Elegant Living Homes-A Premier Home Builder in the Bryan-College Station, Brazos Valley Area

A premier home builder in the Bryan-College Station, Brazos Valley area

Custom Home Building Guide

I. Contact a reputable builder.

How do you determine this? There are several ways to choose which builder you want to talk with.

Look at some the homebuilder’s product. Look at the detail in the builder’s homes. This should help you decide which builder you would like to talk with.
Ask for references. References are a builder’s best advertising, and they should be proud to share these with you. Previous customers and their experiences can give you information about how the builder operates and interacts with the customer during the homebuilding process.
Is the builder committed to building homes on a full time basis or are they involved in other business ventures that will take time away from building your new home?
How well does the builder handle punch and warranty items?

II. Plan design, does the builder offer this service?

This service is not essential but is a plus.

If the builder offers plan design, this is an advantage in both time savings and getting a design exactly as you wish it to be in a shorter amount of time.
Is the builder on top of changes in building codes? Since these change continuously, the builder can direct decisions that can result in cost savings to you that are related to planning and design.

III. Specifications

Does the builder put your specifications in writing? This is an extremely important aspect of the custom homebuilding process for several reasons.

First, written specifications help determine an accurate price to build the home. Within the specs, allowances for certain items will be established such as fixtures, appliances, flooring, etc.
Second, written specifications help avoid surprises. Again costs come into play. If the homeowner expectations differ from the builder’s and the cost was not included this can cause un-needed conflict and stress.
Specifications will help speed the building process because they allow for better planning. They will allow you to know in advance what is planned and help relieve some of the stress that naturally comes with building a home.

IV. Financing

Your homebuilder should have some knowledge of construction financing and mortgages.
What are the advantages or disadvantages to the homeowner providing the construction financing? Most reputable builders will require a substantial construction deposit if they carry the construction financing on one of their lots. Can they explain some of the tax advantages that you could enjoy because of the many different financing options available?

V. Price to build

The price of a new home plays a major role when choosing to buy a home already on the ground or custom building. Looking at present and future considerations is very important.
Lowest price is not always the best in the overall picture. Consider the amount of time the builder is willing to spend with you. This time may be considerably less when price is an issue.
Will the lowest price, guarantee you that you are dealing with a profitable builder that will be around to provide service to you after the sale? Can the builder give the service that may be required after the sale if they are operating at a bare minimum?

All of the items listed above, are important considerations when choosing who you want to build your home. The planning process with your builder is essential in providing a pleasant custom home building experience. There are many decisions to be made when building a custom home. If the planning process has been in depth and precise, choosing colors or light fixtures will be the toughest part of the building your new home.

ELH can build your dream home. We can build on your lot or ours. We can build your plan or ours. Ours can be modified to suit your needs and desires. If you own your lot, out of pocket costs to finance can be little or nothing. Call Cindy, owner/Realtor™, at 979-823-0638 and talk with her about the different options.