The following are questions we've been asked over the years about the cost of building a Sunlight home. Send in your own questions and we'll get back to you with an answer!

Your homes are a bit more expensive than standard homes and we’re on a budget. How can we make this work for us?

Deciding where to put your money in a new home project is an individual matter and depends on your priorities. You should consider the finished size of your home, the quality of the components and your budget. If any one of these is fixed, the others should be flexible in order for your project to work.

The single biggest factor in determining the ultimate cost of a home is size, so think smaller if you're on a budget. We've had customers build a smaller home to start, then add on later when their resources allowed. With this approach, we've found that it's best to design the whole home from the beginning. When this is carefully done, the first phase structure will look and function as a complete home. Utility stub-ins can be economically installed with the original plumbing and electrical work. This will make the future addition easier and will save money later.

If you are on a budget, let's talk. We can find out your needs, wants and priorities and will recommend options. When you're building a new home, options are plentiful, and we'll help you discover which make sense for you.

How do you design for our budget?

We are residential custom designers but having a current, working knowledge of building methods, materials and costs is a big factor in our being able to accurately design for your budget. Construction knowledge also allows us to design homes that are more straightforward to build. Our Cost Estimate Worksheet addresses the details necessary to price a home more accurately. See the Cost Estimate Worksheet page in this section for details.

Are there any other ways we can trim costs on our new home?

It is our opinion that the places NOT to trim costs are in the design and the structural shell of your home, because these are the items that are costly, if not impossible, to change later. Many of your finishes can be upgraded or added to in the future when your finances allow; such as flooring, lighting and even appliances and cabinetry

Why do small homes cost more per square foot?

Small homes can't take advantage of the economies of scale that are possible with larger homes. Small homes have a kitchen and baths (which are the more expensive rooms in a home) and have fewer bedrooms and less space in the living areas (the less expensive rooms in a home) so the result is a higher cost per square foot. The overall cost of a smaller home is always less than a larger one, however, so don't let the higher square foot numbers scare you. This is true with any type of home from any company.

Can we finance our Sunlight home with a conventional mortgage?

Yes. Our homes are financed just like any other custom home. Some lending institutions want to understand more about our homes. Refer them to our web site or have them give us a call and we'll provide the information they need.