Custom Build Finishes: Roof, Window, and Door Ideas on a Budget

The Roofline & The View

With the framing finished and the roof sheathed in plywood, our house finally feels like a structure. Next up was the metal roofing! We chose a crisp, classic black metal roof, and I honestly can’t wait to see the contrast against the exterior. It’s going to give the house such a sharp, modern-meets-traditional feel.

But the real game-changer? The windows and doors. We opted for white, grid-less windows—not just for the clean,  look, but because they give us an completely unobstructed view of the land. Plus, we discovered another surprise: these windows open to the inside, which is going to make cleaning day so much easier. That’s a “tiny-to-dream” upgrade I didn’t know I needed!

The Front Door Dilemma

Construction is never without its hiccups. We had a slight scheduling juggle when our front door missed the first delivery—leading to a very long, unnecessary drive for one of our subcontractors. We felt terrible about the miscommunication, but after a 4-week wait, the doors finally arrived, and I have to say, it was worth the patience.

Larry and I had a friendly debate over this: he wanted a classic single door, but I’ve always dreamed of a double-door entry. Once they were installed with those beautiful split-glass panels, even Larry had to admit that the double doors make the living room feel so much more open and light-filled. It’s the grand entrance I’d been envisioning!

Kitchen & Bath: Making the Budget Work

As we moved into plumbing, we had to get strategic with our budget. For the guest bath, I made sure we squeezed in a deep soaking tub—a must-have for those days when I really need to unwind. In the master bath, we opted for a high-quality shower insert instead of a full tile job. It saved us roughly $10,000–$15,000, and we gained a large bench seat in the process. Sometimes, the “budget choice” feels like a luxury upgrade!

We’ve also been finalizing our “Water Workflow.” We decided to move the kitchen sink from the island to under the window—because honestly, who wants to stare at a faucet while hosting? We added a second sink to the scullery for canning season and a utility sink in the garage for project cleanup (and Larry’s farm-work hands!).

Shop the Build: The Utility & Design Essentials

While we’re in the plumbing and exterior phase, we’ve been sourcing items that help us keep everything clean and organized:

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