10 Things to Know Before You Build Your New Home
You've been dreaming about this for a while. Maybe you finally found the right piece of land, or maybe you've spent years living in a house that almost works and you're ready to get it right from the beginning. Whatever brought you here, building a custom home is one of the most exciting things you'll ever do — and one of the most complex.
Before the design begins, there are a few things worth knowing. Consider this your adventure briefing. The more you understand going in, the better the journey.
1. Show me the money
Knowing how much you can spend is the first variable in designing your new home, because very few of us have an unlimited budget and most of us have dreams that are bigger than our wallets. There are many factors that affect what things cost, and I've written a separate post about it [HERE]. Bottom line: it will cost more than you think.
2. Good design takes time
When homeowners come to me, they've been dreaming about their new home for months — sometimes years — and are eager to get started. That impatience makes sense. But a good architect does more than put lines on a page; they help clarify your ideas, plan the space efficiently, and coordinate the impact of each decision on the structure, systems, and materials of your home. Careful attention during the design phase means fewer surprises during the build, because redrawing a plan now is always cheaper than a change order later.
3. Know your priorities
When you buy a home, a realtor asks what's on your wish list and what your dealbreakers are. Do the same before you build. Your list might include a 48" gas range for the home chef, extra storage for your craft supplies, or designing that perfect spot for your morning coffee. Knowing your priorities keeps you and your designer focused on what matters most and results in a home that is uniquely designed to allow you to flourish.
4. Your site is the boss
The land you build on isn't just a backdrop — it's a participant in the design. Working with the land rather than against it produces a home that feels right and costs less, because fighting a site means moving dirt, redesigning repeatedly, and spending money you'd rather put into the house itself. This is especially true in the mountains, where slopes, views, and setbacks shape nearly every decision. If you already have a specific house in mind, start with an architect before you buy property; they can help you find the right piece of land for the home you want. If you have a piece of land you love, let the architect help you design the best home for that spot rather than trying to force a house plan that doesn't work.
5. Space Planning
How much space do you really need? Most homeowners come to me with either over- or under-estimated space needs, and both create problems down the road. Space planning is both practical, addressing square footage, traffic flow, and how you actually use your home, and philosophical, asking what values drive your decisions and how you want your family and guests to feel in this space. This step has to happen long before you decide what the house will look like. I've written more about it [HERE].
6. Thinking long-term
When you're designing a new home, don't stop at solving today's problems. If this is your "forever" home, think about how your needs might change in ten or twenty years and how you can design your home to adapt to a changing lifestyle. Want solar panels someday? Then the construction of your roof and building envelope should prepare you for that investment now. Do you anticipate needing more space in the future for additional kids or an aging parent? Then let's design a home that can easily grow as your needs change. A good architect helps you plan not just for the life you're living, but for the life you want to be living in this home a decade from now.
7. Decisions, decisions, decisions
There are so. many. decisions. in any construction project, including obvious ones like what flooring you want and what color the house will be, and less obvious ones like how the wall tile in your shower transitions to the floor tile, what kind of light switches go where, and what style of baseboards runs through the whole house. A good designer guides you through all of it so the end result is intentional and matches your vision. Decision fatigue is real, and your priority list will be your lifeline — it helps you identify where you want to invest your time and money, and what can be simplified.
8. Find your traveling companions
You don't have to do this alone. The best projects I've been a part of had something in common: a team of people working together toward the same goal, where everyone communicates well and often, the contractor knows what you value, and the architect is in your corner to help you navigate the hard decisions. Building a custom home asks a lot of you; surrounding yourself with the right people makes that ask manageable. Requesting help isn't a sign of weakness — it's how good homes get built.
9. Manage the stress
Designing and building a new home is a long, expensive journey full of decisions and deadlines, and your regular life keeps moving the whole time. This is a marathon, not a sprint.
Show yourself and the people around you some grace. Plan for mental and emotional breaks along the way. Maintain clear communication with your team so small problems don't become big ones. Celebrate the wins and keep the end goal in front of you. You're on an epic quest, and the hard stretches are part of the story, not a sign that something went wrong.
10. You're going on an adventure!
Building a new home is like setting off for a new land. Where you are no longer works, and you're heading somewhere better — a place designed around the way your family actually lives, full of the details and spaces that matter to you. There will be challenges and unexpected turns, and there will also be moments of real joy, decisions you're proud of, and a day when you walk through the finished house and feel it — that wholeness, that sense of arriving home for the first time.
That's what we're building toward.
You can learn more about the new homes I have designed by looking at my New Construction portfolio. If you're thinking about building a custom home and aren't sure where to begin, I'd love to help you plan the journey. You can learn more by scheduling a free 30 minute Discovery Call with the link below. This will give us a chance to get to know each other and determine if I can help design the story of your home.
