One of the most exciting things a family or individual can do during their lives is to build a custom home, transferring their personality into a property that is built from scratch that they can cherish for decades.
A dream of many, your own custom home can be built to work around your lifestyle, including any requirement you may have, and creating a blank canvas from a design perspective. The design of the home is certainly the fun part but it can also be quite daunting for anyone building their first property. So we have put together this quick guide, detailing the best modern features to include in your new custom home.
What Are The Benefits Of Building a Custom Home?
Personalized
Building a custom home gives you complete freedom on pretty much everything, in particular, design. Hiring the services of an interior designer can help to put your ideas on paper so that the finished house perfectly reflects your style and persona. Whether you want a modern look, with art déco features, or perhaps a European feel – the choice will be yours.
Decide how the house will function
Creating your own floor plan means the home will function based on your requirements, from room size, walkways, garden layout, and everything in between. Is a large kitchen with ample work surface a key requirement? Do you need multiple bathrooms or more rooms dedicated to storage?
Location
Purchasing a plot of land to build a new home, as opposed to buying an existing home, gives you the flexibility to live wherever you want. If privacy, peace, and quiet are paramount to you, then you have the opportunity to build your home somewhere a little more secluded.
Build it to last
Buying an existing home comes with a certain level of uncertainty regarding the quality of the materials used in its construction, as well as the current condition of the structure. Building a home from scratch allows you to select the best quality materials, knowing they are all brand new and in perfect condition, giving you assurances about their longevity.
You can be flexible in terms of budget
Many people believe constructing a custom home is much more expensive than purchasing a pre-built one. However, this isn’t necessarily true as the build can cost as much as you want it to. You are in control of each aspect of the build so it is easy to exclude any features that you do not need, downsize in certain areas, and possibly even use salvaged materials to reduce costs.
How Much Does It Cost To Build a Custom Home?
According to a study by business magazine, Forbes, the average cost of building your own custom home in the United States is around $300,000 – excluding the cost of purchasing the land.
The trend of tiny homes, built from low-cost and upcycled materials such as shipping containers, can see a modest property built for as little as $30,000. Meanwhile, elaborate luxury builds can, of course, rise indefinitely, with custom-built mansions costing millions of dollars.
Our Top 10 Modern Features To Include in a Custom Home
Below is a list of our ten favorite modern features that can be included in a custom home.
1. A Master Suite on the First Floor
As people get older and mobility can become a problem, many people choose to move to a one-story home or bungalow. Future-proofing your custom property and building your main bedroom on the first floor can ensure your new home is a home for life, without the need for any extensive remodeling work in the future.
2. A Basement Bar or Game Room
A basement can become somewhat of a redundant space, so why not use it for something fun? A bar, games room, or a combination of both can make you the envy of your friends, creating the perfect place for socializing and entertaining guests.
3. A Bespoke Laundry Room
To minimize clutter, a bespoke laundry room can help you organize your washing and laundry requirements, provide additional storage, and allocate space for ironing. This can remove bulky, space-consuming appliances from other rooms in the house, and avoid clothes piling up in unwanted places.
4. A Functional Home Office
With remote working becoming the norm for many businesses, a home office that creates a productive working environment can be essential for many professionals – shutting yourself away from a busy household.
5. A Luxury Wet Room
Easy to clean and offers space-saving benefits. Wet rooms are stylish additions to many custom homes, requiring very little maintenance, and are much more convenient than a traditional bathroom.
6. A Freestanding Bathtub
If you don’t like the sound of a wet room, then every luxury bathroom should be complete with a free-standing bath for ultimate relaxation. A free-standing bathtub provides the perfect centerpiece and they come in an array of designs and finishes to suit any style.
7. An Energy-Efficient Kitchen
Energy-efficient appliances and fittings are improving all the time and can result in significant reductions on your monthly utility bill, while also helping the environment. When designing your new kitchen, speak to your contractor about how you can implement energy and water-saving technology.
8. A Walk-in Pantry
A convenient walk-in pantry can help reduce the number of cupboards and drawers needed in the kitchen to help create a sleeker and more minimalistic look. If decluttering your house is important to you, then a walk-in pantry is one of many options to consider for a stress-free home.
9. A Modern Wine Cellar
If you have a passion for wine and have always wanted to start your own collection, then a new custom home is the perfect opportunity to invest in a new hobby, while creating a design that has a real wow factor. Alternatively, if space is an issue, you could consider installing a discrete wine chiller in your kitchen.
10. An Outdoor Social Space
Fully utilize your backyard or garden with an area for dining and entertaining guests. You could include seating with built-in storage, an outdoor fireplace, a pizza oven, a fire pit, or even a fully functional outdoor kitchen. A courtyard design and pergola could also help give your backyard a sense of the continental.
