How Does the Process Work?
First you meet with one of our Sales Consultants or with the owner George Pafundi.
We find out three basic things:
What do you want in a home?
Describe the home itself and what your dreams are. This is where we discuss how many bedrooms and bathrooms, but we also will discuss what you want for a lifestyle and how you currently live. Are you an indoor or outdoor person or family? Do you enjoy entertaining? Do you have any special or unique needs or desires? Do you like to cook? What type of entertainment do you enjoy? Let's design your dream.
Where do you want it?
Where do you want to live? What will the property look like and how will it be used? Will you have any animals? Do you prefer a community location. What town do you want to live in? How much land are you comfortable with?
How does the financial part work?
This is where we will discuss what your financial needs and capabilities are. We save this part for last for a very simple reason. We want to know what your dreams are so we can help you find a way to make them happen. The dream has to come first and then you make a plan to form it into a reality. Yes many of our customers have the financial means without our special assistance, but most of our customers need a plan. We have been known to work with customers for years before they are ready to make their dreams a reality. No matter what your situation, we take pride in helping you create a lifestyle you can be truly happy with.
The Loan
Once we evaluate you current financial standing, we can then guide you through the world of banking and finance. We believe you need to know what you want before meeting with a lending institution. The banking system will typically approve you for the program that is best for them rather than what is best for you. There are exceptions to this rule, and we believe our network of lenders will treat you with more respect than you might find on your own. They understand what we expect of them.
Securing a Location
We have a number of ways to help you secure land. Sometimes we have a location for you, sometimes we need to help you find a location, and yes many times you already have your own lot and just want us to help you build on it. We have licensed Realtors who can help you find the perfect location and they are paid by the Seller in Idaho, so there are no additional fees to you.
Design & Budget
Now comes the fun part! As Home Builders, Contractors, Realtors, and Lenders, we are a team. We have put together a very unique group of companies and individuals that put you first. We believe that our subcontractors deserve to be paid well for providing a high quality of skill and service, but we also know you deserve the best deal out there. That is why we give you the option of having a flat fee builder direct program with ZERO MARK-UP of our subcontractors. You can and will see all bids and invoices. This is a very unusual program, and it allows us to provide an exceptionally well built home that is competitive with even high production builders. Custom homes at a production price!
You see, you can have your dream home at a fair and reasonable price. We start off with the basic house plan. We have many plans already drawn up that you can customize to your liking. If you want a completely custom plan, we do a basic three dimensional C.A.D. drawing that you can see, then we have our designers and architects take it from there. A completely custom plan costs a little more than a pre-designed home, but it ultimately depends on what your needs are.
At the same time that we do a basic design, we work on a basic budget for the home. At that point, you can add or remove line items dependent on your specific tastes and desires. Some folks want to do some work themselves, and we support those people with their dreams where possible. We want your home to demonstrate a high level of quality. Thus, we try to guide those who have the desire, experience, and capabilities to do some work themselves while cautioning our customers to only do the work they are qualified to do in a timely manner. That said, it can be a great way to save money on the construction of a home and the savings will be passed directly on to you. Most of our customers prefer to let the experts do the work for them, and we make sure all facets of your home are built correctly and at the best pricing available.
During the budget process, we will introduce you to a number of lending partners whom we recommend. We do not make any money on your loans, but we encourage you to select a company we have evaluated and trust. While the lenders are working, you will select options, features, colors, and materials over the next couple of weeks while the home is in design. Some items won't be selected until the plans are complete. Once all the plans have been approved and the financing is in place, we will go in for construction permits.
Permits
The permit process is unique to every local government and municipality. Fees vary as much as the process does. Some places require separate permits from the Fire, Health, Highway, Zoning, and Building Departments. Some places only require us to file at one location. Once the permit process is complete and we are ready to pick up permits, we will have a Preconstruction Meeting.
Construction
At this point, a Construction Superintendent and/or George Pafundi will meet with you and discuss your house plans, layout on the lot, color selections, and specifics to your home. You will receive a contractor list as well as a general schedule for the project. The time of the year and location of the project can have dramatic effects on the time it takes to build your home. Their can be no guarantees on time frame, but most homes take between 90 and 120 days to build.
There will be a meeting when the plumbing, electric, and rough mechanicals are being installed to discuss specific adjustments as needed and to allow you an opportunity to see how your home is being built. The project can be a dangerous place to be at this point, so we ask that you take the precautions we will outline for you at the time of the meeting. This is not the time to let your kids run around and explore! We do not want anyone to get hurt!
When your home is near completion and we have applied for the final occupancy inspections, we will meet again for a Homeowner Orientation. That will be our opportunity to demonstrate how your home operates, how to best maintain your home, what your warranty covers, and to locate any items that are in need of additional attention. We do not believe in turning a home over to the customer with any items yet to be completed. We have a very low number of warranty requests, and we attribute that to building a good home and making sure everything is complete when you move in.
Completion
Once we receive the Final Certificate of Occupancy, you can move forward with closing on your home loan and move in to your beautiful new home and start living that dream lifestyle you told us about.
Thank you for letting us help you build a lifestyle for you and your family. We know you will enjoy your new life, and we only ask that you help others fulfill their dreams by introducing them to us. We receive our customers almost entirely off of referral and your help will be greatly appreciated.