Steel windows, like th ones shown here on this home, are impressive and will last forever. But clients who have these on their wish list need to prepare for the pricetag.

We all have a dream home sketched out somewhere in our mind–or at least some key details and amenities are outlined on an imaginary list for that “someday” home. When new clients come to me with this dream home in mind, we begin to explore how those dreams might take shape. Of course they want it all–including heated floors, steel windows and a slate roof. Early on I try to assess such expensive features and present it to the client in an estimated cost-per-square-foot scenario. Such assessments can be tricky, since I don’t want to assume that a client can or cannot afford this dream home they are finally sketching out. The true reality check doesn’t come around until the job is bid by a general contractor, of course, at which time a client may look at me and wonder why I designed something they couldn’t afford? And at the same token I might wonder why they asked for it if they couldn’t afford it! For most clients there are compromises along the way that provide the cost savings they need while still giving way to  the dream home they’ve always imagined. I advise anyone looking to build or remodel their home to do some independent research early on to get a general feel for the price tag on what they want in a new home. After running the numbers, a pair of good slippers might be preferable to those heated floors.