Are you truly a custom-home builder?What is a custom home?Are you a green builder?How does the selections process work?How does the builder help us through this detailed and important process?How long does it take to build a custom home?How does the weather affect the building process?How much supervision will my house have during construction?How important is landscaping to the project?What if we already have a site to build on?Will you build our plan on our site using our architect?What percentage of the total package should the site be?How do you price the home we want to build?Why don’t you give us a firm price?What kind of warranty should we expect on our custom home?How essential is it to check a builder's references?What makes you different as a builder?Summary
Are you truly a custom-home builder?Yes. It is what our company is all about. We have built many homes, no two are alike. We can build any style you have in mind. Everything from Contemporary to European and Timber Frame each and every one has been customized to meet the requirements of the owner. What is a custom home?At any given time in the market place, the odds of finding the house and location perfect for you are remote. Whether it be the site, the colors, or the flow of the floor plan, you probably won't find that ideal combination. You can, however, build a custom home designed specifically with you and your family in mind that has very few, if any compromises. Are you a green builder?Yes! Actually, we have always included the benefits of green building in our homes. All of our homes are Energy Star and North Carolina HealthyBuilt certified. To achieve these ratings, you must install materials that conserve water and energy, improve air quality or are recyclable. These materials could be compact fluorescent lighting, tankless hot water heaters, high SEER heat pumps, and low-flow faucet aerators. We encourage our clients to install low-maintenance, renewable materials such as pebble dash stucco, solar heating, and rainwater irrigation systems. How does the selections process work?You can be just as involved as you want to be. With the assistance of our interior designer you can select everything inside and out. We offer home buyers choices as to design/cost alternatives as well as ranges of grades and materials. But you, the home owner, have the option of selecting specific materials. You can also choose to save yourself time and rely with complete confidence on our interior design team.
How does the builder help us through this detailed and important process?Tracking all the details- from the type of hinges to stain colors- is a critical part of the building process. We work closely with our interior designer to assure that the selection process flows smoothly. All selections are entered into our web based tracking system and monitored very closely and updated as needed. You will have full access to your homes web site.
How long does it take to build a custom home?This naturally depends on the size of the house, lay of the land and intricacies of the design. Once construction begins, a 3,000 square-foot custom home should take approximately Twelve months to complete. For every additional 1,000 square feet, add one month.
How does the weather affect the building process?With today's technology, building can begin at any time of year. In our area, there are only two truly poor construction months and those normally are January and February. Even during those months, there are several windows of opportunity when foundations can be poured without any difficulty. Concrete walkways and driveways, and masonry work cannot be done during extreme cold, but these can easily be deferred without any effect on the overall schedule.
How much supervision will my house have during construction?The construction supervisor will visit the site regularly. Additionally, there is almost always someone from our firm working on a daily basis. Virtually all our people - from carpenter to the site coordinator - are trained such that each can supervise the project with the same pride and attention to quality as shown by Dan Grammatico himself.
How important is landscaping to the project?Our firm believes that landscape design is as important as the architectural style of the home. A landscape designer should be a part of the design process. He will provide insight into the positioning of a home on a specific site, while helping to create a view from every window. A successful custom-home isn't just the building alone, it's the entire property. A good landscape architect / designer creates an environment that complements the custom home, increasing both its beauty and value.We work with the best landscape design firm in the area and will guide you through this process.
What if we already have a site to build on?That's fine. But don't forget those extra costs for titles, permits, finance charges, closing, etc. that can add as much as 8% to the total cost. Remember when you buy a site, you are responsible for all the land costs. There are many technical and financial considerations, from soil conditions to hidden assessments. Grammatico Signature Homes is available to consult on your land choice.
Will you build our plan on our site using our architect?Yes. In working with your architect, we often offer suggestions for plan adjustments, including positioning of the house, grading, and drainage of the property, etc., as part of our proposal. This helps better manage construction time and the overall cost of the project.
What percentage of the total package should the site be?Grammatico Signature Homes: The rule of thumb on this formula is the home/lot package is usually around five times the cost of the lot. In other words your lot is one fifth the cost of the project.This can vary depending on the neighborhood. How do you price the home we want to build?We will build your home as a Construction Management Agreement. Also known as “cost/plus” building contract. Under a CMA once the plans are ready we will provide you with a cost breakdown and line item budgets for all the selections you will be making for your home. This cost breakdown will list the cost all the items in your home both structural and estimated budgets for items you will be selecting. We charge a percentage over our cost for the labor and material installed in your home. The percentage varies depending on the complexity of the home. It falls between 18-20%.
Why don’t you give us a firm price?We will build your home under a Construction Management Agreement because we feel it is the fairest approach for both you the client and us the builder. Under firm price contracts builders often set unrealistic allowances and “pad” the budget because there is so many unknown costs. There are also endless change orders. This can lead disputes and unhappiness between the owner and builder. Under a CMA you are in control of the cost and you only pay for what we manage during the construction process. This puts you in control and can save thousands as compared to a firm price contract.
What kind of warranty should we expect on our custom home?Grammatico Signature Homes provides an 12-month written limited warranty. All manufacturer warranties are passed on to the home owner at closing. We also offer extended 6-month and 12-month comprehensive warranty programs.
How essential is it to check a builder's references?It is of the utmost importance to check a builder's references. Ask referral clients the names of others who used the builder. Additional sources can also be obtained through real estate offices, banks, and other community businesses.
What makes you different as a builder?Our company is truly built on pride, the satisfaction that all our people take in a job well-done. That pride is born of our strict adherence to the highest standards of product quality and service, and of the concern for the reputation that everyone of us has worked so hard to establish. We believe you will find that reputation to be impeccable - one of the highest integrity and meriting your trust. Our financial standing is also sound. The Grammatico Homes team of professionals is at your service every day working to create a custom-designed home perfect for you and your family.
An Experience to RememberDesigning and building a custom home does more than give you a house designed to fit your personal needs and life style. It should be a source of satisfaction and pride for many years. If you take time to carefully select the right builder, you'll find that building a custom home can be an exciting and enjoyable experience. We hope this series of questions has made the important decisions associated with building a custom home easier for you. Grammatico Signature Homes is please to have the opportunity to discuss you dream home.
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