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The Before You Build Podcast
If you're thinking about building a custom home or remodeling an existing home, this show is for you! The Before You Build Podcast is your one-stop shop for practical planning advice, smart decision-making, and actionable tips to help you build or remodel with clarity, confidence, and within your budget.
We'll answer all of your burning questions such as: How do I plan for building a custom home? How do I plan a home remodel? What should I do before building a house? What should I do before remodeling my home? How do I create the perfect floor plan for my family? How do I hire the right builder or remodeling team? How do I finance my project?
And the biggest question of all, how do I bring my dream home to life without blowing the budget? Well, friends ... the answer is in intentional planning long before the work ever begins.
I'm your host, Carrie Barker (aka, Caroline on Design). I designed my own custom home from the ground up, inside and out. Through trial and error (psst ... I built pre-Pinterest), I created my absolute dream home that is not only perfect for the way my family lives but also turned out more beautiful than I imagined. The best part ... I did this all without blowing the budget and without design regrets.
I cracked the code on how to bring my own dream home vision to life while sticking VERY close to budget, and now I'm here to teach you everything I learned along the way so that you, too, end up with that cozy, beautiful home you envision in your head and a mortgage you're comfy with.
The short, actionable, and bingeable Before You Build episodes will prepare YOU for a successful building or remodeling project with less stress, more confidence, and a plan to stick to budget. And just so you know ... the key to creating a home you love without blowing the budget is all in the intentional planning you do BEFORE YOU BUILD! So let's dive in and get started!
The Before You Build Podcast
100. Why Custom Homes Go Over Budget (+ How to Avoid This!)
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
Nine out of ten custom homes go over budget. 😳
If you're wondering WHY, this episode will show you exactly what's happening—and how to avoid it.
I'm breaking down the real reasons most builds go 10-20% (or more!) over budget.
You'll learn why that initial builder quote is NOT what your home will actually cost, the exact moment most people start blowing their budget (before construction even starts!), and what the 1 in 10 who stay on budget do differently.
Plus, I'm sharing Mare's story—one of my clients who came in $6,500 UNDER budget while getting everything she wanted. 💪
If you're about to build, this episode gives you the roadmap to be one of the rare few who build on budget and love their home—no regrets, no financial stress.
🎉 FREE TRAINING! 🎉 Monday, February 2nd at 10 am CT → "4 Steps to Build Your Dream Home Within Budget and Without Regrets!"
FREE TRAINING: carolineondesign.com/free-training
EPISODE: carolineondesign.com/why-custom-homes-go-over-budget
Get the SPLURGE + SAVE PLANNER℠→ carolineondesign.com/splurge-blog-promo
Join BEFORE YOU BUILD℠→ carolineondesign.com/before-you-build
Download FREE HOME BUILD GUIDE → carolineondesign.com/home-build-guide
My FREE CLASS → Build Within Budget and Without Regrets! Grab your seat at carolineondesign.com/free-training