Are you considering designing and building a custom modern home in Ohio? Building any home is a new experience. Building a custom, modern home can compound those feelings.

Ohio is regarded as one of the best states to live in, with a relatively low cost of living and several growing cities that attract up-and-coming professionals. Considered one of the Midwest’s hidden gems, Ohio offers premier home-building opportunities for new custom residential projects. Its beautiful rolling hills, sweeping meadows, and undeveloped countryside provide an idyllic landscape that’s easily accessible to major cities.

At YR Architecture + Design, we capture the essence of this landscape and create homes that are perfectly suited to their wonderful setting. We understand the intricacies and challenges of building modern homes in Ohio. Based on our knowledge and experience, we’ve compiled the best advice on what to know when you’re getting started in the Buckeye State.

The following are some of the most important factors to consider when creating a custom modern home in Ohio.

Finding a Modern Residential Architect in Ohio

Finding a modern residential architect in Ohio can be difficult.

There are very few custom modern residential projects in the Buckeye state, and even fewer architects who can design an exceptional modern home. Many firms say they design modern homes, but a lot of them are transitional at best with a few small “modern” details.

If you’re interested in pushing the envelope to try something a different from what you see around you and want something uniquely you, having an architect who thinks outside of the box and who isn’t afraid to be creative is imperative.

You’ll have your work cut out for you to find a good residential architecture firm in Ohio that designs bespoke modern homes, but here are some places to look for a custom modern residential architect in Ohio:

  • Shelter magazines
  • Local and state AIA design awards
  • Local publications
  • Houzz.com
  • Family/friend referral
  • Google search (with emphasis on “modern”, “residential” and “Ohio”
  • Look for an out-of-state firm who can work in Ohio
Ontario Off-Grid Axonimetric diagram of views

However, it is important to note that Ohio lacks a lot of options for truly modern custom homes. There are currently no magazines, design awards, or publications that cater to high-end custom modern residential design. Additionally, you probably won’t have much luck asking your friends or family for a design referral because the chances are slim that they have worked with a modern architect or personally know someone who has. There just aren’t that many modern homes in the state (yet).

Our recommendation: Do your due diligence and thoroughly review the above resources. Also, don’t be afraid dig deep into the Google search pages and skim multiple years of past design award winners. Once you find a few promising firms, research them thoroughly and learn everything you can about them. The goal is to find the residential architect that you think will be the best fit for you and your project.

Finding a Contractor Who Appreciates Modern Design AND is Collaborative

Custom modern residential design is not easy, fast, or cheap to build.

It requires an extra level of care and attentiveness from the builder and a collaborative relationship with the architect and client. Unfortunately, this will eliminate many of your options for builders.

The key is to find a builder who appreciates custom modern design and the nuances that come with it. Modern design requires tighter construction tolerances, and precise alignments of joints, fixtures, and materials. The builder also needs to understand the design intent and be invested in the project outcome.

There are numerous details in the construction document set of a custom modern project. This is intentional. The builder needs to be willing to read the drawings, build to them, and work with the architect to solve complex issues that arise on site. Everyone needs to be able to work together for the betterment of the entire project.

Secondly, specialty subcontractors are also necessary for a contemporary home. These contractors are trained to execute precise details, alignments, and near-perfect craft. For example, drywall contractors need to be able to finish to a Level 5 finish and be comfortable with laser-set drywall when Fry-Reglet return reveals are specified. But, most contractors are not set up to do that type of work with the precision that is required.

a contractor and an architect discussing something on an ipad at a house renovation

Our recommendation: Look for a builder who has experience with custom modern work and ask your architect for help. Your architect will likely have a recommendation or want to help you select the builder. It’s in their best interest, as well as yours, to find a qualified contractor who is willing to perform at an exceptional level and bring the project to fruition with excitement and passion.

Designing a Home That Works in All Seasons and Environments

Ohio is one of the hardest regions in the US to design for. The state experiences four distinct seasons and various weather conditions like wind, snow, rain, sun, and clouds, as well as bugs, carpenter bees, and mosquitos.

A good design should consider passive solar design strategies to reduce the demand for active heating in winter and cooling in summer. It should also be airtight but vapor-permeable, especially during days of 99% humidity and precipitation. Additionally, insulation is critical in Ohio’s Climate Zone 5 (continuous insulation is ideal). Windows and doors also need to be thermally broken or high-performance and indoor air quality should be addressed.

When choosing an architect, consider one that prioritizes solar orientation and specifying proper construction assemblies for floors, roofs, and exterior walls. This entails designing for sufficient insulation values, weather-resistant barriers, water management strategies, and durable and resilient materials that can handle extreme temperature swings.

Similarly, a contractor or builder should prioritize creating high-quality homes that exceed minimum code standards. They should understand weather barriers and take air sealing seriously to cut heating and cooling costs, improve durability, increase comfort, and create a healthier indoor environment.

Our recommendation: Work with a design and construction team that values high-quality design and construction and has a track record of demonstrating it. Ohio’s building codes are relatively lax, so it’s essential to select firms that design and build above code minimums.

4 landscapes of Ohio showing various seasons and vegetation

Understanding Your Utility Needs

If you are building your dream home on a lot with acreage, or in a remote location, it’s possible that some public utility services may not be available. For Ohioans, it’s not uncommon to have septic systems, well water, and propane tanks.

It’s important to know what you need to provide for privately on your own land. If you have access to public services, there will be tapping fees for public water and sewer systems unless the property already has tapped lines. If you need private systems, you’ll need to allocate funds to design and install a septic system or private well.

There are restrictions on the location of private wells, septic systems, and propane tanks.

