Plan Smart, Build Better: Common Homebuilding Mistakes (And How To Avoid Them) Panelized Prefab Kit Home Building Show podcast

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Plan Smart, Build Better: Common Homebuilding Mistakes (And How to Avoid Them)

3d ago 32:42

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Plan Smart, Build Better: Common Homebuilding Mistakes (And How to Avoid Them)

Show Notes: A deep dive into avoiding common mistakes when building your own panelized prefab home. Following up on Episode 70’s focus on the right questions to ask, this conversation shifts toward what not to do — and how careful planning, honest self-assessment, and realistic goal-setting can make or break your homebuilding experience. From understanding your own skill level and managing subcontractors, to designing with future needs and hidden site issues in mind, Steve walks through the most common “rookie” oversights — and how Landmark helps customers sidestep them before they ever break ground. With stories of customers building dream homes, swapping in last-minute cathedral ceilings, and even riding out hurricanes with only 3 roof shingles missing, this episode highlights the unbeatable value of support, communication, and thoughtful design. Whether you’re a seasoned contractor or starting from zero, this is your roadmap to building smarter.

Transcript:

Steve Tuma: Well, the best thing is to have a concise plan — not just in the actual plans for the house, but then the execution of when you want to build and make sure that things come together.

Interviewer: Howdy, everybody — and welcome to Episode 71 of the Panelized Prefab Kit Home Building Show!

On the podcast today, as he always is, sitting across from me: the President and Founder of Landmark Home and Land Company — a company that has been helping people build their new homes where they want, exactly as they want, nationwide and around the globe since 1993 — the always illuminating Mr. Steve Tuma.

Steve — how’s it going, my friend?

Steve Tuma: It’s great! You know, for some reason, it’s always a good day. There’s always challenges, there’s always cool things going on with projects — little curveballs here and there — but somehow we get them all taken care of. We get houses designed and help people build houses. So it’s pretty interesting.

Interviewer: You say “since 1993” — man, that’s like 32 years of helping people build, you know, interesting houses. They get bigger and bigger, smaller and smaller sometimes. More unique locations. More unique designs… So it keeps us on our toes.

Steve Tuma: It’s a good time!

Interviewer: So, as we’re recording this — we’re at the end of the 2025 baseball season —

So what you’re saying is you just look at the pitches, and swing when you need to?

Steve Tuma: laughs Yeah, we have a little more control in that! Typically, we know what’s being pitched. We’ve done this so many times — we understand what’s there. But yeah, every once in a while there’s an interesting situation, but we get through all of it.

Interviewer: Sure. And you — after 32 years, I mean, you should know what you’re doing by now, right? I thought today we’d follow up on our last podcast, where we spoke a bit about the questions that a potential panelized home owner-builder would be wise to ask before deciding to start building. I guess it could apply to any home, really — but especially to make sure that a panelized prefab home is right for you.

So today, let’s continue on and see what your advice might be to avoid some of the pitfalls of building your own home. In other words — how can people dodge some of the bonehead moves that we all make when taking our first steps toward a new building project?

So is that something you think we could get a little traction out of today?

Steve Tuma: Yeah! This is kind of interesting because it sounds really complicated like, “Oh, you’re building all these houses,” or, “Hey, I’m designing my own house. I’ve never built before. Maybe I built one. Or hey — maybe 20 years ago I built a doghouse.”

Or — “Hey, maybe I’m a professional builder.”

It kind of really comes down to planning. So yeah. Yeah, let’s talk about it.

Interviewer: Good. Well, we’ll start off — what would be the from-the-get-go advice you’d give someone looking to build a panelized prefab home?

Steve Tuma: You know — this is kind of interesting because someone’s probably looking for something like, “Hey, use 2×6 walls versus 2×4.”

But that’s just part of the process.

The reality is: look in the mirror and be honest with yourself. Say:

“Hey, I want to build this house.”
“I have these skills. I don’t have these skills.”
“I’ll have to hire someone for this.”
“I want this type of house.”
“I have the land.” or “I need to find land.”
“Hey, what do I need to do with financing?”

