HOUSTON CUSTOM HOME BLOG

Embarking on the journey of creating a custom home is a pivotal moment filled with tough decisions. Among these decisions, is whether to hire an architect or a builder first. We at Southern Green Builders advocate for a builder-first approach. Let’s...

In Houston's vibrant and diverse neighborhoods, from The Heights to Timbergrove, homeowners are often faced with a significant decision: to remodel their current home or embark on building a new one. Southern Green Builders, a high-end custom home...

Remodeling your home in Houston can breathe new life into your space, improve the flow of your layout, update your finishes, increase energy efficiency, and add more square footage to live comfortably. You deserve both an outcome and a process...

Building a custom home in Houston requires careful planning and adherence to specific regulations. Since 2018, the City of Houston has set floodplain development requirements to reduce the risk of possible floods in the future. Navigating these...

For Houston homeowners, there is no shortage of cultural, recreational, and social activities that can contribute to a robust and enriching lifestyle. One outlet that combines all three elements is the wealth of high-end country clubs within the...

Your home’s bathroom is one of the hardest working rooms in the house. Give your bathroom its well-deserved makeover by getting rid of these outdated bathroom trends! Whether you’re building a new custom home or looking to remodel, these are the top...

The design of your Houston custom home or remodel doesn’t start or stop with your architect or builder. A structural engineer ensures your home design will be feasible, safe, and structurally sound well into the future. From soil mitigation...

Designing a new custom home is your chance for a fresh start. You have the opportunity to critically evaluate different spaces in your current house and figure out what you like, as well as what hasn’t been working for you and your family.

Certain properties in Houston are protected by ordinances governed by the Houston Archaeological and Historic Commission (HACH) to help preserve historical architectural significance. Preserving our architectural history is extremely important,...

Soil testing is imperative to building a custom home in Houston. It gives an engineer the proper data to ensureyour home’s structure will be well-supported and last for years, without the worry of expensive foundation-related repairs. Whether...

Bungalow homes are a popular style that has been around for some time but pose some challenges for the modern family due to their size and lack of storage. Adding onto a home that you’ve outgrown is perfectly common. It can get a little tricky,...

You’ve looked around the Houston housing market and simply cannot find a home that fulfills your and your family’s must-haves. Buying a home outright is pretty straightforward. However, building a custom home requires much more planning–building a...

Farmhouse style has been around for a while now and has seen several iterations. It’s transformed from a country aesthetic to sophisticated and even sometimes a little transitional. Where does the farmhouse style come from and how has it evolved...

When you’re getting ready to build a custom home in Texas, you face a lot of questions. Is it better to buy the land before beginning the design process? Do I need to hire an architect or designer before buying the land? What is the land purchase...

The most successful home builds start with your architect and home builder working together from the very beginning. The process is more seamless and the outcome will meet your expectations, if not exceed them, while staying within your budget and...

Lumber prices have seen quite a lot of volatility over the past three years due mostly to production decrease and demand increase during the height of the pandemic. This drastic imbalance in supply and demand threw lumber into an unpredictable...

It’s a common tale. You set out to build a custom home in Houston and you follow the 'standard' procedure for doing so: develop plans with an architect, selecting the lowest bid from a short-list of local contractors, and then initiate the...

Purchasing your lot to build a custom home might seem fairly straightforward, but there are several variables that go into how your land will affect the price after all is said and done. Because of this, it's important to consider the location of...

Buying land is the first step in a long and exciting journey to building your custom home. The location, size, and proximity to everyday conveniences are just a few of many qualities to look for when shopping for your new property that could affect...

Houston is a metropolitan hub of activity, art, culture, and food. It’s a great place to spend time, but many homeowners are leaving urban cores all over the country to settle in suburbs or nearby neighborhoods. More space, better school districts,...

If you are planning a custom home build, you can benefit from hiring one of the top architecture firms in Houston. With so many firms with their own styles and specialties, you deserve to be confident that you’ve found the right one for you. We're...

It’s well known these days the importance of indoor air quality (IAQ). What’s not as well known? Indoor air is typically two to five times more contaminated than outdoor air. Mold, off-gassing, VOCs, and other issues with indoor air can affect you...

Like many things involved in custom home building, the answer is: It depends. From your availability to schedule meetings to the permitting process, the length of time can vary. On average, expect the process to take around four to six months. But...

Choosing fixtures, flooring, and paint colors is fun for homeowners because you get to see your custom home style start to come together. Choosing features that make your home energy efficient doesn’t get as much attention as the style elements, but...

It’s true that Bryan and College Station are two independent cities, at least on the map. However, locals will tell you they are fondly referred to as one “Aggieland,” after the famed Texas A&M University Aggies. 

Making the decision to build a custom home creates a great opportunity to design a living space with all the features and finish items you’ve always dreamed of as well as ones that support your family’s lifestyle and daily needs. Unlike purchasing...

Your budget and your construction timeline are the two most important issues when building a custom home. How long your custom home build will take can affect starting a new job, getting your children started in a new school district, or other...

