ASHEVILLE, N.C. — Building a custom home in Asheville or Western North Carolina starts long before crews pour the foundation. The homesite you choose, the builder you hire and the decisions you make during planning can shape everything from construction costs to how well the finished home fits your lifestyle.
For advice on making those decisions with confidence, we turned to two Best in Show winners from the 45th annual WNC Parade of Homes, presented by the Builders Association of the Blue Ridge Mountains in October.
Jimmy Penland, owner of Silver Dog Construction, earned recognition for Irons Glen in Fairview, a farmhouse that reflects its homeowner’s Scottish heritage. Tim Towery, president of Towery Builders, Inc., won for Mills River Modern Farm, a home with panoramic views and expansive outdoor living spaces. You can take virtual tours of both homes and browse other entries on the WNC Parade of Homes website.
Here are four tips Penland and Towery recommend for anyone planning a custom home in WNC.
1. Have a builder walk the lot before you buy a homesite.
A beautiful view doesn’t tell you everything about a homesite. Before purchasing land, find out whether it can accommodate the home you want and what preparing the site could cost.
Towery recommends having a builder or architect walk the property to evaluate the proposed home’s footprint, road access and terrain. For particularly steep properties, he also recommends a geotechnical study to assess stability.
Penland points to water availability, septic suitability and setbacks as other considerations. A required setback, for example, could push a house farther down a slope, increasing foundation costs, while a heavily wooded lot may demand higher clearing costs.
2. Set realistic allowances for finishes and fixtures.
You don’t have to choose every light fixture or tile before setting a construction budget. Builders can include allowances: dollar amounts set aside for items you’ll select later.
But those amounts need to reflect what you’re likely to buy. If your budget includes $5,000 for lighting and the fixtures you choose cost $8,000, you’ll have another $3,000 to cover.
That’s a common mistake Penland sees: allowances set too low, followed by selections that push a project over budget.
Before agreeing to those figures, look at products and prices with your builder. If what you want costs more than you can spend, Towery suggests considering less expensive options for cabinetry, tile, lighting and countertops while paying attention to quality.
3. Choose a builder you can talk to.
Building a custom home means working closely with someone for months, or even years. You should feel comfortable asking questions, discussing costs and speaking up when something doesn’t look right.
Before hiring a builder, ask how they’ll keep you updated, explain billing and handle changes to the budget or schedule. If you’ll be living out of town during construction, talk through how you’ll review progress and make decisions from a distance.
Then ask for names of previous clients you can contact so you can ask how those arrangements worked in practice. Were they kept informed? Did they get answers to their questions? Penland also recommends asking about the builder’s subcontractors and suppliers, since you’ll be relying on their workmanship, too.
4. Bring your builder in before the plans are final.
You might expect to finish your house plans and then find someone to build them. Towery recommends involving a builder sooner.
Having your builder review the drawings before they’re finalized gives them a chance to flag potential construction issues and suggest adjustments while everything is still on paper. It’s also an opportunity to check whether the design fits your budget before you go further.
Towery says his company often reviews plans with a customer between preliminary and final pricing of the home, so if needed, they can look for places to reduce costs without sacrificing the quality of the house. You can then work through those suggestions with your designer before construction begins.
Find Home Building Professionals in Western North Carolina
Planning a custom home, renovation or home improvement project? The Builders Association of the Blue Ridge Mountains represents more than 1,300 members across Western North Carolina, connecting homeowners with professionals for projects ranging from custom home building and remodeling to HVAC, design and other home services.
Explore the BABRM member directory to find local professionals and start planning your next project.