Budget with a Purpose

How does one decide a new home's budget?
What should its size be?
How much detail should there be?

These three elements are sensibly linked - one can't change without affecting the others. For example, if your budget is fixed and your home much be a certain size, the details are often eliminated. Look at every tract home built in North Carolina (or the state in which you reside). Often, the brick doesn't wrap around the sides of the house for a reason!

Consider moving style and details ahead of size
so that you can create a home, not just a house.

Be Prepared - Some tools to bring to your first meeting with an architect.

As you begin to assemble your thoughts about a new house, start by creating a short statement that depicts your home. After this, make a list of the aspects of a home that you find undesirable. This will be much shorter than your "want list" and will provide the architect with a broader palate from which to design. Finally, provide adjective descriptors for each room. Words such as warm, cozy, bright, and airy provide the framework for the architecture and communicate the feeling you want to experience when you are in the space.