It’s kind of really understanding what the project is about and being honest with yourself about what it takes.

I get this question a lot — people say, “Hey Steve, I’ve never framed a house. Can I do this?”

Well, theoretically you could… but is it smart?

So I would say: work off your strengths.

If you know how to do electric — do it.

If you don’t know how to do electric — hire someone that does.

Or if you still want to be involved — hire someone who does and maybe you do the grunt work.

Some of our customers get involved literally with everything — they’re in the trades, their families are in the trades, their friends are in the trades — and they can build the whole house.

Other people are more removed from it and just manage good subcontractors to get it put together.

And some people are in between.

So the reality is — the time that you take to understand what you want to do, work with us to get it planned properly, make sure the house is the way you want it to be, works well with the land, meets energy codes, meets general building codes — that’s what helps someone understand it.

Where people sometimes get a little awkward is when they don’t understand, or they think they’ll figure it out.

But with us, we go through the planning process where we think all this through — so they have a kind of dry run in thinking how to build, who they’ll need, the steps it takes.

That’s a big thing — being realistic with yourself and having a plan.

Our customers often act as general contractors — although occasionally they may hire someone.

The key to it is:

Be honest with yourself.

How much do you want to spend?

What are the restrictions of the land?

How do we have to design it?

Also—be honest with yourself and say things like:

“Hey, I don’t need a hot tub.” Or, “I do need a hot tub.”
“We need a gourmet kitchen.” Or maybe, “A simple one is fine.”
“We need a three-car garage… or two-car… or none.”
“How many bathrooms do we need? What kind?”

And that’s the thing: we help people narrow those ideas down.

We also have customers who are very detailed — they know everything they want, and they just need someone to help formalize the plans, work through permitting, and do the panelized process.

But all these details — they help with:

The schedule
The budget
Getting everything coordinated
Pre-planning so the whole process is simpler

So that’s the key — really be focused and understand what you’re about to get into.

And we’re here to help.

We’ve been doing it a long time. So if someone needs a little help, we’ll gladly offer it and work through the process with them.

Interviewer: Where do you find that Landmark customers are not quite as honest — or let’s just say, not quite as savvy?

Would you say budget? That seems like a pretty important thing to be honest with yourself about.

Steve Tuma: I think just going through the process of saying, “I want to build a house” — a lot of these people learn a lot about themselves.

So I’d say 90 percent of people actually have a pretty strong understanding.

Now — they may not know the detail.

They might not know exactly the furnace they want… or the brand of HVAC — but they’ll say things like, “Hey, I want in-floor heat,” or “I want mini-splits,” or “I want conventional HVAC.”

So they’ve done a lot of research.

Sometimes the desire to build your own home is something that could’ve started when they were a kid. It’s not like someone wakes up on Monday morning at 8 a.m. and by 9 a.m. they’re on the phone with us buying a panelized home.

So to say people should be “honest with themselves”… that might be the wrong phrase.

It’s more about being realistic.

They’re not being deceptive — it’s more like they simply don’t know what they don’t know yet. And that’s totally okay.

So it’s more like — how would I decide if I want to have a 2×4 wall in my garage versus a 2×6?

What’s the benefit of a cathedral ceiling versus a regular one?

Why do I want a big window… or why wouldn’t I want one?

What’s the size of a bedroom?

All of us have lived in bedrooms — but how many people really and truly know the exact dimensions of theirs?

Interviewer: That’s true.

Steve Tuma: People say things like, “Well, I want it like the one I have now.”

Okay — but then we ask, “Well, what size is that?”

And they might not know dimensions, but they’ll say, “We have a king-size bed, a little sitting area, TV area, three dressers…”

Somehow — we work it out.

They may not know where you can put a cathedral ceiling or how doing that changes the structure — but those are things we walk through with them.

They’ve likely heard about energy codes, but they don’t necessarily know how those apply to the home’s design or how it can affect their budget.

