Everyone is looking for a home that reflects their personality and choices. But is it easy to afford these custom homes? is still a question for many.

The answer is yes; you don't have to be rich to afford a custom home.

The road to a beautiful — and affordable — custom home demands careful planning and opting for affordable yet high-quality materials in place of other, more expensive materials. Here's what to consider:

1) Location of the house

The site's location plays an essential role in building custom homes as the design you are looking for might not be suitable for the area you have chosen. Also, what you might forget is how much it will cost to fit and connect services. The design that you have selected may block the natural light to enter the house, or the location doesn't permit the natural light that you are looking for to the house. Keep all these vital points in mind while choosing the site of the house.

2) Type of material 

Most of the time, it is not about the whole design that you like; it is about what you like in it. All the specifications that you want to recreate in your home. And the good news is that you do have plenty of material options to choose from. Material and design go hand in hand. Stay with more of a boxy design to diminish exterior polishes and multiple angles and cuts.

Some example of material swap for custom homes are- 

•  Porcelain for marble - Marble is gorgeous, but it is also fragile and expensive. On the other side, porcelain is denser than marble and costs $2 to $7 for a minor decrease in aesthetic satisfaction. 

• Slightly textured drywall over smooth drywall- Labor cost of smooth drywall is high and can run up your budget. 

3) Design

The design of the house affects the budget. The first thing that should be done is to set the budget boundaries and select a design accordingly. When you trace the problem that people face, it comes down to designing without knowing the budget boundaries. Home design affects everything about your plan — from the outside landscape to the internal finishings. 

4) Selecting a Home designer

You wouldn't choose Picasso to do a mural painting, so why on earth would you assume an architect known for building advanced west coast homes to create an arts and crafts style? You're more likely to end up with a hybrid design rather than what you wanted. Choose a designer whose style matches your desired custom design. That will help you save both time and money. 

Hopefully, all this information will help you build your custom home, but if you are renovating the house, then explore these THREE LOW COSTS AND BEST HOME RENOVATION IDEAS.

Also, read NEW CONSTRUCTION TRENDS EMERGING IN 2020 that will help you design your home better.