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Explore every episode of the podcast The Before You Build Podcast

Dive into the complete episode list for The Before You Build Podcast. Each episode is cataloged with detailed descriptions, making it easy to find and explore specific topics. Keep track of all episodes from your favorite podcast and never miss a moment of insightful content.

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1–50 of 116

TitlePub. DateDuration
070. Benefits of Planning Before Building28 Aug 202400:11:35

In this episode, we’re talking about the MANY MANY MANY benefits of planning before building your house. 

I see these benefits first-hand with my home build experience, as well as with my clients as they go through and complete the home build process.

I’ve started a movement to get people to PLAN before they build because I know there are SO. MANY. BENEFITS. to doing this.

It’s IMPERATIVE to PLAN if you want to stay on (or close to) budget when building.

It’s IMPERATIVE to PLAN if you want to get to the end of your home build WITHOUT regrets.

EPISODE: carolineondesign.com/benefits-of-planning-before-building
BEFORE YOU BUILD℠: carolineondesign.com/before-you-build
FREE CLASS: carolineondesign.com/free-training
CAROLINE WEBSITE: carolineondesign.com

👉 Ready to build without blowing your budget? Watch my FREE training, "3 Simple Steps to Build Your Dream Home Without Blowing Your Budget" at carolineondesign.com/free-training.

069. 11 Floor Plan Mistakes to AVOID!13 Aug 202400:18:57

Are you starting to work on your custom floor plan and want to make sure you do it right? (i.e., you want to avoid making costly floor plan mistakes that you’ll later regret.) If so, tune in!

In this episode, we’ll cover common mistakes people make when creating a custom floor plan (or tweaking a stock plan). Unfortunately, I even see some builders (and the occasional architect) make these floor plan mistakes simply because they overlook the little details.

But don’t worry … you'll have a big advantage over *those* people because you'll know what important details to look out for so you can avoid making these mistakes in your own floor plan.

EPISODE: carolineondesign.com/floor-plan-mistakes-to-avoid/
FREE FLOOR PLAN QUESTIONNAIRE: carolineondesign.com/fp-free-workbook
HOME BUILD COURSES + PRODUCTS: carolineondesign.com/courses
WEBSITE: carolineondesign.com

👉 Ready to build without blowing your budget? Watch my FREE training, "3 Simple Steps to Build Your Dream Home Without Blowing Your Budget" at carolineondesign.com/free-training.

060. Your Initial Quote for Home Build (It’s OK!)03 Apr 202400:11:02

Your initial quote for your home build can be a little frightening, BUT it's OK!

Your initial quote is just that ... an INITIAL quote. 

It doesn't mean it's the final price of your house.

It's just a starting point.

Believe me ... it's MUCH better to get a crazy high quote BEFORE you start building because this allows you time and space to pare your future house down to a comfortable price before you break ground.

Tune into this episode to learn about a concept I teach inside BYB (i.e. creating a REALISTIC budget). 

Creating a REALISTIC budget (that you can actually stick to!) all starts with getting an ACCURATE initial quote and then paring it down in a strategic way.

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EPISODE SHOW NOTES: carolineondesign.com/initial-quote-for-home-build

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FREE TRAINING: ‘3 Keys to Build Your Dream Home WITHOUT Blowing Your Budget’ carolineondesign.com/free-training
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BYB PROGRAM: carolineondesign.com/before-you-build
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👉 Ready to build without blowing your budget? Watch my FREE training, "3 Simple Steps to Build Your Dream Home Without Blowing Your Budget" at carolineondesign.com/free-training.

059. Ripple Effects of Planning Before You Build20 Mar 202400:15:25

If you’ve been listening to this podcast for a while or you know anything about my signature program, you know that I am ALL about planning, planning, and more planning before you build a house.


This (planning) is what I teach, and it’s exactly why I’ve named this podcast and my group program ‘Before You Build’.


I teach this because I know the power of planning before you ever even consider breaking ground on your new house.


Planning is honestly the key to every single positive result that you want throughout your home-build experience and beyond. Tune into this episode to learn about the positive ripple effects of planning before you build your house.

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Episode Show Notes: carolineondesign.com/planning-before-you-build

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Want to learn how I built my dream home within budget and without sacrificing my must-haves? It’s all in my FREE on-demand training, ‘3 Keys to Build Your Dream Home WITHOUT Blowing Your Budget’ > carolineondesign.com/free-training
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👉 Ready to build without blowing your budget? Watch my FREE training, "3 Simple Steps to Build Your Dream Home Without Blowing Your Budget" at carolineondesign.com/free-training.

058. Floor Plan Design Process with Holly from Hereabout28 Feb 202400:27:56

I’m chatting with Holly, the founder and architect of Hereabout, about her floor plan design process.

Holly has more than a decade of experience in residential architectural design, and she started her business, Hereabout, to bridge the gap between budget and design for people who want a thoughtfully designed floor plan but might not want to pay for (or spend the time on) creating a custom floor plan from scratch.

In this episode, we cover:

  • Holly’s process for getting into the mindset of her potential customers (i.e. families) as she creates her stock floor plans (FYI … most stock plans are NOT created with the potential families in mind)
  • Holly’s entire process for creating her thoughtfully designed floor plans (she provides such unique and well-thought-out plans ... this is rare when it comes to stock floor plans)
  • Holly’s process for getting feedback on her floor plans in order to improve the functionality for families (it’s pretty cool!)
  • How she customizes the experience for customers who purchase her stock floor plans

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Episode Show Notes: carolineondesign.com/floor-plan-design-process
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Connect with Holly from 'Hereabout':
Instagram: @hereabout_home
Website: hereabouthome.com
Email: hello@hereabouthome.com
Holly has generously provided a 10% off code for my listeners! Use code CAROLINEONDESIGN at checkout.
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Grab your seat in my FREE Training! (3 Keys to Build Your Dream Home WITHOUT Blowing Your Budget): carolineondesign.com/free-training
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👉 Ready to build without blowing your budget? Watch my FREE training, "3 Simple Steps to Build Your Dream Home Without Blowing Your Budget" at carolineondesign.com/free-training.

057. Why Hiring the RIGHT Builder is Important (and where to start)14 Feb 202400:13:39

Hiring the *RIGHT* builder is one of the most important parts of creating a home build experience that is both positive and successful. 


