Building a new home or doing a renovation is an exciting venture! We want to work with you in making the process of enhancing one of your greatest assets as stress-free and smooth as possible. The following provides a guideline of the process of planning and constructing a home project.
(Already have blueprints? Click here.)
What is the scope of your project? Are you hoping to build from scratch or modify your existing home?
Dream Home?
It has been a lifelong goal of yours to build the house of your dreams
More Living Space?
A larger kitchen and dining area to host family Christmas
A sunroom to bask in natural light while reading a good book
Additional bedrooms for your growing family
Increased Curb Appeal?
Add roof details, such as dormers
Replace faded aluminum siding with prefinished wood
Add a covered timber entry to draw visitors to your front door
Give some thought as to what activities will take place in your new space, as well as how people will move from room to room.
What works and what doesn’t in your existing home? Are there bottlenecks? Is the current kitchen or bathroom layout functional or awkward?
Cooking?
You love to cook and could use additional preparation space
More cabinetry to provide a home for your small kitchen appliances
Entertaining?
Remove walls to improve traffic flow between rooms as well as bring in more natural light
A large kitchen island to serve food from or have your friends congregate around while preparing a meal
Relaxing?
A screened-in porch to enjoy a beverage outdoors without pesky mosquitos
Curling up with a good book in front of a beautiful stone fireplace
We are frequently asked: “How much does it cost to build a house?” “What would it cost to renovate our kitchen?” This question is difficult to answer without a plan. Imagine walking into a car dealership and asking the car salesman, “How much does a car cost?” without pointing to a particular car. There are small cars, big trucks, “green” cars, luxury cars, etc.
We recommend you create a wish list by collecting thoughts and ideas:
Research ideas, features, and architectural styles you like. Be sure to save photos and articles.
Visit the homes of friends and family:
What do you particularly like/dislike about their home?
What do they like/dislike about their home layout/design?
Check out supplier showrooms:
See display items
Touch materials
After you’ve created a wish list, a helpful exercise is to break down your list into two categories: “Wants” and “Needs”. Urgent repairs (e.g. a leaky roof) will, of course, fall into the “Needs” category, whereas optional finishes (e.g. crown moulding in every room) may fall into “Wants.” For your own clarity, you may then wish to rank your categories based on priority. After working with dozens of clients, we are an excellent resource to help clients narrow down their lists and goals.
We strongly encourage you to come up with a firm budget for your project. Determine not only what you can spend, but more importantly, what you are comfortable spending. If necessary, meet with your financial advisor/institution to determine what borrowing options are available to you.
Now is the time to get together and discuss the possibilities! Let’s schedule a meeting to discuss how to realize both your “needs” and “wants” while staying within your budget.
At this point we will go over:
The general scope of the project
Your desired budget
Styles, finishes, and options that appeal to you
Our initial impressions, suggestions, and ideas
Once we have an understanding of your vision, we can provide you with a quote for the proposed work. It takes approximately 1-2 weeks for us to create a customized quote for your consideration.
We typically meet several times with clients after the initial budget quote has been accepted. During this planning stage, we provide guidance and advice as we work towards finalizing the details of your project.
During this stage:
· The project design is ratified
· A final detailed scope of work, as well as a firm, fixed price, is agreed upon
· Project timelines and payment schedules are confirmed
· The construction contract documents are signed
· The initial deposit is paid
· Building permits are obtained
· Windows and doors are ordered
· Finishes (cabinetry, trim, flooring, etc.) are confirmed and ordered
This is always a very exciting phase for both home owners and our team as all the 2-dimensional planning and preparation takes on it’s 3-dimensional form!
The typical steps for building projects are:
New Home or Addition:
1. Site preparation: demolition, excavation, services, foundation, grading
2.Rough framing, windows, roofing, siding
3. HVAC, plumbing, electrical rough-in
4. Insulation, drywall
5. Interior trim, painting, cabinets
6. Flooring, countertops, bathroom fixtures, mirrors, shower doors
7. Final walk-through
Kitchen/Bathroom Renovation:
1. Site preparation: removal of existing cabinets and flooring
2. Rough framing, mechanical, electrical
3. Insulation, drywall, trim, painting
4. Flooring, cabinets, electrical finishing
5. Countertops, finish plumbing, kitchen backsplash
6. Final walk-through
Throughout the building phase, your questions, feedback, and input will always be welcomed. You can expect the following from our team during this phase:
Regular communication to be sure any questions that may arise are answered quickly and that your project stays on schedule
Your project site will be kept tidy, secure, and safe
For approximate time-lines, click here.
