A home is one of the most expensive purchases that many people will make during their lifetime. If you want your home to truly meet the needs of your family, it's better to build a new home rather than invest in one that has already been built.

Building your own residence allows you total control over all phases of the construction process.

Don't be fooled into believing that you must choose from a set of "custom" blueprints when building a home. Hiring a building designer is the best way to ensure that the home you end up with is the home that you desire.

1. Minimize Energy Consumption

While the materials used during construction can have an impact on the energy efficiency of a home, you must start with the right design if you want to truly minimize your future energy consumption.

A building designer can evaluate the unique layout of your land and design your home around environmental factors to reduce energy use.

Some aspects that a building designer will take into account when trying to minimize energy use is the orientation of the home in relation to the sun, the placement of windows within the home, and the inclusion of porches or sunrooms.

By starting the construction process with an energy-efficient building envelope created by an experienced designer, you can keep your energy costs low over time.

2. Promote Better Health

The health of your family should be a concern when you are constructing your new home. The design of the home can actually play a role in determining how healthy your living space will be once construction is complete.

Industry-standard materials, like formaldehyde-heavy plywood used in cabinetry or toxic off-gassing nylon carpeting, can actually be detrimental to your family's health over time.

These materials are responsible for giving a property the "new home" smell that many homeowners describe upon entering a newly constructed home.

A building designer can create a blueprint that calls for the use of only safe and efficient construction materials. This will significantly reduce the concentration of volatile organic compounds within your new home and promote better health for your family.

3. Create a Unique Space

If you don't like the thought of living in a cookie-cutter home, then working with a building designer during the construction of your residence is important.

Each building that a designer works on will have a unique floor plan and architectural style. This ensures that your home will not look like every other home within your neighborhood, but will stand apart as a unique and creative space.