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116 episodes

113. Best Exterior White Paint Colors (That Are Timeless)
06/03/2026 | 11 mins.
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 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
112. Building a Custom Home on Family Property: Joanne’s Story
05/27/2026 | 41 mins.
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 BUILD℠ 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
MVP: 5 Things I Wish I Included in my Custom Floor Plan
05/20/2026 | 10 mins.
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 *are* a few things I'd do differently if I built this house again.
In this MVP episode, I'm sharing 5 things I wish I had included in our custom floor plan. Tune in because these are details most people don't think about until after they've moved in, and by then, it's too late.
Note: This episode was originally recorded in 2022, but the content is 100% still relevant — and I've updated the blog post with additional tips and resources.
EPISODE → carolineondesign.com/wish-i-included-in-my-custom-floor-plan
FREE FLOOR PLAN WORKBOOK → carolineondesign.com/fp-free-workbook
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
111. How to Create a Realistic Custom Home Budget Before Meeting a Builder
05/13/2026 | 13 mins.
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 talking about how to create a realistic budget before you ever sit down with a builder — so that when you do get a quote, it actually means something.
I walk you through:
Why your vision has to come before your numbers (and why skipping this step is so costly)
How to identify your true financial comfort zone — not just your ceiling
What most people forget to include in their total build budget
How to research cost per square foot in your area so you walk in informed
What a SPLURGE + SAVE PLAN℠ is and how having one changes everything about that first builder conversation
If you're in the planning phase right now, this episode is for you. It's the kind of prep work that makes a builder meeting actually productive — and sets you up to stay on budget from the very start.
SHOW NOTES → carolineondesign.com/custom-home-budget-before-builder-meeting
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
MVP: 9 Things I Wish I Had Known Before Building a Custom Home
05/06/2026 | 11 mins.
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 decisions. But guess what?

There are MANY other things you might not even realize you NEED to think about until you are already in the thick of building your home. Don't worry ... I've got you covered with a list of 9 things I wish I had known before building a house.
Note: This episode was recorded in 2022, but the content is still 100% relevant today! I updated the blog post with additional tips and resources in May 2026.
SHOW NOTES → carolineondesign.com/known-before-building
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

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About The Before You Build Podcast

Whether you’re dreaming of building a custom home in the future or you’re ready to start planning now, this show is for you! The Before You Build Podcast is your one-stop shop for actionable home-building tips and advice as well as tips for designing your dream home so that you feel equipped to design the home of your dreams that makes you (and your wallet) happy for years to come. We’ll answer all of your burning questions such as: How do I plan for building a custom home? What should I do before building a house? How do I design my new house? What mistakes should I avoid when building a house? How do I create the perfect floor plan for my family? How do I hire a builder? How do I finance my home build? 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 PLANNING for your home build long before you ever break ground.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 home build with less stress, more confidence, and joy throughout the process. And just so you know … the key to building your dream home close to budget is all in the planning you do BEFORE YOU BUILD! So let’s dive in and get started!

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