The Ins + Outs of Building a Custom Home On Your Lot

Steps to building a home on your lot.

The idea of building a home on your own lot can be appealing. Doing so gives you the ability to select the area in which you want to live, while creating a custom home designed specifically to fit your family & lifestyle. 

There are a lot of things to consider when building a home on your own lot, so it’s important to begin the process prepared for what’s to come, and armed with a trusted homebuilding partner that can help guide your way. 

Here are a few things to keep in mind as you plan to build your forever home on your own lot. 

Choosing the Right Homebuilder

That’s right, choosing the right homebuilder should happen before you purchase a lot on which to build. An experienced homebuilder can help you determine if in fact it’s a good place to build a home, where it should be positioned on the lot, and identify any potential problems or challenges that could arise during the building process. 

Ask Questions

So, what makes a homebuilder the right homebuilder? The homebuilder that you select should be trustworthy and someone with whom you are comfortable – after all, you will be spending a lot of time communicating with them over the next several months! Most importantly, don’t hesitate to ask the homebuilder questions to determine if they are right for you. 

Tour Past Projects

Be sure to consider their experience with build-on-your-own lot homes, their reputation, and check out homes that they have built for other clients. You will also want to look at the floor plans they offer that are within your budget. Even if you plan to customize your home, you’ll want to know if they have options that you are interested in and determine if they’re able to make adjustments that will meet your needs.

Ensure High Quality Building Partners 

Finally, a key component to choosing the right homebuilder is selecting one who works with quality partners. You should expect that your home will be built with the highest quality materials available, by your homebuilders’ most valued & trusted partners. Every detail is crucial to constructing a home that not only looks great but will also stand the test of time.

Choosing Your Own Lot

Once you have selected your homebuilder, it’s time to find the perfect location for your new home. When you think you’ve found your dream lot, your homebuilder can help you evaluate the homesite and navigate the process of purchasing it. 

There’s a lot more to selecting a homesite than you might imagine, so you want a homebuilder with experience necessary to know what questions to ask to determine if it really is the perfect spot for your dream home. Everything from zoning and soil testing to septic tank sizing and tree removal, your homebuilder can help you ensure that you won’t run into any issues after you begin construction. And creating realistic budgets for lot & site improvements are key!

Unlike many On Your Lot Homebuilders, Compass Homes manages that entire process, walking the potential homesite(s) with you, and creating realistic budgets for these key components of your home. 

Preparing for the Unexpected

One of the biggest reasons to partner with a trusted homebuilder to build a home on your own lot is because of the unknown variables that you may encounter. You’ve heard about what happens to the best-laid plans, right? While you should approach the process of building your new home with a sense of optimism, it should be paired with a dose of reality. The fact is that it’s not unlikely that a few things may go wrong during a complicated construction project. 

The important thing is how your homebuilder helps you to deal with these bumps in the road. Who is responsible for unexpected expenses? Know upfront whether your homebuilder includes unforeseen expenses in cost estimates, and how they manage such complications. Choosing a homebuilder with experience will ensure that they have seen it all and can manage in the least stressful way possible. 

At Compass Homes, we don’t build houses, we build homes. The kind with warmth, grace, charm, and character, and with the highest quality craftsmanship. We’re here to guide you through the process of building a home – on your lot or ours – in a thoughtful, simple, and stress-free way. Contact us today to start creating your forever home.


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