We built our semi-custom home in a tiny town on the South Carolina coast, and we’ve got plenty to say about it. From what everything actually cost to the projects we DIY because my husband refuses to pay someone for something he can do himself, this is where we share what we’ve learned about building a home—and a life—a little farther off the beaten path. This is real life with real numbers—and we’ve got the receipts.
Originally Published October 22, 2025 · Updated July 2026 Updated: we’ve been in the house since December 2025, so I’ve refreshed our real final numbers and added the questions people keep asking me about building in Charleston. Building on a Budget We built our dream home with Schumacher Homes in a small town outside of […]

Let me start with a confession: the Meadowview was not our first love. Our first love was the Savannah — a charming one-story floor plan I had fully moved into in my head. Then we priced an elevated foundation under its bigger footprint (we’re in a flood zone, so elevation was non-negotiable) and watched our […]

I am really glad I let the dust settle (literally) before writing this one. As you can imagine, I’ve had about a hundred people ask me for an honest review on our experience with Schumacher Homes, from local people that know about our build to total strangers on Instagram, and I haven’t exactly wanted to […]

Alright, I did the math so you don’t have to. And honestly, that’s heavy lifting from an English major, so you’re welcome. Let’s dive in, shall we? I know why you’re here… The #1 question I get about our build is some version of “okay but how much per square foot?” And I get it […]

If you ask me, it’s totally worth trading Target runs for tractor rides, but country life certainly does come with a few “inconveniences” (read: essential line items) when you build without town utilities. We also built our home .4 miles from the intracoastal water way, which added a few more zeros in places we didn’t expect. The same […]
