For many homebuyers, building a custom home is the dream. Rather than being limited by existing home layouts, you can work directly with architects and builders like Bijou Builds to create your ideal living space tailored to your needs. But custom home building is a complex, expensive process requiring tremendous coordination. Is the ability to customize floor plans and finishes worth the extra time, stress and money compared to buying an existing home?
Below we’ll analyze the many advantages of opting to build versus buy, from full creative freedom to long-term financial returns. Read on to learn if a customized home is the right move for bringing your vision to life.
Total Design Control
The biggest lure of custom building is the ability to configure your home exactly as you want. If you have specific spatial needs or a unique aesthetic vision, a custom build allows you to manifest that, unlike buying a pre-set home. You control details like the layout and flow between rooms, the inclusion of speciality spaces like a home office or theatre, exact cabinetry, tile, lighting and colour schemes, incorporation of “green” building techniques like solar power, smart home automation features, accommodations for accessibility if needed, and premium finishes and appliances to your standards.
With an experienced architect, you can design the home of your dreams down to every last fixture. This creative freedom simply isn’t possible when purchasing an existing home.
Constructed for Energy Efficiency
Today’s custom builders use advanced techniques to erect homes with optimal insulation, air sealing, and systems for efficiency. This keeps utility costs down and provides comfort. A custom home lets you incorporate elements like extra insulation in walls plus triple-glazed windows, high-performance heat pumps and ductwork, passive solar design to naturally heat and cool, high-tech water filtration and softening systems, smart home technology controlling temperature and lighting, and renewable energy options like solar panels. While existing homes can be upgraded, new custom builds bake in energy efficiency from the ground up.
Built for Health and Wellness
Custom construction also facilitates selecting the healthiest materials to foster wellbeing. This includes low- or zero-VOC paints, floors and finishes, hypoallergenic insulation with no formaldehyde, germ-resistant surfaces, advanced air filtration to reduce allergens and particulates, water purification to remove contaminants, mold inhibiting bathroom solutions, and non-toxic pest control methods. Your builder can source healthy, sustainable materials to minimize indoor toxins.
Optimized Storage and Organization
Do you love organizing or need abundant storage for hobbies? A major advantage of custom building is optimizing the layout around your storage needs. Maximize space with features like walk-in closets and pantries, mudrooms with custom cubbies and benches, built-in bookshelves, cabinets and display cases, dedicated laundry and utility rooms, hobby workshops or craft spaces, extra attic and basement square footage, and multi-vehicle garages. Purpose-built storage makes it easier to stay clutter-free. You’ll never wish you had more space.
Built to Stand the Test of Time
Another benefit of new construction is durability and longevity. With proper maintenance, today’s well-built custom homes stand for decades. Your builder will utilize quality cleared lumber rather than previously used wood, newer more resilient roofing and siding materials, workmanship warranties against defects, durable surfaces like quartz rather than high-maintenance granite, waterproofing techniques like drainage mats under tile, solid windows, doors, hardware and fixtures, and robust insulation and weatherproofing.
The result is a low-maintenance, long-lasting home built to provide comfort and functionality for the years ahead.
Adaptable to Future Needs
Carefully planned custom homes more readily accommodate your evolving needs down the road. With forethought, incorporate features like flex space easily converted into a bedroom or office, universal design elements allowing for aging in place, accommodations for elevators or ramps if wanted later, reinforced walls and wiring for integrating smart technology, extra capacity in plumbing, electric and HVAC systems, and options to expand like a planned wing or addition. Build in flexibility from the start to simplify future upgrades and changes.
Peace of Mind With Quality Construction
Perhaps above all, a custom build brings peace of mind knowing qualified experts oversaw the homebuilding process. Reputable builders will maintain comprehensive insurance coverage, provide reliable timelines and budgets, use top-quality vetted subcontractors, facilitate clear communication at every step, proactively handle inspections and permitting, offer warranties for defects and workmanship, and ensure all codes and regulations are followed. You gain confidence from a high-calibre home constructed for the long run.
Conclusion
Building a customized home is a complex and demanding process, but often well worth the effort to create your perfect living environment. The key is working with experienced designers and builders you can trust to bring your vision to life smoothly and successfully. Be sure to weigh the benefits against the substantial outlay involved. And account for the strong emotional factor – for many homeowners, constructing their dream home is about far more than just bricks and mortar. If you value quality craftsmanship, healthy living and homes tailored to your needs, then building custom merits serious consideration. Just be sure to plan thoroughly and partner with professionals. By making smart choices, you can build a cherished home that ideally suits your lifestyle now and into the future.
