Working with a residential architect to have a home custom designed can be very rewarding, and it can be a good way to ensure the home you do build is truly unique. However, it's easy to get carried away and end up designing a home that costs far more than you budgeted. How can you avoid blowing through your budget when chasing that custom design? By following these tips, of course:

1. Make sure your budget is realistic.

Sometimes a customer will come to an architect with a budget, but they won't realize that budget is a bit unrealistic. The architect will try their best to design a home in-budget, but they won't have a choice but to go over the budget because designing a home within the budget is virtually impossible. You can avoid putting yourself in that situation by really doing your research. Look into what various home building costs are, crunch some numbers, and decide if your budget seems reasonable before passing that budget on to your architect. If you find that your budget seems too low, you may need to step back and save for a little longer and then have the home designed in another year or two.

2. Tell your architect what you're willing to give up.

Your architect may reach a point in the design process where they have to cut costs somewhere to stay within your budget. Give them an idea, upfront, of where you're okay with doing this. For instance, maybe you are okay changing flooring options to save money, but you do not want to give an inch on your cabinet choices. Letting them know where they can cut will help ensure they do cut rather than just over-spending.

3. Hire a design-build company when possible.

If you can find one in your area, consider hiring a company that does both the design and the building in-house. Architects who work in this sort of setup tend to have a more realistic idea of what building materials and labor cost, so they can price things more accurately. Plus, they know what their builders are capable of, so they may not have to make as many changes throughout the building process, and that can save you money on labor.

Having a home designed and built can get expensive quickly. With the tips above, though, you should have an easier time staying on-budget. Contact residential architectural design services to learn more. 

Share