
An Industry Expert Assessment
One of the most common questions posed to custom home builders across the nation is: Where do I start?
Steve Zbranek, a veteran home builder with over 45 years of experience, has heard this question countless times. As a 20-year faculty member at the University of Housing for the National Association of Home Builders, he’s spent decades teaching classes to builders from coast to coast about construction and home building best practices.
Opinions on designing and building a new custom home vary from article and perspective. Architects and Plan Designers often say it’s best to design the home first, then get bids from Builders. Conversely, Builders believe that since they know real-world costs, that Home Buyers are best served by starting with them.
So, who is right?
To answer that, Steve regularly asked builders in all his certification classes: How many of you have had clients bring in finished plans or designs that turned out to be way over their budget? Over 90% of the builder audience raised their hands and most confirmed that a builder with knowledge of real-world costs was not involved in the design process.
Architects and plan designers were posed a similar question by Steve since they too often attend these classes: How many of you have designed, and were paid for plans that were never built? Again, an overwhelming majority acknowledged this happens frequently.
Steve’s answer: Starting with a reputable builder can help better align the clients’ vision with their budget, saving them time, money, and unnecessary frustration.
Every client starts with a budget in mind, and it is imperative that the builder stay aware of that budget throughout the entire design and build process. Getting a reputable, experienced builder involved in the beginning will help dial in design parameters and keep the scope of the project in alignment with the budget available to pay for it.
Assemble the right team. Research your builder, architect, or plan design team to find a good match for type of home, style of home, cost and timing required to produce finished drawings.
Collaboration between the clients, the builder, and the architect or plan design team is also essential to the project’s successful outcome. Something as simple as including standard sized windows versus special order windows can save thousands of dollars without compromising a plan. Successful custom home building projects should begin and end with good communication and collaboration.
Steve Zbranek, Award Winning Austin Custom Home Builder
Austin Hall of Fame Builder
2 Time National Master Builder of the Year
3 Time Austin Business Journal Custom Builder of the Year
www.zhcustomhomes.com