The Design Process

After selecting a neighborhood, builder and floor plan, you may feel as if the process is now out of your hands. But the truth is the fun is just beginning. Now is the time to think about selecting interior and exterior materials that will define your house, expressing your style in a way that is truly unique. Sometimes the variety of options seems endless and confusing, but each detail is important as they will ultimately create a home with individuality and style. The most common mistake home buyers make is getting overwhelmed with all of the choices and deciding to postpone making upgrade selections until after they move in. But a designer can make the process enjoyable.

• If your builder offers a design service, you will have the opportunity to meet with a designer who is familiar with your builder's standard option package as well as the upgrade options and can assist you with a timeline and recommendations tailored to your personality and taste. This process usually begins with a questionnaire that you will fill out prior to your first appointment. Your answers will aid the designer in defining your lifestyle so that your choice of options will match your needs, desires and financial goals.
• If you will be working with an independent designer, Click here to see a sample of a typical homebuyer questionnaire in order to prepare yourself and your designer for the decisions that you will be asked to make. You can help your designer even further by bringing fabric samples and pictures from magazines of room scenes that illustrate design styles you like.

Many home buyers believe that the standard option package is all that they can afford but most home builders have a variety of upgrade selections to allow you to customize your home to suit your priorities. Remember, it is much easier, wiser and cost effective to incorporate upgrades during the construction process because:

• Builder warranties are secure: Selections made with the builder are backed by the home builder's warranty package.
• Upgrades add resale value: High quality products in your home will serve to differentiate it from others, and make it more desirable, when it's time to sell.
• You save money: Some product allowances and installation costs are included in the price of the house. You also have the ability to incorporate the additional cost into the mortgage, adding a small percentage to the payment as it is amortized over the time of ownership so you will be paying toward the cost on a monthly basis, saving yourself out-of-pocket expenses later.

For example, adding $1,000 in valuable upgrades at a 7% interest rate will cost you only $7 a month. Additionally, at the above interest rate, it would take almost 12 years to pay off the full upgrade amount. The average homeowner lives in their home 5 to 7 years. At the 6-year point they've only paid 50% of the cost of the upgrade. To estimate how little your monthly payment will increase by adding the additional costs of your upgrades to your mortgage, click on this interactive mortgage calculator.