Cottage owners, and those who aspire to be, are a picky lot. They typically don't want a tract home built on the same floor plan as the house three doors down the street. They prefer smaller, well-built homes reflecting their own personalities. Finding that "just right" home involves either a long search for an older home, or the exciting process of custom building your dream home.
photography: Rex Perry
Looking almost like fine furniture, the handmade window casings reflect the Arts & Crafts style of the Cottage Living idea home. |
The advantage of a custom-built home, like our Cottage Living Idea Home, is the opportunity to make decisions about everything down to the finish on the window hardware. The disadvantages are the seemingly endless decisions to be made while juggling budgets and deadlines. Construction deadlines won't wait months for you to educate yourself about shingles, cabinetry, or flooring materials. Your best strategy is learning about materials well before deadlines approach. Unless you have an unlimited budget and infinite time, don't make every miniscule decision about your custom home. "It's the role of the builder to say, 'what are the options?'" says Cottage Living idea home builder Al Hatcher of Al Hatcher Inc. "For some, it's too much–that's why a lot of people go to a sub-division and say 'I want the blue one.'" Builders work on tight delivery schedules. They often expect you to make important decisions on their timeline. Smart homeowners know deadlines in advance, making well-informed choices that avoid costly missed deadlines. "I actually prefer the customers who asks me 50 questions a day," says Al. "The closer you start to perfect, the closer you end to perfect. I prefer e-mail for those questions. It works because everyone has a record."
photography: Rex Perry
Kitchens and bathrooms often present the greatest opportunity to put your personal touch on the interior of a custom home. |
Fine-tuning each choice can take many hours of research. Your builder and architect will make recommendations. "I make suggestions for things that homeowners may not see, but make a difference in the life of a house," says Al. "Fifty-year roof shingles and plenty of insulation pay for themselves. Cast iron waste pipe is quieter than PVC," he adds. "Too many people concentrate on trim and ignore important options." You can also find inspiration in home and decorating magazines. The advertised products in those magazines are good indicators of the products you can choose as a homeowner. Al lists the following as just a few of the important building decisions you'll make for your custom home.
photography: Rex Perry
Dark wood floors throughout the idea home create dramatic contrast with the light wall paint. |
Plumbing fixtures
Drywall or plaster
Insulation
Shingles
Doors
Hardware
Floors
Windows
Kitchen and bath cabinetry
Countertops
Lighting
Trim and casings
Finishes Choosing the best materials and fixtures are just a few of the many tasks you'll complete in the construction of a custom home. Building your dream house involves hundreds of decisions before construction even begins, but at the end of that long process is a home stamped with your own creative personality. Learn more about building a new home Books The Brand-New House Book; Katherine Salant (Three Rivers Press, 2001)
The Well-Built House; Jim Locke (Houghton Mifflin, Revised edition)
The House You Build; Duo Dickinson (The Taunton Press, 2004)
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