Squaring a project’s goals and budget — often two very different things — is a common problem architects and homeowners confront in a project’s earliest planning stages. The two almost never align when we begin. Working to reduce the size of the overall project is the best way to affect the cost early on, when little is known about the structure, its finishes or any of the details.

Breaking up your remodel or custom home project has benefits and disadvantages. See if it’s right for you.