(This post is part of an ongoing series that many of you will find interesting discussing building custom homes in our wonderful city of Charlotte North Carolina.)

Another important step in building your custom home is choosing a builder! In yesterday’s post we talked a lot about this. But here are some more things to think about when it comes to choosing your builder!

Referrals - There is just no substitute for a referral. A satisfied or dissatisfied customer is valuable information. You need to ask friends and neighbors for referrals.

Communication Style - First and foremost, you need to select someone that you feel comfortable communicating with. Does this builder respond well to questions? Changes? In the weeks ahead this will play a crucial role in the success of the process.

Policy About Site Inspections - This should be covered in the initial conversation. Some builders are uncomfortable with clients who spend a lot of time on the job. So you should ask how a potential builder feels about this. It is important that the builder keeps you informed and schedules inspections to discuss problems. This also allows a better understanding of what is expected on both sides.

Availability - How many projects does this potential builder have underway? This can affect how long it takes to build the home.

Price - Do not let price completely rule selection. Scrimping on the builder fee may cause heartache up the road. Make a reasonable choice. Find someone who conducts fair business dealings and does quality work.
*In the next post tomorrow we will talk more about price in connection with building your custom home in Charlotte North Carolina.

Charlotte NC. Charlotte NC Real Estate. Charlotte North Carolina. Charlotte North Carolina Real Estate.

(This post is part of an ongoing series that many of you will find interesting discussing building custom homes in our wonderful city of Charlotte North Carolina.)

Another important step in building your custom home is choosing a builder!

What follows is a discussion of some of the important aspects of the builder - client relationship. Your agent should advise you to investigate builders carefully. The length of time that it takes to complete a custom home project is determined by the complexity of the house, lot and location. You might even wish to get some general idea of time frame when having a conversation with potential builders.

It is important that you and the builder have a comfortable rapport. Later we will probably discuss some questions for you to ask the builder.

Builder’s License = North Carolina requires that builders and general contractors have licenses. Contractors must pass state exams and provide proof that they have access to an appropriate amount of working capital. An intermediate license allows a builder or contractor to take a project up to $1 million and is granted to a licensee who can show $75,000 of working capital. Finally an unlimited license to build up to any value is granted to a licensee who can show $150,000 in available working captital.

You need to make sure that your builder has the proper license to build the price home that is planed. You should make sure that the license allows your builder the type structure they are building.There are different licenses for residential, duplex, condominium, apartment and commercial building. You need to ask for a copy of a current license for your records.

Charlotte NC. Charlotte NC Real Estate. Charlotte North Carolina. Charlotte North Carolina Real Estate.

(This post is part of an ongoing series that many of you will find interesting discussing building custom homes in our wonderful city of Charlotte North Carolina.)

[Continued from yesterday's post which stated]
No matter who you hire, someone must create plans for your custom home and from these plans every detail will proceed. As stated before, there are literally thousands of items that go into the construction of a new home. Here are some basics on plans that you can reasonably expect.

You should be expecting the following:
(1-4 can be read in yesterday’s blog…)

5 Plot Plan - This shows the house on the lot. There should be two of these with one showing the present topography anda second showing the proposed final topography. This is used to help determine the proper drainage of the lot, possible need for retaining walls and foundation heights.

One special note for you to remember: It is also important to note that every designer or contractor will not automatically provide a plot plan. You may request a plot (also known as a site plan) or a builder may use their best judgment in placing the house on the lot.

Of course in this process, communication can’t be stressed enough. Making sure that all parties understand the goal and have the same vision is a critical piece of the project. Documentation provides assurances when confusion occurs. Documentation is a key component of communication.

Charlotte NC. Charlotte NC Real Estate. Charlotte North Carolina. Charlotte North Carolina Real Estate.

(This post is part of an ongoing series that many of you will find interesting discussing building custom homes in our wonderful city of Charlotte North Carolina.)

No matter who you hire, someone must create plans for your custom home and from these plans every detail will proceed. As stated before, there are literally thousands of items that go into the construction of a new home. Here are some basics on plans that you can reasonably expect.

