Getting Started

Getting Started Building A Custom Home

Building a custom home might be one of the most meaningful projects you ever take on. It’s exciting, personal, and full of possibility — but it’s also easy to misstep if you rush or skip the basics. Done right, though, it can be one of the most rewarding experiences of your life, helping you turn big dreams into everyday reality. Imagine waking up every day in a home that was successfully custom-built just for you — your dream home, brought to life. It doesn’t have to stay a dream.

How you get started sets the tone for everything that follows. Just like a home’s foundation, your planning needs to be solid and thoughtful to avoid cracks.

We wrote this to help you get your feet on the ground and headed in a direction that can help you successfully achieve this vision. Getting started the right way begins with writing down questions, answering them, and using that to set your goals. Write the goals down. In fact, everything should be written down to give you a chance to think through these things clearly. You should do this before thinking about any of the fun stuff like floor plans, materials, and styles.

Essential Questions to Ask Before Building a Custom Home

Here are some questions we strongly recommend answering. You can also use these to come up with more questions that fit your situation. We recommend talking them through with people who are important to you — and experts, like a financial advisor, who can check your thinking and offer advice. Most importantly, avoid biting off more than you can chew. Things change, so set goals and plan properly — but don’t let that stop you. You can do this.

Getting started building a custom home starts with you and your goals.
Overall Goals
What does success look like for this home?
Where do I really want to live — and why?
What kind of land do I want? Secluded and quiet? In a neighborhood with neighbors and a social vibe? Perhaps a place that has kids for your kids to play with. Beautiful views?
What’s my true max budget — the number that lets me sleep at night?
Am I building this to live in forever, or as an investment? Or both? What’s more important?
What risks do I need to plan for (job changes, rising costs, health)? Do I have a cushion?
The Feel, not just the Function.
Defining the feel for a custom home.
How do I want to live? We’ll all die some day, so creating something for you that gets your feel right, something you experience every day should take a lot of your thought.
Do I want an open floorplan for entertaining or cozy corners to retreat? What makes me happy? Perhaps porches to relax or an outdoor kitchen to enjoy watching a game while doing a bbq and enjoying a sunset. What else?
Who will be living in this home today — and 10 years from now?
Do I enjoy a bold, modern design? Something timeless and rooted in heritage?
Do I enjoy working in the yard, or prefer low-maintenance?
Do I dream of waking up to birdsong, or watching sunsets from the back porch?
Do I love to cook?
Style isn’t just about looks — it’s about means to achieve a lifestyle. The best homes feel like you and fully enhance what you enjoy doing.
It’s Okay to Not Know Everything
You’re not expected to be the custom home expert. That’s what we do. At MT Mann & Co., we specialize in walking this journey with you and have the experience and means to cost effectively make it happen. We try hard to ask the right questions, listen closely, and help you build a home that feels authentic, functional, and beautiful — all within your means.
We care about and have been trained in style and the little details that make your home feel special. And we’re serious about staying respectful of your budget, the land, and the architectural style you love.
If you’re even thinking about starting a custom home project, let’s talk. No pressure, no sales pitch. Just our listening and advice to help you get off on the right foot.
Click here to connect. We’d love to hear your story and what you want to do.