Custom Design
The first criteria in custom design is listening to your needs and desires. This is your home and your dream and so our goal is to make sure that you receive everything on your wish list. Because we are a husband and wife team we hear more, we understand, we combine the visions of the family members into a livable, buildable solution.
From the site evaluation, to the final construction documents, we are looking out for your interests and yours only. Whether it is stair design, room sizes or the hundreds of decisions that will need to be made, we offer the pros and cons to give you the information that you need to make a wise choice. Our goal is to guide you through the process so that every day after your home is built you can enjoy the memories that you will have in your beautiful dream home.
From the site evaluation, to the final construction documents, we are looking out for your interests and yours only. Whether it is stair design, room sizes or the hundreds of decisions that will need to be made, we offer the pros and cons to give you the information that you need to make a wise choice. Our goal is to guide you through the process so that every day after your home is built you can enjoy the memories that you will have in your beautiful dream home.
Before we meet...
Here is a list of some things that can help our first meeting together.
Come prepared with some or all of the following.
1. Your lot address and tax parcel number. This will help us prepare the site plan showing your house location, utility connections, driveway access and any orientation issues.
2. Brouse the internet or magazines and cut out or print the homes or features that are appealing to you. A picture is worth a thousand words. So if you like big beams and lots of stone, find some pictures that reflect your personal style. You also can find pics of kitchens, bathrooms, fireplaces etc. that you would like to incorporate in the design.
3. Brouse the internet and magazines for house floor plans that would fit your needs. This does not have to be exact. Look for things like "I like this kitchen, and this master bath".
4. If you are married, we suggest that you both come to our first meeting. Building a home can be very stressful. Lorie and I do volunteer marriage counseling and classes and so we are very sensitive to the needs of both spouses. We want you both to be blessed in your new home. If you are interested in having a better marriage, click this link. www.2equal1.com
5. We feel that our plans each represent a marriage and a family. We pray as we work on your house that you will be blessed and that your home will be a place of peace and joy in the years to come.
Come prepared with some or all of the following.
1. Your lot address and tax parcel number. This will help us prepare the site plan showing your house location, utility connections, driveway access and any orientation issues.
2. Brouse the internet or magazines and cut out or print the homes or features that are appealing to you. A picture is worth a thousand words. So if you like big beams and lots of stone, find some pictures that reflect your personal style. You also can find pics of kitchens, bathrooms, fireplaces etc. that you would like to incorporate in the design.
3. Brouse the internet and magazines for house floor plans that would fit your needs. This does not have to be exact. Look for things like "I like this kitchen, and this master bath".
4. If you are married, we suggest that you both come to our first meeting. Building a home can be very stressful. Lorie and I do volunteer marriage counseling and classes and so we are very sensitive to the needs of both spouses. We want you both to be blessed in your new home. If you are interested in having a better marriage, click this link. www.2equal1.com
5. We feel that our plans each represent a marriage and a family. We pray as we work on your house that you will be blessed and that your home will be a place of peace and joy in the years to come.
What you can expect...
Design Development
1. Preliminary Floor Plan Sketch. This can be either hand drawn or computer drawn (cad), but the goal is to transfer your ideas to paper. I usually make a pdf file and send as an email attachment. This is a time of interaction and flexibility. If you need more room in the garage or laundry room, then we adjust our sketch to get the floor plan that works.
2. Exterior Building Elevations. This is how your home will look from the front, rear and sides. We discuss features such as siding and roof material.
3. Site Plan. This is the view of your property with the house located on the site.
1. Preliminary Floor Plan Sketch. This can be either hand drawn or computer drawn (cad), but the goal is to transfer your ideas to paper. I usually make a pdf file and send as an email attachment. This is a time of interaction and flexibility. If you need more room in the garage or laundry room, then we adjust our sketch to get the floor plan that works.
2. Exterior Building Elevations. This is how your home will look from the front, rear and sides. We discuss features such as siding and roof material.
3. Site Plan. This is the view of your property with the house located on the site.
Construction documents
Construction Documents.
1. From this point on is all of the things your contractor and the county or city will want to see on the plans. It is usually complicated for those who are not familiar with construction methods. If you have a contractor selected, I can send these plans periodically to him to get his input and suggestions.
1. From this point on is all of the things your contractor and the county or city will want to see on the plans. It is usually complicated for those who are not familiar with construction methods. If you have a contractor selected, I can send these plans periodically to him to get his input and suggestions.
What now?
Choosing the right contractor can be a time of uncertainty. Here are some suggestions to make it a bit easier.
1. You have to like and get along with whoever you choose. Remember, you are 'married' to them for a long period of time. This starts in the preliminary stages, through construction and the many decisions that need to be made, all the way past that, for the 2 year warranty period.
2. Look for a fair price. If the quote is too good to be true, it probably is. We have seen too many people get in trouble when they take the lowest bid without looking at the other parts of the equation.
3. Ask to see and walk through some of the homes that your contractor has built. Most good contractors are ready and willing to do this and have already gotten permission from homeowners to show the quality of their work. Look for the details, like trim pieces and how corners fit together. Look at the corners next to a doorway to see if they are parallel all the way up. This is one of the ways how you can tell if the walls are straight.
4. Make sure that you understand the contract and get everything in writing. Memories are short and situations change. Sometimes we talk about a lot of different options and assume we heard you correctly. The solution is to put it in writing.
See our Contractor Referal page for suggested builders.
1. You have to like and get along with whoever you choose. Remember, you are 'married' to them for a long period of time. This starts in the preliminary stages, through construction and the many decisions that need to be made, all the way past that, for the 2 year warranty period.
2. Look for a fair price. If the quote is too good to be true, it probably is. We have seen too many people get in trouble when they take the lowest bid without looking at the other parts of the equation.
3. Ask to see and walk through some of the homes that your contractor has built. Most good contractors are ready and willing to do this and have already gotten permission from homeowners to show the quality of their work. Look for the details, like trim pieces and how corners fit together. Look at the corners next to a doorway to see if they are parallel all the way up. This is one of the ways how you can tell if the walls are straight.
4. Make sure that you understand the contract and get everything in writing. Memories are short and situations change. Sometimes we talk about a lot of different options and assume we heard you correctly. The solution is to put it in writing.
See our Contractor Referal page for suggested builders.