You should be expecting the following:

1 Foundation Plan - The foundation plan indicates location and method for building the foundation. It includes location of all footings, foundation vents, and piers - both on the inside and on the outside walls.

2 Floor Plan - The floor plan shows floor framing lay out. Make sure that all selections are shown on the plans. The plan should indicate the type of flooring, location of crown molding, chair railing, wainscoting, paneling, beams, ceiling height, and all other details. There will be a separate sheet for each level of the home. Also do a separate plan that shows the electrical layout. If it is all on one sheet, it becomes very hard to follow and more mistakes are created.

3 Elevation Plan - Shows views of the home’s exterior from the front, back and side.

4 Detail Sheets - Any special items should be noted on a separate sheet. Separate notes on regular paper do not always get to the people in the field that do the work.

Charlotte NC. Charlotte NC Real Estate. Charlotte North Carolina. Charlotte North Carolina Real Estate.

This past weekend my wife and I were in Raleigh, North Carolina for my best friend Ethan’s wedding. We’ve been best friends for about 7-8 years. I was the best man and had a lot of responsibilities and was really really busy.

It was so much fun to see a lot of other friends from all around the country though who all came to the wedding to celebrate with Ethan. It is funny to hear what a great reputation Charlotte has all around the country. Everyone talks about what a great place it is to live and work and have a family, etc…

In fact, 2 of our best friends came home with us on Saturday night and then just left Monday night. A couple times they have thought about moving to Charlotte North Carolina in the past.

Well, they loved Charlotte so much on their visit. We took them around downtown Charlotte and showed them a few places and we ate out at a few restaurants.

They came to our church with us as well and loved it. He told me he would love to be a part of a church like ours and she said it was the most awesome church she had ever been to.

They both live in Michigan, not far from Detroit. He works for GM and just accepted a buyout. So, he will only be working with them through September. She is a hairdresser and can work pretty much anywhere.

No one really likes living in Michigan but EVERYONE loves Charlotte. It might be a long shot, but maybe our friends will move here to Charlotte? We’ll see. It would be fun.

Charlotte NC. Charlotte NC Real Estate. Charlotte North Carolina. Charlotte North Carolina Real Estate.

(This post is part of an ongoing series that many of you will find interesting discussing building custom homes in our wonderful city of Charlotte North Carolina.)

Now comes the fun part. Your dream starts getting closer and closer to reality and you begin to get really excite.

It is important to note, once again, that the location of your lot in a particular neighborhood or area may have either determined or limited the choice of plans and/ or builders. Some communities offer a choice of styles and approved builders. Some may be restricted to one builder only. It is crucial that you understand this BEFORE you go out and purchase a lot. If your lot choice did NOT determine the house plans or builder then you may want to hire either a home designer or architect or a custom builder to draw plans. If you elect to hire a home designer or architect then you still need to select a builder.

If you elect to work with an architect or home designer there is a separate contract between the two parties. most architects and home designers charge fees based on square footage or the anticipated cost of the home. Clients should be made aware that having plans drawn before lot selection may restrict lot choices. Further, if you have plans drawn and THEN purchase a lot, there is the risk that the plans will not fit on the lot, the home style may not be allowed in the community selected or fitting the plans to the lot may involve extensive alterations and added cost.

Charlotte NC. Charlotte NC Real Estate. Charlotte North Carolina. Charlotte North Carolina Real Estate.

(This post is part of an ongoing series that many of you will find interesting discussing building custom homes in our wonderful city of Charlotte North Carolina.)

Like I have written in the last few posts - lot selection is crucial!

Now when specifically addressing the question of cost there are a few items that your agent should specifically point out for you when building a custom home, as they may have a major impact. We have been talking about these for the past several posts in case you want to catch up. The final two areas are things such as…

Storage of Materials - When building a new home, being able to store material on the property and maneuver trucks (cement, lumber, truss, etc…) impacts charges from the builder. And understandably so. What you are taking on is so much bigger than track homes from regular big name builders who are going to build the houses in a certain way and area whether you want to buy it or not!
This may also directly impact the time required to complete construction.

