Custom Home Building

Welcome to Custom Home Building Building a custom home is an exciting experience. A great deal more of your time, thought, and personality will go into your home simply because you and your family will make many of the decisions usually made by your builder. Your own mental scrapbook of housing ideas can be arranged to create a new home that is uniquely yours. During our first meetings, we will listen as you describe your new home, beginning with budgetary considerations and general features and gradually becoming more specific and more detailed. Based on what you tell us, we can select from our files those floor plans that approximate your description. In some cases an existing home plan is an ideal place to begin. Occasionally, it is simpler to start with a blank sheet of paper. We will work with the most appropriate method for your needs. As these preliminary plans develop (at 1/8-inch scale) we get closer and closer to seeing your home on paper, just as you want it. Our experience has been that the design phase usually requires three to five (*virtual) meetings (sometimes more). While it is important to proceed quickly with all aspects of your new home, we want to be absolutely certain that we design it carefully, fully incorporating the features you desire.  (*click on SoftPlan link at bottom of page below for free viewer) As you continue to analyze and determine your priorities, we continue to fine-tune the design. One of the most satisfying aspects of having a custom home built is being able to make so many choices. One of the frustrating aspects is wondering what it will cost. Each change, adjustment, addition, or deletion in the design affects the cost of the home. Until your decisions have been finalized, none of us can know the exact cost of the home. We will work with a cost estimate or price range. When you are satisfied that you have made all the adjustments and changes you want, we are ready to have working blueprints (at 1/4-inch scale) drawn. Until now your contribution has been your thought and time. At this point we ask for your financial participation. Working drawings are necessary for final pricing (trade contractors will prepare their bids based on these prints) and they are ultimately used for the construction of your home. In addition, they allow you to view the plans in even more detail. The cost of these drawings will depend upon the size and complexity of your new home. Since we request payment in advance, you will know exactly what the cost of these drawings will be. This expense is part of the cost of your home and is credited to you at closing. However, design fees are distinct and separate from the earnest money deposit referred to in our sales contract. If you have not made final decisions in certain areas, for instance, appliances, tile, floor coverings, an allowance will be included in the pricing. This provides you with more time to consider your selections or perhaps work with a decorator, while at the same time a definite price for the new home can be set. If the allowance for a particular category is $1,500 and your final choices total $1,650, you will pay the additional $150 when you sign the order. If the total is $1,400, the difference will be credited to you at closing. If you prefer, we can make a recommendation for you, subject to your approval. Based on our knowledge and experience we can provide a choice of product or material appropriate for the style and price range of your home. Please note that some of the details of the home will be determined outside of your or our control.  Building codes, engineering, and homeowner association requirements will influence the plans for your new home.  We will point these out and discuss them with you. Changes are possible throughout the process. However, once blueprints have been drawn, engineering completed, and a building permit obtained, even a minor change can necessitate redrawing, reengineering, and re-approval by the building department and homeowners association. These extra steps are costly and cause delays in starting or progressing with construction. To avoid this, we encourage you to take full advantage of your design meetings to think out loud about your home and arrive at a plan that expresses your new-home dream. Many buyers begin this process with a great deal of construction knowledge. Others know what they like or dislike in a home but have not been exposed to the technical side of homebuilding. Wherever you are on this continuum, when your new home is complete, you will have acquired considerably more construction knowledge. Do not hesitate to ask for an explanation at any point. We expect and welcome your questions.

Company history We have been designing and building Quality, Affordable, Energy-Efficient Homes since the early 1980's.  By using the latest in technology, we are able to give our customers the best value when it comes to the purchase of your home.  We can start a design from scratch allowing for a full custom homebuilding experience that allows you to get the home of your dreams.  Or you may want to pick from from our selection of plans to start from and then add to the design the little things that are important to you.