Building a new home is a perfect opportunity to customize your space according to your own needs and wants, and you’ll have to make lots of decisions. Before you dive into a new construction deal, make sure you’ve got these basic tips in mind, and your experience with the builder will be both fun and rewarding.

 

1. Set a budget

This needs to encompass both the building itself and all the fixtures and features you can add. Some of the upgrades will be cheaper and offer more options if you wait until after you’re living in the home.

 

2. Create a vision board

A vision board for a house can include colors, textures, fabrics, pieces of furniture, windows and doors, flowers and plants — anything that you feel captures the essence of what you want to achieve.

 

3. Know why you want what you want

Sit down with the other people in your household (if there are any) and have a conversation about what they like and don’t like about how your current home is configured.

 

4. Tour homes to collect examples

Spend some time looking at the different homes available to you; you’ll get a better sense of what different fixtures and finishes look like in a completed house.

 

5. Coordinate finishes

Thinking about how your finishes coordinate together within each room will save you from mistakes like ordering a towel rack that’s a different color than your faucet. 

 

6. Match the look and feel of your house

Do your best to match the look and feel of each room in your home with your home’s overall look and feel. This is how professional stagers work to make homes enticing to buyers.

 

7. Remember the floors and walls

The floors and walls in your house are going to have a big influence on how the space feels when all is said and done.

 

8. Know what to skip now and tackle later

Range hoods, countertops, light fixtures, cabinet hardware, paint, backsplashes, and kitchen appliances are usually cheaper if you wait.

 

9. Try not to fall in love

When you find yourself starting to have feelings for something specific, back up, take a deep breath, and remember you’ll be living here a long time and can make it perfect later.