By Rick Tozier, CGP / Sonoma Building Company

“Building a house is fun!” I say to people who ask about my chosen profession. I’m often met with cross eyed looks or a grunt of disbelief. After probing I hear of their neighbor, friend or uncle’s horror story of custom building gone wrong. Building a custom home, at any price point, should fulfill a dream not a nightmare.

Custom home building is fulfilling because it allows buyers the opportunity to blend a beautiful piece of land with great design and construction. Homeowners get to define space and their environment around how they want to live. When you build a custom home remember it’s the builder’s job to help you achieve your vision and dreams; this is what you are paying for.

I always recommend to people that are considering custom home building that they follow some very important steps to avoid an unfortunate experience.

First, be careful shopping by price alone, especially cost per square foot. None of us would consider buying a car by cost per pound. Why then buy a house by cost per foot? Energy efficient features, material selections and other design choices can affect costs greatly, in both directions.

Cost per foot is a guide, at best. The lowest cost may be the best value, or not. Lower up front prices may mean higher back end costs. Pricing a house and establishing a budget takes time and the careful analysis of features, benefits and long term value. A good builder will help you through this process.

Next, decide what builders you are considering working with and do your homework.

Interview your candidates face to face as there’s no substitute for personal contact. See if there is chemistry between you and the builder. Ask for an explanation of their company’s process for designing, quoting, managing construction and getting paid. Visit projects in process and take time to speak to past and current clients. None of these questions should be taboo. A confident and honest builder will be glad that you are asking and taking the time. They welcome the opportunity to differentiate themselves from the competition.

Homebuilding is about relationships. Whether email, text, phone call, on-site visits or the occasional video conference you will be tied to your builder for 6, 9 12 months or possibly more, depending on the size and scope of your project. Take the time to find a relationship that you will respect and enjoy – it will make all the difference.

Finally, planning for construction is about the details. The mantra of “trust but verify” is a good guide. Contracts, budgets, allowances, drawings, specifications and change orders aren’t just good, they are essential. Good up-front planning and documentation is invaluable to both the builder and the buyer.

Well defined expectations up front will go a long way to avoiding troubles later on.