A custom home is probably one of the, if not the largest investments you will make in your lifetime so you want to make sure that you have thought it through very carefully and have done your homework.
Here is a list of important questions to ask when building a home. Click on the arrow to learn more. If you are looking for a quality custom home builder, contact us.
Questions to Ask When Building a Home to Yourself
-
You need to decide how large or small you want your new home to be. The size and number of rooms you want will help you determine the size of home you need.
For example, you should think about things like:
How many bedrooms do you want?
Do you want to add on a granny flat?
Do you want a large kitchen? etc.
Your budget will also play a big role in determining the size of home you can afford.
-
If you are going to be borrowing money to finance your new home build, then you should determine how much of a down payment you have and find out how much mortgage you can qualify for.
-
You need to decide where you want to live. Ask yourself whether you want your home to be in or close to an urban area or if you would rather live in the country.
-
You need to decide what size of lot you want for your custom home. Remember that your lot needs to be appropriate for the size of house that you are building.
If you don't like gardening or having to maintain a lawn, you may want to have a smaller lot. If you have pets or children, then you may want a larger space for them to play outside.
-
You should also consider whether you want to be close to your work, a hospital, shopping centres, gyms, restaurants, or parks.
If you have children then you may want to choose a location that is close to good schools.
-
There are many different styles to choose from including traditional, modern, and contemporary.
Traditional: Traditional homes take their design inspiration from historical design. They usually have a formal dining and living room as well as striking features like large stone fireplaces and front porches.
Modern: Modern homes have clean lines with large open floorplans. They are quite distinctive and minimalistic in their design. There will be lots of extra space around the furniture and architecture in a modern home.
Contemporary: Contemporary homes are quite similar to modern homes in their simplicity and layout. They are often more trendy and fashionable, however, taking inspiration from what is in style at the time of construction.
-
If you are building a custom home, then you have so many possibilities when it comes to layout. Here are some things to think about to help you determine the perfect layout for you:
Do you want one level or would you like to have multiple storeys?
Where would you like your master bedroom located: upstairs or on the main level?
Do you want an open-plan layout?
Do you want your laundry room on the main level or would you prefer it upstairs?
Would you like to have decks or patios to increase your outdoor space?
How large of a garage do you want and do you want it to be attached or separate from your home?
You need to decide where you want to build your home and how large of a lot you want
Questions to Ask When Building a Home to Your Builder
-
You don't want to trust your new home construction to an inexperienced builder. Find out how many years of experience the builder has and how many custom homes they have built.
You can also ask how much experience the members of their team have.
The more years that the builder has been in business in your area will give you a pretty good idea of the quality of their work.
Usually, a company that has been in business for a long time, has been able to stay in business because they are good at what they do.
-
Seeing is believing and this is especially true when it comes to choosing someone to build your custom home. Ask to see examples of the previous homes they have built and check out pictures of both the interiors and the exteriors of these homes.
Take note of the quality of their work and choose a builder who has constructed homes that you could see yourself living in.
-
There are many different styles of homes to choose from so you should choose a builder who can build the style that you want.
If you want a modern-style home, find out if they have built this style before. If you want a traditional-style home then have them show you samples of traditional homes they have built, etc.
-
It is a good idea to ask your builder for references from recent clients so you can find out what kind of experience they had with the builder. Look for positive signs such as
Were they easy to work with?
Did they listen to suggestions?
Did they stay on budget?
Did they complete the build on time?
Was the builder willing to make changes along the way?
Were they happy with the finished home, etc.
-
You should make sure that you only work with a builder who is Tarion certified. Tarion is a non-profit consumer protection organization set up by the Ontario government to administer Ontario's new home warranty program.
Read through the warranty that Tarion provides so that you know what is and isn't covered and what your rights are.
-
When you build a custom home, you can expect to spend a lot of time with your builder, so you will want to choose one that you are comfortable working with.
It is a good idea to meet with the builder that you are considering using before you make your final decision, to see if they are someone that you can work with.
Find out if your builder is Tarion certified
Ready to Build? L. Patten & Sons Can Help
If you are looking for the perfect builder for your new home, contact L. Patten & Sons. L. Patten & Sons Limited brings over fifty years of custom home building experience to every project we undertake. We take pride in building custom homes that are as beautiful to look at as they are comfortable to live in.
We make it our goal to help all our clients realize their dreams. Quality craftsmanship, attention to detail and complete customer satisfaction are what sets L. Patten and Sons apart in the Collingwood, Blue Mountain and Georgian Triangle home building community.
You can rest assured that your new home will be a source of pride and satisfaction for many years to come.
Contact us today to get started.
What our clients are saying…
“OUR HOME IS EXACTLY WHAT WE WANTED AND WAS BUILT ON TIME AND ON BUDGET. WE CERTAINLY DON’T GET TIRED OF THE COMPLIMENTS WE RECEIVE ON THE FINISHING DETAILS! WE HAVE ONLY ONE REGRET. THAT IS, THAT THE HOUSE IS COMPLETE. WE REALLY MISS ALL OUR PATTEN CREW!
”
Read more reviews