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In order for a new home project to be successful, it must fit the budget of the owners. We've all heard the horror stories that have sprung from badly managed custom home projects where the final cost ended up being way more than the client's budget. It became clear to us that designing for budget wasn't being addressed by many designers and we made it our business to make this a priority.
Today,
an important part of our job is to guide our clients around the budget pitfalls and through the compromises that are inevitable when budget drives the project, as it should.
Before you spend much emotional and physical energy and time looking into building a home, we think you should put your attention on determining your budget. Whether your new home ideas are modest or grand, if you're like most people, and whether you know it or not, you have a budget. If you build a home that is over your budget, you will suffer the consequences. Addressing budget from the beginning is the way to go, in our opinion.
We suggest that you sit down with your banker and your financial advisor and determine a budget you can live with for your new home. At this point you don't need to share that information with us or anyone else. Your budget is for you to know and understand. The way to design a home that fits your budget is to consider it in every decision along the way starting at the very beginning of the project... right now!
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The total cost of any home is determined by the size, the quality of materials and the cost of land and labor plus taxes, permitting fees, etc. As the homeowner, you usually don't have much control over land or labor costs but you do have control over your materials choices. Finish materials for homes come in a staggering range of prices. It's easy to get seduced by the slick, expensive products, but unless your budget allows, don't fall into that trap! Stay focused on your goal of building a home that fits your budget and you will be able to better resist these Sirens.
You, the client, will determine the size of your new home and this is where you can make the biggest impact on cost. Smaller homes may cost more per square foot, but their overall cost is less.
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Your perception of home size is usually based on past experience; the home you lived in as a child or the one you're in right now. Many of these homes have wasted space and some even have rooms that don't get used, so it's easy for size perceptions to get skewed! We've had many people say that a 1500 square foot Sunlight home feels like an 1800 square foot home, or a 3000 square foot Sunlight home feels like 3500 or 4000 square feet. Skilled small home design is the reason. When you trim size and do it well, you trim cost and you don't sacrifice much at all.
Years ago we developed a spreadsheet to help prospective clients get a better handle on the cost of the specific type of home they want to build. We have been refining our Cost Estimate Worksheet ever since and it's proven to be a valuable estimating tool. We complete a Cost Estimate Worksheet for prospective clients very early in the process. The information from our worksheet helps potential customers determine if a Sunlight home is in their budget or not. We also use the worksheet throughout the design process with our clients, to give them feedback on costs so they can make decisions to keep their project in budget. Some people decide to increase their budgets to satisfy their needs and wants, but they do this voluntarily and the higher cost is expected. Read more about our worksheet in the Price section of our web site.
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