You’re finally admitting it: you’ve outgrown your home. Whether you need another bedroom for your growing family, want to be closer to work, school, or other activities, or are entering your golden years and want a “foreve home” that’s more accessible and easy to manage, it’s time to start the process of looking for a new house to call home.
This blog article is part of Homes By Brill’s Home Construction Process Series.
Which Is Better: A New Home or an Older Home?
Older homes can seem like a good value, but once you take another look, the hidden costs can add up. Cosmetic choices to replace the cabinets, flooring, appliances, or fixtures that you just can’t stand add up quickly. A bathroom remodel alone costs, on average, between $9,000 and $14,000.
Older houses have more serious issues, too. A big-ticket item like a roof, furnace, or water heater that needs to be replaced can be an expensive hassle in the first few years you own your home. Regular maintenance like exterior painting and chimney cleaning can also become necessary more quickly on an older home than on a new home outfitted with the latest exterior siding materials and a gas fireplace system.
Finally, an older home can cost you more to maintain. Older appliances—from your HVAC system to your icemaker—may be less energy efficient, using more water, gas, or electricity than newer units. Newer insulation, roofing, and windows also reduce the cost of keeping your home warm and cool compared to their more dated counterparts.
Why Not Just Buy a New Construction Home?
Most of the time, a new construction spec home may have 80% of what you are looking for in a home. Maybe its location is perfect, its layout is good, but its master suite or kitchen leaves a little to be desired. You’ll still be paying for the 20% you don’t like because it’s the closest match to your needs. Frequently, this means you’ll spend even more money (and time) changing things on your new home to suit your preferences or needs—converting a soaking tub into a jetted one, switching out a standard oven for a convection unit, swapping out light fixtures that aren’t your style. Even if most of these upgrades or changes aren’t individually expensive, they can really add up!
Why spend the money, time, and energy to change things in a spec home or suffer the annoyance of living with features you dislike? Building your own custom home ensures you get 100% of what you want and nothing you don’t.
Can I Afford to Build a Custom Home?
Many buyers think they can’t afford a custom built home, but in many cases, the costs are roughly the same compared to updating an older home or customizing a spec home. It can be a little more complicated to arrange financing for a custom build because you usually need to get a construction loan as well as a long-term mortgage, but a good builder can help you easily navigate the financing process.
A team that works with you through the entire design and build process can help keep you on budget and on schedule. A well-planned process, good communication between the designers and contractors, and established relationships between reputable contractors and trusted suppliers will help your custom home come together.
Homes by Brill has 37 years of custom home building experience. Although we’ve built almost 500 custom homes in the Des Moines, Iowa area, we’ve built many more relationships with homeowners, builders, and suppliers. We can help you through the entire home design and build process, including all the features you want in your new home: trendy kitchens, luxurious bathrooms, and dream-worthy master suites. Contact Homes by Brill today to get started on your own new home!
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