You have likely experienced buyer’s remorse at some point in your life, and if that was on a pair of jeans that don’t fit as well as you would like them to, you can get over it. But when it comes to building a custom home, you don’t want to have remorse once you’ve moved in. Building a new custom home can be stressful, but is also exciting. From the house plan to picking out the fixtures, it’s easy to start second-guessing your selections and decisions. How do you avoid having builders remorse and loving your dream home once the project is complete? Following is some advice on how to avoid builder’s remorse in your custom built home.

How to Avoid Builder’s Remorse in Your Custom Built Home

1. Set a Realistic Budget and Stick to it!

When you suddenly have a surprise expense and go well over budget, it is a great source for builder’s remorse and stress. It can weigh heavily on your long-term commitment financially. One way to help avoid home buyer’s remorse is to figure out the finances early on to help prevent surprises later. Going over budget is a common mistake, but working closely with your builder can prevent this from happening.

2. Define What You Want.

If you’re not sure what you want in a custom home, you could end up just settling for something that seems like it might work. This can lead to home builder’s remorse once
you move in and start to realize you don’t like the flow of the house or are missing things you really would like to have. You are better to spend additional time in the design phase of building your custom home rather than moving forward with something you are not 100% satisfied with. Keep an ongoing “wants and needs” list throughout the process to determine the things that are most important in your new home.

3. Location, Location, Location

Before you even begin the process of designing your luxury home, make sure you are building it where you want to be. When building a custom lake home, you will want to understand the lake and the community you select. If you are building in a subdivision, there are also many things to consider like Home Owners Association, fees, and rules. Prioritize what is most important to you with your location and make the selection very thoughtfully. If you build your dream home but are unhappy with the location, it will ultimately cause builder’s remorse.

4. Take Your Time

It can be tempting to rush through the entire process, from property selection to house plans and selections. Rushing through the process can often lead to remorse because you haven’t thoroughly thought through what is most important to you and to meet your family’s needs. Take your time and really evaluate whether the custom home you’re building meets your needs.

5. What To Consider

There are certain areas you can look at closely when making selections that long term you may regret or have remorse over. Features that create the greatest remorse are big-ticket items that are expensive and difficult to change. These items include flooring, cabinetry, and fixtures. Be thoughtful in these selections, because tearing out carpet and laying wood or tile floor later is a messy and pricey change. Other areas to think through; plumbing an unfinished basement, energy-efficient windows, wiring for a tech-savvy home, and upgraded installations. These are things that you may overlook in the building process, but, once you are moved in, may cause remorse for not doing them in the beginning.

For most people, your home is your largest investment, and you don’t want to have regrets or remorse after spending the time and money to build your dream. By working with Colby Construction, a premier builder, you can avoid the remorse and move into the custom-built home you always wanted.