In other words, your builder plays a crucial role in bringing your dream home vision to life … without completely blowing your budget. 

I’m going to illustrate the importance of WHY you need to hire the right builder for your project and then I'll share some tips to get you started on the path to finding the right builder for YOU.

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Episode Show Notes: carolineondesign.com/hiring-the-right-builder
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'Before You Build' Program: carolineondesign.com/before-you-build
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FREE Training (3 Keys to Build Your Dream Home without Blowing Your Budget): carolineondesign.com/free-training
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👉 Ready to build without blowing your budget? Watch my FREE training, "3 Simple Steps to Build Your Dream Home Without Blowing Your Budget" at carolineondesign.com/free-training.

056. 'Before You Build' Program Q+A31 Jan 202400:17:39

I’m in the middle of a live launch week promoting my group coaching program (the ‘Before You Build’ Program), so I wasn’t planning on doing a podcast episode this week. 

However, I’m getting soooo many great questions about the BYB Program from potential clients that I wanted to hop onto the podcast and share the questions (and my answers) with you.

If you aren’t familiar with the ‘Before You Build’ program, I’ll give you a quick overview plus tell you NOW is the BEST time to join BYB!

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Episode Show Notes: carolineondesign.com/before-you-build-program/
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Ready to confidently build a house that you absolutely LOVE … without blowing your budget? Join us inside BYB and get immediate access to the ‘BYB Blueprint’ framework, floor plan feedback, personalized support, and so much more. Get all the BYB details at carolineondesign.com/before-you-build.
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👉 Ready to build without blowing your budget? Watch my FREE training, "3 Simple Steps to Build Your Dream Home Without Blowing Your Budget" at carolineondesign.com/free-training.

055. You Don't Have to Go Over Budget When Building24 Jan 202400:11:25

You might be getting the WRONG home build budget advice.

In this episode, I share a cautionary tale about how you can’t believe everything you hear about 'going over budget when building'.

It's ok to question the so-called 'facts' because there ARE ways to build your house without completely going over budget.

I know this because I didn’t go over budget when I built my house, and now I have clients in my group coaching program who are coming in under budget too … and that’s in today’s market.

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Episode Show Notes: carolineondesign.com/over-budget-when-building

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Want to learn  how I built my dream home within budget and without sacrificing my must-haves? It’s all in my FREE on-demand training, ‘3 Keys to Build Your Dream Home WITHOUT Blowing Your Budget’ > carolineondesign.com/free-training
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👉 Ready to build without blowing your budget? Watch my FREE training, "3 Simple Steps to Build Your Dream Home Without Blowing Your Budget" at carolineondesign.com/free-training.

054. You Need More than Google when Building Your Dream Home10 Jan 202400:11:10

Googling ‘How To’ posts is a great way to gather as much info and knowledge as possible when building your dream home. However, all the info in the world doesn’t make up for a lack of CONFIDENCE in yourself to bring your dream home to life.


Gathering insight, tips, and knowledge will help you to feel more knowledgeable … but you also need to feel full CONFIDENCE in yourself as you go through the home build process and make the tough decisions.


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Episode Show Notes: carolineondesign.com/when-building-your-dream-home
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Ready to confidently build a house that you absolutely LOVE … without blowing your budget? Join us inside BYB and get immediate access to the ‘BYB Blueprint’ framework, floor plan feedback, personalized support, and so much more. Get all the BYB details at carolineondesign.com/before-you-build.
---

👉 Ready to build without blowing your budget? Watch my FREE training, "3 Simple Steps to Build Your Dream Home Without Blowing Your Budget" at carolineondesign.com/free-training.

053. Building Your Dream Home in 2024?03 Jan 202400:10:12

If you plan on building your dream home in 2024, you're in the right place! 

I’m Carrie … a Home Build Coach (it’s a term I made up but you get the idea). My mission is to help women feel confident building their dream home. I do this via my ‘Before You Build’ (BYB) program.
BYB is a step-by-step framework and group coaching program that equips you to confidently build a house you LOVE and is perfect for YOUR family (now + into the future) ... without blowing your budget.
Sounds pretty amazing, right?
I can’t wait to help YOU bring YOUR dream home to life in 2024. You’ve got this, and I’m here to guide you every step of the way.
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Episode Show Notes: carolineondesign.com/building-your-dream-home
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Ready to confidently build a house that you absolutely LOVE … without blowing your budget? Join us inside BYB and get immediate access to the ‘BYB Blueprint’ framework, floor plan feedback, personalized support, and so much more. Get all the BYB details at carolineondesign.com/before-you-build.

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👉 Ready to build without blowing your budget? Watch my FREE training, "3 Simple Steps to Build Your Dream Home Without Blowing Your Budget" at carolineondesign.com/free-training.

052. Home Exterior Design Classic Styles06 Dec 202300:12:56

This episode was supposed to be about home exterior design trends that we'll see in 2024. However, I decided on a whim to talk about home exterior design classic styles instead. 

I’ll let you know why I last-minute changed the topic of this episode because it’s two very valid reasons, but let’s just say that I didn’t feel right talking about trends in design. It didn’t feel in alignment with what I teach my clients.

With all that said, I’ve shifted the topic of this episode and it feels in alignment with what I teach so let's talk about some of my favorite timeless exterior styles.

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Episode Show Notes: carolineondesign.com/home-exterior-design-classic-styles
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Want help designing your timeless dream home? I can help through my signature ‘Before You Build’ framework for designing a home that you love, is perfect for your family and comes within (or very close to) your budget can help YOU. Learn more at carolineondesign.com/before-you-build.

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👉 Ready to build without blowing your budget? Watch my FREE training, "3 Simple Steps to Build Your Dream Home Without Blowing Your Budget" at carolineondesign.com/free-training.

051. My Curated Design Fixtures + Decor Boutiques15 Nov 202300:07:55

In this episode, I'll define what the term  ‘design fixture’ means (because this can be a confusing term) and I’ll share a list of curated design fixtures boutiques that I offer on my website. I'll also share how YOU can easily shop these curated boutiques to design your own dream home. 

Believe me … this is a game changer when it comes to shopping. I even use these boutiques myself when I’m on the hunt for home decor for my own home :).

