Getting the Most from Your Design

I have to say that in my more than Thirty years involved in the residential construction industry I have enjoyed these last years as a custom house plan designer the most. Working as a home designer has been both fun and challenging and has taught me more than I could have imagined when I first started out. The role of house designer is varied and challenging at every new custom house project. I think this is what I enjoy the most as each home is different as well as each client is unique. Having done designs now in 42 States across the country I have been exposed to many challenging designs and design criteria’s which has forced me to constantly learn and expand my knowledge base. Also because I try to take an interest in my customers experience after the house plans are completed I have had the chance to work with a large number of builders and tradesmen all over the country and have learned volumes from them as well as made many new friends.

The fact that I really enjoy what I do makes it very easy for me to get more involved with the client and helps me to really dig deep to get to the real wants and needs that my customer has for their new custom home. This is very critical to the success of the design but more important to the construction and beyond of the home itself. I take very serious the fact that the good folks I work with are investing their hard earned money and in many cases making the largest investment of their financial life. Despite the fact that we have been mucking along in one of the worst housing dilemmas of all time I am still very optimistic that when a person is hands on involved in the design and then construction of their home project that overall they are in great shape as to actual value.  If the design process is done right then they make little to no compromise and get a home that fully satisfies them and this greatly increases the value beyond just monetary. In addition I spend a good bit of time on each custom house design making sure that every part is designed with the most value and lowest costs possible while maintaining quality above a typical “Builder Grade Home”

The challenge overall is very satisfying for both myself and the customer as there is so much emotion wrapped up in most cases in what we are working together to create. People do not go out every year or two and buy a new house the way many do a new car. A large majority of my clients are at the stage in their life where they are taking their experiences as a home owner and are looking at this as their final home. Their dream home and retirement nest where they will settle in and spend the remainder of their lives. The other side is the young couple just starting out and hoping to build their first dream home and have something above the average house that they can call home. The place where they will have and raise their children and so much more. It is impossible to know this underlying facet of emotion and not get more deeply involved by making sure what I put on the pages in the form of architectural drawings is as close to their desires as possible. I take this part of the process serious and always try to gently push and pull my customers into making sure they fully express their real feelings and thoughts to me so I can know where to go in the design. It is not always easy but overall the extra time a custom home designer spends really getting to know their customers personality as well as their concerns and desires makes for the best possible custom house plan design possible.

So in short whether you use our service or another custom home design service make sure to let your truest wants, needs and desires be known. Do not get in a hurry or try to rush the process along, let it evolve and study it at every step. Look at the drawings as they develop and imagine standing in that Kitchen or sitting in the Den watching TV. Look around and envision what you see and what it feels like and make sure it is what you really want. Think about the experience of driving up to the house and think if you are going to feel full pride in its façade. Be open with your designer and most of all do not be shy or hold back anything you think or feel about where the design is heading. Make sure that your wants are more dominant in the design than the designers. Remember the custom home designer is a tool that you use to get what you want and that what the two of you are working on is far more than just boards and shingles. It is your “New Custom Designed Home” in other words it is You and Your Families Castle. Don’t shortcut anything, live in it in every way possible until move in day arrives. Then you can sit back and relax and admire what you have created. I guarantee form experience that you will think and say what I have heard so many times “This feels like more than just another house” and when one of my customers says that to me I always reply “It Is, because it is truly yours”