Building a House: The Reality
Building a House: The Reality (Part 1)
Thinking about building a custom home?
Buckle up, buttercup. It’s an adventure full of beautiful visions, bold decisions, and—if we’re being honest—some serious plot twists.
As designers who are building our own home (and still married!), we wanted to share a little peek behind the scenes. Because while Pinterest makes it look like sunshine and moodboards, the reality? It's a little more muddy—literally. So here’s the real deal on what it’s like to build a house from the ground up.
1. Buying the Right Land
First things first: you need a spot to build your dream. Finding the right land is like dating—charming on the surface doesn’t mean it’s “the one.” We looked for something that felt private but not remote, dreamy but doable, and workable for our budget.
Pro tip: Before you fall in love, check access to utilities, zoning restrictions, slope, and soil. You don’t want to find out later that your “serene mountainside view” requires blasting rock for $60k just to pour a foundation.
2. Finding an Architect
We worked with Reynard Custom Homes and they were amazing. As designers, we came in hot with a vision: cozy, soulful, modern—but with heart. We also had a general floor plan idea and a strong sense of flow. Reynard helped refine it, solved layout challenges, and made magic where we hit walls (figuratively). Having someone who gets what you want and can also translate that into structure? Essential.
3. Finding a Builder
Oh boy. This one’s a saga.
Builder #1: Ghosted us. Full-on vanished.
Builder #2: Spent a month with us then said we weren’t “spending enough to be worth his time.” (Big yikes.)
Builder #3: Red flags galore—we cut ties, and he kept $5k. (Yep.)
Builder #4: Our unicorn. Professional, honest, talented. We’ll write a whole other post just on how to find a good builder—and what red flags to watch out for.
Moral of the story: Take your time, ask the hard questions, trust your gut.
4. Financing the Build
Once your builder is ready to go, it’s time to talk money. Construction loans, cash savings, or financing in stages—there are lots of paths. Just make sure your builder knows your plan upfront so they can price the job correctly (cost-plus vs. fixed bid, etc.).
5. Permits, Tests, and Other Not-So-Fun But Totally Necessary Things
Before you touch dirt, you’ll need:
A soil test (especially if you’re on a slope or near water)
Permits (the glamorous world of paperwork!)
Site plans, septic evaluations, possible surveys, driveway approval…
Fun? No. Necessary? Absolutely. This is where your team really matters—an experienced architect, builder, and designer (👋) will help navigate all of this without losing your sanity.
6. Grading = The First “Holy Crap It’s Happening” Moment
The first physical step is grading the land. Watching that first dig feels like a giant exhale after months (or in our case, a year) of planning. It’s when your dream officially moves from sketchbook to soil.
7. Making Major Design Decisions (Before the House Even Exists)
While all of the above is happening, you're also choosing:
Windows + doors
Siding + decking
Roofing
Flooring + tile
Lighting + plumbing fixtures
Why so early? Because some of these items take months to arrive—and others (like floor outlets or plumbing rough-ins) need to be decided before concrete is poured.
We’ve made 85% of the decisions for our entire house—and grading just started. This upfront planning saves money, time, and panic-induced decision-making later on. Also, it helps you actually stay on budget and in control of the process. (Insert happy dance.)
Final Thoughts: Custom Builds Are Not for the Faint of Heart
But with the right team? They don’t have to make you want to scream into the void.
We know the ins and outs because we live it every day. We’ve helped dozens of clients through this exact process—whether it’s building from scratch, renovating a fixer-upper, or turning an Airbnb into a guest magnet.
We’re Soulhouse: designers, dreamers, and detail-obsessors who genuinely love this stuff.
So if you’re thinking about building a home—or you’re halfway in and already overwhelmed—let’s talk. We’ll help you bring your vision to life without losing your cool (or your cash).
Let’s Build Something Beautiful
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📍Serving Blue Ridge + beyond
