing: The materials (and detailing) used to build the exterior can greatly influence the overall aesthetics and curb appeal of your house.
The generally available options are normally Hard-plank, stucco, stone, and brick for the vertical cladding.
The roofing options are typically asphalt composite, tile roof materials, metal standing seam, and synthetic membranes for flat roofs.
And by selecting the right systems, amenities, and products, you can go about boosting the strength, indoor air quality, weather-robustness, and energy efficiency of your house.
Cabinetry and millwork: As an essential design element, cabinets can draw your attention in whichever room they are present. They serve the needs of organizing and storing household supplies.
Although kitchens and bathrooms traditionally have cabinets, built-in cabinetry is popular for closets, pantries, laundry rooms, and living areas.
So, choose the right type, texture, material, and design for the cabinets.
Besides, you can plan about other trim details, namely, wall paneling, crown molding, baseboards, railings and window and door casings, among others.
In higher-end houses, the millwork design details become complicated in both the design implementation of features of walls and ceilings. These details will also need drawings.
Flooring: Much thought should go into selecting the type of flooring you want in your custom home.
This is important as it can impact not only the look but impacts the feel of every space in your house.
Also, since it is inarguably the most utilized element in your home (shall carry the weight of people and objects), it has to be durable, of high quality, aesthetically pleasing, and easily maintainable.
You may contact the master builders in your area to know the details of flooring and the best material to be used (within the constraints of budget).
Lighting: This is one aspect that can impact the energy efficiency quotient of your house.
You need to plan the installation of lights in combination with natural light to make the optimal utilization of energy.
Remember, once the lighting plan is put into action and the lighting elements are in place, any effort to move them can create cascading issues.
Hire a professional architect or designer:
The next step after finalizing the basic design sketch is to hire the services of a professional designer or architect.
The professional will be able to transform your basic design into a blueprint, which you can use to get bids from luxury home builders.
Search for the Houston builder, either online or by taking references, who suits your budget.
The custom home builder should be easy to work with as designing your dream home should not be a rushed job.
After hiring the best custom home builder, you should discuss with him or her in detail your sketch and vision.
The architect or designer may ask you several questions based on your sketch. These may include the following:
- The type of exterior you want; siding, stone, stucco, or brick
- The type of roof material you want to use; metal, shingles, or tile
- Is the house in any architecturally restricted area?
- Are there any setbacks or easements on the lot?
Now, even if these appear to be Greek and Latin to you, worry not, the designer or architect will guide you.
Once the architect understands your vision and gets answers to all his or her questions, he or she may start working on the blueprint.
He or she may go about the whole process by optimizing the design elements and keeping them within the budget by using a computer program.
Remember, the architect may refine your sketch and ensure it meets the architectural standards. You may view our video to know more about The Custom Home Process
Find a builder:
Once the house plans are ready, it is time to find a qualified builder to implement the same on the ground.
Draw a shortlist of reputable Houston custom home builders and get bids with a detailed scope of work from them based on the drawings.
During your interview, ask them questions that are meaningful to you and get to understand their process and business acumen.
You may ask them for some references and visit some of their construction sites to understand their quality and pattern of work.
Also, check their builder’s or contractor’s insurance before hiring. After zeroing on a particular builder, request a binding agreement by listing the terms of performance, budget, and timelines.
You may read our blog to understand the process and criteria for selecting the right custom home builder.
Get the permits:
Custom house building requires you to secure the relevant permits from the local authorities.
This is important as not having a permit can invite a heavy fine or even stoppage of work.
Every county or city has its building codes & restrictions when it comes to construction, and you need to read them carefully.
For instance, in Florida, you have to hire only licensed home builders.
Importantly, you should get in touch with the Houston custom home builders to obtain the permits on your behalf given that they are well-versed in the process, unlike you.
If you are building in a rural area that does not require inspection compliance, hire a certified 3rd party inspector.
Choose the decorator selection choose materials:
The quality of materials will ultimately determine the durability, functionality, and aesthetic superiority of your home.
With most custom house projects, the builder will provide material allowances for decorative material selections.
The custom builder hired by you should make the arrangements of getting the materials from his or her set of suppliers.
However, you will be requested to make color and product selection choices through-out the custom house building process.
Should you want to procure them all by yourself, you may ask the custom builder for guidance.
Actual construction:
It is the responsibility of home builders to procure materials, equipment, and manpower for the home construction process to begin.
The timeline to complete the custom house may change based on the challenges that may come along the way – weather elements, for example.
Usually, the timeline is a guideline based on the complexity of the design, ground condition, and the process used by the builder.
Final Inspection:
Once the construction is complete, the luxury house needs to be inspected and certified for occupation by the building department or a local government agency.
Even during construction, the house will be inspected at various stages to ensure that the custom home construction is as per the building codes and other relevant ordinances.
It is in everyone’s interest to allow the builder to complete the house before you move in.
Conclusion
Custom home building near me requires an enormous amount of preparation for the necessary designing and construction of a custom home can seem to be a taxing process.
However, engaging an experienced designer and builder can make the process more organized and efficient.
The above-mentioned points can help you understand the basic premise of going about the job.
However, the devil is in the detail of both home designing and the construction process for a successful project.
You may read more of our additional information about the design and construction process of custom building by visiting our link.