So I would say — most customers have between a reasonable and very strong understanding of what they want in a home. They just need those loose ends tied together.

And that — I think — is where we can really help them.

Even if I were doing my own home, I’d still need a little time to think:

Do I want a cathedral ceiling here?
How big should the garage be?
Do I really need a dining room?

You know, it’s funny. It’s on the plan and makes sense…

But when’s the last time someone actually ate dinner in their dining room?

Interviewer: laughs Yeah.

Steve Tuma: So questions pop up like, “Do we need a dining room, or would a great room be better?”

And that leads to the deeper thought: how are you really going to use the house?

Is it just two people living there most of the year?
Or are you throwing big birthday parties and holidays?

I had a customer today tell me they host 32 people for holidays and birthdays.

Well — that’s a different kitchen. That’s a different-sized deck. That’s a different setup altogether than a two-person household.

So we work with people to design for how life actually happens — including future-use rooms and lifestyle transitions.

Let’s say your kids are 17 and might leave for college soon.

They still need their space now, but later? That bedroom might become an office.

Or maybe grandma’s moving in — not today, but maybe in a few years.

So how do we design for that? And because we’ve done this so long — we usually have the answers.

It just makes it easier for people when we ask the right questions.

And we’ve had all kinds of situations — like one customer in Idaho.

Their entire home design stemmed from one thing:

They wanted to put a 20-foot Christmas tree in their living room.

That’s what started it — and they wanted to take advantage of a great mountain view.

So we worked with them. And sure, it sounds simple — “I want a 20-foot ceiling.” Fine.

But then we get into the windows.

What happens to the rest of the wall space?

How does that affect the roof plan and whole structure?

A lot of people come to us with the end result in mind — and then we have to work backward and “reverse design” to make it happen.

Other people say, “Here are the 10 features we want.”

Others grab one of our plans from the website and say, “Can we make these 2 or 3 changes… or maybe 20 or 30 changes?” laughs

So even if someone comes in with a “ready-made” plan, there are always scenarios where the details still have to be worked out. That’s just part of custom home building — and we’re happy to walk them through every phase.

And that’s just part of the process — getting through the stages of design.

It’s pretty amazing. It’s a lot of fun.

I find that people really enjoy this part. They like it!

This is the “cool” part — the fun part.

You’re designing.

You’re playing architect.

You’re taking this vision in your mind… and making it real.

And that’s what we help people do.

Interviewer: laughing So this is fun. I like throwing the ball in your court —

Steve Tuma: — and making me do all the work! laughs

Maybe I’m talking myself out of a job here — but this is great.

Interviewer: So let’s keep going. OK — the next thing up for grabs here —

what’s the next piece of advice you’d give to somebody?

Whether it’s dealing with you, dealing with contractors, or just getting themselves together?

Steve Tuma: The best thing is to have a concise plan —

Not just in the physical home plans…

But in knowing things like:

“We want to start building in the spring…”
“We want to finish within six months…”
“We want to hit this window…”

So there are a couple of different ways “planning” really applies.

So, there’s the planning of the actual home design — the drawings.

But then there’s the execution plan — when to build, how to coordinate, how to stay on track.

That includes things like:

Permitting
Budgeting
Possible financing (we don’t do it directly, but we often help people know what to look for)
Scheduling construction phases
Inspections
Overall construction flow — the reality of how things come together

And that all comes down to one word: Communication.

Interviewer: Right — communication is what you’re talking about.

Steve Tuma: Oh, that’s absolutely key.

That’s why we have these podcasts.

That’s why we spend real time with our customers.

We don’t use AI responders.

We don’t bounce you between departments with hold music.

We’re real-life people who’ve built real-life homes and know how it actually works.

Because — what’s interesting — I’ve done this:

You could build five houses from the exact same plan, and every one of them will be different in some way.

One will be on a flat lot… another on a hillside.

One might need the garage reversed because the driveway slopes the other way.

