Building a custom home, especially in a hot real estate market like Toronto, can be extremely stressful. There are endless decisions to be made and a lot of money on the line. While it’s impossible to avoid all stress, there are a few ways you can limit it and keep calm during the building process.
Stick To Your Budget
Setting the budget is the easy part. Sticking to it is the real challenge. While you may be tempted to pull out all the stops when building your dream custom home, the financial reality can be hard once the project is done. Learning what items to splurge on and which to save on will be a huge help too. Sticking to your budget will keep your stress level down, and it will avoid post-build regret. The cost to build a custom home in Toronto varies, but if you can get an approximate idea and budget from there, you will have much less stress in the long-run.
Trust Your Builder
If you took the time to research, interview, and hire the best home builder you could find you need to trust them. We take our jobs seriously, and professional builders aren’t going to cheat you. If you spend every moment worrying about what we’re doing, not only will that raise your anxiety level but it often gets in the way of us working.
Be Decisive
When building a custom home you should definitely take the time to think through major decisions. However, there will come a point when you need to make a decision and stick with it. Flip-flopping or delaying will not only make the custom home builder’s job harder but it will likely cause delays and more money. Listen to your gut and commit.
Communicate
If you have any questions, ask. If you have any concerns, say them. Communication is key to a successful build and maintaining a healthy relationship with your builder. Builders aren’t mindreaders, and this is your home, so don’t be afraid to speak up. One good tip if you’re building with a significant other is to have one of you be the designated communication person. That lowers the chances of miscommunication, forgetting to tell your SO about a change, or your builder not knowing who to contact.
Expect to Compromise, Prepare for Delays
There will always be compromises when building, even with an unlimited budget. There might be codes prohibiting a design feature you wanted or maybe a duct has to be run somewhere unexpected. Delays are another unfortunate but unavoidable part of building. Home builders try to limit them but often they’re due to things out of their control like weather or materials being delivered late. Once you accept that there will be delays and compromises it’s easier to roll with them when they come.
Find Separation
Building a home can be a consuming project. Couples often find they can’t stop thinking about it, even when life goes on. It’s important to not forget to live while the project is going on. Don’t spend every free moment looking at Pinterest, you’ll only drive yourself crazy.
Stop Watching HGTV
If there is one thing everyone in the home building industry can agree on it’s that we hate HGTV. Not only has it caused people to attempt DIY projects with horrible consequences, but it’s also set unrealistic expectations. A home cannot be built in a weekend. What might look nice on TV is impractical for actual living. HGTV shows are like any other reality TV- fake.
Celebrate The Small Moments
People often forget to celebrate the small milestones when building a home. Instead of focuses on the end, take the time to enjoy each stage. Maybe don’t throw a party for a toilet installation, but pop open the champagne when the framing is complete or the floors finally get put in!
Conclusion
As a custom home builder, the best advice we can give people undertaking a home building project is to go with the flow, trust your gut, and don’t forget to enjoy it. And in the worst case, don’t forget that eventually it will be done and you get to sit back, relax, and celebrate your beautiful new home!
Contact us if you want to learn more or want to get started building your dream custom home!
