Wondering what you need to know before building a custom home?

In this episode, I'm answering the most common questions I hear from first-time custom home builders—the practical stuff you need to know BEFORE you start.

You'll learn what the first step actually is (hint: it's NOT interviewing builders!), why you need a crystal clear vision before you ever get a quote, when the right time to start planning is (way earlier than you think!), and the two BIG mistakes that almost always lead to budget overages and regrets.

Plus, I'm breaking down why planning 6-12 months ahead is your secret weapon for staying close to budget and loving your finished home. 🙌

If you're just dreaming about building or actively interviewing builders, this episode gives you the roadmap to avoid the mistakes that cost people tens of thousands of dollars (or more 😳).

🎉 BEFORE YOU BUILD℠ enrollment is open RIGHT NOW through Monday, February 9th!  🎉 Get all the details at carolineondesign.com/before-you-build 

EPISODE: carolineondesign.com/what-to-know-before-building-a-custom-home

BEFORE YOU BUILD℠: carolineondesign.com/before-you-build

FREE CLASS: '3 Simple Steps to Build Your Dream Home Without Blowing Your Budget' @ carolineondesign.com/free-training

First-time custom home build advice from a REAL family who just moved into their brand new home. 

Patrick and Jessica share their real experience going through BEFORE YOU BUILD℠ and how this program helped them build with confidence.

In this episode, we cover:

• How they vetted and found their amazing custom home builder
• How they designed for how THEIR family actually lives 
• Why you don't need to be a design expert to make great home decisions
• What mattered most to THEIR family 
• How they managed a custom home build from three hours away
• How BEFORE YOU BUILD℠ worked in tandem with their builder
• Their real budget outcome (and WHY)
• Their top advice for anyone planning a custom home build

Patrick and Jessica are living proof that the right preparation leads to confident building decisions—even when unexpected costs pop up.

Ready to Follow the Same Framework?

You can follow the exact same step-by-step framework Patrick and Jessica used. Enrollment for BEFORE YOU BUILD℠ opens February 2nd and closes February 9th. 

JOIN BEFORE YOU BUILD℠ → carolineondesign.com/before-you-build 😘

But first, join me for my FREE live training where I'm teaching the "4 Steps to Build Within Budget and Without Regrets." It's happening Monday, February 2nd at 10:00 am Central Time.

GRAB YOUR FREE SEAT → carolineondesign.easywebinar.live/registration-feb26 

EPISODE → carolineondesign.com/first-time-custom-home-build-advice

FREE CLASS: '3 Simple Steps to Build Your Dream Home Without Blowing Your Budget' @ carolineondesign.com/free-training

Nine out of ten custom homes go over budget. 😳

If you're wondering WHY, this episode will show you exactly what's happening—and how to avoid it.

I'm breaking down the real reasons most builds go 10-20% (or more!) over budget. 

You'll learn why that initial builder quote is NOT what your home will actually cost, the exact moment most people start blowing their budget (before construction even starts!), and what the 1 in 10 who stay on budget do differently.

Plus, I'm sharing Mare's story—one of my clients who came in $6,500 UNDER budget while getting everything she wanted. 💪

If you're about to build, this episode gives you the roadmap to be one of the rare few who build on budget and love their home—no regrets, no financial stress.

🎉 FREE TRAINING! 🎉  Monday, February 2nd at 10 am CT → "4 Steps to Build Your Dream Home Within Budget and Without Regrets!" 

FREE TRAINING: carolineondesign.easywebinar.live/registration-feb26 

EPISODE: carolineondesign.com/why-custom-homes-go-over-budget

BEFORE YOU BUILD℠: carolineondesign.com/before-you-build

Claude is AI and can make mistakes. 
Please double-check responses.

FREE CLASS: '3 Simple Steps to Build Your Dream Home Without Blowing Your Budget' @ carolineondesign.com/free-training

Choosing the right builder can make or break your entire home-building experience, so you want to be SURE you're choosing the RIGHT builder.

In this episode, I'm sharing the three most important questions to ask home builders during interviews. These aren't the typical questions you'll find online. These are the questions that will save you time, stress, and thousands of dollars.

You'll learn exactly what to listen for in their answers, how to spot red flags, and the one step most people skip that reveals everything you need to know about a builder. Plus, I'll walk you through how to make your final decision using both data AND your gut instinct.

If you're interviewing builders (or about to start), this episode will give you the confidence to choose the right partner for your project.

EPISODE: carolineondesign.com/questions-to-ask-home-builders

BEFORE YOU BUILD℠: carolineondesign.com/before-you-build

FREE CLASS: '3 Simple Steps to Build Your Dream Home Without Blowing Your Budget' @ carolineondesign.com/free-training

Building a home in 2026? There's ONE question you need to ask yourself that will reveal whether you're truly ready—or just winging it.

In this episode, I'm breaking down the difference between "planning" (aka browsing Pinterest) and ACTUALLY being prepared for your build.

You'll hear a real example from clients who showed up so prepared that their builder and electrician were blown away.

Plus, I'm sharing what strategic planning actually looks like—it's way simpler than you think and way more powerful.

If you've been thinking, "I'll figure it out later," this episode is your wake-up call to start NOW.

Want to feel confident and prepared for your build? Join the waitlist for BEFORE YOU BUILD℠ at carolineondesign.com/before-you-build. Doors open February 2nd!

EPISODE: carolineondesign.com/building-a-home-2026

FREE CLASS: '3 Simple Steps to Build Your Dream Home Without Blowing Your Budget' @ carolineondesign.com/free-training

You might think your floor plan is done once the room sizes are sketched out. But here's what most first-time builders don't realize ... you can't really know if those dimensions work until you see how your actual furniture fits in each space.