One will be on a basement… another on slab…

One will prioritize energy efficiency more than the others.

So what that means is—every project has its own DNA.

We take the time to understand that.

Steve Tuma: So, we take the time to get to know the customer — but also, for the customer to get to know us.

That back-and-forth helps us uncover the real priorities, the full picture of the land, and the true expectations.

And if customers run into a situation that requires deeper knowledge —

Chances are, we already have the answer.

That’s part of the benefit of working with us.

Oh — and one thing I absolutely need to touch on is this:

Choosing your subcontractors.

Some of our customers do parts of the work themselves,

Others hire subcontractors for everything —

But either way, working with good, reliable people makes a huge difference.

There are a lot of subcontractors out there…

But some are just leaps and bounds better than others.

You want the ones who:

Show up when they say they will
Stick to the price they quote
Review the plans before showing up
Keep the schedule moving
Take pride in their work

Construction always has some organic movement — weather, supplies, minor adjustments.

But when you’re working with the right team, your life is just easier.

And your project turns out way better.

Interviewer: Well, understanding what you’re building seems like a big thing, right?

You don’t have to know everything, but previewing it — walking through it mentally —

and then knowing you guys are there if they want help… that’s huge.

Steve Tuma: Right — and that’s exactly it.

You don’t want to do real-time house-designing during construction.

You don’t want someone on-site calling mid-day saying:

“Hey, we’re about to start roofing — what’s the plan?”
“We’re putting the HVAC in after lunch — where’s it going?”
“What’s the electrical layout look like in the master?”

You want to know that those decisions have already been made.

That we’re not scrambling for info or guessing — we’re executing a well-thought-out plan.

Now look — we’ve spent a lot of time on this podcast talking about design.

Here’s one reason why:

People often think all home plans are equal.

They think just because a local guy in town sketches things up that the plans must be good.

Maybe they are.

Most likely, they’re… not.

Because knowing how to use software doesn’t mean you understand architecture.

Or structural loads.

Or energy codes (especially today — they’re tough!).

Or how local site factors change construction.

And that’s where Landmark comes in — we bridge all of those pieces.

So sometimes when people have those plans — whether they’re from a local designer or found online — we use them as a jumping-off point.

They’re nice as conceptual ideas or rough layouts. But then we go in and actually engineer, code-check, and make it buildable.

That’s one of the most important things:

Know what you’re building.

Does it fit correctly on your land?
Is the zoning right?
Are there any floodplain issues?
What about seismic requirements?
Are there wind-speed concerns or snow loads?
Are we dealing with an odd lot shape, slope, soil?

And none of this is meant to scare people.

Homes are built every day — all over the country.

And we know how to do it right.

We’re just saying — if you want to avoid mid-project disasters, if you want to stay on budget and stick to a schedule — this is the kind of stuff you address now… not later.

We’re happy to walk you through it all step-by-step. That’s what we’re here for.

So a customer doesn’t need to know everything to work with us.

We’ve had customers — and I’m pretty convinced some of them have never even picked up a hammer. I don’t mean that as an insult — just that they’re not “in the trades.” That’s not their background.

But you know what? They want to be involved. They want to manage it. And they do an amazing job.

Because what it really comes down to — especially at a certain point — is project management.

You don’t need to be good with a nail gun…

You need to be good at keeping things organized, asking the right questions, and working with a team that supports you.

If you work with us to:

Think through the project
Trust the process
Understand what’s happening before it happens

…we’ll do whatever we can to support you and help you through it.

Interviewer: You know what I think when I listen to you talk about working with customers? I feel like you’re part designer, part builder… but also part psychologist.

Steve Tuma: laughing Well maybe! I’m not saying I’m literally talking people off ledges…

But yeah — after 32 years of doing this, you learn how to keep people calm.

What you realize over time is this:

If you look at a situation that caused problems during the build — and then you reverse-engineer it —

Most of the time, it happened because someone didn’t think about something a month or two earlier.

It was completely avoidable.

