By Jesse Skulmoski · Operandi Design Build
Building a custom home gives you the opportunity to shape a house around the way you want to live. The starting point might be a property you love, a household that needs a different arrangement or a wish to make everyday life more comfortable.
Begin by bringing the household brief, the property and the budget into the same conversation. Those three things will influence each other throughout the project. Understanding them early helps the design develop with a practical direction.
Describe the life the house should support
Think about ordinary days as well as special occasions. Where will people arrive with groceries, work quietly, spend time together and find privacy? What do you want close to the entrance, the garden or the bedrooms?
Include furniture, hobbies, storage and maintenance in the brief. A room count alone does not explain how a home needs to work. Discuss the features that matter most to each person and identify the priorities you share.
Look ahead to possible changes without trying to predict everything. A convenient bedroom and bathroom, flexible work space or a layout that can accommodate family may be worth considering. Our Aging in Place guide offers further questions about comfort and changing needs.
Understand the property before fixing the design
Investigate what can be built at the address. Confirm zoning, reliable boundary information, setbacks, building coverage, permitted height and the position of neighbouring buildings. Look at orientation, privacy, views and the way the site meets the street.
Review title restrictions, access, utilities and drainage with the appropriate professionals. Trees, slopes, ground conditions, heritage or archaeological considerations may also affect the plan. Saanich’s documentation guide illustrates the investigations and specialist information that can be needed.
If you are considering buying a property, investigate these matters before relying on a particular house concept. An open-looking lot does not establish the buildable area or the cost of preparing it.
Where an existing home will be removed, include its occupants, assessment of hazardous materials, disconnection of services, demolition and site restoration in the early planning.
Bring the right people into the conversation
The project may need architectural or residential design services, structural and other engineering, surveying, an energy advisor and specialist consultants. Agree who is responsible for each part, how their work will be coordinated and who will make and record decisions.
Discuss how design and construction input will work together. Reviewing buildability, access, materials and early costs as the design develops can reveal decisions that deserve attention while the options are still open.
When choosing a builder, ask about relevant work, communication and how the project will be managed. Check the proposed contracting entity, licence type and standing through BC Housing’s builder guidance and registry links. Confirm the team and project arrangements before entering an agreement.
Develop the design and the budget together
Set out the overall funding available and what it must cover. Alongside the house, consider investigations, design and engineering, approvals, site preparation, servicing, exterior work, taxes and a contingency for unresolved conditions. Include your own costs for financing, temporary accommodation and moving where relevant.
An early budget helps compare directions; it becomes more useful as the drawings, specifications and selections become clearer. Ask what information each estimate is based on, which items are allowances and what remains to be confirmed.
Review cost as the design develops, rather than waiting until every detail has been chosen. The size and shape of the building, structural approach, windows, services and site work all deserve attention alongside the finishes.
Our estimate and agreement guide explains useful questions about scope, allowances and changes. For a custom home, those questions should be resolved in the context of its own construction agreement.
Plan comfort and performance early
Consider daylight, shading, privacy, heating, cooling, ventilation and the building envelope as part of the design. These choices influence room layouts and construction details, so they deserve attention before equipment and finishes are selected.
Ask the design team to confirm the energy and emissions requirements that apply to the project and permit application. For example, Saanich’s documentation guide identifies energy compliance reporting for new dwellings. Requirements and submission details must be checked with the municipality for your particular proposal.
Agree any performance goals beyond the applicable requirements, how they will influence the specification and how they will be assessed. Our home comfort and energy guide explains the value of considering the house as a connected system.
Confirm the approval and warranty arrangements
The approval path depends on the property and proposal. Planning, heritage, tree or other approvals may be needed alongside building and trade permits. Victoria’s permitting guidance explains why those requirements should be established before construction.
New homes in B.C. normally require a licensed residential builder and third-party home warranty insurance, unless an applicable exemption has been obtained. BC Housing requires new-home registration and warranty enrolment, or an applicable exemption. Confirm the actual project’s registration, coverage and responsible parties before proceeding, and keep the written information with your construction agreement.
Plan required municipal inspections and professional field reviews into the sequence. Establish the conditions for occupancy and the documents needed at completion.
Resolve selections before they become site decisions
Windows, exterior materials, cabinetry, plumbing fixtures, lighting and equipment can each affect other parts of the work. Keep the drawings and selection information consistent, with a record of what has been approved.
Agree when decisions are needed and how deliveries will be coordinated. If an item changes, review the implications for dimensions, connections, other trades, cost and timing before accepting the substitution.
Decide how you will communicate throughout construction. Establish a clear contact, regular progress discussions and a written route for questions and changes. Record decisions so everyone is working from the same information.
Prepare for handover and the first year at home
Arrange a final walk-through, a clear list of remaining items and the information needed to operate and maintain the home. Ask for relevant manuals, product warranties, inspection and approval records, and an explanation of the main building systems.
Understand the actual home warranty policy, its dates and the process for reporting concerns. BC Housing’s Hiring a Builder guide is a useful homeowner resource for the wider relationship, from choosing a builder through to understanding written agreements and warranty responsibilities.
How Operandi can help
We begin with a conversation and a site visit to understand the property, your priorities and the questions that need to be answered.
Where a paid feasibility stage is appropriate, we agree on its scope, fee and what you will receive before proceeding. This can include coordinating property investigations, reviewing design directions with the appropriate professionals and developing a preliminary budget.
As the project develops, we coordinate the design and trade input, selections, approvals, costs and construction planning agreed for the project. Under a separate construction agreement, Jesse leads site coordination, communication and agreed changes through to the final walk-through and handover.
Book a site visit to talk through the property and the home you have in mind.