Building Process

The first meeting with your contractor includes a discussion about the type of home, details about the land, and, of course: the budget. If you don't have a selected floor plan, your contractor can provide a custom home plan design to best match your lifestyle and the features you desire. If you need financing, your Contractor can provide you a "rough" cost estimate of the total project which includes land, the cost of site development, and the home. With this estimate, you will be able to discuss your financing options based on the expected costs of the entire project. Pre-qualification allows the project to move forward to the next step: the site visit.

After pre-qualification, you and your contractor will schedule a site visit to evaluate the land and determine what is needed to develop the site. Site development might include tasks such as tree removal, installing a septic system and putting in a temporary driveway for construction vehicles. Because every site is different, the requirements and associated costs will vary from project to project. This is also the opportunity to decide where on the land the home will be situated. Factors such as view from your windows, orientation to the street and privacy considerations will help guide this decision.

After you have selected the design that best fits your needs, obtained pre-qualification and completed the site visit, the next step is to go to the design center/model home and choose your finishes from a selection of options provided by your builder. For many people, this is an exciting time, because it is when you can see the vision for your new home starting to come together. We work diligently to provide the pricing for all of the options you may want, while working closely with you to stay within your budget. After the order is written, the design team can get started on the floor plan. A zoom call meeting will be set up with our designer to perfect your floor plan vision. This could include: moving walls, adding extra rooms, upgrading bathrooms and more. The goal is to create a custom space that matches your lifestyle and future plans.

After the design concept is completed, your builder will require a pre-construction agreement for the purpose of cost estimation, better value engineered decision making and a detailed budget for a single-family home. The pre-construction services may include, but are not limited to: site analysis and assessment, feasibility studies, initial planning and design recommendations, preliminary cost estimation, evaluation of project scope and timeline, regulatory guidance and compliance advice. Once completed, the proposal budget will provide you everything needed to secure a construction to permanent loan with a lender of your choice. *A fee for this service will be assessed based upon the scope of the work.

After the proposal is completed, the next step is finalizing the order and signing your contract to build. This is your opportunity to review the final project budget and make a decision whether to move forward or make additional changes. After this point, changes in the design cannot happen without altering the budget, so it is critical for you to be sure that it is the design you want and that it meets your budget goals.

Once the order is finalized and ratified, our designer will complete the full set of construction drawings that will be used to build your new home. These plans will incorporate the agreed-upon floor plan, options, customizations and finishes.

Once our designer has completed the drawings, the next step is scheduling the pre-construction meeting with the contractor. This meeting is an opportunity to go over the plans and answer any questions so you can have a better understanding of the construction process. Keeping open communication with our clients is very important to us. We will provide you real-time notifications on the progress of your build through BuilderTrend, our construction management software. This will allow us to stay on schedule and keep you on budget.

After the pre-construction meeting with your contractor, we will submit a building permit package and your construction drawings to receive a building permit. Every new home requires a permit, and depending on where the home is located, there may be other approvals required from homeowners associations, architectural reviews or other requirements.  Although it may seem like a lot of red tape, the permitting process exists to keep homeowners safe by ensuring that the home meets minimum code requirements.

The amount of time it takes to receive permit approval will vary depending on the permit type and the local permitting process. Some jurisdictions can process permits in days or weeks, while others have a longer wait time. Although obtaining a permit for a new home is often as simple as submitting the application and receiving approval, the process might also include responding to questions or meeting with the local permitting department.

After the permits have been approved, the homeowner is free to move forward with site development. The specific steps will vary depending on the project needs and the site features, but could include tasks such as clearing the site, coordinating the excavation, installing a septic system, and connecting to local utilities.

After site development has been completed, the construction team verifies the site is ready to proceed, and then pours the foundation and begins to build your new home. Once the home is "in the dry", you and your contractor will do a walk through with the electrician to discuss fixture locations. All your electrical fixtures, plumbing fixtures and appliance selections should be finalized at this point. You will also verify details like the kitchen-cabinet layout and flooring transitions at this point in the project. Actively participating in the midpoint inspection ensures that the final product is exactly what you ordered. This is your opportunity to raise questions or discuss any potential issues with the build process.

When your new home is substantially complete, you’ll do a pre-walk with your contractor to create what is called a “punch list.” This is the list of tasks that need to be completed before you move in, so pay close attention to every detail as you walk through the home. This is your last chance with your contractor to catch any errors or incomplete items to avoid delay or unnecessary costs.

The team needs time to complete the items on the punch list before your home orientation and the handover of the keys. The home orientation consists of a final walk through of the home, an instruction packet for all of the new systems in the home, and enrollment in a warranty program. This is your chance to learn how to maintain your new home, so make sure you closely review the instruction packet and ask questions if anything is unclear.