So our job is to help people think that far ahead.

To guide the process in a way where you’re not making on-the-fly decisions at critical moments.

For example — let’s say someone wants their lighting to line up perfectly with a section of the ceiling…

…but there’s a large beam in the way that no one accounted for.

And that might not be the perfect example — but you get the point.

If we’d discussed electrical layout weeks ago, we’d know.

Same with HVAC design.

Same with plumbing.

Same with structural details.

And that’s where mistakes — or better yet, stress — come in when people aren’t fully prepared.

Even something as simple as a bathtub can create challenges. You’ve got:

32-inch tubs
36-inch tubs
Different lengths
Framing allowances

If you draw up a plan based on one size — and then buy a completely different tub — now you’ve got a problem.

It’s even in the little things.

Take doors, for example.

Which way does the bathroom door swing?

Does it hit the vanity or another door?

Can it open fully?

These might seem like tiny details — but they matter in how a home functions.

Sometimes those decisions were overlooked, or rushed. Other times, people just assume everything will work because it looks good on a sketch.

But in real life? That door needs space. That bathtub needs to fit. That fridge needs to open without hitting something.

So what we’ve found — and what we’ve built into our process — is this:

Do a good set of plans

Walk through every room virtually (on paper or CAD)

Think about every decision upfront

Give the customer time to absorb, review, and reflect

Sometimes they need to just sit with it — sleep on it. Walk through it mentally. Maybe even walk their lot.

And that kind of breathing room helps avoid big headaches down the road.

Interviewer: And I imagine things even change during the process, right?

Steve Tuma: Absolutely. Even I — with decades of experience — sometimes change things when it’s my own home.

So yeah — even with all the experience I have, sometimes you don’t think of everything the first time through.

Like — a customer might say, “I want a 4×4 picture window.”

Then they go walk their lot… take in the view… and think,

“Why did I only say 4×4? I need a whole bank of windows — I paid for this view!”

So, the design evolves. That’s totally normal.

It’s kind of like unpeeling an onion —

You get deeper into the layers as you go.

Customers start with the big picture:

“I want a 2,500 square foot ranch with a 4-car garage and a pool.”

Great! But then we start asking:

“What’s the entryway like?”
“Want sidelights at the front door?”
“Cathedral ceiling in the living room?”
“Mudroom layout? Pantry size? Master bath access?”

Because every person uses their house differently:

Maybe they need room for in-laws or adult kids.
Maybe their lifestyle will change in 2–3 years.
Maybe this is a retirement home, or a 5-year hold.

Whatever it is — our process is flexible.

You can go back and forth.

You can refine your ideas.

We’ll work with you as many times as it takes until all the design details are truly right.

And honestly — I think that’s what people appreciate most.

It’s happened a lot recently — probably once or twice a week over the past six months — customers telling me:

“Steve… the panelized kit is cool. But it’s the support, planning, and understanding that made the real difference.”

They’ll say things like:

“You’re the engine behind the entire process.”

We’ve even had customers tell us, “Without Landmark — without you, Steve — we wouldn’t have been able to build this house successfully.”

Because we’re not just dropping off a pile of lumber and saying:

“Good luck — hope it looks like a house when you’re done!”

We’re providing:

A well-thought-out plan
An actual support system
Detailed guidance from start to finish

That’s a team effort. And people feel it. Some of our customers are experienced builders. Others are professionals in careers you’ve never even heard of — but across the board, they’re successful in building.

Why?

Because of planning.

Because of support.

Because we collaborate.

That’s what makes this work.

Interviewer: You know what’s sad about all this — and I say this as a consumer like everyone else — is how rare real customer service has become.

I mean, every company claims to have “award-winning support,” but half the time, you call in and wait on hold forever. You get a vague answer, or worse… no answers at all.

Steve Tuma: That’s why we do things differently.

When I start working with a customer — they get my direct cell phone number.

