Building a custom home is an exhilarating adventure, offering a unique opportunity to create a space that perfectly matches your vision and lifestyle. Unlike purchasing an existing home, the custom home-building process involves a series of critical decisions and steps, each pivotal in shaping the final outcome. At Gerber Homes, we’re dedicated to guiding you through this journey, ensuring your dream home becomes a reality with joy and confidence.
Embarking on the journey of building a custom home starts with key early decisions. Understanding what you need to know about building a custom home and considering these factors helps ensure your project aligns with your expectations and brings lasting satisfaction.
Selecting the right location is crucial in the custom home-building process. It involves more than just aesthetic appeal; it's about finding a balance between your desires and practicalities. Your choice of location might be influenced by various factors, including proximity to amenities, schools, privacy levels, lot size, and commute length. Many home builders have insight into the current availability of new communities under construction. If you're interested in building your home on raw land, utilizing the expertise of your custom builder, like Gerber Homes, during this phase can be invaluable in evaluating potential building sites for suitability and preparing land for building.
As you check out neighborhoods in the Greater Rochester area, you may notice certain features and aesthetics that speak to you. You’ll likely come across colonial-style homes, 1st-floor primary bedroom homes, cape-style homes, raised ranch-style homes, and more. Draw on the elements that catch your eye when it’s time to make design decisions.
Think beyond the external appeal of the house. What home layout fits your lifestyle? Do you prefer multi-level living with bedrooms on one level and common rooms on another? Do you plan to entertain frequently? If so, what home style lends itself best to the kind of flow you enjoy? Are you in a “kid-centric” phase of life, or are you looking for a more “mature, empty-nester” style? The beauty of building a custom home is that it’s definitely not a “one-size-fits-all” proposition. You get to choose what fits your needs best.
Starting with a basic floor plan can help you visualize how the space in your home will be laid out and how things will flow from room to room. But you can take a basic floor plan and make modifications so that it better suits your specific tastes and needs. You’ll have to decide exactly how much you want to customize. Will you want things like built-in shelving? What about higher ceilings on the lower level? Do you want specialty materials for flooring or counters? Will you install standard design cabinets, semi-custom, or totally unique cabinets? Keep in mind that the more you customize, the more you’ll spend, also increasing the timeline for completion.
Choosing the right builder is paramount. Look for a builder with a transparent custom home-building process, one who values communication and has a proven track record. Consider their approach to groundbreaking home-building processes and their expertise in transforming your vision into a tangible structure. Gerber Homes would love to be considered in your search for the perfect custom home builder to execute your vision in upstate New York.
After addressing the issues above, you’ll be ready to begin your project. It’s also helpful for you if you understand the early steps in the process. Of course, construction happens in a deliberate order. And while some steps may happen concurrently, nothing happens overnight. Even with the dust flying, you'll feel more comfortable with the progress if you understand the process.
By the way, if you’re more of a visual or auditory learner, click here to see most of this same information in video form.
Building a custom home is a journey filled with decisions and discoveries. At Gerber Homes, we provide the expertise and support needed at every step, from purchasing land to building a home to handing over the keys to your new residence. Ready to embark on your custom home-building journey? Contact Gerber Homes today and let us help you turn your vision into a beautiful, living reality.