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Episode Show Notes: carolineondesign.com/shop-curated-design-fixtures-decor-boutiques
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Boutiques: carolineondesign.com/shop
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👉 Ready to build without blowing your budget? Watch my FREE training, "3 Simple Steps to Build Your Dream Home Without Blowing Your Budget" at carolineondesign.com/free-training.

068. Vision Before Building Your Dream Home31 Jul 202400:08:51

If you’re worried about building and designing your dream home because you aren’t a designer (and you don’t want to hire one), I’ve got good news for you. You don’t need a designer … you just need a crystal clear vision BEFORE building your dream home.

Tune in to learn WHY a crystal clear vision of your future house is so CRUCIAL.

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EPISODE: carolineondesign.com/before-building-your-dream-home
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BEFORE YOU BUILD℠  WAITLIST: carolineondesign.com/join-byb-waitlist
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FREE CLASS:  ‘How to Build Your Dream Home On Budget WITHOUT Sacrificing Your Must-Haves’  carolineondesign.com/free-training

👉 Ready to build without blowing your budget? Watch my FREE training, "3 Simple Steps to Build Your Dream Home Without Blowing Your Budget" at carolineondesign.com/free-training.

050. 8 Ways to Stay on Budget when Building a House25 Oct 202300:17:53

Going significantly over budget is one of the top concerns (actually, THE top concern) I hear from my clients and readers who are preparing to build a house. I completely understand this because it was my biggest fear when I built, too. However, what if I told you there ARE ways to stay on budget when building a house?

It’s true. My husband and I built our custom home without going over budget.  And I know that what we did can work for you, too. In this episode, I’ll share eight ways we managed to keep our home-build budget in check.

Be sure to keep these tips in mind (and implement them) as you build your dream home so that when your house is complete and you move in (yay!), you feel great about the final cost of your house :).

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Episode Show Notes: carolineondesign.com/8-savvy-ways-to-stay-on-budget-when-building-a-house
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Wanna build a house you absolutely LOVE ... without blowing your budget? I'll teach you how in my FREE on-demand training. Grab your (virtual) seat at carolineondesign.com/free-training.
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👉 Ready to build without blowing your budget? Watch my FREE training, "3 Simple Steps to Build Your Dream Home Without Blowing Your Budget" at carolineondesign.com/free-training.

049. Floor Plan Feedback (Why it's CRUCIAL!)18 Oct 202300:11:01

In this episode, I share a story about a little Christmas card mishap I had a few years ago and how this mistake relates closely to one of my favorite things I offer to clients inside my 'Before You Build' group coaching program ... personalized floor plan feedback.

I also talk about the importance of bringing in a fresh set of eyes when looking at something repeatedly (ahem ... your floor plan, in this case) and the importance of careful planning and making changes to a floor plan BEFORE building a house.
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Episode Show Notes: carolineondesign.com/floor-plan-feedback
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Learn more about how the 'Before You Build' program can transform your home build experience at carolineondesign.com/before-you-build.
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👉 Ready to build without blowing your budget? Watch my FREE training, "3 Simple Steps to Build Your Dream Home Without Blowing Your Budget" at carolineondesign.com/free-training.

048. 3 Things to Keep in Mind when Building a House04 Oct 202300:09:37

As you can imagine, building a home can be a *little bit* overwhelming. Maybe you’re still just dreaming about building, or maybe you’re already in the thick of it, and the overwhelm is starting to creep in. Either way, there are 3 things I want you to keep in mind when building a house. 

In this episode, we discuss what you *might* experience emotionally while you’re building. It won’t feel great … but that’s OK. We all have these thoughts, so don’t beat yourself up about it.

I'm hopeful that if you keep these 3 things in mind (and know that they’re perfectly normal), you’ll feel more confident that you CAN get through your home build. Believe me, you WILL make it to the other side … and I’m here to help you.

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Episode Show Notes: carolineondesign.com/3-things-to-keep-in-mind-when-building-a-house
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Learn more about how the 'Before You Build' program can transform your home build experience at carolineondesign.com/before-you-build.
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👉 Ready to build without blowing your budget? Watch my FREE training, "3 Simple Steps to Build Your Dream Home Without Blowing Your Budget" at carolineondesign.com/free-training.

047. 'Before You Build' Program Q+A20 Sep 202300:13:21

Today is a very casual impromptu podcast episode all about my Before You Build program. 

I’m in the middle of a live launch week of promoting my group coaching program, so I wasn’t planning on doing a podcast episode. 

However, I’m getting soooo many great questions about the BYB program from potential clients that I wanted to hop onto the podcast and share the questions (and my answers) with you.

If you aren’t familiar with the ‘Before You Build’ program, I’ll give you a quick overview plus tell you about a special bonus happening right now … if you’re listening in real-time.

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Episode Show Notes: carolineondesign.com/before-you-build-program
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Learn more about the 'Before You Build' Program at carolineondesign.com/before-you-build.
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👉 Ready to build without blowing your budget? Watch my FREE training, "3 Simple Steps to Build Your Dream Home Without Blowing Your Budget" at carolineondesign.com/free-training.

046. How to Build Your Dream Home Without Breaking the Bank13 Sep 202300:11:17

Do you think it's impossible to build your dream home without breaking the bank? 

If so, (thankfully) you're wrong.

I’m here to tell you that you CAN build a house you absolutely LOVE without blowing your budget.

I know this because I did it. I built my own dream home without blowing the budget.

And you can too.

The key to building a house you absolutely LOVE (w/o breaking the bank) is to prepare for your home build in a SMART + STRATEGIC way.

And it all starts with avoiding three common mistakes that *most* people make when building a house.

I’m going to share these mistakes in this episode, so listen up!

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Episode Show Notes: carolineondesign.com/build-your-dream-home-without-breaking-the-bank
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Wanna build a house you absolutely LOVE ... without blowing your budget? I'll teach you how in my FREE on-demand training. Grab your (virtual) seat at carolineondesign.com/free-training.
---

👉 Ready to build without blowing your budget? Watch my FREE training, "3 Simple Steps to Build Your Dream Home Without Blowing Your Budget" at carolineondesign.com/free-training.