Whether you use public or private utilities, fees will vary greatly depending on your location and the type of system you need so find out in advance about these infrastructure costs.

tall wind turbine in the middle of a farm with a farmhouse

Our recommendation: Determine the utility sources for your property before beginning your project. Learn the fees, costs, timelines, and any restrictions associated with getting service.

In our experience, it’s best to understand the size and location of the septic system first since it requires certain soil conditions, ground slope, and placement in relation to the topography and the house. Then, consider possible locations for your future home, private well, and/or propane tank since there is more flexibility in their placements.

Learning About Your Unique Soil Conditions

Ohio has diverse soil characteristics depending on where you live in the state. There are 12 soil regions. They vary greatly from the shores of Lake Erie to the glaciated farmlands of the NW, to the rolling hills of the Ohio River valley.

Side note: During the Ice Age in Ohio, all but the lower southeast third of the state was covered in glaciers. As they flattened the hilly terrain in northern, western and central Ohio, the glaciers left sediment deposits that created the rich agricultural soil we have today. Sand and gravel deposits furnished building material and created underground aquifers, while glacial clay is used to make bricks and ceramics.

A benefit of the glaciers is the scenic vistas and pastoral views that are iconic throughout the state. Your unique Ohio property, with its flat till plains stretching to the horizon, hilly moraines, broad valleys, and small ponds and lakes would not exist if it were not for the presence of the glaciers.

With any new building project, there is always going to be some unknowns about the soil until you excavate. There could be an underground aquifer, large buried boulders, a high water table or pockets of hard-to-drain clay.

The key is to learn and recognize what is going on with your soil and design the foundation system accordingly. Knowing if your property is in a floodplain is also important. Ohio has many water tributaries, so this is more common than you might think.

a large excavator digging a hole with a person at the bottom of the hole monitoring the dig

Furthermore, if you’re installing a septic system, it’s important to understand the soil quality to confirm that the property can support it. Typically, a perc test will measure how quickly the ground absorbs water. This will help inform the type and location of your septic field.

Our recommendation: Learn about the soil characteristics of your area or specific property so you can properly design your foundations. We recommend having a contingency fund in your budget for unknowns and unexpected conditions.

To get an initial lay of the land (no pun intended) in understanding the soil qualities of your area, use this Soil Explorer tool.

If you want to know specific soil classes, use the NRCS Web Soil Survey to learn about soil properties and qualities.

map of soil regions in Ohio

For a more precise understanding of your specific soil, you can perform a soils test, conducted by a geotechnical engineer. They will drill a few soil borings and analyze the soil makeup at various depths to help your team design your house’s foundations. The last thing you want is a Leaning Tower of Pisa because you didn’t understand the soil property!

Getting Financing For Your Custom Modern Home in Ohio

Constructing a custom modern home is likely to cost more than a traditional-style custom home due to the level of precision, care, and quality required. While you may be willing to spend more on a project that values good quality modern design and construction, your lender typically won’t care about the design.

To most lenders, it’s a numbers game. You bring in a set of prints. An appraiser places a value your design (based on comps in the area). Then (hopefully) they offer you a construction loan where you are required to provide around 20% LTV as down payment.

The issue is that it can be challenging to find good comps for your custom residential design in Ohio. Appraisers typically don’t care about the design, style, or unique features of the project. They won’t take into consideration that your home responds uniquely to the landscape in its solar orientation or access to unique outdoor spaces. They also won’t care that the living room windows face the meadow where deer like to pass or the framed view from your bedroom of the old white oak tree that your grandfather planted. Appraisers usually check off boxes and place value on square footage and the number of rooms, regardless of how functional or beautiful the space is. (We all know that a well-designed, efficient floor plan can be as usable, functional, and valuable as a larger one with wasted space, yet an appraisal won’t reflect that!)

a person at a desk with an ipad writing on some papers

Unless your lender and appraiser fully understand the project, it will be hard to get a fair appraisal. They typically won’t understand that the unique design and high-quality construction will increase the market value of your home.

Therefore, be prepared for the appraisal to come in lower than expected and prepare for a larger down payment.

Our recommendation: Try to develop a good relationship with your lender. Talk to them about your project. Speak in a way that shows that your home design is above average, that the materials and techniques are premium, high-quality, and that will be more valuable in the long run.

Interestingly, we’ve also helped in the lending process by finding appropriate comps to compare our home designs against. Once, our contractor even talked to the appraiser and communicated the intended quality of construction for the house.

Where to start

Even if you’re still searching for the perfect property to build your modern Ohioan home, it’s never too early to start thinking about the custom home process. Plan ahead, do your research, be realistic, and educate yourself. Be prepared to spend years creating your custom home, and assume that you’ll spend 50% more than you expect. Learn all that you can, but also get comfortable with not knowing everything. That’s what your team is for.

And remember: architects are planners at heart. We juggle tons of moving parts, bits of information, and data points, and we are forward-thinkers. We excel at thinking big at first, then drilling down to the details and adding more specificity. When starting a project, we encourage you to involve an architect as early as possible to guide you through the process.

Also, remember that homebuilding is a team sport. The core team generally includes you, an architect, and a builder. Involving your builder early is also helpful. This way, there are open lines of communication, alignment in project goals, and everyone understands the design intent.

Let’s Talk!

With over 10 years of experience designing and building in Ohio, we understand the challenges of creating unique custom modern homes and building them on budget. It’s not easy to find the right players to help pull off something so personal, distinct, and ambitious. But, there’s nothing more rewarding then creating homes that express the spirit of the land and place, that blend in rather than stick out; and that are uniquely yours.

If you’re thinking about building a modern custom home in Ohio, get in touch. We can help you navigate the process, form the team, and manage the project.