How much time should be spent on designing a custom or semi-custom home? The simple answer is, as much time as it takes for you to feel comfortable and ready to build this home. It also depends on who is designing the home. In general, architects or designers will keep you in the design phase longer than a “builder/designer” who probably will want to get you into the “build” process more quickly. We can’t fault builders who want to get you under contract and started because the process can tend to linger if you don’t stay on top of things. On the other hand rushing through the design phase could cost you in many ways later. Rushing the design causes changes later. If you are the type of person who “flies by the seat of their pants” quite well, and you have a budget that supports that style and don’t mind changes, you might not find this topic relevant. Most of us don’t handle change well (especially when it effects the budget).
There are a number of reasons you don’t want to make changes during construction. First, mistakes happen when you start making changes during construction. Everybody that works on the job might be carrying a plan that may not reflect the changes you have made. Guess what they end up doing what’s on the plan, not the change order (builder terminology for the document that authorizes the change). Second, even making a request for information (RFI – builder terminology again) can bring a project to a screeching halt if you seem fairly serious about a possible change. The problem here is that it may take some time to even figure out what you want to do, determine if its feasible, and figure up the costs. Sometimes the job has to stop, so the contractors don’t get ahead of you in this change process and make the whole idea even more expensive. Which brings us to the next item, the cost of change orders. It would be hard to find anyone who will tell you that built by change order will cost you less than items that were subject to the original bid process. Change orders almost always cost you more in the end because you are now a “captive” audience. In addition, even the most reputable contractors can use any change order to help them “catch up” for things they have missed in the bid process.
Over the years, we have met some “masters” of change orders who love to get people into the building process using the standard product selections. Once you are building they suddenly become great salespeople who talk you into upgrades (which you pay a premium price for). In the perfect world you will have spent enough time on design and product selection so that you have every item that goes into your new home picked out and specified properly. It does require some extra time and research, but we know you are the type who does that and you will be glad you did. Contracts, specifications, and selection lists are all part of the process and are topics of other articles. Doing your homework before and during design will pay off in the end.
