Custom Home Building
A dream home or a nightmare?
Building a custom home can either be a dream or a nightmare. It
rarely seems like it falls in between. Ask most people who have built
one, and they will either curse the event or remember it fondly.
In 2002, I built my second home. Put me down in the dream home
column. I had a blast, so I thought I would share some tips and
observations.
Character Building
Building a custom home, even with the best builder in town, will
reveal some things about your character. Your character will be revealed
to yourself and to your spouse, children, real estate agent, developer,
builder, sub-contractors, friends, and acquaintances.
What will the people involved in your building process see in you?
Will they see love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control? Or will they just see
someone who explodes every time he doesn't get his way?
One of the biggest differences between a child and a mature adult is
how they respond to adversity. We expect toddlers to throw temper
tantrums when they don't get exactly what they want the minute they want
it. We don't expect the same from adults.
Even with the best builder in town, your house will not turn out
perfect. Every person who is a part of the construction process is
human, including yourself. Mistakes will be made. Orders will be wrong
or late. Designs will be faulty. Deadlines will be missed. Things will
get broken. Miscommunication will occur. Discussions will be forgotten.
Relax and Flex
Your ability to relax and flex will to a large part determine how
much you enjoy the custom home building process. It's not that you have
to give in every time something doesn't go your way. Rather, when
something doesn't go as planned, you need to step back and evaluate how
important the issue actually is. Every single item in your house cannot
be a deal breaker. Every single item in your house IS not a deal
breaker.
Site Organization
This homebuilding web site is designed to take you through each step in the homebuilding process in the order they occur. Your first task is to determine your budget. Then you choose a builder, pick a lot, and design the home. Why does"Windows and Doors" come before "Interior Design"? You have to choose your windows and doors during the architectural design process because different manufactures use different sized windows. If you decide that you want wood windows, they will be sized differently than metal windows even from the same manufacturer. Each step in the process is important, and each step will need to be discussed with your builder.
Have fun! .
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Balthazar Custom Homes
If you are looking for a great custom home builder
in Dallas, check out John Balthazar of Balthazar Custom Homes. He is fair and knowledgeable. His quality is
first-rate. He uses great subcontractors.
Update: Our home was completed and
we moved in on October 18, 2002. My wife and I both
tell people who ask that we would build another home
tomorrow with Balthazar Custom Homes. We were satisfied
both with the process and the end product.
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