Building a Custom Home in Omaha & Eastern Nebraska: What to Know Before You Start
Building a custom home gives you something an existing home often cannot: the ability to design the property around the way you actually live.
Maybe that means a larger garage, room for an RV, a detached shop, a home office, acreage for your family, an open kitchen designed for entertaining, or simply a floor plan that makes sense for your everyday life.
But building a custom home involves much more than choosing a floor plan and finishes.
The property, site conditions, utilities, drainage, excavation, foundation, building design and budget all affect one another. Decisions made before construction begins can have a significant effect on both the cost of the project and how well the finished property works.
If you're considering building a custom home in Omaha or Eastern Nebraska, here are some of the most important things to work through before construction begins.
1. Start With the Property—Not Just the House
One of the biggest mistakes a future homeowner can make is designing a house without fully considering the property where it will be built.
Two pieces of land that appear similar can require very different amounts of site work.
Before finalizing the home, consider things such as:
Topography and grade
Drainage
Soil and site conditions
Access from the road
Building orientation
Utility locations
Septic or sewer availability
Well or public water
Trees and clearing
Floodplain considerations
Space for future buildings
Driveway length and location
This becomes especially important when building on an acreage.
A beautiful piece of land may still require substantial excavation, grading, drainage improvements, utility extensions or driveway construction before the foundation can begin.
Whenever possible, evaluate the property and the proposed home together.
That's also why involving a builder before or shortly after purchasing land can be valuable. A construction professional can help identify practical considerations that may not be obvious when simply walking the property.
Buying acreage before you've chosen a builder?
Before finalizing your building plans, consider having the property evaluated from a construction standpoint.
Mid-Plains Building Solutions works with property owners throughout Eastern Nebraska on site development, excavation, concrete and complete construction projects.
2. Determine How You Actually Want to Live
A custom home shouldn't simply be a larger version of a standard subdivision floor plan.
Start with how the home will actually be used.
Think about your daily routines.
Do you need a mudroom large enough for children, boots and equipment?
Would a three- or four-car garage make more sense than adding storage later?
Do you own an RV, boat, trailer or equipment?
Would you eventually like a detached shop?
Do you entertain frequently?
Do you want your primary bedroom on the main level?
Would you rather spend money on a larger kitchen and garage than formal rooms you rarely use?
These decisions should happen early because they influence the size, footprint and cost of the home.
For acreage properties, we also recommend thinking beyond the house itself.
A property may eventually include:
Home + garage + shop + driveway + outdoor living + equipment storage + landscaping
Planning where those pieces belong from the beginning can prevent expensive changes later.
3. Establish a Realistic Project Budget Early
One of the most productive conversations you can have with a builder is also one of the simplest:
What do you realistically want to spend on the entire project?
Not just the house.
The entire project.
Depending on the property, your budget may need to account for:
LandDesign and engineeringPermitsSurveyingClearingExcavationGradingDriveway/accessUtility connectionsWell and/or septicFoundationHome constructionGarageExterior flatworkDecks or patiosFinish selectionsLandscaping
Some properties require relatively little preparation. Others require substantial work before construction of the house even begins.
That is why comparing builders based solely on a advertised price per square foot can be misleading.
The better question is:
What is included in the project price?
A realistic budget should consider the house and the property together.
4. Understand the Site-Preparation Costs Before Finalizing the House
This is where Mid-Plains has an advantage that we should emphasize heavily.
The house doesn't begin with framing.
It begins with the ground underneath it.
Site development can include:
Clearing → Excavation → Grading → Drainage → Building Pad → Utilities → Foundation Preparation
Poor planning at this stage can create problems that extend far beyond construction.
Water needs somewhere to go.
Driveways need to work with the grade.
The building pad must accommodate the house.
Utilities need practical routes.
Future buildings should be considered before the site is permanently configured.
In Sarpy County, for example, permits are required for dwellings, and grading permits can be required when more than one acre is disturbed; floodplain work has additional permitting requirements. Requirements vary by jurisdiction, which is why the specific property needs to be evaluated rather than relying on a generic checklist. Sarpy County
5. Plan Utilities Earlier Than You Think
Utilities can become a surprisingly important part of an acreage construction budget.