045. 3 Myths About Building a Custom Home06 Sep 202300:08:43

Are you dreaming of building a custom home but you aren't sure it’s a possibility for you because you don’t have a huge budget? Guess what … this is just one of the myths about building a custom home that is swirling around. In this episode, we'll cover 3 common myths when it comes to building a custom home.
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Episode Show Notes: carolineondesign.com/myths-about-building-a-custom-home
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Wanna build a house you absolutely LOVE ... without blowing your budget?!  I'll teach you how in my FREE on-demand training. Grab your (virtual) seat at carolineondesign.com/free-training.
---

👉 Ready to build without blowing your budget? Watch my FREE training, "3 Simple Steps to Build Your Dream Home Without Blowing Your Budget" at carolineondesign.com/free-training.

044. 7 Signs You're Ready to Build a Custom Home23 Aug 202300:08:34

Are you dreaming of building a home, but you aren’t quite sure if you’re ready to take the plunge? In this episode, I’m sharing 7 signs you’re ready to build a custom home!

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Episode Show Notes: carolineondesign.com/7-signs-youre-ready-to-build-a-custom-home
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Want help bringing your dream home to life in a smart and strategic way? Learn how I can help through the ‘Before You Build’ Program at carolineondesign.com/before-you-build.
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Want to learn the 4 crucial steps to prepare for a home build with less stress, more confidence, and without going over budget, download my FREE ‘Custom Home Build Prep Guide’ at carolineondesign.com/home-build-guide.
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👉 Ready to build without blowing your budget? Watch my FREE training, "3 Simple Steps to Build Your Dream Home Without Blowing Your Budget" at carolineondesign.com/free-training.

043. 5 Considerations when Creating a Custom Floor Plan09 Aug 202300:15:22

Creating a custom floor plan from scratch can be very time-consuming and very daunting. It’s overwhelming for anyone, so don’t freak out. You are definitely NOT alone if you’re feeling a little scared. But I want you to feel more confident so I’ve created a list for you of my top five considerations when creating my own custom floor plan. These are all five things that I want you to *really* think about as you create your plan as well. 

If you already have a working draft of your floor plan or you think it’s *done*, I still want you to listen to this episode because you might realize that you want to tweak a few things here and there.
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Episode Show Notes: carolineondesign.com/5-considerations-for-creating-a-custom-floor-plan
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Group Coaching Program: Before You Build
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Dreaming of building a home and aren’t sure where to start? Download my *FREE* Custom Home Build Prep Guide and learn the crucial steps to prepare for a home build with less stress, more confidence in decision-making, and a strategic plan to stick close to budget!
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👉 Ready to build without blowing your budget? Watch my FREE training, "3 Simple Steps to Build Your Dream Home Without Blowing Your Budget" at carolineondesign.com/free-training.

042. 8 Crucial Questions to Ask Potential Home Builders26 Jul 202300:08:14

One of the most important decisions you’ll make when building a home is choosing the *right* builder for your project. Your builder can make or break your entire home build experience and I want you to have a GREAT experience :). So I’m sharing eight crucial questions to ask potential home builders as you go through the interview process.
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Episode Show Notes: carolineondesign.com/questions-to-ask-potential-home-builders
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Dreaming of building a home and aren’t sure where to start? Download my *FREE* Custom Home Build Prep Guide and learn the crucial steps to prepare for a home build with less stress, more confidence in decision-making, and a strategic plan to stick close to budget!

👉 Ready to build without blowing your budget? Watch my FREE training, "3 Simple Steps to Build Your Dream Home Without Blowing Your Budget" at carolineondesign.com/free-training.

041. 8 Home Upgrades that are Worth It When Building12 Jul 202300:12:15

In order to have a *chance* of sticking to your home build budget, you’ll most likely need to make some sacrifices and might not be able to get everything you want in your future home. I don’t want this to discourage you though. It’s simply a fact that we all deal with it when building a home. So let’s stay positive and talk about 8 home upgrades that are worth the money when building so that you can splurge where it matters!

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Episode Show Notes: carolineondesign.com/home-upgrades-that-are-worth-it
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If you’re dreaming of building a home and have no clue where to start, download my *FREE* Custom Home Build Prep Guide and learn the five steps to build your dream home with less stress, more confidence, and a strategic plan to stay on budget.
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Want help determining the best places for YOU to upgrade (or splurge) in YOUR home? Get immediate access to my digital
'Splurge & Save Planner' for ONLY $12! 

👉 Ready to build without blowing your budget? Watch my FREE training, "3 Simple Steps to Build Your Dream Home Without Blowing Your Budget" at carolineondesign.com/free-training.

067. 3 Big Mistakes When Building a House17 Jul 202400:06:57

I’m sharing 3 BIG (actually, huge) mistakes that most people make when building a house.


These three mistakes lead directly to going over budget on your home build. 


For many people, this can be significant budget overages.


But don’t worry, half the battle of staying on budget is knowing what mistakes to AVOID.


You’ll be armed with this knowledge and you’ll know exactly what to avoid.


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EPISODE: carolineondesign.com/mistakes-when-building-a-house
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FREE CLASS:  ‘How to Build Your Dream Home On Budget WITHOUT Sacrificing Your Must-Haves’  carolineondesign.com/free-training

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👉 Ready to build without blowing your budget? Watch my FREE training, "3 Simple Steps to Build Your Dream Home Without Blowing Your Budget" at carolineondesign.com/free-training.

040. 6 Crucial Steps Before You Break Ground21 Jun 202300:10:57

If you’re dreaming about building a custom home in the near(ish) future, you might be curious about what steps you need to take before building in order to make your home-build experience positive and to make your future dream home a reality.

I’m not going to sugarcoat it … there is A LOT that goes into making your home build a success and it all starts with following 6 crucial steps BEFORE you break ground.
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Episode Show Notes: carolineondesign.com/steps-before-you-break-ground
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Wanna learn more about how the Before You Build Program can help you bring your dream home to life? Learn more at carolineondesign.com/before-you-build.
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Free Home Build Prep Guide: carolineondesign.com/home-build-guide.
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Wanna build your dream home within budget (regardless of the current home build market)? I'll teach you how in my FREE on-demand training. Grab your (virtual) seat at
carolineondesign.com/free-training.

👉 Ready to build without blowing your budget? Watch my FREE training, "3 Simple Steps to Build Your Dream Home Without Blowing Your Budget" at carolineondesign.com/free-training.

