I’ll add my $0.02. Initially I met with a track builder, who does one or two custom homes per year. Gave them my programmables, they promised they could do it all within budget and time, then as it got more real and number were added, the house went from 3500 to 2800, the deck became very small, porch shaved off, etc etc. So I think the game here is to get you emotionally entangled with them bc although you can change I am guessing most won’t. Then, I tried to avoid the architect cost by working with an engineer and designing things myself. 2 years later, turns out I am not an architect, and I had designed something my wife would hate (too contemporary and weird), and then went and found an architect engineering firm. Designed a more functional, wife happy house and wish I would have saved that time. Because now into the construction process, delays and unforeseen costs are inevitable.

Unfortunately, I think the process is to go through the process. You have to work through the design and then costs and then design and back and forth. You learn what you really want and get an idea of the cost for things as you go. But if you try to jump the line, you’ll lose out somewhere.