There are a lot of things to think about when you're building a custom home, but there are six key issues you should discuss with your builder before work begins. 

1. Your Budget

While your budget is determined by how much money your bank will lend you with a construction loan, you need to sit down with your builder and figure out how much you're willing to spend on your new home. This number will be determined by a number of factors, including the cost of land, the cost of materials, and the cost of labor.

2. Size of Your Home

The next thing you'll need to think about is the size of your new home. The number of bedrooms and bathrooms you need will help determine the overall size of the home. Your custom home builder will help you find or create a floor plan that fits your needs.

3. Style of Your Home

Another important consideration is the style of your new home. What kind of architectural style do you prefer? Do you want a traditional home or something more modern? When you know what style of home you want, you can begin to work with your custom home builder to select materials that fit that style.

4. Location of Your Home

The location of your new home is also an important consideration. While some custom home builders have a set number of vacant lots within a new community to choose from, others will let you purchase your own lot. If you already own the land where your new home will be built, that's one less thing you'll need to worry about.

5. Schedule for Building Your Home

You'll also need to sit down with your custom home builder and discuss a timeline for the construction of your new home. This timeline will be determined by a number of factors, including the availability of labor and materials. Please understand that building a custom home is not a cookie-cutter process with a defined timeline. While custom home builders always try to adhere to a strict schedule, the housebuilding process is fluid, temperamental, and very weather-dependant. Timelines can and will be broken.

6. Warranties for Your New Home

Last but not least, you'll need to discuss warranties for your new home with your custom home builder. Most custom home builders offer a warranty on workmanship and materials, but you'll want to ask about extended warranties that may be available.

If you're thinking about building a custom home, be sure to contact your local custom home builder to discuss these key issues. They can help you figure out what's important to you and help make your dream home a reality.