How can I be part of the building process for my new home?

The construction of a new home differs from other manufacturing processes in several ways. By keeping these differences in mind, you can enjoy participating in the construction process and assist us in building your new home:

  • As a consumer, you rarely have the opportunity to watch as the products you purchase are created. Your new home is created in front of you.
  • You have more opportunity for input into the design and finish details of a new home than for most other products. Our success in personalizing your home depends on effective communication.
  • Because of the time required for construction, you have many opportunities to view your new home as it is built, ask questions, and discuss details.

We will meet with you at two points during the building process. The first of these is the Framing Tour. This tour takes place prior to wallboard being installed. It gives you the opportunity to view what is behind your walls before they are covered. We recommend bringing a camera for future reference on where items may be located.

The next time we meet is at the Home Orientation. At this meeting, we provide an overview of how your home operates and answer your questions.

What is the extent of my new custom home building plans and specifications?

The building department of the city or county where your home is to be located must review and approve the plans and specifications for your home. We construct each home to comply with the plans and specifications approved by the applicable municipal building department. Your specifications become part of our agreements with trade contractors and suppliers.

Regulatory Changes: From time to time, city or county agencies adopt new codes or regulations that can affect your home. Such changes are usually adopted in the interest of safety and are legal requirements. The codes and requirements in effect for each area can vary. Therefore, builders may construct the same floor plan slightly different in two different jurisdictions or at two different times within the same jurisdiction.

Individual Foundation Designs: Another area where variations among homes can appear is in the foundation system. The foundation design is specific to each lot. Based on the results of a soil test and lot drainage requirements, an engineer determines the finished floor height for each foundation. Because of variations in soil conditions among lots, your foundation may differ from your neighbors’ foundation or that of the same home in another neighborhood.

Changes in Materials, Products, and Methods: The new-home industry, building trades, and product manufacturers are continually working to improve methods and products. In addition, manufacturers sometimes make model changes that can impact the final product. As a result, we may use methods or materials in your home that differ from those in our model homes.

In all instances, any substitution of method or product will have equal or better quality than your original selection. Since such substitutions or changes may become necessary due to matters outside our control, we reserve the right to make them without notification.

Natural Variations: Dozens of trade contractors have assembled your home. The same individuals rarely work on every home in the same way and, even if they did, each home would still be unique. The exact placement of switches, outlets, registers, and so on will vary slightly from the model and other homes of the same floor plan.

What level of quality can I expect to see in the new home building?

Our company will build your new home to the quality standards demonstrated in our model homes. Each new home is a handcrafted product––combining art, science, and raw labor. The efforts of many people with varying degrees of knowledge, experience, and skill come together. We coordinate and supervise these contributions to produce your new home.

From time to time, during a process that takes several months and involves dozens of people, an error or omission may occur. Please remember that we will correct any errors during the appropriate time of construction. We have systems and procedures for inspecting our homes to ensure that the level of quality meets our requirements. We inspect every step of construction and are responsible for quality control. In addition, the county, city, or an engineer conducts a number of inspections at different stages of construction. Your home must pass each inspection before construction continues.

  • Bring your concern up at the Framing Tour
  • Or, please see the site sales representative

During the construction process, every home being built experiences some days when it is not at its best. Homes under construction endure wind, rain, snow, foot traffic, and activities that generate noise, dust, and trash. Material scraps are a byproduct of the process. Although your new home is cleaned by each trade upon completion of their portion of the work, during your visits you will encounter some messy moments. Keep in mind that the model homes you toured also once endured phases of less appeal!

Trade Contractors: Your home is built through the combined efforts of specialists in many trades––from excavation and foundation, through framing, mechanical, and insulation, to drywall, trim, and finish work. In order to ensure you the highest possible standard of construction, only authorized suppliers, trade contractors, and employees are permitted to perform work in your home.

What will the timeline of my new home building look like?

Schedules: The delivery date for your new home begins as an estimate. Until the trim and cabinets are installed, weather can dramatically affect the delivery date. Even after the home itself is past the potential for weather-related delays, weather can severely impact installation of utility services, final grading, and concrete flatwork, to mention a few examples. Extended periods of wet weather or freezing temperatures bring work to a stop in the entire region. When favorable conditions return, the tradespeople go back to work, picking up where they left off. Please understand that they are as eager as you are to get caught up and to see progress on your home!

Delivery Date: As completion nears, more factors come under our control and we can be more precise about a closing date. Expect a firm date when trim and cabinets have been installed in your home. We suggest that, until you receive this commitment, you avoid finalizing arrangements for your move. Until then, flexibility is the key to comfort and convenience. We want you to enjoy this process and avoid unnecessary stress caused by uncertainty that cannot be avoided.

When “Nothing’s Happening”: Expect several days during construction of your home when it appears that nothing is happening. This can occur for a number of reasons. Each trade is scheduled days or weeks in advance of the actual work. This period is referred to as “lead time.” Time is allotted for completion of each trade’s work on your home. Sometimes, one trade competes its work a bit ahead of schedule. The next trade already has an assigned time slot, which usually cannot be changed on short notice. Progress also pauses while the home awaits building department inspections. This is simply part of the normal sequence of the construction schedule and occurs at several points in every home. If you have any questions about the pace of work, please contact your site sales representative.

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