How to Build a New York Home You’ll Love

Many current or prospective homeowners can spend years planning their dream house in New York. From choosing a location to swatching paint samples, the vision you have for your space can be years in the making.

That said, when it comes to actually creating the house you want, things don’t always align how you thought they would. From optimizing your square footage to balancing a sense of style, functionality, and innovation — making a house your home requires a strategic approach.

The good news? With the right support, you won’t need to carry the burden of your construction project alone. An experienced architect, interior designer, and other key contractors can help bring your project to life and make your house feel exactly how you want.

But aside from hiring reputable contractors, how else can you ensure you’re building a New York home you’ll love?

Our experts are here with tips to give you a good head start!

Let’s dive in.

Evaluate the function of your property

Before putting pen to paper, it’s essential that your design and construction teams understand how you want your house to feel and the outcomes you want to achieve from your build. Especially in areas such as New York and New Jersey, a new home can serve a variety of purposes. From a place to raise a family to a city getaway used to host guests, being a homeowner in New York can mean many things.

This is why before you can design a space you love, it’s important to determine its function and effectively communicate this to your development team. Whether you’re building an investment property to sell immediately or want to create your dream family home, your property’s intended use will significantly impact its design.

Some design considerations for New York homes include:

• To maximize profit, investment homes often need to be designed with prospective buyers in mind
• Family or residential properties might have different design priorities, e.g., if you want a large garden, building vertically might be your only option
• A home that’s intended to be your long-term residence may need to have a design that’s adaptable to your future needs
• A place you want to use for entertainment or social purposes will likely include some ‘NYC’ luxury features, e.g., a large kitchen area or an outdoor jacuzzi
• For family homes, you’ll also need to consider how the rest of your family will use the rooms on each floor and adapt your design accordingly

Ensure you’re choosing features that excite you

One of the most effective ways to ensure you’re building a home you’ll love is to think about what design additions excite you.. rather than what’s popular or “on trend”. While popular design ideas can work well for a home you’re intending to sell in the near future, a home you’ll personally be spending a lot of time in is one you’ll want to make sure is tailored to you.

Even though it can be easy to inject a sense of your own personality during the interior design phase, it’s important to think about design features that are unique to you much earlier than this. While adding custom furniture or decorating your space with flowers or pictures can add something special to your design, a home’s physical structure can also reflect your taste and personality. 

To ensure you’re adding to your home’s design in the right way, it’s always important to consider features that serve to enrich your life. From luxury details that take you out of your everyday life to practical features that make your day easier, your home should excite you on multiple levels.

Some examples of exciting structural additions to your home can include:

• Home theater or media room
• Home gym
• Cigar room or library
• Yoga or meditation space
• Vanity or walk-in closet
• Soft play room for children
• Kitchen pantry
• Separate laundry room or ‘mud room’

What additional skills can you leverage from your contractors?

When hiring the right construction or development firm to match your needs, it’s essential to also investigate what additional skills you might be able to leverage for your property.

For example, a full-service team can bring multidisciplinary skills to your build. From architecture to interior design, the full scope of your project can be handled by one collaborative and cohesive team. 

With this type of team, it can be especially valuable for the ‘bigger picture’ of your build to be clear from the start. If there’s a team member that can add something extra special to your design, it’s always good to know about it and explore your options.

For example, many full-service teams with experienced architects on board can also help with services such as interior architecture and possibly even leverage contacts for niche additions to your home.

Even down to the best ways to make your home quiet — knowing what additional expertise your design and construction team have is one of the best ways to optimize your home’s design from the start.

To ensure you’re getting the most from your project delivery team:

• Thoroughly research your team’s previous projects
• Investigate the credentials of your team and their key attributes
• Be clear in your brief, but communicate that you’re always open to new and innovative design ideas
• Schedule a ‘discovery’ meeting to discuss the parameters of your project and how far you’re willing to expand your budget or schedule for the right project plan
• Be present but not overbearing — if you hire a reputable project delivery team, be sure to trust their process (but also be contactable to answer questions!) 

Consider how timeless your design is

One of the biggest design considerations our clients overlook is the longevity of their initial design plan. While a good architect will always be able to adapt existing home designs to suit changing needs, to truly “love” your home, you should be able to see yourself living there in the future.

Architects understand that the personality of your home is likely to change over time, but to save yourself some money and avoid seeing your dream home as a money pit in years to come, it’s important to consider how adaptable your design is.

For example, if you’re creating a home to invite friends around or host events — will this always be your main priority? Even though an outdoor pool with an in-built bar might feel like a great addition to your home now, if you plan on having a family, will you regret not having a bigger garden with space for plants and a play area?

Or how about that upstairs bedroom that opens onto a balcony — could this room someday become a child’s bedroom where safety concerns might lead to expensive structural changes?

Your home should always be yours to enjoy, but a great development team will also ensure you’re thinking ahead.  

Choose a development team with good communication skills

Whatever purpose you want your new home to serve, investing in a New York home can be a big commitment. This is why it’s vital to hire a firm you can put your faith in to ensure you get the most out of your investment (whether that’s an economic or emotional investment).

From day one, your project delivery team should be able to showcase great communication skills and provide you with a deeper understanding of how they work. Whether it’s scheduling discovery meetings or providing you with sketches — never hire a firm until you’re sure their vision aligns with yours.

Signs of a reputable New York or New Jersey construction firm include:

• An expansive portfolio of properties
• A collection of testimonials in the local area
• Full-service or multidisciplinary skills
• Great communication skills (this includes emails and conversations over the phone!)
• The ability to customize their services to suit your design needs

How Argo Construction & Development delivers the home of your dreams

At Argo Construction & Development, we pride ourselves on going above and beyond to deliver exceptional results. With over two decades of experience and full-service expertise, we are well-versed in exceeding the expectations of clients all across New York and New Jersey.

Whether you need assistance with land purchasing, construction management, or everything in between — our team of experts can have complete control over your project, or come on board as part of a collaborative team. 

To find out more about how Argos Construction & Development can elevate your design vision and help you build a home you’ll love for a very long time, get in touch with us today.

Developing properties you love, and that we can be proud of.