The Custom Building Process

Before you even approach a custom homebuilder, you should have a good idea of how much you want or are able to spend on your new home. By discussing your spending parameters with your banker, builder, and designer early on, you set the guidelines for the rest of the process.

The key to a successful project is to start with a defined budget ceiling, and then let your professional team do the legwork on how much lot and home you can afford within that budget. The budget is comprised of five basis elements - land, land development, home plans, specifications, and financing.

 

 

CLIENT PROCESS

 

• Locate and purchase your land

• Select a floor plan or design one

• Write out your specifications and features of your home

• Build and Watch your dream home come true

 

 

BUILDER PROCESS

• Survey: 

The Survey helps us understand the precise location, corners and boundaries of the property.  It also prevents mistakes in siting the house and other improvements.

• Preliminary plot plan: 

This plan will show the lot boundaries and the house footprint.  The plot plan helps to understand the home size and orientation appropriate for the site.  To draw this plan a survey is needed to show exact lot dimensions and boundaries.  

• Prepare preliminary home plans:  

  These include a plot plan and floor layout.  Your approval of these plans are needed before drawing the final and more detailed working drawings.

   

• Municipal approval:  

The plot plan must the be submitted to your local municipal department to get their approval.  This plot plan will show if you have complied with setback requirements and boundaries.  Revisions are common at this point, so you don’t want a full set of drawings yet.  If we submit a full set of plans, a turndown means a lot of work has to be done over.  This way, it ensures you from having to pay for another set of plans.  Submitting a plot plan first minimizes any siting errors.

• Prepare site plan:  

The site plan shows storm drainage, building grades and home sites.  Think of it as an elaborate plot plan with grades.  It helps determine water runoff and establishes comfortable grades for flatwork areas such as walkways, landings, parking and driveways.  Since the site plan is based on an accurate survey, this reaffirms setbacks that are within zoning requirements.

• Prepare working drawings:  

These are the final architectural drawings that we will submit for approval to the inspection department.

• Begin construction estimate process:  

When we have final working drawing, we can then begin the process of costing out the job.

• Prepare final construction cost estimate:  

When price quotes are complete from all sub-contractors, vendors and suppliers. This estimate should be about what you should expect to pay.

• Apply for building permit:  

This is the big moment; generally, we will apply for the building permit and deal with the plans examiner.  If we work with the building department and resolve potential problems as the plans are being developed, there should not be any surprises.

• Begin construction:  

Carpe diem! – seize the day!