Ready to meet with a homebuilder? Not sure if you’re ready? Don’t worry, there’s no right or wrong answer here. Everyone who visits Schumacher Homes is at a different point in their process. Some prospective homeowners come with only a few Instagram photos on their phone (and sometimes less than that). Others are so far along that they know the exact shade of brick they want.
No matter where you are, there are a handful things you should have ready at your first meeting with a homebuilder so your New Home Consultant (NHC) can set you up for success. We’ll take a look at what you should prepare, followed by the two most common scenarios we see at Schumacher Homes when first meeting prospective homeowners.
With the following items in hand, you’ll lay the foundation for a successful journey toward your custom home.
The Schumacher Homes website is packed with inspiration from the Image Gallery to Virtual Tours of model homes. Gather Pinterest boards, pages from magazines, photos you’ve taken of homes you love … the more you can show instead of tell your NHC what you want, the better they’ll be able to visualize your ideas and present you with the right options.
Create an inventory of the spaces you love so you can prioritize them in your build. A deck where you throw summer barbecues? Or maybe a private balcony off your master bedroom? Your NHC will find creative ways to make these a part of your custom home.
A great example: kitchens. Many older home designs didn’t treat the kitchen as the heart of the home. Most homeowners today prefer an open-concept kitchen that flows into the dining and living areas, not to mention has plentiful pantry space.
Go beyond the spaces in your home and think about how you functionally flow through them. For instance, more people work remotely today, so home office space is increasingly becoming a necessity instead of a luxury. Flex rooms have become popular, too. Think of it like a space that grows with your family: It can be a guest bedroom, yoga studio, or rehearsal space.
Not just your financial budget, but your time budget. If you don’t know your exact budget, that’s okay. Your NHC can help you get started on understanding how to finance your custom home. But at the very least, have some ballpark figures, like your current or most recent mortgage. The same goes for time. If you’re building on a tight timeline , your NHC will adjust accordingly. Or if it’s more relaxed, you might be able to get help finding land for your custom home.
Bring as many questions as possible. Not only will it help you feel more comfortable with making the investment in a custom home, but you’ll also help your NHC (and later, your construction manager) understand your unique concerns and point of view. If you’re having trouble thinking of questions, get inspiration by reaching out to friends who have built custom homes. Ask them what went well, what didn’t, and what they’d do differently if they built again.
With those preparations ready for your first meeting, there are some other things you’ll want to consider depending on where you are in your process. Generally, most people who visit our Schumacher Homes design studios are in one of two scenarios.
The most common scenario is for prospective homeowners to review our 90 online home plans, narrow down their choices, and then work with an NHC to explore customizations. The next most common scenario is prospective homeowners who have an idea of what they want, but need help figuring out which home plan will best make that idea a reality. Let’s look at both.
If you feel confident on which floor plan works best for you, then you have two advantages. First, you can move to exploring customizations with your NHC more quickly (especially if you have a land description to work with). Second, you’ll also move into options more quickly, the phase where you select things like flooring and fixtures.
Here’s a broad look at what you might discuss with an NHC in this scenario:
If you’re not this far along, don’t worry. Starting from a general idea can be an even more rewarding experience because you get the chance to collaborate with your builder from start to finish.
In this scenario, the NHC helps turn your abstract idea into a concrete plan. The more visual examples you can bring, and the more questions you ask, the more help your NHC can offer. In fact, expect the NHC to ask plenty of questions of their own, such as:
By this, the NHC wants to know details such as how much livable square footage you have in mind. This applies to present and future. If your family is going to get bigger (or if your kids are older and getting close to moving out), your NHC can help you account for that by proposing the amount of bedrooms, bathrooms, and flex rooms you’ll likely need. And if you need a mother in-law suite, there are plenty of options and solutions available.
This question helps the NHC maximize the value of your investment in a custom home. For instance, if you have a large family, the NHC may guide you toward decisions that prioritize space and flow now, and suggest upgrading to premium finishes later when the kids are older.
Maybe you have a multigenerational family living together. If so, the NHC can account for that from the ground up. Likewise, maybe physical fitness is paramount to you, but you’re building a home in the country without a gym option. In that case, extra space for a home gym should be a priority. Or if entertaining is your passion, maybe it’s time to consider an outdoor kitchen .
Maybe you looked at some home plans before you came in that had pieces you liked, but the overall design wasn’t quite right. Knowing the elements you were drawn to will help the NHC see what you see. From there, they’ll be able to guide you toward plans you may not have seen, or revise existing ones to match your vision.
No matter where you are in your journey, Schumacher Homes can help make your dream home a reality. Visit a design studio in any of the markets where we build, or get inspiration by reading homeowner stories who’ve built with us.
Schumacher Homes, based in Canton, Ohio, is America’s largest custom homebuilder, with operations in 32 markets in 14 states across the country. The National Housing Quality award winning company has built over 19,000 homes, customized to fit each family’s lifestyle, since its founding by Paul Schumacher in 1992. Schumacher Homes takes each customer’s inspiration and gives it a home. Each Schumacher Homes location includes a one-stop shopping design studio and model homes displaying the latest in architectural and product trends. Stop in today, be inspired and receive your no obligation price quote.