Building a custom home is a huge undertaking in terms of time, energy and, of course, money. Most people who decide to invest in creating their own house from scratch have normally been successful in their careers.
Constructing a brand new home is their dream. They want to create the perfect building for their lifestyle.
That doesn’t mean our clients don’t want to watch the cents and make sure they get value for their money. Far from it.
At Sunset Homes, we work closely with our clients, whether they are young professionals creating their first custom home or retirees looking to build their dream property, where it’s part of our job to help them maximize their investment.
Here we take a closer look at 5 ways to reduce the cost of custom home construction. These useful tips could shave $1,000s off your financial outlay and help you get a good return on your investment.
Keeping these tips in mind from the very start and throughout your project is essential.
1. Choose your construction partner wisely
A good partner for a major project like this should naturally deliver cost savings. They will be able to advise on the best solutions for your design and its final completion, giving customer-focused support to help you achieve your goal at a competitive cost.
At Sunset Homes, for example, we provide the complete design and build service from start to finish, working with talented and reputable local builders and other contractors to deliver for our clients. It’s why we are able to see the whole picture for our clients and ensure they make the best choices.
With such a big investment, it pays to take your time picking the right people to work with. Check the custom homes they have completed, talk to past customers and do your due diligence.
There are several ways that a great partner can make a difference:
- They know the local building landscape in Calgary and the workarounds that are available, especially when it comes to handling applications for permits and accessing the expertise you need.
- They will be able to advise on what options are available at each stage of the design and construction process and which best suit your design and your budget.
- They may even be able to open your mind to approaches or solutions you might not previously have considered such as greener infrastructure and energy-saving solutions.
- They should give you access to a wide range of expertise which you can call on when you need it, even if you are managing a large part of the project yourself.
2. Pick the right lot
One of the biggest one-off financial outlays will be for the lot that you purchase. This is where you’ll build your dream home and, as with choosing the right partner, it really pays to take your time. Different areas of Calgary and its surrounding areas will have different prices associated with them.
The size of the lot is also going to be important. Do you want it to be just big enough, or do you need room for further development at a later date?
The condition of the lot will have an impact on the final cost.
Buying an infill in the inner city in Calgary can seem a little more expensive than heading out into rural areas and purchasing an acreage. You need to take into account, however, that you will need to supply utilities such as electricity and water as well as a sewer outlet which can dramatically increase the cost of building for rural areas.
Check out our blog: Why Location is Important for Your New Custom House.
3. Make the right selections
Customizing your home means making selections related to how you want the building to look and what features you want to include. This process can take a lot of work and a lot of time. For example, at Sunset Homes, we find that many of our clients want to go and see particular selections, examine them close up and touch them before they reach a decision.
One of the most important selections will be which flooring to use in the build. You might want the luxury feel of real hardwood flooring and it’s a popular choice. But if you want to save some money on the build, switching to engineered hardwood, which looks just as fantastic, could be an option.
Making the right selections is all about weighing the pros and cons of a particular product. It’s a good idea to have a list of selections that you definitely want and those that you would like but are not firmly tied to in principle.
For more information, check out our three-part series of blogs: Custom Home Builder Tips for Making Selections.
4. Go for an open concept design
The size of your plot will substantially dictate the final cost of your build. If you want to purchase a smaller plot, the popular way to make the most of the space that you have is to go for an open concept design. This basically puts multiple rooms within one living space. For example, you may have your kitchen, dining room and lounge in the same space.
In terms of budget, you save money on the walls you have to build, the space is used very efficiently and you create a sense of openness. While there is less privacy, it remains a really popular choice with our clients and one that can deliver significant cost savings in development.
Check out our blog: The Advantages and Disadvantages of an Open Concept Style for your Floor Plan.
5. Focus on going green and sustainability
Building a green home may not deliver major savings in the short-term during the building of your dream home, but it can lower energy costs over the long-term. The vast majority of our clients are concerned about their impact on the environment and are looking for sustainable solutions that really make a difference.
Including green energy and sustainable materials in your custom home construction can also contribute to a higher resale value if you decide to put it on the market at a later date.
At Sunset Homes, we’re committed to green building and are part of the Built Green Program. Find out more about this from our blog: All You Need to Know About Built Green and EnerGuide.
Ready to start planning your new custom home in Calgary? Contact us today!
