Over the years, designing and building homes for almost 3 decades, we’ve asked our clients to help us compile a list of tips to help others have the best custom home building experience. So here are some valuable tips from those who’ve been through this process:

1. Establish goals

Establish goals for your project, and rank them in order of importance. If you only do this one thing, it’s probably the most important. Do you care more about finishes, space planning, architectural features, space, budget, or schedule? This will help your design-build team focus on what’s important to you, and spend your money in the right places. When the team is focused on your goals, the odds of you being happy at the end is much higher.

2. Organize your inspiration

Collect photos before you begin design and share them with your team. Pinterest and Houzz are a wonderful resource. However, magazine cutouts and pictures from your phone work just as well!

3. Assemble your team before starting the design

Assemble your team before starting the design. Hire experts with proven experience, and then rely on their expertise. They’re on your team, and they sincerely want to meet your expectations. Trust the experts. Ask them “what do you think”? You may be surprised what you learn. We recommend you hire a full service integrated design build firm. This is the best way to ensure the design and construction will align with your goals for the project. Once assembled, challenge your team to think outside the box. Encourage them to be creative! Don’t hold them back by telling them exactly what to design. Rather, explain the reasons why you want what you want and let them create the right design for your needs.

Successful construction management requires good planning and communication. Builders must orchestrate a thousand moving parts every day. Make sure your builder has sophisticated management systems that can handle all these moving parts.

4. Be decisive

To the extent possible, be decisive. Trust the advice of the experts, and then trust your own decisions. The inability to make and stick with decisions can be mentally taxing.

5. Have fun

The fun projects always yield the best results. Enjoy the process. The more collaborative it is, the better the outcome will be. Remember, you’re all on the same team.

6. Communicate well

“Communication, even when conflict is involved, is the lifeblood of a (project).”  -Dave Ramsey. “The greatest problem with communication is the illusion that it has been accomplished.”  -George Bernard Shaw.

When the whole team is engaged in regular communication; then confusion, mistakes, and re-work is minimized.

7. Ask for a schedule

Ask for a detailed schedule of your project. Like communication, knowing when to expect things to be done will help alleviate stress and conquer the fear of the unknown.

8. Be flexible

When working with so many different people on such a large endeavor; you have to be flexible. Delays are going to happen, and mistakes are going to be made. Knowing that ahead of time will help you cope with it and make the overall process more enjoyable.

For more information, see lessons from the experts on designing a custom home.