Building a Custom Home Baltimore MD

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Introducing the Custom Home Life Cycle

The first step to beginning the process is looking at all the pieces and how they go together. Your new home has a number of individual projects and transactions necessary to complete it. Your new home also needs an army of people with their expert work and services. This section breaks down in an approximate order each person required to get through the process. Then we outline each step necessary to go from land to landscaping.

It takes (more than) two to tango — A quick guide to the players

The following list is a guide to all the individual players involved in the custom home process. You may or may not use them all; their roles can vary depending on your region and your project’s scope. The order of need may also change depending upon where you start in your process.

Financial planner and/or certified public accountant (CPA): If possible, start the custom home process by carefully assessing your finances; a financial planner or CPA can help make sure you can afford this project.

Real estate agent: You may need a real estate agent to help you find and purchase a lot. She also plays a role when it’s time to sell your existing home.

Loan officer: Your loan officer needs to be involved throughout the entire process. You may need to start with a refinance or credit line to get liquid. You want to finance the land and do it consistent with the construction financing. Finally, you still may need another refinance after the project. Your loan office can help you through these steps.

Developer or landowner: The land you buy has to come from somewhere. If you’re buying in a subdivision from a developer, you may deal with a sales office. Or you may end up buying from a landowner that has had the property for generations.

Escrow officer or attorney: Your state determines who administers the closing of your escrow, but either way, this person makes sure the title papers and insurance are all ready for you to take ownership.

Architect and/or designer: Architects and designers design and draft plans for the house. Architects are licensed; they’ll coordinate technical specifications for the house that may be beyond the scope of a designer. The architect can also guide you through the permitting process.

Log or timber frame dealer: If you’re building a kit home, you’ll work with your dealer for the design process as well as the purchase of your materials package.

Contractor/builder: You need to decide whether you need this person or if you’ll rely on yourself to drive the construction of your new home (see the “Being an Owner-Builder: More Power to You!” section, later in this article, if you may want to be your own owner-builder).

Surveyor: This person makes sure you know where your land begins and ends — a necessity for designing the house.

Soils engineer: In many states, such as California, your foundation depends upon the report issued by this person.

Well/septic engineer: If you’re building in a rural area, you need this person to design and certify your water and sewage systems.

Planning department: Your house needs to meet your neighborhood’s zoning requirements before you get permits. This department enforces the zoning.

Design review committee: You can’t always build what you want. This committee dictates what it wants to see in your design.

Building department: Everything must meet code, and this department checks your plans before issuing permits.

Appraiser: The lender won’t approve a construction loan without an appraisal estimating the finished value.

Insurance agent: This person provides the goods — he’ll be busy.

Material suppliers: Sticks and stones all have to come from somewhere. Some projects have many sources.

Subcontractors: Each one is an expert . . . just ask them. Artisans and craftspeople build each different system in your house.

Laborers: Somebody has to do the grunt work on the job. These guys and gals work the hardest and get paid the least.

Building inspectors: The building department checks up at various stages of construction to see that you’re building in line with regulations.

Disbursement agents: The lender assigns someone to make sure you get money when you need it or to solve problems with getting money from the lender.

Bank inspectors: The bank won’t give you money unless work has been done. These people come out to the property monthly or at various stages to make sure the work is complete.

Landscaper: Usually the last part to go in but sometimes the landscaper designs the landscaping at the beginning. This person makes the yard green with your green.

Mover: After all this work and trouble, the last thing you want to do is make 20 trips with the minivan. Let the movers do the work for you.

Decorator: If you have any money left at the end, you’ll have plenty of furnishings to spend it on. An interior decorator can help.

Although your architect or contractor may manage some of these relationships, ultimately you’ll need to coordinate all these people in order to complete the project. You’re going to meet many new people in this process, so put on your best smile and get ready to shake a lot of hands.

So many tasks, so little time — 50 steps to a custom home

You’re probably wondering why the custom home process has so many people involved. The simple answer: A custom home process has tons of tasks that need to be done. Although each home-building process may have some variation in the stages based upon factors such as location and weather, for the most part, the process moves in a step-by-step fashion.

The following list shows how a typical custom home process moves forward.

1. Decide you’re ready to tackle the custom home process.
2. Meet with financial experts and get organized.
3. Prepare cash flow with financing on your existing house.
4. Find land and make an offer.
5. Obtain land financing.
6. Close escrow on the lot.
7. Get surveys and soil reports.
8. Get well and septic approvals if required.
9. Interview and pick an architect, if applicable.
10. Create the house’s preliminary design.
11. Get zoning and design review approval.
12. Pick all your fixtures and materials.
13. Submit the plans for building approval.
14. Make the required plan changes.
15. Put the plans out to bid with contractors.
16. Interview and choose a contractor.
17. Apply for a construction loan.
18. Get an appraisal based on future value.
19. Get final approval for permits and pay fees.
20. Close escrow on the construction loan.
21. Set up disbursement account.
22. Set up communications with contractor and subs.
23. Prepare the building site for work.
24. Grade and/or excavate the property.
25. Trench for foundation, water, and sewer.
26. Pour the concrete for foundation and let cure.
27. Frame the exterior.
28. Frame the interior.
29. Install the windows.
30. Install the fireplaces.
31. Install the rough HVAC.
32. Install the rough plumbing.
33. Install the rough electrical.
34. Install the roof.
35. Install the outer sheathing.
36. Apply the exterior siding or stucco and paint.
37. Install the drywall.
38. Install the cabinetry and millwork.
39. Install tile, counters, moldings, and finish carpentry.
40. Install the doors.
41. Paint the interior and finish woodwork.
42. Install the plumbing fixtures.
43. Install the electrical fixtures and hardware.
44. Install the flooring.
45. Request the final loan disbursement.
46. Request final inspection and receive certificate of occupancy.
47. Roll to permanent financing.
48. Install the landscaping, including deck, pool, spa, and so on.
49. Sell your old house.
50. Move in.

Patience is a virtue — A true timeline for building your home

Asking how long it takes to build a custom home from start to finish is a bit like asking the question “How long is a piece of string?” The obvious answer of course is “It depends.” So many factors can affect the time frame that the overall project can stretch from six months to six years. Kevin often has clients who come to his office asking if they can move in by Christmas, to which he always responds, “Absolutely, as long as you don’t care which year!”

Over the years we’ve seen patterns for the time it takes to complete each phase. The main point is to be flexible. You want to have a house you love for the rest of your life rather than years of regret because you rushed everything. Here are some typical rough timelines for the process based on Kevin’s 20 years’ of experience.

Land acquisition: This step depends upon the availability of land in the area you desire. Land is hard to find, so pinpointing the exact time is difficult. Most of Kevin’s clients look for land for three to nine months before finding something they like. Purchasing the land, including the escrow and due diligence periods, can take anywhere from 30 days to six months.

Home design and approval process: This stage mostly depends on how picky you are and your financing considerations. Local government efficiencies can play a factor as well. Figure at least three months. The design and approval process requires that everything goes perfectly and you can quickly make your choices. Kevin has projects that have taken more than two years to get through this phase.

Construction: This stage covers the project’s scope and the availability of labor. You can use the construction lenders as a guide. Most lenders provide 12-month construction loans. Smaller houses or kit homes (homes where all materials are supplied as a kit, such as log homes) may go up in six to nine months. Large detailed mansions may need 18 months.

Landscaping and move in: This one is all up to you. After the house is complete, you can relax, although you may be required to finish landscaping in some neighborhoods within a year of completion. Most finish within six months.

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For Dummies is a registered trademark of Wiley Publishing, Inc. in the United States and other countries. Used here by license.

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