The most interesting thing about this topic to me is that most people have the belief that they cannot afford anything other than the standard builder type houses. Or that somehow, these are the most efficient and economically suitable residences. Or even that well designed custom homes are out of their league. I have been in this profession for a little while now, and I have worked with people who have lived in both builder type homes, and then had a home designed for them. In every case, those owners say they would never go back, and that they wish they had hired an architect the first time around. Well-designed homes can be created for EVERY homeowner. In fact, I would like to see the culture change from an attitude of accepting what builders provide, to an attitude of demanding what good home designers provide….The big secret? Custom homes don’t have to be out of your budget. A good designer will design in your budget, not theirs.