There is never a right or a wrong answer as to what type of materials you should use when building your custom home because every homeowner is different. However, there are a few guidelines that you should follow during the decision-making process. We always advice quality over quantity and functionality over style – but sometimes you can have your cake and eat it, too.
You Get What You Pay For
One of the first things that we tell people is that they should never choose a material because it is really cheap. There are a couple of exceptions to that, but most of the time, you will find that those cheap items need to be replaced much sooner than those that cost a little bit more.
The Life Cycle Factor
We mainly recommend that you consider the life-cycle method of the items that you purchase. The life-cycle method takes into account how much that item will cost over a period of time. A good example of this would be tiles. A good ceramic tile may last you twenty years, while peel and stick tiles will need to be replaced every couple of years. The ceramic tiles may cost more upfront, but once you tally up the cost of the peel and stick tiles for each replacement, the ceramic tiles will be cheaper in the long-term.
Energy Efficiency
There is one hidden factor when it comes to cost and that is the price that you will pay on your energy bills. Those cheaper windows may cost you a little less upfront than the more expensive ones, but if your energy bill is going to be thirty dollars higher each month from those cheap windows, the upfront savings isn’t worth it.
Appearance
Once you have gotten over the money factor of materials, you will need to consider the look of the materials. One roofing material may make your home look extremely nice, while another may make it look like all the normal houses on the street. The same goes for siding and other exterior components of your home.
Let Us Help
There are so many materials to choose from when constructing your custom home and by the time you are finished choosing them all, you will know more about what is inside a house than you ever have before. We can assist you with choosing the right materials, and we may even steer you away from certain ones that are not worth your time or money. Give us a call to discuss your custom built home. We’ll help you choose the right materials at the right time.