Before You Build Podcast

Thinking about finishing your basement? Whether you're building a custom home or planning a future reno, this episode shares 3 simple custom basement details that are totally worth it—and easy to overlook.From a clever built-in cooler to the one upgrade I'd do in every home from now on, I'm walking you through the little things we added that make our basement more functional, fun, and guest-friendly.These aren't just cool ideas—they're practical, everyday features that you'll be so glad you planned ahead for.

You might think building a confident home starts with picking finishes or trusting your builder to guide you. But here's the truth most people don't hear (until it's too late): the real secret is planning—real, intentional planning—long before construction begins.In this episode, I'm pulling back the curtain on what it actually means to “plan ahead”. We'll talk through the kind of behind-the-scenes decisions that make all the difference when it comes to building a home you truly love—and how skipping this step can leave you feeling rushed, overwhelmed, and full of regrets.You'll learn how to start your plan right now, even if you have no clue where to begin.

Possibly you haven't started building yet—but here's a heads-up: at some point during your build, your builder's going to say, “We can't do that.”Sometimes that “no” is legit. But other times? It's just not standard.In this episode, I'm walking you through a real story of a homeowner who dropped something she really wanted (and still regrets it

Feeling excited (yet OVERWHELMED!) about building your dream home? You're not alone—and you're not doing it wrong.In this episode, I'm walking you through 3 simple mindset shifts that will help you approach your home build with more clarity and confidence. Before you dive into layouts and finishes, the real foundation for your entire home build experience starts with your mindset.We'll cover: 

Building your dream home? You've probably spent hours planning the big things—your floor plan, kitchen design, and must-have features. But what about the small details that can make or break your home's functionality?In this episode, I'm sharing 15 commonly overlooked details that people building for the first time regret not doing—and how you can avoid them. From outlet placement mistakes to traffic flow issues and not adding enough windows, these are the things you'll be so glad you planned for before you build!

One of the biggest concerns when building a custom home is going over budget. However, YOU don't have to fear this because I know it's possible to build within (or very close to) budget … you just need to know where to splurge and save when building your home.In this episode, I'll walk you through the best areas (in general) to splurge and save when building a custom home. I'll also share the choices I personally made while building my own home—because sometimes it helps to hear real-life examples.

This episode is for anyone out there who is building a lake house and, more specifically, looking for trending exterior paint colors for lake houses in 2025.I decided to record this episode because, ironically, a significant number of my clients inside BEFORE YOU BUILD℠ are planning to build a lake house. For some, it's a secondary home, but for others, it will be their primary residence.Either way, they obviously want to get their exterior colors RIGHT!And hey … even if you aren't planning to build a lake house, this episode will still be very helpful because the paint color palettes are popular for home exteriors in general in 2025.And, be sure to check out the show notes for this episode so you can see some of these colors in action (in other words … you'll find photos of the colors on my blog).-EPISODE SHOW NOTES: carolineondesign.com/trending-exterior-paint-colors-for-lake-housesBEFORE YOU BUILD℠: carolineondesign.com/before-you-buildBLOG POST (4 STEPS TO CHOOSE PAINT COLOR): carolineondesign.com/steps-to-choose-a-paint-colorPEEL-AND-STICK PAINT SAMPLES (affiliate link): https://rstyle.me/+8h_YTkI3gg-JchgCAKrBhw

Sticking to budget when building all starts with avoiding three common mistakes that I see people make ALL. THE. TIME. These mistakes can lead to significant budget overages (especially mistake #3!).BUT … I'm not gonna let them happen to you!These are all 100% avoidable ... and I'm so glad you're listening to this episode so that you'll know exactly what to avoid.---EPISODE SHOW NOTES: carolineondesign.com/mistakes-to-avoid-when-building-a-homeBEFORE YOU BUILD℠ PROGRAM: carolineondesign.com/before-you-buildFREE CLASS: carolineondesign.com/free-trainingWEBSITE: carolineondesign.com

If you plan on building your dream home in 2025 (or 2026 or even 2027), you're in the right place!I'm here to help YOU bring your dream home to life … within budget and without regrets.