In this episode, I'm sharing a tool I discovered (and tested with my own money) that helps you visualize furniture in your floor plan before you build. 

We'll talk through why this step matters so much, how to make layout decisions with confidence instead of guessing, and how this platform can save you from expensive mistakes.

You'll learn why testing furniture placement matters and how the right tool can help you feel confident about your room sizes before your builder breaks ground.

🔗 SHOW NOTES: carolineondesign.com/visualize-furniture-in-your-floor-plan

⚒️ FREE FLOOR PLAN WORKBOOK: carolineondesign.com/fp-free-workbook

🎓 Join BEFORE YOU BUILD℠: carolineondesign.com/before-you-build

FREE CLASS: '3 Simple Steps to Build Your Dream Home Without Blowing Your Budget' @ carolineondesign.com/free-training

The next time you host (or attend) a gathering (whether it's Thanksgiving next week 😉, a birthday party, or just family visiting for the weekend), you're sitting on free research for your custom home planning. 

In this episode, I'm showing you how to turn those hosting moments into valuable insights about what you actually need in your future home.

You'll learn:

• The specific questions to ask yourself while hosting (or visiting someone else's home)
• What to observe about kitchen layout, traffic flow, and entertaining spaces
• How to translate real-life frustrations into must-haves for your floor plan
• Why these observations matter more than anything you'll find on Pinterest

This works whether you're the host or the guest. These real-life insights reveal what really matters when you're designing a home you'll love living in.

...

🔗 EPISODE SHOW NOTES: carolineondesign.com/custom-home-planning

🎓 BEFORE YOU BUILD℠: carolineondesign.com/before-you-build

✏️ FREE FLOOR PLAN QUESTIONNAIRE: carolineondesign.com/fp-free-workbook

FREE CLASS: '3 Simple Steps to Build Your Dream Home Without Blowing Your Budget' @ carolineondesign.com/free-training

Planning to build a custom home? Lighting and electrical planning is one of the most important (and most overlooked) parts of the design process. And here's the thing ... it's not something you can figure out "later." It needs to happen before your electrician shows up on site and your walls go up.

In this episode, I'm talking to Jenn Smith, a licensed residential architect with over 20 years of experience helping families navigate the custom home process. Jenn specializes in one of the most overlooked yet transformative parts of design: lighting and electrical planning.

We're covering the biggest mistakes homeowners make (like waiting too long to plan), how to future-proof your home with smart electrical decisions, where to splurge and where to save on fixtures, and the exact spots you'll wish you'd added more outlets and switches.

...

🔗 SHOW NOTES: carolineondesign.com/lighting-and-electrical-planning

🎓 BEFORE YOU BUILD℠: carolineondesign.com/before-you-build

🎙 JENN SMITH RESOURCES:

• Instagram: www.instagram.com/jennsmitharchitect
• Website: www.jennsmitharchitect.com
• Free Checklist: Lighting & Electrical Checklist 

FREE CLASS: '3 Simple Steps to Build Your Dream Home Without Blowing Your Budget' @ carolineondesign.com/free-training

Building a custom home? You've probably heard this advice: "Whatever your builder quotes you, expect to pay 30 to 35 percent more."

Here's the truth: going over budget is NOT inevitable.

In this episode, I'm breaking down the real reason people blow their home build budget and showing you exactly how to avoid this happening to you. Spoiler alert: it has very little to do with unpredictable construction costs and everything to do with clarity.

I'll walk you through why vague planning leads to expensive surprises, what happens when you make decisions on the fly, and the specific steps my clients take to stay on budget (or even come in under!).

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why the "30% over budget" myth exists and why it's completely avoidable
• The real reason most people face major budget overages mid-build
• How to clarify your vision before breaking ground
• Why a 5-10% buffer is enough when you plan ahead (not 30%!)

Whether you're just starting to plan or already in conversations with builders, this episode will help you make smart, confident decisions that protect both your vision and your wallet. 🙌

 ...

🔗 EPISODE SHOW NOTES: carolineondesign.com/reason-people-blow-their-home-build-budget

🎓 BEFORE YOU BUILD℠: carolineondesign.com/before-you-build

FREE CLASS: '3 Simple Steps to Build Your Dream Home Without Blowing Your Budget' @ carolineondesign.com/free-training

Curious what DesignShop IS ... and if it's worth it for your custom home build? In this episode, I'm sharing my honest review after ordering 13 different material samples – countertops, tile, cabinet hardware, wallpaper, and more.

I'll walk you through what I ordered, how much I spent, the sample quality, and whether DesignShop can actually help you make confident design decisions before you build.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• What DesignShop is and how it works
• The real cost of ordering samples (and why it's worth it)
• Sample quality, size, and brand selection
• My honest pros and cons after testing the service
• Tips for using samples effectively in your home

This is NOT a sponsored episode – I paid for everything myself, and I'm giving you my unfiltered opinion. 😀

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SHOW NOTES: carolineondesign.com/designshop-review

DESIGNSHOP™: rstyle.me/+2MSVa_R01PuMdwY0U84Nsw (affiliate link)

SAMPLIZE REVIEW: carolineondesign.com/peel-and-stick-paint-samples-review 

BEFORE YOU BUILD℠: carolineondesign.com/before-you-build

FREE HOME BUILD GUIDE: carolineondesign.com/home-build-guide

FREE CLASS: '3 Simple Steps to Build Your Dream Home Without Blowing Your Budget' @ carolineondesign.com/free-training