Custom Home FAQ's

Q: I want to build a custom home, do I buy the land first?

A: Finding the right site for your custom home is a balancing act. You need to locate a site where you want to live, verify it will accommodate the design of your ideal home and evaluate both cost of the land and the cost to develop it.

If you picture yourself in a large, rambling single story house, then you’ll need a larger lot to accommodate this. However, if these lots aren’t available in the area you want to build, you’ll either need to modify the design of your house, or look in a different area.

If you’re committed to build in a specific neighborhood, then you choices are limited by what parcels are available. You might buy a lot with some development challenges (steep slopes, wetlands, etc) but decide it’s worth it, since you can live in your ideal neighborhood. Alternatively, you might find a great piece of land at a compelling price and decide to be more flexible about location.

Another important factor when selecting your home site, is the cost to develop it. These costs are often hidden. When the true costs of developing a “bargain” lot are fully identified, lots that at first, look like a “bargain” really aren’t. Many of these “bargain” lots have issues with water, septic or utilities, so the true cost of these lots can be double what you actually pay!

So, ultimately, finding a site for you custom home is a balancing act between the lot, the location and price. We recommend “short-listing” potential parcels then examine them in more detail to determine if they will accommodate your house design and how much they’ll cost to develop. If you’re thinking about building a custom home, we have access to an inventory of available lots and can evaluate them to help you determine what the best lot will be for your custom home.

Q: I already have house plans, what do I do next?

A: Maybe you already have plans for your home. These can be from a plan service or any number of on-line companies. Many of these plans are now well designed and are a cost-effective way to create your custom home.

Any plan you choose will have to meet the local zoning codes and local CCR’s. What makes these plans really click though, is adapting them to your septic site. You see, every home site is different, and by adapting your plans to your specific site you can fine tune them to take advantage of solar orientation, light, views, prevailing winds, etc. Doing this might require modifying your home plans, but most plan companies will do this.

Fine-tuning your plan to maximize a site really costs no more than just “plopping your house down” but creates increased value and enjoyment over the years you own it.

As with a custom home, you’ll need to determine if the lot you have selected will be the best choice for you and fits the house plan, we can work with you to choose the best lot.

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