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The Before You Build Podcast
Whether you’re dreaming of building a custom home in the future or you’re ready to start planning now, this show is for you! The Before You Build Podcast is your one-stop shop for actionable home-building tips and advice as well as tips for designing your dream home so that you feel equipped to design the home of your dreams that makes you (and your wallet) happy for years to come.
We’ll answer all of your burning questions such as: How do I plan for building a custom home? What should I do before building a house? How do I design my new house? What mistakes should I avoid when building a house? How do I create the perfect floor plan for my family? How do I hire a builder? How do I finance my home build? 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 PLANNING for your home build long before you ever break ground.
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 home build with less stress, more confidence, and joy throughout the process. And just so you know … the key to building your dream home close to budget is all in the planning you do BEFORE YOU BUILD! So let’s dive in and get started!
The Before You Build Podcast
111. How to Create a Realistic Custom Home Budget Before Meeting a Builder
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In this episode, I'm answering a question I got from someone in my free on-demand class, and honestly, it was SO good I had to share it with everyone.
We're talking about how to create a realistic budget before you ever sit down with a builder — so that when you do get a quote, it actually means something.
I walk you through:
- Why your vision has to come before your numbers (and why skipping this step is so costly)
- How to identify your true financial comfort zone — not just your ceiling
- What most people forget to include in their total build budget
- How to research cost per square foot in your area so you walk in informed
- What a SPLURGE + SAVE PLAN℠ is and how having one changes everything about that first builder conversation
If you're in the planning phase right now, this episode is for you. It's the kind of prep work that makes a builder meeting actually productive — and sets you up to stay on budget from the very start.
SHOW NOTES → carolineondesign.com/custom-home-budget-before-builder-meeting
SPLURGE + SAVE PLANNER℠ → carolineondesign.com/splurge-blog-promo
Join BEFORE YOU BUILD℠ → carolineondesign.com/before-you-build
FREE HOME BUILD GUIDE → carolineondesign.com/home-build-guide
FREE CLASS → 4 Steps to Build Within Budget and Without Regrets! Grab your seat at carolineondesign.com/free-training