Building a Custom Home - The Dillmore Journey

Sometimes unexpected challenges can arise when contemplating a custom home - but with the right support, the end of the journey brings exceptional rewards.

When Tiffany and Shannon Dillmore set to build a new custom home, they did everything right: Researched top builders, chose the one they felt most comfortable with, and put together a budget for building the perfect floor plan on a great lot.

Those efforts turned out to be even more important than they'd realized - when unexpected challenges led to beautiful rewards.

Part 1 - GETTING THE LOT

Finding the right lot involved a lot more than setting a budget and choosing an area in which to look.

The Dillmores found out fairly fast that they'd have to revise numbers, look additional places, and bring along the pros who could help them avoid making an extremely costly real estate mistake.

"Stan, Penny, Kelly and Bob at Stanton Homes pointed out problems with lots in our initial price range that we might not have realized on our own", said Dillmore. "They walked multiple lots with us, pointing out pros and cons."

Most of the lots the Dillmores checked out first would have required extra cost for clearing, leveling or filling. Rather than incur those expenses for the lot, the Dillmores decided to widen the scope of their search by putting less into the home than they had planned and more into the lot.

Location, Location, Location

Options in their first choice of location, popular North Raleigh, were very limited. The only lot they found in the right price range and location would have required a hefty cost adjustment.

"Stanton Homes sent surveyors and inspection people to the lot. We found out that it was going to require a special septic system, with a price tag of $40,000," said Dillmore. "That would have been a lot to cut out of the house, so we decided to keep looking."

Next, the Dillmores looked at lots in the historic Hillsborough area. The historic district has extensive restrictions for new buildings, so they asked Stanton Homes to check out options in Carrboro - just a couple of miles from the UNC campus - where the farmer's market and butcher reminded them of Chicago.

The couple decided on a lot downtown, with an asking price of about $25,000 more than they'd intended to spend - and a situation that required an immediate offer.

"The house we wanted to build wouldn't fit on the lot, but Stan and Andrew at Stanton Homes spent the weekend drawing a new floor plan that had everything we wanted, in a configuration that would work, " said Dillmore.

The plans were ready and the offer was made, but that lot fell through when one of the property owners suddenly decided not to sell.

Looking at More Options

After getting so excited about two different locations, it was frustrating to have to start another new search.

The Dillmores were nearly ready to give up, when they found a lot they liked even better in Raleigh near Wake Forest. Lots there were priced a little higher than they'd originally hoped, but in the same range as the Carrboro lot.

"We did our due diligence - checked out schools, commute, and other important aspects of our lifestyle," said Tiffany. "We were almost afraid to ask Stanton Homes to walk yet another lot after the dozens we'd looked at, but Bob just laughed and said, "That's what we're here for."

This time, the lot really was perfect.

It was a beautiful piece of land, which would prove cheaper to build on than the others they'd looked at because it was already cleared and level. Even though the lot, itself, was in a higher price point, there wouldn't be as much affiliated cost.

"Within 48 hours, the team at Stanton Homes had numbers for building the home we wanted, on that lot.," said Dillmore. "Everything was in line with what we'd been willing to do in Carrboro, and the location was even more beautiful."

Read Part II - GETTING THE FINANCING