They can call me directly. And I answer the phone, often right away. Here — I’ll give it out right now:

708-205-2043

If I’m awake, I answer. If not — I call back. Sometimes customers are walking their land after hours, with family around, saying, “Can we do a lookout basement here or does it need to be a walkout?”

They don’t want to wait two days for a reply.

And honestly — that’s what this whole thing is about. We’re helping people achieve a dream. This isn’t just materials and specs — it’s a life-changing milestone.

I love getting photos from customers mid-build.

“Steve, check this out — the first wall’s up!”

“Here’s the framing done!”

“House is finished, and it’s beautiful.”

That’s just amazing. It really is.

Interviewer: You know, I don’t want to overstep my bounds here… but I’m going to go out on a limb and say:

It really sounds like you love what you do.

Steve Tuma: Oh yeah — it’s fun.

It is a lot of work — there’s no doubt — but when you buy into a project and become part of it, it’s exciting.

I always tell people:

“Mr. and Mrs. Customer, it’s your house… but it’s kind of ours, too.”

Because we put pride into it. We care if it turns out right.

And nothing beats when a customer says,

“Hey, friends came over, asked how we built this, and we told them to call Landmark.”

That’s so cool. That’s what it’s all about.

Here’s a quick story — just a few months ago, I checked my email on a Saturday afternoon, and I get this message from a family in Virginia, right?

They say:

“Steve, 20 years ago you helped us design and build our home. We’ve weathered three hurricanes, a tornado — F4! — and even a small seismic event.”

And I’m thinking… uh oh. What’s this going to say?

And then the email goes:

“All the outbuildings on our acreage were destroyed. The neighbors’ homes — gone. The church steeple was found two miles away.”

Then they send me a picture — absolutely beautiful — and finish with:

“We lost three shingles. That’s it. Thank you for helping us build such a strong, safe, and beautiful home.”

And I was like: wow.

That’s the ultimate compliment — especially 20 years later. It means we did our job, and their house protected them.

Interviewer: Man… that’s incredible.

Steve Tuma: And we get that kind of feedback often, in one form or another. Because we care.

People choose Landmark because they want to be involved in the process.

They want to understand where their money’s going.

They want quality.

This is a major life moment. And it’s just awesome to be part of it.

Interviewer: Well this has been so much fun, man. I really enjoyed this conversation — not that I don’t enjoy all of them, but this one was special. I liked letting you just roll with it.

Steve Tuma: We started this company 32 years ago — not just because we needed a job, but because we love what we do.

When customers send us that first photo of a wall going up… or let us know the job’s finished… there’s real joy. You can feel it. It’s rewarding.

Interviewer: Alright — before we wrap up, tell everyone how they can learn more about Landmark Home and Land Company.

Steve Tuma: Sure! The best place to start is our website:

 LHLC.com — again, that’s LHLC.com.

You’ll find house plans, videos, details on the panelized process, what we supply, and helpful info on working across different states.

You can even pick out a plan and write in saying:

“Hey, how much would this plan cost?”

Or just send us a message asking how to get started.

You can also give us a call at:

 800-830-9788 — again, 800-830-9788.

Michael will help with early ideas, pricing, and questions — and when you’re ready, I step in to go over the next phases in depth.

We work at our customers’ pace — big homes, small homes, ADUs, multigenerational — anything.

We enjoy helping. That’s what we do.

Interviewer: One of my favorite things about the website — you can listen to the full podcast archive right there.

Steve Tuma: Yeah — some customers have told me they’ve listened to every single one!

Even customers who have built five or ten homes with us — they keep coming back because each episode offers something new, helpful, or inspiring.

Interviewer: Well, that wraps up another great and informative talk with Landmark Home and Land Company President, Steve Tuma.

And as always, we want to thank you all for taking the time to listen to The Panelized Prefab Kit Home Building Show.

We hope this helps you feel just a bit more prepared, a bit more confident, as you make your way toward building your own kit home.

For Steve Tuma and myself — have a great week ahead.

We’ll see you next time!

Steve Tuma: Thank you — have a great day!

71 episodes

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