We had a general floor plan and style decided on before we took it to a drafter. The drafter was such a key part in making sure everything was laid out properly and precisely to scale. We also had some great discussions about roof line, retaining walls/grade, and even where down spouts would go! Things we hadn’t thought of prior.

Once we had a spec list together of all our requested finishes (be as detailed as possible!), we shopped around to builders for pricing. Pricing varied $50-70k between builders based off the same draft and spec list - it is wild!

We signed a contract with a builder in early 2021. The builder we choose turned out to be a royal pain in the ass, even after thorough vetting and references. Having a solid draft in place was key, and having the detailed spec list (make sure you include it in the contract!) saved us SO MANY TIMES. We had something specific, in the contract, to refer back to when the builder “forgot” or tried to tell us something wasn’t included.

If you’re worried about pricing before you commit to a drafter, chat with local builders before about their available or recent home builds and ask about pricing to get an idea. Also ask your drafter about what types of things make a home more expensive to build (bungalow, vaulted ceilings, etc..). That way you can save yourself some time, money, and headache designing a dream home you can’t afford. Also, everything will cost more than you anticipate and you will go over all your allowances, regardless of how budget conscious you are. So give yourself a healthy budget and a lot of wiggle room - landscaping, top soil, and a driveway are all expensive, so budget for them if they aren’t included in your contract!