Land / Building Lot = Your Dream Zone

Most prospective clients who begin a conversation with us either already own their building lot or are in the process of searching for one. If you are looking for a building lot, we can help you evaluate the lot as to its suitability to your building goals. We are happy to help you during your lot search at no obligation. It gives us both a chance to start a relationship and see if we are a good fit for each other.

 From Plans to Building

The first thing you will need is a vacant lot survey with some elevation data. This is the template on which the house, pool, driveway, accessory structures must fit and be organized to take advantage of views, solar orientation and other site issues.  Compliance with local zoning and planning department ordinances can be verified with the lot survey data.

The next step is to talk about building costs and the size and type of home you want to build. There are several approaches to developing a house plan (see the “Home Plan Development” section below).  Once you have settled on a plan, the cost of the project can be determined.  We provide a full set of detailed specifications (lists of all the finishes and fixtures going into the home), the complete turn-key cost of the project, and a contract to review at this stage.

After signing a contract to build, it can take 4-8 weeks to produce the construction blueprints, develop a site plan, have an engineer seal the plans and get all the necessary permits. If your lot is on the sound front or ocean front it can take it bit longer to complete the permit process as this will involve CAMA permitting as well.   It normally takes 5-7 months to complete the construction of the building once the foundation/pilings have been put in place.

Home Plan Development

Plans are usually developed in one of the following ways:

1. We help you choose a plan from homes we have already built or from local designers we work with. Often we can take you through one of these homes or one that is similar. Everyone’s tastes and needs are different, so in almost every case we end up modifying the plan that comes closest to having all the features you are looking for.

2. You already have a plan.

a. Your plan is by an architect/designer you hired to create a custom home for your property. If so, he or she may have developed a site plan as well, using a property survey.

b. You purchased a plan from a plan book or online collection of plans that are not site specific and are not designed to meet all the local building codes and wind codes for our area.  We will likely have to make some changes to the plan, sometimes substantial, to make it code compliant.

c. You bring us your napkin sketches, ideas, room requirements and pictures from magazines. Many home plans start from just such beginnings. Not to worry. We have worked this way with many clients.

This path will involve a design contract separate from the building contract and will require more of your time and energy, but can yield a home that is designed and built exactly to your needs and desires.