One of the most important keys to staying on budget while building is getting accurate home construction quotes BEFORE you hire your builder.However, it can be a little tricky to get quotes when you most likely don't even have a floor plan when you're interviewing builders. So, how do you get (accurate) quotes from builders without a floor plan? It all starts with a crystal clear vision of your future home.In this episode, we'll discuss some (really important) things to consider when creating your dream home vision so that you can get quotes from potential builders that truly take into account your desired dream home.EPISODE SHOW NOTES: carolineondesign.com/accurate-home-construction-quotesBEFORE YOU BUILD℠ PROGRAM: carolineondesign.com/before-you-buildFREE CLASS: carolineondesign.com/free-trainingWEBSITE: carolineondesign.com

Building a custom home is a HUGE investment in both time and money. Obviously, you want to get it RIGHT! I want this for you, too, so I'm giving you a huge tip in this episode … stay tuned because this is a custom home build MUST DO!EPISODE SHOW NOTES: carolineondesign.com/custom-home-build-must-doBEFORE YOU BUILD℠ PROGRAM: carolineondesign.com/before-you-buildFREE CLASS: carolineondesign.com/free-trainingWEBSITE: carolineondesign.com

If you're feeling overwhelmed about your upcoming home build and you don't know how you can possibly feel confident designing an entire house, this episode is for you. All it takes to feel confident is to have CLARITY before building your house.There's a reason that ‘Clarifying Your Vision' is the very first step in my BEFORE YOU BUILD℠ Blueprint that I teach my clients.A clear vision is an essential component to feeling confident (and in control) as you go through your home build.It is the absolute foundation for every single design decision you'll make while building your house.We're going to get into it, but if you've been thinking about joining BEFORE YOU BUILD℠, now is the time to do it :).EPISODE SHOW NOTES: carolineondesign.com/confidence-when-building-a-houseBEFORE YOU BUILD℠ PROGRAM: carolineondesign.com/before-you-buildCAROLINE ON DESIGN WEBSITE: carolineondesign.com

This episode is a little different than my typical episode … it's more of a personal explanation of my top floor plan regret that I have for my own custom home. Although this is a personal story about my own home build experience, I know it will help anyone out there who is toying with the idea of doing what I did (and now regret).I'm also sharing a BONUS at the end of the episode ... my second biggest floor plan regret :).EPISODE SHOW NOTES: carolineondesign.com/floor-plan-regretFREE FLOOR PLAN QUESTIONNAIRE: carolineondesign.com/fp-free-workbookBEFORE YOU BUILD℠ PROGRAM: carolineondesign.com/before-you-buildCAROLINE ON DESIGN WEBSITE: carolineondesign.com

I recently decided I was going to try to create a floor plan design with ChatGPT. I was looking online at different floor plans, and I found things I liked about each one, and then I thought, "Well, why don't I just create my own, and I'll have ChatGPT do it?" I thought I could plug everything that I wanted in, and a beautiful floor plan would spit out, and voila, I would have it. That's not exactly what happened. A floor plan did spit out, but it was far from beautiful! So that was a bust. However, I found things about ChatGPT beneficial when you're creating your floor plan. Tune in and learn why I think ChatGPT can be a great tool in your tool belt as you create your floor plan.-EPISODE: carolineondesign.com/floor-plan-design-with-chatgpt FREE FLOOR PLAN RESOURCE: carolineondesign.com/fp-free-workbookChatGPT: ChatGPT.comWEBSITE: carolineondesign.com

My business coach recently asked me, 'What movement would you love to create for the people you serve?' In other words, how do I want to help YOU and others who are building their dream homes?I had SO many thoughts automatically run through my brain. I knew these things deep down, but I haven't done a great job of explaining exactly how I want to help YOU. Tune into this episode because I'm sharing it all :).Grab a seat in my FREE class, 'How to Build Your Dream Home On Budget WITHOUT Sacrificing Your Must-Haves'. This is a great place to start!EPISODE: carolineondesign.com/before-you-build-movementBEFORE YOU BUILD℠: carolineondesign.com/before-you-buildFREE CLASS: carolineondesign.com/free-trainingWEBSITE: carolineondesign.com

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-buildingBEFORE YOU BUILD℠: carolineondesign.com/before-you-buildFREE CLASS: carolineondesign.com/free-trainingCAROLINE WEBSITE: carolineondesign.com

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-workbookHOME BUILD COURSES + PRODUCTS: carolineondesign.com/coursesWEBSITE: carolineondesign.com

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

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

This episode is a little different than usual, but I 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.-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-Visit carolineondesign.com for more resources.

