Process for Custom and Exclusive Carter Home Designs
Building a Custom Home is an exciting, yet time consuming endeavor for an already busy client, which is why our team has utilized the use of BuilderTrend and developed processes that will help you visualize a home to suit your lifestyle all while working diligently to reduce the time involved.
Carter, Inc. makes it our mission to simplify the custom home-building process, and help our clients to enjoy the time spent in creating their new home.
We pride ourselves in a clearly and simply stated process to building your dream home. Let’s get started!
Phase 1: Pre-Construction
Getting started by answering a few basic questions.
- What neighborhoods are you interested in living and lot size?
- If you already own a lot, please take a look at our Homes Available on Your Lot page.
- What type of home do you want to build?
- Is it feasible to build what you want, where you want to live?
- What is your budget?
- What types of materials to you want to use in the construction?
- How will you fund the project?
- Review lot setbacks and coverage.
- Discuss Planning, Permitting and Construction Timeline.
Lot Search
- Locating the right lot is often the hardest part of the entire process. Working with Carter, Inc. you will be able to take advantage of our expertise in purchasing your lot. Carter has developed relationships with many local Real Estate Agents, building industry professionals, and our direct marketing to property owners that produce the best buildable lots before they ever make it into the Multiple Listing Service “MLS”. There are opportunities to locate a buildable from the MLS, however often times these properties have been reviewed by several local builder’s and determined to not be a suitable building lot. By working with Carter, Inc to review these listings we will be able to guide you in completing your own feasibility study before you decide to make an offer.
- If you already have your own lot, we will build on your lot.
- Feasibility Study. During this short timeframe we will have our surveyor determine the size of a home that will best fit the lot.
- Carter will review and put together the lot contract with you.
Design
This is the time where you will work with our in-house designer and our architect for one of our exclusive designs or you may also choose an outside architect to design a custom home.
- Exclusive Carter Designs, with this option all of the architectural and structural engineering fees are included in the Carter turnkey price. We can modify or revise a previous Carter design to your unique specifications for a fee. This process can take anywhere from 30 to 60 days to complete. The owner will pay the Civil Engineering fees.
- Custom Design, with this option Carter can recommend an architect based on the style of house desired and work with the Owners to design the home of their dreams. This process can take anywhere from 2 to 4 months. The owner will pay the Architectural and Civil Engineering fees.
- Once a preliminary sketch plan is completed Carter will provide a preliminary budget to determine if the design will fit the client’s budget.
- During this phase we will initiate the civil engineering field work needed for permitting.
- Once the final permit plans are complete Carter provide a competitive contract proposal for your new home.
Phase 2: Construction
Permits
Residence Permits Required:
- Demolition
- Ensure that the lot is clear of debris and other health hazard material and that the utility connections have been sealed.
- Building
- Generally, takes between 4 to 8 weeks to obtain
- The Civil Engineering Package is need for the Land Development Permits:
- Sediment Control
- Sediment Control is intended to prevent sediment from leaving a construction site during construction activity.
- Must have approved erosion, sediment control and storm water management plans before construction begins
- Right-of-Way
- Required when digging or excavating anywhere within the right-of-way, installation or replacement of lines or conduits, erection of utility poles, removing or replacing curbs, gutters, sidewalks, driveway aprons or other public improvements.
- Sediment Control
Selections
- Selections may start as soon as the permit plans are submitted to the county for review.
- The selections are spaced throughout the permitting and construction phases. The average homeowner spends a few hours a week with our selections coordinator. Many homeowners have opted, due to their work schedule, to make all of the selections upfront within a few weeks. We will tailor our schedule to best accommodate the customer’s needs.
Construction
Carter will commence construction once all permits are obtained. On average, construction of a new home takes 6 to 8 months. The variation in time depends on the size of your house, specific selections and design, and the weather. During construction there will be a manager on site every day to direct the operations. Carter Inc.’s systematized process of reports, change orders and selection timetables makes the building process effortless for our clients. Quality inspections will be done by the manager during the different phases of construction. Whenever there is a question, Carter and the rest of the team will respond promptly. Our clients are always our first priority. During this phase, we like to get our homeowners very involved to ensure they are informed and feel very comfortable throughout the entire building process. After all, custom homes are just that “custom,” and we want them to be exactly as you want them! Carter will review everything from window placement to electrical receptacle needs throughout the process to guarantee the quality of your home. A summary of the steps during the course of the construction phase are listed below.
- Demo, clearing and excavation
- Footings and foundation installation.
- House framing and roof installation
- Window and door installation
- Mechanical installation
- Heating and Air Conditioning rough in
- Plumbing rough in
- Electrical rough in
- Sprinkler rough in
- Audio and Alarm rough in
- Insulation and Drywall
- Tile, Interior trim, Millwork and Cabinetry installation
- Painting and Exterior finishes
- Flooring
- Exterior concrete, patio and driveway installation.
- Sodding and Landscaping
- Inspections and Use and Occupancy Approvals
- Walk through and Final Settlement
Contacts to setup your utility services one month prior to your settlement date:
WSSC
Vintage Security – Email Bob Hartwick at bhartwick@vintagesecurity.com
Phase 3: Post Construction
Every Carter home comes with a warranty to safeguard and guarantee your home is kept to the highest standard. Additionally, there is also 30-day, 6 months, and one-year punch lists to make any necessary repairs and touch-ups. Below is a short outline of our home’s warranties and punch lists.
- Warranty
- For one year, starting on the Effective Date, the new home is warranted to be free from any defect in materials or workmanship, as defined in the Performance Standards and subject to the limitations and exclusions listed in Exclusions from Warranty Coverage.
- For two years, starting on the Effective Date, the new home is warranted to be free from any defect in the electrical, plumbing, heating, cooling, ventilating, and mechanical systems, as defined in the Performance Standards and subject to the limitations and exclusions listed in Exclusions from Warranty Coverage.
- For five years, starting on the Effective Date, the new home is warranted to be free from any major structural defect, as defined in the Performance Standards and subject to the limitations and exclusions listed in Exclusions from Warranty Coverage.
- Punch List
- 30-day list; after you have lived in the house for 30 days Carter will come back and make miscellaneous repairs which have popped up in the first 30 days of occupancy.
- 6 month and One-year list, as the house conditions you may notice certain trim and drywall pops, cracks and blemishes. One year after the house has been conditioned, Carter will return and repair these items.