Rough Stake - If a you are building a custom home and already have a plan, it may be worth the expense to rough stake the lot to determine if it will work. Walking the lot is not always sufficient when determining the fit of a plan to a lot.

Charlotte NC. Charlotte NC Real Estate. Charlotte North Carolina. Charlotte North Carolina Real Estate.

(This post is part of an ongoing series that many of you will find interesting discussing building custom homes in our wonderful city of Charlotte North Carolina.)

Like I have written in the last few posts - lot selection is crucial!

Now when specifically addressing the question of cost there are a few items that your agent should specifically point out for you when building a custom home, as they may have a major impact. We have been talking about these for the past several posts in case you want to catch up. They are things such as…

Well and septic tank availability and location are also significant cost factors. Water and sewer may not be available or the lot may not have been perked. It is important for you to know that lots must perk for the number of bedrooms to be constructed. It is also important to find out what type of sewer system is to be designed, as the cost for various systems differ greatly.

We are advising you to inquire with neighbors about water pressure and depth of wells because this will also provide good information for you in this area. Find out how old the perk test is and verify with the proper authorities that it is current. Rules do change and you don’t want to create a liability for yourself and your real estate agent.

Well, I am at the beach in Florida… so I am going to go enjoy the ocean before heading back to my home in Charlotte North Carolina. I will discuss the final 2 cost affectors tomorrow.

Charlotte NC. Charlotte NC Real Estate. Charlotte North Carolina. Charlotte North Carolina Real Estate.

(This post is part of an ongoing series that many of you will find interesting discussing building custom homes in our wonderful city of Charlotte North Carolina.)

Like I have written in the last few posts - lot selection is crucial!

Now when specifically addressing the question of cost there are a few items that your agent should specifically point out for you when building a custom home, as they may have a major impact. They are things such as…

Drainage - Silt fences may be needed to avoid runoff both during construction and after completion. Runoff must be controlled and kept from the street and neighborhood lots.

Utilities - The elevation and location of the water and sewer taps may greatly impact the project and price. No items can be placed over water and sewer lines. Additionally, floor elevation of the new home may be determined by elevation of the sewer tap. The house must sit so that the sewer will flow to the sewer service.

Location of the electrical box and meter may also impact cost. The longer the run to the house, the larger the wire required to help power the home.

Gas may or may not be available in the location that a client would like to build. If gas is not available buried tanks or propane gas are options, but they add cost.

There are probably many places around Charlotte where you will run into these situations… especially in the surrounding areas like Monroe, Mooresville, Weddington and places like that.

Check in tomorrow for more things that affect cost in custom homes.

Charlotte NC, Charlotte NC Real Estate, Charlotte North Carolina, Charlotte North Carolina Real Estate

(This post is part of an ongoing series that many of you will find interesting discussing building custom homes in our wonderful city of Charlotte North Carolina.)

Like I have written in the last few posts - lot selection is crucial!

Now when specifically addressing the question of cost there are a few items that your agent should specifically point out for you when building a custom home, as they may have a major impact. They are things such as…

Trees - Many trees may need to be removed for house, drive and landscaped areas. Dozer and dump fees can be expensive. In addition, if a well or septic tank is required, more trees will be lost.

Fill Dirt - The expense of fill dirt must not be overlooked! It can be expensive and is needed for backfilling. It also may increase the cost of waterproofing.

Drive - The location of the house on the lot determines the length of the drive. Depending on the type of drive, this can be very expensive. Turnarounds can also be very expensive. If the lot requires a retaining wall to create the turnaround, this will also increase the cost.

Soil - The type of soil on a lot can greatly increase the cost of a home. Some ground holds water and in some situations, bad soil may need to be replaced with good soil. An engineer can be consulted if there are concerns about soil.

And we’ll talk about some more of these “Cost Affectors” tomorrow.

Charlotte NC. Charlotte NC Real Estate. Charlotte North Carolina. Charlotte North Carolina Real Estate.