Home & Garden · Caroline On Design

The Before You Build Podcast

by Caroline On Design

If you're thinking about building a custom home or remodeling an existing home, this show is for you! The Before You Build Podcast is your one-stop shop for practical planning advice, smart decision-making, and actionable tips to help you build or remodel with clarity, confidence, and within your budget. We'll answer all of your burning questions such as: How do I plan for building a custom home? How do I plan a home remodel? What should I do before building a house? What should I do before remodeling my home? How do I create the perfect floor plan for my family? How do I hire the right builder or remodeling team? How do I finance my project? And the biggest question of all, how do I bring my dream home to life without blowing the budget? Well, friends ... the answer is in intentional planning long before the work ever begins. I'm your host, Carrie Barker (aka, Caroline on Design). I designed my own custom home from the ground up, inside and out. Through trial and error (psst ... I built pre-Pinterest), I created my absolute dream home that is not only perfect for the way my family lives but also turned out more beautiful than I imagined. The best part ... I did this all without blowing the budget and without design regrets. I cracked the code on how to bring my own dream home vision to life while sticking VERY close to budget, and now I'm here to teach you everything I learned along the way so that you, too, end up with that cozy, beautiful home you envision in your head and a mortgage you're comfy with. The short, actionable, and bingeable Before You Build episodes will prepare YOU for a successful building or remodeling project with less stress, more confidence, and a plan to stick to budget. And just so you know ... the key to creating a home you love without blowing the budget is all in the intentional planning you do BEFORE YOU BUILD! So let's dive in and get started!

Latest episodes

Showing 20 · updated from the feed

116. What to Consider Before Building a House (or Renovating)

Most people think planning a home starts with floor plans, Pinterest boards, and picking out beautiful finishes. But what if that's actually the wrong place to start

Aug 5
15 min

115. We Unexpectedly Bought an Existing House (Say What?!)

Most people assume designing a home you love starts with choosing finishes, fixtures, and paint colors ... but after unexpectedly buying an existing house, I realized wha

Jul 22
18 min

114. What to Clarify Before Building a Custom Home

Knowing what to clarify before building a custom home is one of the MOST important things you can do for your budget ... and yet it's one of the most overlooked part

Jun 17
17 min

113. Best Exterior White Paint Colors (That Are Timeless)

If you're trying to nail down the perfect white paint color for your home exterior, this episode is for you. 🙌 I actually created this list for a blog post back in

Jun 3
11 min

112. Building a Custom Home on Family Property: Joanne’s Story

When Joanne decided to tear down her family's lakefront cottage and rebuild on the same lot, she knew building a custom home on a small, waterfront lot was going to

May 27
41 min

MVP: 5 Things I Wish I Included in my Custom Floor Plan

I built my custom home back in 2013, and I genuinely love it. The layout is cozy, functional, and still works perfectly for my family over 12 years later. However, there

May 20
10 min

111. How to Create a Realistic Custom Home Budget Before Meeting a Builder

In this episode, I'm answering a question I got from someone in my free on-demand class, and honestly, it was SO good I had to share it with everyone. We're ta

May 13
13 min

MVP: 9 Things I Wish I Had Known Before Building a Custom Home

If you're building a home (or planning to build), you're probably worried about the typical things … you know, like staying on budget or making the right design

May 6
11 min

110. How to Prioritize Your Home Build Budget

Going over budget when building a custom home isn't inevitable. It does happen often, but it is NOT inevitable. One of the biggest causes is not knowing how to prior

Apr 29
13 min

109. Where to Splurge and Save When Building a Custom Home

Going over budget is one of the biggest fears I hear from people building a custom home. But here's what I want you to know … It is possible to build within, or ve

Apr 15
13 min

108. How to Avoid Custom Home Exterior Regrets

Have you ever driven past a house and thought, something just looks off — but you couldn't quite put your finger on it? I see it all the time. And it's not just

Apr 1
15 min

107. Overwhelmed Building a Home? You’re Going to Be Okay!

Feeling overwhelmed just thinking about building a home is one of the most common things I hear from people planning a custom build. And, honestly, it makes complete sens

Mar 25
13 min

106. Common Floor Plan Mistakes to Avoid

After auditing 300+ floor plans, I can tell you this: the same mistakes keep showing up. And they're not dramatic design flaws — they're subtle oversights that

Mar 11
13 min

105. Rising Construction Costs: Is Now the Right Time to Build?

If you're planning on building a custom home, rising construction costs are likely scaring you a little bit … and I totally get that! You might be wondering … Shoul

Mar 4
12 min

104. 9 Tips for Designing a Functional Kitchen

After living in my custom home for 12+ years, I've learned exactly what makes a kitchen truly functional versus just pretty. In this episode, I'm sharing 9 tip

Feb 18
15 min

103. 4 Things I Would Change if I Built My Home Again

Clients and podcast listeners ask me the same question over and over: "What would YOU change if you built your home again?" After living in my custom home for almost 13

Feb 11
14 min

102. What You Need to Know Before Building a Custom Home!

Wondering what you need to know before building a custom home? In this episode, I'm answering the most common questions I hear from first-time custom home builders—

Feb 4
12 min

101. First-Time Custom Home Build Advice From a Real Family!

First-time custom home build advice from a REAL family who just moved into their brand new home. Patrick and Jessica share their real experience going through BEFORE YO

Jan 28
44 min

100. Why Custom Homes Go Over Budget (+ How to Avoid This!)

Nine out of ten custom homes go over budget. 😳 If you're wondering WHY, this episode will show you exactly what's happening—and how to avoid it. I'm brea

Jan 21
12 min

099. 3 Critical Questions to Ask Home Builders Before You Sign

Choosing the right builder can make or break your entire home-building experience, so you want to be SURE you're choosing the RIGHT builder. In this episode, I&apos

Jan 14
11 min