How we build a house.
Eleven stages, start to finish. This is the whole thing, written the way we would explain it standing in your driveway.
The eleven stages
Plans and budget
We sit down with whatever you have: finished architectural plans, a plan you found and want changed, or a rough idea and a lot. We tell you early whether what you want and what you want to spend can meet. If they cannot, you find out now, while changing course is still cheap.
The bid
First we specify the house. We sit down with you and your plans for two to three hours and work through our specifications document, which covers your entire home from top to bottom: every selection from brick to flooring to door hardware, written down. Then that document goes out to the subcontractors and suppliers who would actually do the work and we build a price from their numbers. You get an itemized bid that shows what is included, what is allowance, and what is not covered. A price per square foot is a guess. This is not that. More on how pricing works.
Contract
We agree on scope, price, payment schedule and timeline in writing.
Permits, site work and selections begin
We pull the permits and handle the county, city or town. If needed, site work, clearing and house layoff begins. Utilities and septic or sewer get located and scheduled. You start making selections, and we bring them to you in the order they are needed so nothing holds up the schedule later.
Foundation
Footings, foundation walls or slab, and the waterproofing and drainage that go with them. This stage is inspected before anything gets built on top of it.
Framing
Floor systems, walls, roof structure. This is the stage where the house stops being a drawing and you can walk your rooms. It is also the best time to catch anything you want to change, so we walk it with you.
Dry-in
Roofing, windows, doors and housewrap go on and the building gets closed to weather. Once a house is dry, the interior trades can run in sequence without weather delays.
Rough-ins
Plumbing, electrical and HVAC get run behind the walls, then inspected. Anything you want ran for future use, from wiring to gas lines, needs to be decided before this stage closes.
Exterior siding and finishes
As soon as the rough-in inspection passes, the outside of the house starts going on. Brick, vinyl, cement fiber board, also known as Hardie, or stone. Decks and porches, driveway and grading follow.
Insulation, drywall and interior finishes
Insulated better than building code, then closed up with drywall and finished smooth. Trim, cabinets, countertops, flooring, tile, fixtures and paint. This is the longest stretch and the one where weekly updates matter most, because a lot of small trades pass through in sequence.
Walkthrough, punch list and handoff
You and Chad walk the finished house together and write down everything that needs attention. That list gets finished before you take the keys. You get your final inspection, your certificate of occupancy, your manuals and warranties, and a builder who still answers the phone afterwards.
A note on timelines.
Anyone who gives you an exact completion date before the foundation is in is guessing. Weather, inspections, and material lead times move. What we will do is give you a real range up front, tell you the moment something changes it, and explain why. That is the part most people actually want.
Ready to talk about your build?
Bring your plans, your lot, or just your questions.