You did it! You’ve purchased a home. Now, it’s time to customize it and make it your own.

Because we know that this part can be equal parts exciting and overwhelming, we’ve put together a list of essential home features custom homes need.

1. Decide If You Want to Make Any Structural Changes

Buying a home is a big life decision and can be intimidating, especially if you are a first-time buyer and don’t know what to expect. You need to ensure that you understand the impact every change you make will have on your future home.

Structural alterations are significant changes in a house’s configuration that result in a partially or completely different building. While there are a few alterations or additions that don’t require planning or building permission, most of them must be supervised by a professional.

If for example, you decide you want an extra room, you want to move a door slightly to the left, or you want the sink to trade places with the refrigerator in your kitchen, you’ll need to address these changes as soon as possible. Due to the serious impact they will have on the building, you need to know if they are even possible right from the start.

2. Think about the Upgrades the House Needs

If you’ve set your eye on a house, remember to inspect the home features before buying it. The last thing you want is to purchase the house only to discover that you need to repaint, landscape, refurbish, or upgrade the entire plumbing system.

More than that, any improvements you make after closing the deal might not be subject to the house’s warranty. The true question remains: are you willing to pay a little more, but move right into the perfect house of your dreams and skip all the hassle, or do you want to take a more basic used house and spend your time, money, and efforts remodeling it?

3. Take the Builder’s Timeline into Account

Work closely with your builder and follow the timeline of your house’s project. Make sure that when you have any ideas or suggestions to discuss them with your builder, they should answer you promptly.

4. Know That Models Have Custom Features

When purchasing a home based on a model home, be careful at the extra costs that may be hidden behind the beautiful models that you see. It might just be that you’ve fallen in love with the model home presented to you by the builders. But, in reality, you will need to purchase extra home features for the home to look like that. Make sure to ask questions so you are fully aware of what comes with on the “base price” of the home. Better yet, get a list of upgrades on the model so you know what was added.

5. Set Your Budget

Don’t rush into purchasing a home without having a clear budget in mind first. This crucial rule will help you keep costs under control, as well as remind you about any details you need to take into account. It’ll also prevent you from making, hasty, impulsive decisions. If you are the type of person that likes to upgrade, then make sure to set aside some dollars for your upgrades.

6. Play the Long Game

We know it’s difficult to think so much ahead since you just bought the house, but at least try to consider that sometime in the future, you might want to sell your property.

Resale value is important because it’s the thing that will dictate how much profit you will be making or how much money you will be losing after selling the house. Personalize your home, but also try to think about what future homebuyers would like. The quirky wall paint and flooring you love might drive away potential buyers.

7. Choose a Builder You Can Trust

Homes are expensive and, if you want to work with professionals that you know will do their job impeccably, you will have to forget about frugality for a second. After all, this is your house we’re talking about, and you want to make sure everything is just right.

Yes, you might end up paying a bit more for their expertise, but it will be well worth the peace of mind knowing your house is in the hands of a team of people you trust to do an excellent job at materializing your thoughts and ideas. Ask for recommendations, hold interviews, meet with a bunch of them face to face and don’t settle for anything less than a perfect team of responsible workers.

Buying a home means more than just choosing a model house; it means looking at every tiny detail and personalizing it until it speaks about whom you are and what you like.