The Ultimate Guide To Building Your Dream Home in Columbia, MO

Rave Homes Is Excited to Help Families in Columbia, MO Build Their Dream Home. Read Our Guide to Learn More

Turning a big dream into a tangible reality is an exciting process for anyone, especially when it comes to your home. Families ready to start the custom home construction process will probably have a lot of questions. Luckily for Columbia, MO residents, Rave Homes is here to answer all your burning questions about building a custom home. Explore our guide to building your dream home and give us a call when you’re ready to turn an idea into a home.

Step 1: Determine your ideal budget & timeline for your Columbia, MO custom home

It can be easy to get carried away thinking about your dream custom home. From Pinterest to home renovation shows, you’ve probably learned a lot about what you want and don’t want in your custom home build. Maybe you’ve even made a list of your desired features. No matter how big you’re dreaming, it’s important to determine your budget before you hire a custom builder, purchase a lot, and break ground. Your budget will determine the size of the home you can build, the features you choose (high-end or builder-grade), and the furniture you can purchase to fill the home. 

To figure out your budget, talk to your trusted local home lender. They can help you with a home construction loan that is affordable for your family and won’t overwhelm you with monthly payments. Local lenders are also more familiar with the area where you want to build your home and will be a great asset throughout the process if you have questions. 

Once you know your budget, it’s time to figure out your timeline. If you’re itching to start building right away, you should start contacting local builders to see if they have the time to take on your build. Very few custom home builders have free time in their schedules to take on new custom home projects right away, so act quickly to find a builder you like. It’s also important to be patient and know that great things take time, and building your custom home should be done with time and care.

Step 2: Think about where you want to build your home & tour lots for sale in Columbia, MO

If you want a quick commute to work or proximity to your children’s schools, you should research plenty of lots for sale in Columbia, MO. Each neighborhood and lot offers unique benefits and buying land without viewing it and driving the area could cause major problems for your family. By walking several lots, you can determine if you want to build on a hill for a walkout basement or build on flat land for a slab home. This will also help you picture how close your neighbors may be, and what could back up to your future home. If you buy a lot because it has a lush forest in the back, that forest may not be a permanent feature if it’s purchased by someone else. Choose your lot based on what is within the bounds of the property and don’t settle for less than perfect. 

After each lot tour, drive around the area, to work, and to your children’s school. Figure out how far you’ll have to drive to important hotspots in your life, and consider other new construction going up in the area. Traffic can change as communities grow, so be cognizant of potential changes to the community before you buy. Once you have the right lot secured, it’s time to start thinking about what your home will look like!

Step 3: Consider your family needs & lifestyle in Columbia, MO when designing your custom home floor plan

Designing a beautiful, sprawling home with open rooms and endless features can feel luxurious, but if you have a clingy toddler or a lot of laundry to manage, it can be challenging to enjoy the large layout of your home. On the other hand, a smaller home with all the bedrooms grouped together can be great for easing the cleaning process, but if your teens happen to love loud music and staying up late gaming, you don’t want to be in earshot while you’re trying to sleep. 

Sit down with your partner and children and talk about what’s best for everyone. Is it easiest to have a primary bedroom and nursery on one side of the home where the nursery can later be converted to a guest room? Should you put your bedroom on the main level and the kids upstairs? Would it be worth it to have two laundry rooms to save your knees from going up and down the steps all the time with heavy baskets? It’s a lot to consider! 

No matter how you decide to lay out your floor plan, the most important thing to consider is how your family will use the home once it’s built, five years later, and even ten years down the line. This is your forever home, after all! It should be perfect.

Step 4: Determine how you want your custom home to look & don’t forget to consult your neighborhood association before you build

You know where you want to build, how you want your home to be laid out, and how much it may cost. Now it’s time for the fun part! Designing your home can be stressful, especially if you love following trends. What’s stylish now may not be on trend in a few years, so you must find balance in your build. Start with the most prominent features like flooring and baseboards. Classic hardwood floors are always in style, even if the popularity of wood tone changes. Neutral colors that sit in the happy medium between cool and warm tones can help your home look timeless by not committing to one trend or another. Plus, real hardwood floors can always be sanded and refinished if you change your mind. 

In the kitchen, natural wood cabinets are making a comeback while white kitchens are on their way out. How can you make a good choice with your kitchen design when things change so quickly? Choose cabinets and countertops you love. Green and taupe cabinets have been trending for years and provide depth and color to your kitchen. White countertops always look great, and when you work with a tough material like quartz, you can avoid stains and water rings. Ultimately, the features you choose should reflect your tastes, and if that’s trendy or not, who cares! It’s your home and if you love it, then you’ve made the right decision.

Step 5: Find a custom home contractor in Columbia, MO who has the experience & reputation to build your dream home

Speaking of decisions, it’s time to make the biggest decision of all: who will build your custom home? You’ll need a home contractor with experience designing custom floor plans and features. The contractor should be collaborative and open to your ideas. They may be the expert in custom home construction, but you’re paying for your dream home, and you should get the features you want. A good custom home contractor will also have a good reputation in the area. Ask them for references from previous clients and don’t forget to check out their online reviews. Reviews, or a lack of reviews, can tell you a lot about a builder. 

You should also find a builder who is willing to be honest with you about pricing and timelines. You don’t want someone who overpromises and under delivers on your dream home! Honesty from a builder includes regular project updates, whether they’re good or bad, and transparency when things change, like material costs or the building timeline. Settling for a cheaper builder could mean settling for features that don’t meet your expectations or needs. 

Don’t take a gamble with your custom home builder in Columbia, MO. Call Rave Homes. We’re building all over Columbia and we’d be proud to connect you with previous clients. Our team is professional, forward-thinking, and ready to make your dreams come true. 

Build Your Dream Home in Columbia, MO With Rave Homes. We’re the Local Custom Home Contractor Families Trust

Let’s collaborate on your dream home! Rave Homes has a long history of designing and building incredible homes for families and we would love to make your dream home a part of our story. Give us a call to book your consultation with our builders and designers. We’re excited to work with you!