039. 9 Tips to Design a Functional Primary Bathroom07 Jun 202300:22:06

Your primary bathroom is one of the most expensive rooms when building (or renovating) your home ... so you kinda wanna make sure you *really* think about what you want BEFORE you design this room. If you’re anything like me, you want to design a functional primary bathroom that works perfectly for the way YOU live!

In this episode, I’m sharing 9 tips to help you to design your own functional (and beautiful) primary bathroom. Do keep in mind … this is YOUR bathroom, so you can design it in any way that makes sense for YOUR family.

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Episode Show Notes: carolineondesign.com/design-a-functional-primary-bathroom
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Wanna learn more about how the Before You Build Program can help you bring your dream home to life? Learn more at carolineondesign.com/before-you-build.
---
Wanna build your dream home within budget (regardless of the current home build market)? I'll teach you how in my FREE on-demand training. Grab your (virtual) seat at
carolineondesign.com/free-training.

👉 Ready to build without blowing your budget? Watch my FREE training, "3 Simple Steps to Build Your Dream Home Without Blowing Your Budget" at carolineondesign.com/free-training.

038. Before You Build (How I Help YOU!)24 May 202300:14:05

This podcast episode is a little bit different than what I normally record. I'm sharing some feedback I recently received from a client that really got me thinking. I had a quick initial thought of 'that sucks' and then I realized there was some truth in what she said ... but there's so much more to it. Tune in to hear what she said and to find out exactly how my 'zone of genius'  helps YOU before you build your dream home :).
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Wanna learn more about how the Before You Build Program can help you bring your dream home to life? Learn more at carolineondesign.com/before-you-build.
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Wanna build a house you absolutely LOVE ... without blowing your budget?! I'll teach you how in my FREE on-demand training. Grab your (virtual) seat at
carolineondesign.com/free-training.
---
Episode Show Notes: carolineondesign.com/before-you-build-how-i-help
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👉 Ready to build without blowing your budget? Watch my FREE training, "3 Simple Steps to Build Your Dream Home Without Blowing Your Budget" at carolineondesign.com/free-training.

037. 9 Tips for Designing a Functional Kitchen03 May 202300:13:56

In this episode, I’m sharing 9 tips for designing a functional kitchen. These are all things I LOVE about my own kitchen design. I’m also sharing a couple of things that I wish I had done differently in my kitchen (so you can learn from my ‘mistakes’).
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Get full show notes and more information here: carolineondesign.com/9-tips-for-designing-a-functional-kitchen
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If you’re dreaming of building a home and have no clue where to start, download my *FREE* Custom Home Build Prep Guide and learn the five steps to build your dream home with less stress, more confidence, and a strategic plan to stay on budget.
---

👉 Ready to build without blowing your budget? Watch my FREE training, "3 Simple Steps to Build Your Dream Home Without Blowing Your Budget" at carolineondesign.com/free-training.

036. Custom vs. Stock Floor Plan: 5 Important Considerations12 Apr 202300:16:55

If you’ve decided to build a home and you've found the perfect lot, the next step is to choose whether you’re going to build a custom vs stock floor plan. 

We’re going to start this episode by talking about the differences between a custom floor plan and a stock floor plan, as well as the pros and cons of each option. 

Then I’m going to share five things that I want you to *really* think about if you decide to purchase a stock floor plan from an online company. These are *really* important considerations so please hang around until the end of the episode :).

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Get full show notes and more information here: carolineondesign.com/custom-vs-stock-floor-plan-5-important-considerations
---
Wanna dive deeper into creating the perfect floor plan for YOUR family’s needs? Grab my *FREE* Floor Plan Questionnaire. (carolineondesign.com/fp-free-workbook)
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👉 Ready to build without blowing your budget? Watch my FREE training, "3 Simple Steps to Build Your Dream Home Without Blowing Your Budget" at carolineondesign.com/free-training.

035. 7 Unexpected Expenses when Building a House05 Apr 202300:11:37

It’s important to be realistic about ALL the costs you’ll incur throughout the building (and moving-in) process. Obviously, you'll have construction costs and architect fees (if applicable) … but there are many other expenses you need to factor in as well.

In this episode, we'll cover 7 unexpected expenses when building a house because I want to make sure that you include these ‘hidden costs’ in your budget so you don’t have any 'surprises' pop up later.

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Get full show notes and more information here: carolineondesign.com/7-unexpected-expenses-when-building-house
---
If you’re dreaming of building a home and have no clue where to start, download my *FREE* Custom Home Build Prep Guide and learn the five steps to build your dream home with less stress, more confidence, and a strategic plan to stay on budget.
---

👉 Ready to build without blowing your budget? Watch my FREE training, "3 Simple Steps to Build Your Dream Home Without Blowing Your Budget" at carolineondesign.com/free-training.

034. 4 Steps to Choose the Perfect Paint Color29 Mar 202300:11:45

I think we can ALL agree that it’s HARD to choose a paint color! It can be (very) confusing and overwhelming because there are literally thousands of choices and the samples are so microscopic.
But don’t worry, in today’s episode I’ll walk you through four EASY steps that I use to get a much better idea of what a paint color will look like on a larger scale and this will help you choose the perfect paint colors for your home.
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Wanna try Samplize paint samples for yourself? Click here for their website. Please note that this is an affiliate link and I may receive a small commission for telling you about this AMAZING product :).
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Get full show notes and more information here: carolineondesign.com/steps-to-choose-a-paint-color

👉 Ready to build without blowing your budget? Watch my FREE training, "3 Simple Steps to Build Your Dream Home Without Blowing Your Budget" at carolineondesign.com/free-training.

033. Want help bringing your dream home to life?22 Mar 202300:15:03

Did you know that I can help you bring your dream home to life? You know ... that cozy, beautiful home that you absolutely LOVE, and your friends and family can't wait to visit over the holidays? Yep, I can help. Find out how in this completely raw podcast episode that I recorded on a whim on my iPhone in the Starbucks parking lot. And guess what … it might be my favorite podcast episode to date.
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Wanna learn more about how the Before You Build Program can help you bring your dream home to life? Learn more at carolineondesign.com/before-you-build.

👉 Ready to build without blowing your budget? Watch my FREE training, "3 Simple Steps to Build Your Dream Home Without Blowing Your Budget" at carolineondesign.com/free-training.