Before construction begins, determine how the property will receive:
ElectricityWaterWastewater/septicNatural gas or propaneInternet/communications
The farther utilities need to travel across the property, the more important planning becomes.
Rural properties may also require private wells and onsite wastewater systems.
Nebraska regulates onsite wastewater systems, and systems must comply with state requirements or the property must connect to an approved public wastewater system. Site conditions can also affect what type of septic system is appropriate. DWEE NE
That is another reason site evaluation should happen before the house location is permanently established.
6. Design the Garage and Shop at the Same Time as the House
Many homeowners underestimate how much garage and storage space they'll eventually want.
Think beyond how many vehicles you own today.
Consider:
RV or camper storageBoatsTrailersATVsLawn equipmentToolsWorkbenchesHobby spaceHome gymSeasonal storageFuture vehicles
Sometimes the best solution is an oversized attached garage.
Other times it makes more sense to build a separate post-frame shop or equipment building.
Planning both at the beginning allows the site, driveway, utilities and drainage to accommodate them properly.
7. Custom Home or Barndominium?
Barndominiums have become an increasingly popular option for people who want flexible living space combined with substantial garage or shop space.
But a barndominium isn't automatically the right choice for every property—or automatically cheaper than a conventional custom home.
The final cost depends on many factors, including:
SizeStructural systemFoundationInterior layoutWindows and doorsInsulationMechanical systemsExterior materialsKitchen and bathroomsFinish levelGarage/shop spaceSite development
For some homeowners, a traditional custom home makes more sense.
For others, a barndominium or hybrid design better fits the way they want to use the property.
The goal shouldn't be to choose the label first.
Start with the property, how you want to live, the space you need and the budget available. Then determine which building approach makes the most sense.
8. Don't Treat the Foundation as an Afterthought
The foundation connects everything above the ground to everything you've done below it.
Foundation design depends on the home, site and structural requirements.
Concrete work may also extend beyond the foundation to include:
Garage slabsPorchesPatiosSidewalksDriveway approachesShop slabsEquipment padsExterior flatwork
Coordinating site preparation, foundation work and construction helps reduce disconnects between different phases of the project.
9. Build for Nebraska's Climate
Eastern Nebraska homes experience hot summers, cold winters, wind, snow and significant seasonal temperature swings.
The building envelope, insulation, windows, HVAC design and air sealing all matter.
Nebraska currently uses the 2018 International Energy Conservation Code as the statewide energy code, although local jurisdictions may adopt qualifying local requirements. DWEE NE
Energy efficiency isn't simply about adding more insulation.
The house should work as a system:
Building envelope + insulation + windows + air sealing + HVAC + orientation
These decisions are much easier—and often less expensive—to address during design than after the home has been built.
10. Understand Who Is Managing the Entire Project
Custom home construction involves a long list of moving pieces.
Designers.
Engineers.
Excavators.
Concrete crews.
Utility contractors.
Framers.
Electricians.
Plumbers.
HVAC contractors.
Roofing.
Siding.
Finish trades.
Suppliers.
Inspectors.
The homeowner shouldn't have to discover halfway through construction that an important part of the project was assumed to be someone else's responsibility.
Before selecting a builder, ask:
Who is coordinating the project?
Who handles site preparation?
Who coordinates concrete and foundation work?
Who communicates with subcontractors?
Who helps identify scope gaps before construction?
Who keeps the project moving from one phase into the next?
A good construction plan isn't simply a collection of individual bids.
It's a coordinated project.
A Better Way to Start Your Custom Home
You don't need every detail figured out before talking with a builder.
In fact, some of the most productive conversations happen before the plans are finished.
If you're considering building in Omaha or Eastern Nebraska, start with four things:
Your Property. Your Priorities. Your Budget. Your Long-Term Plans.
Those four pieces provide the foundation for making better decisions about everything that follows.
Building in Omaha or Eastern Nebraska?
Mid-Plains Building Solutions provides complete construction services for custom homes and barndominiums throughout Eastern Nebraska.
With more than 25 years of construction and development experience, we can help coordinate the project from the ground up—including site preparation, excavation, concrete, foundations and construction.
Already own your property? We can talk through the next steps.
Still looking for land? We can help you think through the construction considerations before you finalize your plans.
REQUEST A PROJECT ESTIMATE
Call or Text 402-512-3818
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