5 Myths About Custom Home Building

It is fairly natural for everyone to want to design their own space. Having your home be an extension of your personality is like peanut butter and jelly – you just got to do it.

But there is something to be said about building your own home from scratch. It isn’t just drapery and wallpaper you will be making decisions about here. It is how you want your house to breathe. How you want space for your kids to play, and you to escape the stresses of day-to-day life.

However, there are plenty of misconceptions that stop home buyers from looking into custom construction. You may have heard horror stories on TV shows made to push your buttons, or maybe your city has had one bad-apple contractor give everyone a bad name.

Nonetheless, we are here to debunk those myths and to let you know that custom home construction is closer in reach than you think.

Let’s go through the biggest myths of our industry and help you feel at home for your next home purchase.

Myth #1: Low-Cost Contractor Means Low-Cost Home

There is something to be said about people who always search for the best prices. It can help you save thousands year over year, but custom home building isn’t one of those industries.

In fact, if you ask 10 different home builders for advice, you’re likely to receive 10 different answers. Price isn’t the only changing factor for your home. Team members, sub-contractors, warranties, schedules, and communication can vary between each company, and all of these factors can end up costing you in the long run if you simply go off of “low prices”.

Therefore, you want to look at VALUE instead of cheap quotes. Ask your prospective builders for their testimonials, a portfolio, take a tour of a build-in-process and even have them tell you where they want to do better. At the end of the discussion, you should feel comfortable and confident that they are the one for your new home project.

Myth #2: I Need to Have A Design or Architecture Background

We can be honest, there are a lot of choices to be made when building your own custom home. Colour, space variety, materials, and finishes can quickly overwhelm some.

Nevertheless, we suggest you not to worry about the small details. A great home builder will guide you through these processes, helping you to eliminate poor choices, making it easy to decide what you want.

As well, be communicative. While a builder can certainly make choices easier, they can’t read your minds. So, if you have a need, make sure to express it from the start. Whether that is the need for more hosting space, or you’re planning for another child, get these needs on the table right away.

Myth #3: New Home Construction Costs More Than Resale

One of the most frequently spread myths about new home construction is that of costs. When you purchase a house that is being resold, you are also committing to used appliances, HVAC, décor, and plenty of DIY work that will cost your stress and time. After all, you will be living in a home with active remodelling going on, and if you have ever known someone to do so, it can be hard to lose access to your kitchen for a whole month.

It just isn’t practical.

As well, when you start to include warranties and the knowledge you gain when committing to new home construction, you know you’re choosing quality from the start. From materials to save you money in the long run, and design choices made to last you through the years.

Once you add up all the costs, you’re looking at new home construction in terms of immediate value.

Myth #4: The Process is Stressful

Much like there is no need for an architecture degree, there is no need for stress when you choose the right builder for your home construction.

It all comes down to communication, as most people worry about the unknown. While homebuilders will all have different processes, the best are built upon trust and keeping you in the loop with ample touchpoints.

Myth #5: You Can’t Be Old-Fashioned Workmanship

Nostalgia is a strong emotion, and needless to say, it’s going to affect you when looking at homes.

Plenty of individuals have great memories of their childhood house and with good reason. For most, their first home was where they learned about life, relationships, and how to have fun. But don’t let those memories cloud your judgement of home quality.

Over the past several decades, energy-efficiency has one of the driving forces for better homes. From appliances to even the studs you install in your walls. All have been adapted to mitigate the rising prices of electricity, heat, and water.

We aren’t saying that new homes can’t be worse than the turn of the century classics we all enjoy looking at, but with age comes wear. With wear comes financial distress.

Have More Questions on the Back of Your Mind?

If this is your first time looking into custom home building, then you are bound to have more questions. Unfortunately, we can’t answer them all in just one post, but Stellar Homes can certainly help you out over the phone.

Feel free to give us a call or email to get to the bottom of your burning questions, and we will make sure you’re on the right path for success with your new home build. As well, you can always stop by to check out news, tips, and other great facts about custom home building in our new blog section.