119 episodes
- 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?
The most important decisions happen long before you ever choose a countertop or paint color.
In this episode, I'm sharing the three things I believe everyone should consider before building, renovating, or buying a home ... and why skipping them is the reason so many people end up unhappy with the final result.
If you're in the dreaming or planning stage, this episode will help you shift focus from the house itself and start creating a home that truly supports the life YOU want to live.
EPISODE → carolineondesign.com/what-to-consider-before-building-a-house
Get the SPLURGE + SAVE PLANNER℠→ carolineondesign.com/splurge-blog-promo
Join BEFORE YOU BUILD℠→ carolineondesign.com/before-you-build
Download FREE HOME BUILD GUIDE → carolineondesign.com/home-build-guide
My FREE CLASS → Build Within Budget and Without Regrets! Grab your seat at carolineondesign.com/free-training - 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 what actually matters MOST.
(and yes ... considering I've spent years helping people build custom homes, this surprised me too! ) đŸ˜‰
In this episode, I'm sharing the unexpected journey that led my husband and me to buy an existing home, plus the three foundational pieces you need to get right BEFORE you build, renovate, or buy a home.
Whether you're building from scratch, renovating, or buying an existing home, this episode might completely change the way you think about creating a home you'll love for years to come.
EPISODE → carolineondesign.com/bought-existing-house
Get the SPLURGE + SAVE PLANNER℠→ carolineondesign.com/splurge-blog-promo
Join BEFORE YOU BUILD℠→ carolineondesign.com/before-you-build
Download FREE HOME BUILD GUIDE → carolineondesign.com/home-build-guide
My FREE CLASS → Build Within Budget and Without Regrets! Grab your seat at carolineondesign.com/free-training - 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 parts of the entire process.
In fact, there's a specific layer of clarity that very few people talk about, even though it's one of the biggest reasons custom home projects go over budget.
In this episode, I'm breaking down what it actually means to be "ready" to build, why finish selections impact your budget more than most people realize, and the four finish categories you need to clarify before you ever request a quote from a builder.
SHOW NOTES → carolineondesign.com/what-to-clarify-before-building-a-custom-home
Get the SPLURGE + SAVE PLANNER℠→ carolineondesign.com/splurge-blog-promo
Join BEFORE YOU BUILD℠→ carolineondesign.com/before-you-build
Download FREE HOME BUILD GUIDE → carolineondesign.com/home-build-guide
My FREE CLASS → Build Within Budget and Without Regrets! Grab your seat at carolineondesign.com/free-training - If you're trying to nail down the perfect white paint color for your home exterior, this episode is for you. đŸ™Œ
I actually created this list for a blog post back in 2020 — and when I went to update it recently, I realized that every single color on that list is still just as popular today as it was six years ago. These aren't trendy whites. They're timeless ones.
I actually have one of these white colors all over my own home interior … doors, trim, cabinets, ceilings, built-ins. I've been in my home almost 13 years, and I still love the color.
In this episode, we'll cover:
My 6 favorite exterior white paint colors (including a brand-new 2026 addition!)
Why warm whites are the most versatile choice for almost any home style
My favorite mess-free way to test colors before you commit
Head to the show notes to see all six whites in action, plus grab links to order peel-and-stick samples so you can see exactly how they look on your home.
SHOW NOTES → carolineondesign.com/best-exterior-white-paint-colors
PAINT SAMPLES → (affiliate link) https://on.ltk.com/+2_jko6X3hyRqvn-8wjjMMg
Get the SPLURGE + SAVE PLANNER℠→ carolineondesign.com/splurge-blog-promo
Join BEFORE YOU BUILD℠→ carolineondesign.com/before-you-build
Download FREE HOME BUILD GUIDE → carolineondesign.com/home-build-guide
My FREE CLASS → Build Within Budget and Without Regrets! Grab your seat at carolineondesign.com/free-training - 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 be anything but simple. So she joined BEFORE YOU BUILD℠because she knew there would be a lot to think through before breaking ground.
In this episode she covers:
Why she chose to tear down instead of renovate
Permitting and building on a lakefront lot
Designing vertically on a small footprint while planning for aging in place
Staying within 5–10% of budget by negotiating and shopping vendors
Catching a framing error mid-build — and why being on-site matters
How an email trail saved her when a contractor "forgot" a conversation
What she wishes she'd done sooner
The emotional side of seeing finishes for the first time
How BEFORE YOU BUILDâ„ helped her walk in prepared and confident
Joanne's story is proof that the right preparation changes everything.
GET ALL THE BYB DETAILS → carolineondesign.com/before-you-build
(and see Joanne's beautiful lake house in the show notes)
SHOW NOTES → carolineondesign.com/building-a-custom-home-on-family-property
Get the SPLURGE + SAVE PLANNER℠→ carolineondesign.com/splurge-blog-promo
Join BEFORE YOU BUILD℠→ carolineondesign.com/before-you-build
Download FREE HOME BUILD GUIDE → carolineondesign.com/home-build-guide
My FREE CLASS → Build Within Budget and Without Regrets! Grab your seat at carolineondesign.com/free-training
More Arts podcasts
Trending Arts podcasts
About The Before You Build Podcast
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!
Podcast websiteListen to The Before You Build Podcast, Stories of Art and many other podcasts from around the world with the radio.net app

Get the free radio.net app
- Stations and podcasts to bookmark
- Stream via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth
- Supports Carplay & Android Auto
- Many other app features
Get the free radio.net app
- Stations and podcasts to bookmark
- Stream via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth
- Supports Carplay & Android Auto
- Many other app features


The Before You Build Podcast
Scan code,
download the app,
start listening.
download the app,
start listening.




























