Building community one design at a time

Custom Home Designs

~Don’t Be Intimidated!
Most clients are surprised how easy it is to have their home custom designed. I have designed many homes with little more than a doodle to start with. The most important thing to remember is, I need an idea of how you want the final product to look. I call this an “inspiration home”. Usually a picture or link to a home online that has the “look” you are trying to achieve.

~What Is Your Budget?
This is one of the most overlooked aspects of home design. You need to talk with your lending institution to find out what you can actually afford. Then you need to talk with your builder to at least get an idea of how much the home you want to build will cost per square foot. That “cost per square foot” phrase is thrown out quite a bit in the construction and real estate industry. In most cases this figure is determined by the cost to build divided by the total heated square footage. Things that can effect that cost are large porches, multi-car garages (more than two), vaulted or high ceilings, siding materials and the foundation type (slab verses crawl space).

~Don’t Forget About The “Dirt”
Don’t forget to add the cost of your lot into all of this. If your builder is supplying the lot for you to build on, ask him if he is including the cost of the lot into that cost per square foot figure he is giving you. Most builders in this area do not include this. So make sure that your lot is somehow accounted for on the front end of the design process so that it is not overlooked in your budget.

~How Many Rooms/Square Feet?
The first priority is the number of rooms, especially bedrooms. Second is square footage. The square footage that you can afford to build can best be determined by dividing what your bank says you can afford with the cost per square foot that your builder gives you. In most cases, your budget will dictate the square footage and the square footage will dictate the number and size of rooms. It is always a good idea to try and design a home that is a little smaller than what you think you can afford. This gives you the flexibility to add some finish details that may be important to you. It also enables you to absorb possible cost overruns.

~The Advantage
This is the advantage of having your home custom designed. You may have areas of your home that are not priorities for you. Areas that we can down size or even eliminate in order to focus attention on the things you feel are important. I will also help you be mindful of situations that can hurt you when you try to sell your home. Custom design is just that, but you should keep the resale of your home in mind as well.

The Process

Step 1:

A 50% payment is required before the design process begins. (See FAQ,s for approximate cost)

Step 2:

 

If you live locally, an initial office meeting will begin the process. If not, you can fax or e-mail your rough sketches. It is always a good idea to send pictures or links to homes that match the look you are trying to achieve.

Step 3:

You will be e-mailed a preliminary plan with two or three 3D elevations and the floor plan(s).

Step 4:
 

After a phone consultation, we will make the necessary modifications and a second preliminary plan will be sent to you.

Step 5:

Additional modifications may be necessary at this point, but usually only minor changes.

Step 6:
 

Once you approve of the final design, the balance payment is made and the construction documents will be completed and mailed to you. If you live locally you can come by our office to pick up your plans.

Read testimonials from satisfied customers.

To begin the process, call us at (229) 883-6446. Be prepared to leave a message if we are out of the office and we will contact you within 24 hours. Also, feel free to e-mail us with any questions you may have.

Hebrews 3:4