Most custom home builds do not go over budget because of bad luck or rising material costs. They go over budget because the original quote was never built to hold. Two tactics account for nearly every case we have seen: scope items quietly left out of the bid, and allowances set far below what clients at that finish level actually spend. By the time construction is underway, the number has nowhere to go but up. Here is exactly how it happens, what to watch for, and the five questions to ask any builder before you sign a contract in Charlotte.

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