032. Samplize Peel and Stick Paint Samples Review (Hint ... AMAZING!)15 Mar 202300:14:05

There is a new(ish) product on the market that I am obsessed with … mess-free paint samples. These weren’t around when I built my home back in 2013 but I sure wish they were!
In this episode, we’ll cover what peel and stick paint samples are, how accurate the sample colors are (including my ‘color accuracy experiment’ results), how to use the samples, how long they take to ship, how much they cost, the pros and cons of peel and stick paint samples, and my honest review of Samplize paint samples.
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Wanna try Samplize paint samples for yourself? Click here to head to their website. Please note that this is an affiliate link and I may receive a small commission for telling you about this AMAZING product :).
---
Get full show notes and more information here: carolineondesign.com/peel-and-stick-paint-samples-review

👉 Ready to build without blowing your budget? Watch my FREE training, "3 Simple Steps to Build Your Dream Home Without Blowing Your Budget" at carolineondesign.com/free-training.

031. 3 Tips to Design the Perfect Floor Plan for Your Family08 Mar 202300:10:03

Creating your floor plan is a HUGE part of building your home. I imagine you want to build a home that flows well and is functional for YOUR family … plus, you want it to fit into your budget. In this episode, I’m sharing 3 tips to design the perfect floor plan for your family so that your home *does* flow well and *is* functional for the way YOUR family lives.

Wanna dive deeper into creating the perfect floor plan for YOUR family’s needs? Grab my *FREE* Floor Plan Questionnaire. (carolineondesign.com/fp-free-workbook)

Episode Show Notes: carolineondesign.com/tips-to-design-the-perfect-floor-plan

👉 Ready to build without blowing your budget? Watch my FREE training, "3 Simple Steps to Build Your Dream Home Without Blowing Your Budget" at carolineondesign.com/free-training.

066. 3 Quick Home Build Tips20 Jun 202400:10:16

This episode is a little different than usual, but I think it’s going to be super helpful to a lot of people.


Soooo … I got some GREAT questions from a woman who attended my free masterclass.


I answered her questions in a voice memo and I’m sharing that exact voice memo (unedited and all) in this episode.


I’m doing this because there are some golden nuggets that I think anyone building a house can take away from these answers … whether you choose to join BEFORE YOU BUILD℠ or not.


I’ll play that voice memo for you and then I’ll come back onto the podcast and tell you WHY I think this is super helpful for anyone who is planning to build a house.

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EPISODE: carolineondesign.com/3-quick-home-build-tips
-
FREE CLASS:  ‘How to Build Your Dream Home On Budget WITHOUT Sacrificing Your Must-Haves’  carolineondesign.com/free-training

👉 Ready to build without blowing your budget? Watch my FREE training, "3 Simple Steps to Build Your Dream Home Without Blowing Your Budget" at carolineondesign.com/free-training.

030. How to Avoid Custom Floor Plan Mistakes01 Mar 202300:06:19

Many people jump right into designing a floor plan without taking the time to thoroughly think about the best layout for their family’s home. Please don't do this! The best way to avoid custom floor plan mistakes is to *really* think about how your family lives BEFORE you create your floor plan.

I want YOU to get your floor plan right and feel proud of your future home, so I’ve created a list of 10 questions for you to thoughtfully consider and answer to get you started in creating the perfect floor plan for YOUR family.

If you want to dive deeper into creating the perfect floor plan for YOUR family’s needs, download my *FREE*  'Floor Plan Creation Workbook'.

EPISODE SHOW NOTES:
carolineondesign.com/how-to-avoid-custom-floor-plan-mistakes
BEFORE YOU BUILD PODCAST:
carolineondesign.com/podcast
BYB PROGRAM:
carolineondesign.com/before-you-build
SHOP DESIGN FIXTURES:
carolineondesign.com/shop

👉 Ready to build without blowing your budget? Watch my FREE training, "3 Simple Steps to Build Your Dream Home Without Blowing Your Budget" at carolineondesign.com/free-training.

029. 8 Crucial Tips for Your First-Time Home Build22 Feb 202300:12:20

Building a home will likely be one of the largest projects you ever take on. It can be emotionally and physically draining, but it can also be really fun. Believe me … I know this from first-hand experience. In this episode, I’m sharing 8 CRUCIAL tips for your first-time home build to help make this process easier for you.

Wanna build a house you absolutely LOVE ... without blowing your budget? I'll teach you how in my FREE on-demand training. Grab your (virtual) seat at carolineondesign.com/free-training.
---
If you’re dreaming of building a home and have no clue where to start, download my
*FREE* Custom Home Build Prep Guide and learn the five steps to build your dream home with less stress, more confidence, and a strategic plan to stay on budget.
---

EPISODE SHOW NOTES:
carolineondesign.com/8-crucial-tips-for-your-first-time-home-build
BEFORE YOU BUILD PODCAST:
carolineondesign.com/podcast
BYB PROGRAM:
carolineondesign.com/before-you-build
SHOP DESIGN FIXTURES:
carolineondesign.com/shop

👉 Ready to build without blowing your budget? Watch my FREE training, "3 Simple Steps to Build Your Dream Home Without Blowing Your Budget" at carolineondesign.com/free-training.

028. 4 Things I Would Change if I Built my Home Again15 Feb 202300:13:35

Over the years, one of the most common questions readers and students have asked me is what I would change if I built my home again.

Honestly, there isn’t much I would change about my house (even after 9+ years of living in it), but you’re here because you want to learn from others’ regrets after building so that you don’t make the same ‘mistakes’.

In this episode, I’m sharing my short list of what I would change if I were to build again and my hope is that something on this list will help you as you prepare to build your own dream home.

Want to dive deeper into really considering how to design your perfect floor plan? Download a copy of my *FREE* Guided Floor Plan Creation Workbook (carolineondesign.com/fp-free-workbook).

Episode Show Notes: carolineondesign.com/change-if-built-my-home-again
Carrie's Custom Floor Plan: carolineondesign.com/floor-plan
Free 'Home Build Prep Guide': carolineondesign.com/home-build-guide 
Before You Build Podcast: carolineondesign.com/podcast
Home Build Prep Course: carolineondesign.com/before-you-build

👉 Ready to build without blowing your budget? Watch my FREE training, "3 Simple Steps to Build Your Dream Home Without Blowing Your Budget" at carolineondesign.com/free-training.