You likely hadn’t thought about paint and hardware finishes and what makes them unique until you began designing your custom home. Not knowing the difference between matte and eggshell or chrome and nickel is common, but now that you’re choosing...

Building a new custom luxury home is an exciting process! When moving day is upon you and your home is complete, the last thing you want to worry about is whether or not you went over budget. How can you avoid budget overages on your custom home?...

Building or remodeling your home can be an exciting endeavor full of possibility and the promise of freshening up your everyday routines. Since 2020, some aspects of home building and remodeling have become unpredictable, like the price and...

Cost is one of the major contributing factors to consider when building a custom home. You are likely wondering, how much does it cost to build a custom home in Houston? More specifically, what specific factors make up the cost of building a custom...

How much should you budget for an architect to design your custom home in Houston? This answer will depend on what services you’d like from your architect. Building a custom home, or even doing a whole home remodel, is a significant investment,...

Living in a city can be exciting. However, even with endless options for dining, shopping, and being a tourist in your own zip code, it can be a dream to just get away for a little while. Within only 3 hours of Houston or less, there are getaways...

One of the first steps to building the custom home of your dreams is having a design plan in place. If you plan to start the process with a custom home builder, you can. However, if an architect is a person you’d like to help get you through those...

The two most important factors when building a custom home are timeline and pricing. You’ll want to establish clear expectations with your home builder and architect from the start to lay the foundation for a smooth, efficient process. After all,...

The Greater Houston area is filled with distinct cultures and appeal, as well as public amenities and exclusive attractions. The Houston Heights, located only 5 miles from downtown, is no exception. With so many reasons to consider renovating or...

Many home design trends come and go, which can make designing a new home challenging. Will you find yourself looking to remodel in only a few years? You can avoid having to make big changes down the line by implementing more timeless designs in your...

When you think of Texas, the images that likely come to mind include wide-open spaces and rolling hills. Texas also holds a reputation as one of the most affordable locations for property and building a new home.

Adding on to your Houston home is an exciting proposition. Whether you need a mother-in-law suite, bedrooms for a growing family, or a larger kitchen, you can add space through effective design and planning. Yet before you do, it is important to...

Just as every part of the design and construction process is interconnected, so is every challenge. Current issues in architecture involve collaboration, workflow, and scope creep, with all having related sources and solutions. Here are three...

Technology is helping homeowners customize their spaces to meet their specific needs. As you consider building or renovating a home, look for innovative home builders who understand how to incorporate technology into the design. By embracing house...

If you own a home or vacant lot in a designated historic district in the city of Houston and want to build a home or make an addition or remodel an existing property, it is important to understand the process. These homes and lots are under city and...

So the question is, do you need to have the design of your custom home drafted and ready to go before engaging with your design and construction team? The best answer is not a straightforward yes or no. So, let's get into it.

Building a custom home requires active collaboration between the architect, engineers, and your builder. Successful custom home projects utilize a proven formula that includes effective planning, cooperation and periodic, but consistent feedback. It...

With the right features, a bathroom can become your own personal spa. Here at Southern Green Builders, we specialize in building custom homes designed to suit your lifestyle, to compliment your sense of style, and to provide a truly comfortable...

Allowances items called out when designing/pricing your new custom home can be confusing and at times misunderstood. It is extremely important for you to know what they are, what they mean, use them strategically, and stay within their limits. In...

Combining your expertise as an architect with that of a home builder at the start of a custom residential project in Houston is one of the most effective ways to establish a strong foundation and ensure feasibility from start to finish.

It’s a well-known stereotype in the home building industry that any new construction project will inevitably cost more than you expect. Most blog posts and articles warn you to have a sizable contingency fund on hand to cover unexpected expenses.

Distilling a client's vision and effectively capturing it on paper is important, but it’s only the beginning of a custom home build. The next step is actually translating your design idea into a real, tangible product.

The professional responsible...

Although owning a luxury custom home is a constant source of joy and comfort, it also comes along with a variety of responsibilities in order to protect the value, structural integrity and lifespan of your property in Houston.

When you think about designing and building a new custom home in Houston, your mind may be primarily focused on the architecture, innovative technologies, modern design styles and blending outdoor and indoor living spaces. However, if you want to...

Imagine visiting the job site where your new luxury custom home is being built and watching the project progress, but not quite in the way you imagined. Certain design and architectural elements that were left unspecified don’t fit with your...

When you’re building a new luxury custom home, there are dozens of decisions to make, from the size and layout of the structure down to minute details like the type of paint, lightbulbs and tile to use in various rooms.

When you think of buying or building a new luxury home in Houston, a few key players come to mind, such as architects, home builders, realtors, and trade partners. However, there is one other very important professional you are likely to work with...

Cabinets are a significant feature to any custom home.  They are not only the centerpiece of your kitchen in terms of style and functionality, but they have an impact on almost every space in the home.

As more people choose to call Houston home, the city has continued to enhance its reputation as one of the most ethnically diverse and thriving metropolitan areas in the state of Texas — and the country.