Quick Primer for Custom Built Homes

Are you considering building a custom home? It is a dream for most people and an exciting process; only most do not realize the thousands of decisions that go into the building process. It is extremely important to hire an interior designer to lessen the burden, pare down the selections, coordinate logistics of the build process and ensure that colors will flow from one room to the next. This specific design service is referred to as “Home Specifications”.

A home is the largest purchase most people will make in their lifetime. A design professional should not be overlooked when considering this significant investment. Change Orders and delays are costly; hiring an interior designer ensures that your home is built exactly as you had envisioned. Furthermore, an interior designer is the liaison between you and the builder, making the process stress free. You do not have to be concerned with learning the lingo! More importantly a design professional keeps your decisions one step ahead of construction deadlines. All “Home Specifications” are recorded for both the homeowner and the builder and organized to keep the building process moving forward on schedule.

As an example, visualize that you are standing outside of your dream home and you see only the frame- sheetrock has not even been installed…The builder should already have final decisions for the following: flooring (tile, hardwood, carpet, etc…), countertops (Silestone, granite, marble, soapstone, etc…) built-in cabinetry selections, elevations and details, lighting, plumbing, interior and exterior paint colors and exterior finishes…Are you overwhelmed yet?! It is hard to understand how each design decision will affect the end result of your home. That is exactly why an interior designer is important from day one of the building process.

We would love everyone who is building a home to hire Urbane Design, but of course that is not always feasible. We encourage potential clients to interview interior designers, just as they would their builder and/or architect. We recommend that first, you view the seasoned interior designers portfolio and enjoy what you are looking at. Second, make sure your personality meshes well with the interior designer. You will be making a lot of personal decisions with this person and the process can often become emotional- make sure you can talk openly with them and that your personalities mesh well. Lastly, make sure your designer can provide quality referrals and that they have a vendor list of resources for better pricing and quality.

Building a home is a team process and changes are costly. Let’s set up a design consultation and see if Urbane Design is a great fit to help you make your design dreams reality and finally make your house a home!

Scroll to Top