027. 7 Exterior Design Trends 202308 Feb 202300:11:02

Are you planning to build a home in 2023 and you're considering how you want your exterior design to look?

Maybe you still love the white exterior look but aren’t sure if it’s still in style. Or maybe you’re just curious about what the next big thing in exterior design is so that you can be ahead of the curve.

Either way, I think you’re going to love the home exterior trends in 2023.

By the end of this episode, you’ll have a better understanding of what is trending in home exterior design in 2023 and, hopefully, a better idea of how you want to design your own dream home :).

FREE ON-DEMAND TRAINING:
'3 Simple Keys to Design Your Dream Home with Confidence'
Learn more at carolineondesign.com/ddh-free-training

EPISODE SHOW NOTES:
carolineondesign.com/exterior-design-trends-2023
BEFORE YOU BUILD PODCAST:
carolineondesign.com/podcast
HOME BUILD PREP PROGRAM:
carolineondesign.com/before-you-build
SHOP DESIGN FIXTURES:
carolineondesign.com/shop

👉 Ready to build without blowing your budget? Watch my FREE training, "3 Simple Steps to Build Your Dream Home Without Blowing Your Budget" at carolineondesign.com/free-training.

026. Kitchen Trends 2023 (That I'm Loving!)01 Feb 202300:14:50

If you’re building a new home or remodeling an existing kitchen, you're in luck because the kitchen trends in 2023 are GORGEOUS! And, even better, many of these trends are rooted in a classic design that will stand the test of time. Whoo hoo!

I've scoured design websites to get an idea of the kitchen trends we’ll see in 2023. Most of the trends this year are beautiful design elements that I would gladly incorporate into my home (if I were building or remodeling in 2023).

In this episode, we'll cover the top kitchen design trends we’ll see in 2023.

FREE ON-DEMAND TRAINING:
'3 Simple Keys to Design Your Dream Home with Confidence'
Learn more at carolineondesign.com/ddh-free-training

EPISODE SHOW NOTES:
carolineondesign.com/kitchen-trends-2022
BEFORE YOU BUILD PODCAST:
carolineondesign.com/podcast
HOME BUILD PREP PROGRAM:
carolineondesign.com/before-you-build
SHOP DESIGN FIXTURES:
carolineondesign.com/shop

👉 Ready to build without blowing your budget? Watch my FREE training, "3 Simple Steps to Build Your Dream Home Without Blowing Your Budget" at carolineondesign.com/free-training.

025. 3 Costly Mistakes (to Avoid) When Planning to Build a House18 Jan 202300:08:10

Has anyone ever told you, ‘It’s inevitable you’ll go over budget when building because *everyone* does.’  Yeah, I’ve heard that too, but it’s not true!

The #truth is that *most* people DO go significantly over budget when building because they fall into the trap of 3 common (and very costly) mistakes when planning to build a house.

In this episode, we'll cover the 3 common mistakes people make when planning to build a house. I see people make these mistakes over and over (and over) again, but I won’t let you fall into these traps. 

FREE ON-DEMAND TRAINING:
'3 Crucial Steps to Build Within Budget'
Register at carolineondesign.com/free-training

EPISODE SHOW NOTES:
carolineondesign.com/costly-mistakes-when-planning-to-build-a-house
BEFORE YOU BUILD PODCAST:
carolineondesign.com/podcast
HOME BUILD PREP PROGRAM:
carolineondesign.com/before-you-build
SHOP DESIGN FIXTURES:
carolineondesign.com/shop


👉 Ready to build without blowing your budget? Watch my FREE training, "3 Simple Steps to Build Your Dream Home Without Blowing Your Budget" at carolineondesign.com/free-training.

024. Why It's (SUPER) Important to Plan Before Building11 Jan 202300:04:36

Are you building your first (or next) home and you have no clue where to start? Are you afraid to make all of the design decisions you know you'll have to make and, even worse … are you afraid of making costly mistakes?

Building a home doesn’t have to be scary! You just need to have a plan in place BEFORE building your home. The bottom line is that the key to feeling confident as you make design decisions and not breaking the bank is going into the home build process with a plan.


EPISODE SHOW NOTES:
carolineondesign.com/why-important-to-plan-before-building-your-home
FREE HOME BUILD PREP GUIDE:
carolineondesign.com/home-build-guide
BEFORE YOU BUILD PODCAST:
carolineondesign.com/podcast
HOME BUILD PREP PROGRAM:
carolineondesign.com/before-you-build
SHOP DESIGN FIXTURES:
carolineondesign.com/shop


👉 Ready to build without blowing your budget? Watch my FREE training, "3 Simple Steps to Build Your Dream Home Without Blowing Your Budget" at carolineondesign.com/free-training.

023. Is It Cheaper to Buy or Build a House?04 Jan 202300:09:54

Are you considering building a house because you just can’t find the perfect existing house to buy for your family? If so, are you unsure of pricing and wondering, ‘is it cheaper to buy or build a house?’  

If you’re nodding your head ‘yes’, this episode is for YOU! Let’s go ahead and answer the question of what’s cheaper … buying or building?

As you can imagine, this is a tricky question to answer in one blanket statement because there are SO many variables to consider. However, I’ll give you my educated opinion on what I know to be cheaper (and why I came to this conclusion). I’ll also share tips on how to determine what is less expensive in YOUR location.


FREE HOME BUILD PREP GUIDE:
carolineondesign.com/home-build-guide
EPISODE SHOW NOTES:
carolineondesign.com/is-it-cheaper-to-buy-or-build-a-house
BEFORE YOU BUILD PODCAST:
carolineondesign.com/podcast
HOME BUILD PREP PROGRAM:
carolineondesign.com/before-you-build
SHOP DESIGN FIXTURES:
carolineondesign.com/shop

👉 Ready to build without blowing your budget? Watch my FREE training, "3 Simple Steps to Build Your Dream Home Without Blowing Your Budget" at carolineondesign.com/free-training.

022. My Custom Home Build Regrets 07 Dec 202200:08:16

In this episode, I’m letting you in on a little secret. I’m sharing a behind-the-scenes list of my custom home build regrets 9 years after building my house. 

The good news is that I still LOVE my home nine years later, but there are a few things I would do differently if I built this house again and that’s what we’ll talk about today.

Possibly one (or more) of these things will resonate with you as you build your own dream home.

