Design & Style
5 Steps to Building a Custom Home
Posted on May 01, 2024 by dreeshomes
Posted on May 01, 2024 by dreeshomes
The idea of building a custom home is exciting and full of possibilities but can also be a little daunting. With so many factors to consider, you may be a little unsure of the process and exact steps involved. The where. The how. And who will make it happen. You've had a vision for your new home. Now let's bring your vision to life. Here's an overview of what you can expect when building a custom home with Drees:
With some custom builders, you can start from scratch with a plan that you might buy from an architect. While this allows for the ultimate in creativity, it also leaves room for budget creep and surprise delays in the timeline, since the builder has never built this particular home before.
At Drees, we encourage you to start with one of our award-winning floor plans as a base and will work with you to modify and adjust the plan so that it fits your vision. The advantage of using an existing plan as a base is that we are better equipped to give you clear estimates of costs and construction. We can also offer firm contract pricing on your home and design finishes - upfront and in writing.
Many custom home builders are too small to finance construction on your behalf, so they'll ask you to secure a construction loan and to purchase your lot directly from the seller. The downfall of this is that you will have to pay on a second loan in addition to the mortgage on your current home, and you will have a lot of additional paperwork and closings on each of these transactions.
Drees has been in the home building business since 1928. We're able to buy the lot and finance construction, so you don't need to worry about a construction loan. That's a major advantage, so that you have one easy closing at the end of the process to take possession of your home and land.
Selecting the finishes in your home is exciting part of the custom home building process. Many custom home builders will give you an allowance and a list of vendors to visit. Making all of these appointments can feel like a second job, and it's hard to see how the different elements will all come together in in a final look.
Because we know your time is valuable, we invite you visit the Drees Design Center where all the most on-point finishes and samples are available from the top manufacturers all in one place. We also have professional designers on staff who will consult with you on ways to combine finishes to achieve the look you have in mind.
Watch as your vision comes to life. The building process begins with a pre-construction meeting. From there, you will have weekly communication with your builder, pre-drywall reviews and various quality checks to ensure a worry-free process.
You can also follow your home’s progress in your personalized My Home portal. The portal allows you to track your home through the construction phases, view photos of your home and view important documents such as your warranty. The portal is even available after you close with maintenance checklists and helpful how-to videos.
You'll get acquainted with your new home at your new home presentation and receive your keys at closing. After closing, our dedicated warranty staff will schedule follow-up appointment at 90 days to address any remaining items that may come up. We also stand behind our homes with a 10-year transferrable structural warranty.
