Our Process & FAQs
Step 1: Planning
- Choose Lot or Land
- Draw Floorplan
- Ballpark Project Quote
The first step for any build is to choose the location and floor plan for your new home, as the lot often directly affects the home design.
If you already have a location and design in mind, great! We can pick up from there. If not, we are happy to assist in lot assessment as we work with many developments at all price ranges. We also welcome the opportunity to build on your own land.
After a location is picked, we will discuss, generally, what you want for your home and provide a ballpark price range for the project.
Then, it’s time to start drawing your floorplan. Whether you’re drawing a plan from scratch or modifying an already existing plan, we work with several architects who can assist with the process. The cost to draw the plan will vary for each project, but we work to provide a quote before starting. The cost of the plan is the only upfront “deposit” we require for any of the initial design and bidding services.
Step 2: Bid
- Pre-Bid Meeting
- Bid Presentation
- Fine-Tuning
Once you have settled on a floor plan, we will sit down for a pre-bid meeting. This is a lengthy, extensive meeting during which we will discuss every detail of your home—from flooring and cabinets to insulation and roofing. Going so in-depth on the front end allows us to provide you with an extremely detailed bid with quotes on anything you want (or even might want) in your home.
A few weeks after the pre-bid meeting, we will be ready to present your bid.
We do this by presenting your costs in two ways: 1) the absolute least expensive way to build based on your needs, and 2) a list of optional items with prices broken down for each item.
Breaking the bid presentation into these two categories gives you insight on how much each individual aspect of your home will cost and allows you to control those costs in order to hit your budget. You can make as many changes as needed to land on a final number you feel comfortable with.
This is a unique way of bidding that allows you to see the fixed final cost of your home before coming under contract. We do NOT do “cost-plus,” a popular system that often leads to unforeseen costs at the end of a build—at the homeowner’s expense. (Read more about fixed price vs. cost-plus contracts in this blog post.)
Step 3: Contract & Financing
- Sign Contract
- Secure Financing
Once the bid is complete and fine-tuned, we will have the final, unchanging, total contract price, and at this point we will be ready to sign the construction contract.
The process for obtaining financing can go in several directions:
- For those building on one of our lots, we will obtain the construction loan. We require a down payment based off your plan and budget. Once we close on our loan, construction can begin. Under this option, you will only be responsible for the down payment and to close once the house is finished.
- For others, you will be responsible for obtaining your own financing by providing the plans and contract to a bank of your choosing. After the construction loan is approved, we can start building. We will bill you in increments according to our draw schedule, so you will pay us according to the stage of construction and percentage of work completed.
- For those paying in cash, we can start immediately after the contract is signed. As with those in group two, we will bill you according to the draw schedule.
Step 4: Construction
- Selections
- Site Meetings
- Change Orders
You’ll remain an active part of the process during construction through selections meetings and site walk-throughs. You are also welcome (and encouraged!) to visit your job site or contact us anytime.
At this point, you will start making your selections. Our selections process is broken down according to the build schedule—brick, roofing, windows, and the like are of first importance, followed by fireplaces, doors, plumbing, and so forth. If this seems overwhelming, our team and venders are here to help every step of the way, and design services are always an option.
Because we use a fixed bid and fixed contract price, any changes to the specs you make during the selections stage will be quoted and sent to you before being implemented. If approved, a change order is made, and you will either be billed or credited accordingly.
Step 5: Post-Construction
- Closing (celebrate!)
- Warranty Begins
At the end of construction, we will have a thorough walk-through to make sure you are completely satisfied before any final payments are required. Then, even after closing, we stand behind our work and will address any issues or questions that might arise. (Learn more about our one year builder warranty program in this blog post.)
Finally, the process will be complete, and you can focus on making your new house a home.
Have questions? See the FAQs below, and please don’t hesitate to reach out!
FAQs
How custom do you build?
Entirely. We don’t have a set list of plans, materials, or optional selections to choose from like many builders. While we will certainly guide you through drawing/modifying a floorplan and cultivating a beautiful and safe home, you are in full control of your design and finishes.
Do you assist in finding a bank during financing?
We don’t typically, but only because it’s never been necessary. Most banks simply need us to provide the building plans and the final budget found in the contract, then they pick up the process from there. However, if anything arises that’s out of the ordinary or requires our assistance, we’d be happy to help.
The only aspect we recommend in a bank, really, is that their draw process is not unnecessarily difficult, complicated, or detrimental to the build progressing as it ought. One such example is Central Bank, who we primarily use for our own construction loans.
Will we receive a price estimate before paying a deposit?
Of course. Our process includes us providing the full cost of your project before you pay your first draw. Your only expense before signing the contract will be for your plans, which are required to draw up that full estimate.
At what point is the final price established, and is it really final?
There is usually some back and forth during the bid process where we fine tune your selections and allowances, but after that point–as soon as we sign a contract–you will have a solidified final cost.
That final cost will only change if you then make any changes to the scope of work, which would result in a change order separate from the contract. Even then, an explicit approval from you is required. You are very secure in your final price.
Can we make changes during the build?
Short answer: yes. Any requested changes will be quoted as a change order, which then must be approved by you, and you will be either charged or credited accordingly.
Long answer: yes, but we will make suggestions as to when you should finalize certain decisions. For example, before ground plumbing is finished, you should solidify where all in your home you want plumbing; we can certainly add lines at a later date, but doing so could be costly and hold up the build. This is to your discretion.
Additionally, there will be very few times when making changes is not recommended due to significant costs, building codes, structural changes, etc., in which case we will explain and suggest other courses of action.
What warranties do you offer?
We have a one year builder warranty and employ an in-house warranty manager dedicated to any and all warranty issues. We use the official Oklahoma Homebuilders Association Warranty and work to make our particular process as straightforward and fair as possible. Additionally, many of the products in your home will have their own warranties that supersede ours, such as your appliances.