Mistakes to Avoid When Building a Custom Home in Madison Wisconsin
The builder’s on the phone again. Your Italian marble countertops are delayed another two weeks overseas. And the custom lighting is taking longer than expected. You’re having second thoughts about the kitchen island anyway. Maybe it would be better a few feet to the left. Avoid uncertainty, expense, and delay by learning about common mistakes when building a custom home so that you don’t fall prey to any of the most prevalent pitfalls of new construction.
Conklin Construction Co builds beautiful custom homes in Cottage Grove, Deforest, Sun Prairie, Waunakee, Windsor, and the surrounding areas of Greater Madison, Wisconsin. We’ve witnessed plenty of custom home construction mistakes in our years in the industry. We’ve even been party to a few of our own. Luckily, we’ve learned from everyone. Let our expertise help you plan your new residential construction to avoid costly and annoying mistakes during the process.
Hastily Selecting Your Builder
Your builder is the link between your dream home and reality. Choosing the right builder in your area makes a difference in your construction experience and the following years in your new home. Meet with a few builders and ask questions about your project, pay attention to the match in communication style and their portfolio and reputation. We cannot undersell the importance of a good fit. You will be working closely together on a substantial personal investment.
Rushing Through the Design Process
Decisions made during design can complicate your build, add expense, or change your timeline. Your design choices impact your project's cost and the timeline it will follow. Waiting for materials to arrive during a supply chain delay or changing your plan during construction when you realize you overlooked an area or missed the opportunity to add a feature you desire are far more expensive during construction than design. Careful attention and time in the planning process save money and stress during the build.
Choosing The Wrong Floor Plan
Space-efficient home design is important, but so is including the spaces and features you want and the flow when you use them. Careful thought and conversation during the design process ensure your floor plan is a good fit. Examples of bad floor plans include limited closet space, poor kitchen workflow, and inconveniently positioned bathrooms. Limit your post-build regrets by picking the perfect floor plan for your custom build.
Skimping on Construction Basics
Planning your new kitchen is fun. Choosing flooring can be an adventure. Small things can get forgotten when building a house because planning for them isn’t quite as engaging. Addressing insulation, ventilation, drainage, adequate house lighting, electrical outlets, and energy efficiency with your design and material selection is so important. Adding more lights, plumbing, outlets, insulation, or ventilation is much more complex and expensive once we’ve closed the walls and completed your construction.
Placing Your Home in the Wrong Spot on Your Lot
You get one chance to position your home to make the most of your lot and the resources available on it. Make the most of available light, warmth, and natural drainage on your property by building in the right spot. South-facing windows, for example, add warmth, whereas north-facing windows make for cooler rooms. Be sure to position your home with your expert contractor’s input in mind so that you build your forever home in the best spot possible. While you can pick your home up and move it, you aren’t going to like the price tag.
Blowing Your Budget
Being over budget isn’t always bad. Sometimes, you choose to spend up to follow a new idea or improve on your design. However, unexpected expenses are not usually so fun. Cost overruns sometimes surprise clients. Overrun is the additional percentage amount by which estimates exceed the actual cost.
Materials often cost more than they did at the time of estimate, unexpected problems take time and money to remedy, or the project takes more time than projected. Do not design a project with a price tag at the ultimate ceiling of your budget. Expect and budget for the unexpected. The worst that can happen is a pleasant surprise and a cash surplus.
Leaving Communication from Your Builder Unread
Communication is crucial to every professional relationship. Your custom home is often the single biggest investment of your lifetime. Read everything from your builder. Carefully review your contract to understand the timeline, cost, and responsibilities outlined there. When your builder reaches out, respond quickly to stay informed and keep your project running on time.
Conklin’s Here to Ensure None of This Happens to You
Conklin Construction Company’s decade of expertise in custom residential construction in the Greater Madison Area results in unparalleled homes. We cannot wait to team up on your dream project. Reach out today to connect about your custom home.
