Conquer Financial Obstacles and Get Clear on Your Desires
The first value enhancer we’ll be exploring of our You-Inspired Discovery Process discusses FINANCES and DESIRES! First I encourage you to get clear on what you want and find a Team to support you. Next I offer some Pro Tips (link) to get you more of what you want. Then I’ll inspire you to DREAM BIG (link)!
What do you really want and how can you afford it?
Everyone wants to know what they can get for their money so let’s start the conversation. There are many factors contributing to the cost to build new or remodel your current home. For years we’ve experienced a rise in cost of building materials and a shortage of skilled labor and now we’re experiencing a significant boom in market growth as a result of the pandemic. (To learn more about how the pandemic has affected this industry and what it means for you read our article Construction Costs and Covid.)
Ultimately, the cost to build new or remodel depends on what you want in a home, where it’s located and the professionals you choose to hire.
Where do you start?
Beginning down the winding road of building or remodeling a home can be overwhelming. I encourage you to spend some time looking inward to find your true desires. Then look outward to find the right people able to travel this road with you. Due to factors discussed in Construction Costs and Covid, it’s more important than ever before to assemble a Team of professionals to help guide you through the process of creating a home that meets your desired goals and budget. Read A Team Approach: Key to Home Creation Success & Savings and see our list of preferred Team members to get started on this path.
Some tricks I’ve got up my sleeve…
Let’s talk about ways that you can get more of what you want with the budget you have. Nearly every client I work with wants more than what their current budget can support. The good news is this is NOT a deal breaker!
Pro Tip 1: For your desires that are above-budget we plan actionable phases to accommodate these wants by planning them into the design for future completion.
Example: Maybe you want a finished basement with its own entry, additional guest room and bathroom, but your current budget doesn’t support this space. Our solution: We create a masterplan that designs everything for this future space so it can be completed in piecemeal as the funds come in. We consider what the space will look like, the framing necessary for the private entry, the plumbing, windows and closets. The masterplan unfolds in phases when you’re ready. Phase 1 seamlessly rolls into phase 2 without having to knock down walls or add plumbing as an afterthought. All phases are included in the construction drawings I create for you, saving you time and money by not having to hire us again.
Pro Tip 2: Where you spend your money upfront matters. I tell my clients that they do not want to skimp or cut corners on what is behind the walls because it’s a lot harder to up-grade these choices later.
Example: If on a super tight budget use the pricier energy-efficient foam insulation only in the attic and the more affordable batt or other blown-in insulation in the walls and floors. It’s like wearing a hat in the winter; you want one to help you keep warm because heat escapes from the top of your head (and the roof of your house) fastest.
Pro Tip 3: Look for places to save on the finishes that you can easily improve in the future.
Example: Start with the more modern look of minimal to no trim and casing throughout the inside, and use a laminate countertop for a few years, then up- grade later to the granite or quartz countertops that you really want. Pre-wire for adding solar panels or retractable screens on the Porch in the future.
Pro Tip 4: The interior and exterior finishes you choose can make or break your budget so get clear on what you want and choose wisely.
Example: Choosing a high end appliance package such as a Subzero refrigerator and a Wolf range will cost considerably more than the Kitchenaid brand refrigerator and range. The materials selections will have a similar impact, such as $6/ft2 tile versus $20/ft2 tile.
Pro Tip 5: Hire an Interior Designer early on in the design process to assist you in making the finish selections. They will help guide you to the best options for your budget and will often save you more than their fees will cost.
DREAM BIG: What do you desire most?
So let’s approach your masterplan holistically! What aspects of your new home are priorities now and what can we design into your future? Let’s devise a plan so you get EVERYTHING on your wish list.
You-Inspired Wish List
This brings us back to the Simple Steps to Begin Living a You-Inspired Life.
Since you’re still reading, I’m going to assume you’ve come to realize that you’re not exactly living a life that’s truly inspired by you. That’s very common. I’m here to help!
Here we will focus on step Two: Close your eyes and imagine your wildest, craziest dream life, and I mean WILD and CRAZY! Do not hold back. Let your childhood fantasies merge with your current dreams! Go to the furthest extremes of your imagination and allow yourself to feel completely ridiculous about it.
Only once we’ve visited the furthest extremes of our desires can we center ourselves to a place of joy and contentment of what’s possible.
Think about what room(s) you envision spending most of your time in, or what spaces you dreamed of being in as a child, or what places you’ve visited that you wish you could recreate at your own home. Think about how these spaces make you FEEL when you dream about them. That wonderful feeling is what I intend to create in your home.
Perhaps some visuals will help. The following are some things that appeared on clients’ wish lists that you may feel inspired by…
Observatory
Do you feel drawn to the night sky and could get lost gazing at the stars for hours? Well, maybe your own private observatory is in your future.
Classic Car Collection Garage
Do you have or want a collection of cars? We can design the perfect garage into your future.
Asian Pipe Collection
Do you have a cultural collection of souvenirs brought back from travels to faraway lands? We can design a display space so you can feel the sensation of those fond memories on a daily basis.
Private Spa
Do you want to recreate that luxurious spa feeling in your own home? We can tailor exactly what “luxurious spa” means to you.
Man Cave
Do you want your own space where you feel free to be your authentic self? We can design all sorts of rooms and spaces specific to YOU and the things you love most.
Outdoor Dining Patio
Maybe you’re inspired most by nature and are looking for ways to bring more of the outdoors in. We specialize in designing for a maximized view and creating spectacular outdoor living spaces.
If you’d like to see more of the masterpieces we’ve created click HERE.
Money is a tool, how you use it is what matters.
I invite you to consider Ayn Rand’s quote: “Money is just a tool. It will take you anywhere you want, but you have to be the driver.” You have the power to use that tool to build your dream home to support your dream life and I am here to empower you to make the best decisions for YOU, now and in the future.
I intend you have a joyous self-inquiry into your deepest desires!
Inspired by YOU,
