No one likes hidden fees, unexpected expenses, or supply chain delays. Unpleasant surprises during your custom home construction or remodel can suck the joy out of the experience of creating your dream home. As a homeowner, understanding the process of building a custom home or remodel, communicating your concerns and questions, and receiving prompt and thorough answers is vital to a successful result. Communication and transparency are reciprocal terms. Learning what to expect while working with building and design professionals and finding a team that fits your style and needs is vital to the success of your Georgia lake country custom home build.

PAXIS group puts our 100-plus years of combined construction experience to work for you. We have been designing and building gorgeous custom homes in Lake Oconee, Georgia, for nearly twenty years. Our transparency, artisanship, and excellent communication set us apart from the pack and make us a top choice for residential construction projects in our area.

How Do You Plan to Build a House?

Planning to build a house isn’t a mysterious process, but the beginning stages can be overwhelming if you’ve never built a custom home before. Planning a custom home is a bit different if you choose to work with a separate designer or architect and then hire a builder to execute your plans. We can speak to our own process, which partners designers and builders under one roof to create a more streamlined design experience and building. Of course, we’re biased toward the structure we’ve chosen, but the design-build model is popular and growing for a reason. The results speak for themselves.

Here are the steps involved in the pre-construction phase with a design-build firm like PAXISgroup.

1. Consult with a prospective building/design team to find the perfect fit. We’ll dig deeper into preparing for this meeting later. This will ensure you find a professional who will provide you with the transparent communication you deserve and deliver quality work.
2. Create and sign a contract to plan and design your project. Your team will draft plans based on your conversations, and you will collaborate to tweak them until they’re just right. 
3. Select materials and finishes to complete your look. Your design and construction professional can help you understand the costs and timeline associated with your selections so you make informed decisions. This is where transparency is extra essential. You need accurate, not sugar-coated, information to make the final decisions regarding your proposed new home.
   
   

Why is Pre-Construction Important?

Time spent planning is time saved during construction. When you spend thoughtful time with your construction team, they better understand your vision, and you know the process and plan. This is the time to discuss every detail and explore your options for custom features and projects. Use your team’s expertise to make the best choices for your project. For example, your team may suggest minor tweaks to your plan to save money and time during construction. Changing your mind about materials, layout, or finishes during the planning phase is part of the process. Changing your mind after construction can be expensive and add delays.

How Can a Pre-Construction Meeting Help?

A pre-construction meeting is not your only opportunity to collaborate with your builder about the design and plan, but it’s an excellent opportunity to focus the conversation on the details and gather all of the key players to discuss the details and plan to build your custom home.

What a Pre-Construction Meeting Can Accomplish?

 A pre-construction meeting’s main objective is to review the plan. This includes the final design, materials, and timeline. Now, more than ever, supply chain interruptions, material shortages, and shipping delays might derail our original plan and require us to pivot to other options. Making these changes before construction sets your project up to stay on time and within budget. Your designer and builder have up-to-date and specialized information about potential pitfalls for your specific construction project. They can advise about the best alternatives so you can make informed decisions. Especially with lakefront homes, small changes to layout and placement can make a big difference.

Who Should Attend a Pre-Construction Meeting?

The homeowners and at least one designated person from your build team should attend your pre-construction meeting. If your project heavily involves other tradespeople or specialists, they should also attend if possible. When all players receive the same brief, the team moves smoothly in a unified direction.

Questions to Ask During a Pre-Construction Meeting

Asking the right questions during your pre-construction meeting can ensure you have all the information you need. Come armed with a list of questions and important talking points so that you don’t overlook anything important. Here are some questions we love to be asked during a pre-construction meeting and some we wish our homeowners would ask more often.

1. Who is my main point of contact during construction? How do we connect?

2. What potential roadblocks could delay my project or drive up the cost?

3. What still needs to be done before construction?

4. What are my responsibilities as the homeowner during construction?

5. What is the current budget and timeline?

6. What changes do you recommend?

Let’s Get Real About Your Dream Home

PAXISgroup is ready to give you all the information you need to feel confident and excited about making your dream home real. Learn more about the custom home construction process in our complementary Custom Home Building Guide. If you’re ready to take the next steps, we’d love to talk to you. Connect with us here.