The Before You Build Podcast

Caroline On Design

If you're thinking about building a custom home or remodeling an existing home, this show is for you! The Before You Build Podcast is your one-stop shop for practical planning advice, smart decision-making, and actionable tips to help you build or remodel with clarity, confidence, and within your budget. We'll answer all of your burning questions such as: How do I plan for building a custom home? How do I plan a home remodel? What should I do before building a house? What should I do before remodeling my home? How do I create the perfect floor plan for my family? How do I hire the right builder or remodeling team? How do I finance my project?  And the biggest question of all, how do I bring my dream home to life without blowing the budget? Well, friends ... the answer is in intentional planning long before the work ever begins. I'm your host, Carrie Barker (aka, Caroline on Design). I designed my own custom home from the ground up, inside and out. Through trial and error (psst ... I built pre-Pinterest), I created my absolute dream home that is not only perfect for the way my family lives but also turned out more beautiful than I imagined. The best part ... I did this all without blowing the budget and without design regrets. I cracked the code on how to bring my own dream home vision to life while sticking VERY close to budget, and now I'm here to teach you everything I learned along the way so that you, too, end up with that cozy, beautiful home you envision in your head and a mortgage you're comfy with. The short, actionable, and bingeable Before You Build episodes will prepare YOU for a successful building or remodeling project with less stress, more confidence, and a plan to stick to budget. And just so you know ... the key to creating a home you love without blowing the budget is all in the intentional planning you do BEFORE YOU BUILD! So let's dive in and get started!

  1. 27 May

    112. Building a Custom Home on Family Property: Joanne’s Story

    When Joanne decided to tear down her family's lakefront cottage and rebuild on the same lot, she knew building a custom home on a small, waterfront lot was going to be anything but simple. So she joined BEFORE YOU BUILD℠ because she knew there would be a lot to think through before breaking ground. In this episode she covers: Why she chose to tear down instead of renovatePermitting and building on a lakefront lotDesigning vertically on a small footprint while planning for aging in placeStaying within 5–10% of budget by negotiating and shopping vendorsCatching a framing error mid-build — and why being on-site mattersHow an email trail saved her when a contractor "forgot" a conversationWhat she wishes she'd done soonerThe emotional side of seeing finishes for the first timeHow BEFORE YOU BUILD℠ helped her walk in prepared and confidentJoanne's story is proof that the right preparation changes everything. GET ALL THE BYB DETAILS → carolineondesign.com/before-you-build (and see Joanne's beautiful lake house in the show notes) SHOW NOTES → carolineondesign.com/building-a-custom-home-on-family-property Get the SPLURGE + SAVE PLANNER℠ → carolineondesign.com/splurge-blog-promo Join BEFORE YOU BUILD℠ → carolineondesign.com/before-you-build Download FREE HOME BUILD GUIDE → carolineondesign.com/home-build-guide My FREE CLASS → Build Within Budget and Without Regrets! Grab your seat at carolineondesign.com/free-training

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About

If you're thinking about building a custom home or remodeling an existing home, this show is for you! The Before You Build Podcast is your one-stop shop for practical planning advice, smart decision-making, and actionable tips to help you build or remodel with clarity, confidence, and within your budget. We'll answer all of your burning questions such as: How do I plan for building a custom home? How do I plan a home remodel? What should I do before building a house? What should I do before remodeling my home? How do I create the perfect floor plan for my family? How do I hire the right builder or remodeling team? How do I finance my project?  And the biggest question of all, how do I bring my dream home to life without blowing the budget? Well, friends ... the answer is in intentional planning long before the work ever begins. I'm your host, Carrie Barker (aka, Caroline on Design). I designed my own custom home from the ground up, inside and out. Through trial and error (psst ... I built pre-Pinterest), I created my absolute dream home that is not only perfect for the way my family lives but also turned out more beautiful than I imagined. The best part ... I did this all without blowing the budget and without design regrets. I cracked the code on how to bring my own dream home vision to life while sticking VERY close to budget, and now I'm here to teach you everything I learned along the way so that you, too, end up with that cozy, beautiful home you envision in your head and a mortgage you're comfy with. The short, actionable, and bingeable Before You Build episodes will prepare YOU for a successful building or remodeling project with less stress, more confidence, and a plan to stick to budget. And just so you know ... the key to creating a home you love without blowing the budget is all in the intentional planning you do BEFORE YOU BUILD! So let's dive in and get started!

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