FREE DESIGN TRAINING: 3 Keys to Confidently Design Your Dream Home
carolineondesign.com/ddh-free-training

EPISODE SHOW NOTES:
carolineondesign.com/custom-home-build-regrets
BEFORE YOU BUILD PODCAST:
carolineondesign.com/podcast
HOME BUILD PREP PROGRAM:
carolineondesign.com/before-you-build
SHOP DESIGN FIXTURES:
carolineondesign.com/shop

👉 Ready to build without blowing your budget? Watch my FREE training, "3 Simple Steps to Build Your Dream Home Without Blowing Your Budget" at carolineondesign.com/free-training.

021. Should You Hire Designer When Building?30 Nov 202200:13:20

In this episode, we’re talking about whether or not you should hire a designer when building a custom home. 

I'll share the pros and cons of adding a designer to your home build team so you feel equipped to make the best decision for YOUR family.


EPISODE SHOW NOTES:
carolineondesign.com/hire-a-designer-when-building-a-custom-home
BEFORE YOU BUILD PODCAST:
carolineondesign.com/podcast
HOME BUILD PREP PROGRAM:
carolineondesign.com/before-you-build
SHOP DESIGN FIXTURES:
carolineondesign.com/shop

👉 Ready to build without blowing your budget? Watch my FREE training, "3 Simple Steps to Build Your Dream Home Without Blowing Your Budget" at carolineondesign.com/free-training.

065. Beware of the Lowest Home Build Bid!05 Jun 202400:08:14

PSA for anyone who is looking for a builder right now or will be in the future. The lowest home build bid does NOT mean the lowest price.

Let me repeat that … the lowest home build bid does NOT mean the lowest price.

In this short and sweet episode, we’ll talk about why it’s VERY important to consider more than just the bids (or price quotes) when selecting a builder.

-
EPISODE: carolineondesign.com/lowest-home-build-bid

-
FREE CLASS: ‘How to Build Your Dream Home On Budget WITHOUT Sacrificing Your Must-Haves’  carolineondesign.com/free-training

👉 Ready to build without blowing your budget? Watch my FREE training, "3 Simple Steps to Build Your Dream Home Without Blowing Your Budget" at carolineondesign.com/free-training.

020. Must Haves when Building a Custom Home16 Nov 202200:07:16

When you google the phrase, ‘must haves when building a custom home’, you’ll find lists of what *other* people consider to be must haves in their own homes. However, these lists might not include things that are must haves in your own dream home.

In this episode, I share a lengthy list of what other people considered to be must haves in their homes. But remember … this list is simply to get the wheels in your head turning so you can create your own list of what is most important to you and your family in your future home.

EPISODE SHOW NOTES:
carolineondesign.com/must-haves-when-building-a-custom-home
BEFORE YOU BUILD PODCAST:
carolineondesign.com/podcast
HOME BUILD PREP PROGRAM:
carolineondesign.com/before-you-build
SHOP DESIGN FIXTURES:
carolineondesign.com/shop

👉 Ready to build without blowing your budget? Watch my FREE training, "3 Simple Steps to Build Your Dream Home Without Blowing Your Budget" at carolineondesign.com/free-training.

019. How to Prepare for First Meeting with Builder09 Nov 202200:14:00

I’m giving you seven specific steps to help you prepare for a productive first meeting with your builder so that you feel confident and organized when your builder fires questions at you about your design ideas and your budget for your future home.

If you follow these 7 steps (in no particular order), you’re going to go into that first planning meeting feeling confident and super organized because you’ll have an idea of how you want your house to look, what your must haves are, what questions to ask, and what your realistic budget is.

FLOOR PLAN QUESTIONNAIRE:
view.flodesk.com/pages/6169e88874d564fa09f3f580

EPISODE SHOW NOTES:
carolineondesign.com/prepare-for-productive-first-meeting-with-builder
BEFORE YOU BUILD PODCAST:
carolineondesign.com/podcast
HOME BUILD PREP PROGRAM:
carolineondesign.com/before-you-build
SHOP DESIGN FIXTURES:
carolineondesign.com/shop

👉 Ready to build without blowing your budget? Watch my FREE training, "3 Simple Steps to Build Your Dream Home Without Blowing Your Budget" at carolineondesign.com/free-training.

018. 10 White Paint Colors that Designers Love02 Nov 202200:15:22

Selecting a paint color (in general) is overwhelming. Selecting a white paint color can be even more intimidating because there are literally hundreds of options to choose from. 

Honestly, white can be one of the hardest ‘colors’ to choose … so I’ve narrowed down the vast amount of choices to 10 white paint colors that designers love and use on repeat (because the colors are THAT good)


PAINT SAMPLES:
Click here for the Samplize website!
Please note this is an affiliate link. See my full disclosure here.

EPISODE SHOW NOTES:
carolineondesign.com/10-white-paint-colors-that-designers-love
BEFORE YOU BUILD PODCAST:
carolineondesign.com/podcast
HOME BUILD COURSES:
carolineondesign.com/courses
SHOP DESIGN FIXTURES:
carolineondesign.com/shop

👉 Ready to build without blowing your budget? Watch my FREE training, "3 Simple Steps to Build Your Dream Home Without Blowing Your Budget" at carolineondesign.com/free-training.

017. How Long it Takes to Build a House26 Oct 202200:14:22

Are you curious about how long it takes to build a house?

I'm not going to lie ... this is a tricky one to answer (especially in our current home-build climate). I can tell you that six months is the average for how long it takes to build a house. However, the length of time depends on MANY factors and we’ll cover these in this episode.

In this episode, we’ll talk about the many factors that affect how long it takes to build your home … from breaking ground to move-in day.

Unfortunately, you have very little control over some of the factors, but there ARE things you DO have control over (and spoiler alert … these are the factors you should focus on).

EPISODE SHOW NOTES:
carolineondesign.com/how-long-it-takes-to-build-a-house
BEFORE YOU BUILD PODCAST:
carolineondesign.com/podcast
HOME BUILD PREP PROGRAM:
carolineondesign.com/before-you-build
SHOP DESIGN FIXTURES:
carolineondesign.com/shop

👉 Ready to build without blowing your budget? Watch my FREE training, "3 Simple Steps to Build Your Dream Home Without Blowing Your Budget" at carolineondesign.com/free-training.

© My Podcast Data