Starting an Upper Saddle River and Ridgewood, NJ, home project, whether it will be a complete remodel, historic renovation, or a new custom home, can be an exciting but also daunting endeavor at first. Communication is essential for a successful project. Here is some of the information that custom home builders may need from homeowners before the work can begin.
What Is Your Vision?
To get on the same page as your custom home builder, you will want to share your vision or any ideas you may have. How do you picture your home when all the work is done? Your home builder can help you refine these ideas to come up with a solid design that will reflect how you intend to use the newly renovated or developed spaces, and how the many aspects of your home—both the old areas and the new—will feel fully integrated.
They could also work off architectural plans if that is your preference. Because your custom home builder has specific expertise and experience with building projects, they can help guide your process by asking you more detailed questions than what appears on this list. What is most important to you—preserving the historic charm of your 1890s house? Keeping a sense of history but modernizing the house as much as possible? Is function more important to you than style or vice versa?
What Are Your Priorities and Your Dreams?
In the discussion phase of your project, your custom home builder may ask you to distinguish between your wants and needs. For example, as part of your full home remodel, your kitchen may be getting upgrades that reflect your modern lifestyle yet still preserving details that one can find only in a historic home. Have you always wanted a breakfast nook? A farmhouse apron sink? Do you wish your kitchen had more natural light? Space limitations or a functional priority could mean something gets sacrificed.
When your custom home builder understands the full gamut of your priorities, across the many changes that will be occurring in your home, they can focus on fulfilling those but also explore how they can fulfill your nice-to-haves, as well. As you articulate your dreams for your building project, your custom builder can recommend ideas and features that you may not have yet considered to improve your plan.
After all, building or remodeling a home is a collaboration between you and your custom builder. You are leaning on their expertise and input to turn a house into a home—and only you can define what a home will look and feel like to you.
What Are the Challenges With Your Current Home?
What started you on the path toward wanting to make considerable improvements to your home? Are you looking for more space but you don’t want to leave your neighborhood? Do you want to preserve the historic charm of your home that was lost before you purchased it? Has storage become an unbearable issue? When you are looking at making major changes, consider how your day-to-day enjoyment of your home can be improved—your Ridgewood, NJ custom home builder can help with creative solutions as they create a home you will love for a long time.