Building a custom home is one of the most exciting things you can do. You’ve spent time dreaming up what you want your home to look like, how you want it to feel, and where you want it to be, but there are many factors that go into making that dream a reality.
With all the different factors that go into building a custom home, it’s easy to make little mistakes along the way that will significantly impact you and your home in the long run.

Here are five mistakes people make while building a custom home and how to avoid them:
- Not speaking your mind
The design phase is crucial when making plans for your new custom home. Speak up during this phase if you want to change anything, you want to add anything, or you want to take anything out. This will save a lot of time in the building phase, and it will prevent regret in the long run. This is ultimately your house, so your architect should be happy to make any changes for you in the design. Just keep in mind you might have to modify, depending on your house plan.
- Not keeping your future in mind
It’s easy to get caught up in what you want now – not what you’ll need in the future. But if you plan on living in this house forever, think about 40 years from now when stairs might be hard to climb and put the master bedroom on the main floor. If you want kids in the future, add extra rooms so your family can grow into the extra space. Your future self will thank you!
- Looking over the tiny details
Your contractors are human, and no matter how amazing they might be, they’ll make mistakes. They might be few and far between, but it’s important to pay attention to the little details so those mistakes don’t get overlooked. Fixing problems as they arise will save you so much time, money, and frustration.
- Constantly second-guessing decisions
If you’re building a home (or thinking about it), it’s safe to assume that you’ve scoured Pinterest, knocked on strangers’ doors to ask what the exact color of their house is, or spent hours agonizing over the decision to install dark wood cabinets or paint them white. You know what you want. Don’t second guess every decision you make, because it will lead to a life of wondering if you should have stuck with Newberg Green instead of Amazon Green for your toddler’s accent wall.
- Not being patient
It’s hard to wait when you just want to move in already, but being patient pays off. You’ll want your new home to be perfect, so if it means you have to wait a few extra weeks, don’t panic. Just remember that it’s all part of the experience, and once you move in, you’ll realize that it was all worth it.