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-Visit carolineondesign.com for more resources.

Avoiding home build budget overages is one of the TOP home build concerns that I hear over and over from clients inside my private BEFORE YOU BUILD℠ program.This is a VERY common fear among people getting ready to build their dream home. Sooo ... if you're feeling nervous or confused about the budget piece of home building, you are definitely NOT alone.But believe me ... the more information you know about the home build budget BEFORE you build, the better your chance of sticking to that elusive budget :).I didn't go over budget, and you don't have to either.In this episode, I'll answer your home build budget overage questions PLUS I have a special invitation for you at the end of this episode because I want YOU to feel equipped and confident in your ability to build your own dream home within budget (or at least very close to budget).-EPISODE: carolineondesign.com/home-build-budget-overage-FREE CLASS: ‘How to Build Your Dream Home on Budget WITHOUT Sacrificing Your Must-Haves'  carolineondesign.com/free-training-Visit carolineondesign.com for more resources.

Whether you plan to hire an architect or not, the key to designing the perfect floor plan for YOUR family (that is functional, can grow with you, and you absolutely LOVE) all lies in the very first step. And in today's episode, I'm going to tell you what that very first step is so that you can move forward and start creating the perfect floor plan that will work for your family now (and into the future).  -EPISODE: carolineondesign.com/perfect-floor-plan-FREE CLASS: ‘How to Build Your Dream Home on Budget WITHOUT Sacrificing Your Must-Haves'  carolineondesign.com/free-training-Visit carolineondesign.com for more resources.

Before creating YOUR Home Build Success Plan, you need to really think about what a successful home build looks (and feels) like for YOU.More specifically, how you will feel while you're building and how you'll feel about your house at the end of your build when you move into your brand new home.I'm going to share what most people consider to be a successful home build.You might relate to some of these things.You might even relate to all of them.You might even have other things that I haven't added to this list.The bottom line is to take from this list what resonates with you and leave the rest.-EPISODE SHOW NOTES: carolineondesign.com/home-build-success-plan-FREE CLASS: ‘3 Keys to Build Your Dream Home WITHOUT Blowing Your Budget'  carolineondesign.com/free-training-'BEFORE YOU BUILD' PROGRAM: carolineondesign.com/before-you-build-See carolineondesign.com for more resources.

This episode is a VERY informal kitchen design Q+A session I had with Anne-Marie Klobe, Kitchen Designer. This Q+A session was not intended for my podcast but rather for clients in my private 'Before You Build' program.However, there are SO many golden nuggets of kitchen design advice that I wanted to share with all of you! The sound quality isn't my usual standard, and the call is extremely informal, but the tips are SO worth listening to.In this episode, we cover:The first thing to do BEFORE you design your kitchenThe kitchen triangle ruleTips for kitchen design elements to make your life easierThe biggest consideration for designing your kitchenModular cabinets, semi-custom cabinets, custom cabinetsand more!---Episode Show Notes: carolineondesign.com/kitchen-design-questions---Connect with Anne-Marie:Instagram: @dreamkitchen4meWebsite: amklobe.kartra.com/page/HomeEmail: kloberesidential@gmail.com---Grab your seat in my FREE Training! (3 Keys to Build Your Dream Home WITHOUT Blowing Your Budget): carolineondesign.com/free-trainingSee carolineondesign.com for more resources.

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.-EPISODE SHOW NOTES: carolineondesign.com/initial-quote-for-home-build-FREE TRAINING: ‘3 Keys to Build Your Dream Home WITHOUT Blowing Your Budget' carolineondesign.com/free-training-BYB PROGRAM: carolineondesign.com/before-you-build-See carolineondesign.com for more resources.

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.-Episode Show Notes: carolineondesign.com/planning-before-you-build-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-See carolineondesign.com for more resources.

