Gone are the days of cookie-cutter homes. Now, when driving through a new community, you can expect to see something different on each lot—thanks to the customization options that most home builders offer their clients. The builders can change the exteriors, too.

Want a ligher hardwood floor in your living room? Choose from multiple shades and grains. Decided to change the backsplash in your kitchen? Opt for brick, subway tile or something else entirely. Not a fan of the cabinets? Change the finish, the hardware or both and transform the look entirely.

There’s really nothing that can’t be accomplished. Loudermilk Homes, Ashton Woods and Traton Homes are just three Atlanta builders offering homebuyers a plethora of options to make their homes reflect their personal style, both inside and out. What buyers need to do is define that personal style and be ready to communicate it to their builder, so they can work together to make those ideas come to life.

Starting the Process

At Loudermilk Homes, buyers can expect to be asked deep personal questions during their design consultation and are asked to provide lots of photos, even hundreds. The builder, which is used to constructing million-dollar plus homes for celebrities, executives, and professional athletes, has a nine-step process that guides clients through the customization plan.

“Every home we design is unique,” Loudermilk Homes President Sherwin Loudermilk said. “We want the house to fit both the lots and the personality of the clients. That first meeting is very critical for setting the stage for what we’re looking for. We want it to be consistent and be relative to their budget.”

With any builder, expect the first few appointments to last for a few hours in order for the team to truly understand what is needed and just how personalized the home will be.

Owning Your Style

As mentioned above, going in to work with the designer and being prepared is key. You may not need to know exactly what you want down to the detail, but some knowledge of the overall feel and look for your home is best.

Loudermilk says his company’s designers spend two to three weeks with clients to create a mood board, which provides the “mood or there of their house” based on the photos and information they provide.

“Getting that mood is one of the most critical things in the process,” Loudermilk says.