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---Episode Show Notes: carolineondesign.com/floor-plan-design-process---Connect with Holly from 'Hereabout':Instagram: @hereabout_homeWebsite: hereabouthome.comEmail: hello@hereabouthome.comHolly has generously provided a 10% off code for my listeners! Use code CAROLINEONDESIGN at checkout.---Grab your seat in my FREE Training! (3 Keys to Build Your Dream Home WITHOUT Blowing Your Budget): carolineondesign.com/free-training---See carolineondesign.com for more resources.

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.---Episode Show Notes: carolineondesign.com/hiring-the-right-builder---'Before You Build' Program: carolineondesign.com/before-you-build---FREE Training (3 Keys to Build Your Dream Home without Blowing Your Budget): carolineondesign.com/free-training---See carolineondesign.com for more resources.

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!-Episode Show Notes: carolineondesign.com/before-you-build-program/-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.-See carolineondesign.com for more resources.

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.- Episode Show Notes: carolineondesign.com/over-budget-when-building- 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-See carolineondesign.com for more resources.

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.---Episode Show Notes: carolineondesign.com/when-building-your-dream-home---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.---See carolineondesign.com for more resources.

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.---Episode Show Notes: carolineondesign.com/building-your-dream-home---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.---See carolineondesign.com for more resources.

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.---Episode Show Notes: carolineondesign.com/home-exterior-design-classic-styles---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.---See carolineondesign.com for more resources.

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 :).---Episode Show Notes: carolineondesign.com/shop-curated-design-fixtures-decor-boutiques ---Boutiques: carolineondesign.com/shop---See carolineondesign.com for more resources.

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 :).---Episode Show Notes: carolineondesign.com/8-savvy-ways-to-stay-on-budget-when-building-a-house---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.---See carolineondesign.com for more resources.

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.---Episode Show Notes: carolineondesign.com/floor-plan-feedback---Learn more about how the 'Before You Build' program can transform your home build experience at carolineondesign.com/before-you-build.---See carolineondesign.com for more resources.

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.---Episode Show Notes: carolineondesign.com/3-things-to-keep-in-mind-when-building-a-house---Learn more about how the 'Before You Build' program can transform your home build experience at carolineondesign.com/before-you-build.---See carolineondesign.com for more resources.

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.---Episode Show Notes: carolineondesign.com/before-you-build-program---Learn more about the 'Before You Build' Program at carolineondesign.com/before-you-build.---See carolineondesign.com for more resources.

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!---Episode Show Notes: carolineondesign.com/build-your-dream-home-without-breaking-the-bank---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.---See carolineondesign.com for more resources.

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.---Episode Show Notes: carolineondesign.com/myths-about-building-a-custom-home---Join me for a free * LIVE* training on Sunday 9/17/23 at 4:00 pm CDT  (3 Simple Steps to Build a House You Absolutely LOVE ... without blowing your budget). Register @ carolineondesign.easywebinar.live/registration-sep23 ---See carolineondesign.com for more resources.

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!---Episode Show Notes: carolineondesign.com/7-signs-youre-ready-to-build-a-custom-home ---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.---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.---See carolineondesign.com for more resources.

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. ---Episode Show Notes: carolineondesign.com/5-considerations-for-creating-a-custom-floor-plan---Group Coaching Program: Before You Build---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!See carolineondesign.com for more resources.

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.---Episode Show Notes: carolineondesign.com/questions-to-ask-potential-home-builders---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!See carolineondesign.com for more resources.

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!---Episode Show Notes: carolineondesign.com/home-upgrades-that-are-worth-it---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.---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! See carolineondesign.com for more resources.

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.---Episode Show Notes: carolineondesign.com/steps-before-you-break-ground---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.---Free Home Build Prep Guide: carolineondesign.com/home-build-guide.---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.See carolineondesign.com for more resources.

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.---Episode Show Notes: carolineondesign.com/design-a-functional-primary-bathroom---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.See carolineondesign.com for more resources.

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 :).---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.---Episode Show Notes: carolineondesign.com/before-you-build-how-i-help---See carolineondesign.com for more resources.

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').---Get full show notes and more information here: carolineondesign.com/9-tips-for-designing-a-functional-kitchen---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.---See carolineondesign.com for more resources.

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 :).---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)---See carolineondesign.com for more resources.

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.----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.---See carolineondesign.com for more resources.