Many factors can come into play when selecting a lot for your new custom home. Some clients may already own a vacant building lot, others may have an existing lot and home that they wish to replace, or some may be searching for a lot that suites their individual needs.
In each case, the various characteristics of the building lot can impact the size, shape and design of the house that will fit on the particular property. Some of these factors are:
Zoning Regulations, Proximity to waterways, Critical Area Designations and Floodplains, Availability of Public Sewer, Water, Septic Systems of Wells
Custom Homes Building Lots will typically fall in to one of three categories, with each having their own special sets of regulations:
With all of the possible conditions or characteristics of a building lot, it is virtually impossible to detail all of the possible constraints that might affect or influence the type or size home that could be built on a property without analyzing the individual merits of each lot. A general feasibility study can typically outline these areas in the beginning, rather than finding out any major issues after the lot has been purchased or a great deal of money has been spent.
At Bay Area Custom Homes, we have many years of experience working with various types of custom building lots both in house, and through our network of civil engineers.
We are happy to offer these services because this will be
one of the most important first decisions our prospective clients will
have to make. Knowing the majority of the building lots constraints
is much more desirable before the lot is purchased. This will also assist
the client in budgeting for their project by knowing the general development
costs that will be required in addition to the lots purchase price.
A custom homes design will typically be a function of the people that are going to live in it. Every client has their own individual wants and needs that will influence their particular design. This is probably the biggest reason that people decide to build a custom homes, so that they can have it built the way that they want it.
Each custom home that we build at Bay Area Custom Homes is as diverse as the people that we build them for. We do not carry “stock” building plans; rather each home is designed based on our clients input and needs. Most of our prospective clients will come to us with a variety of design ideas which might include:
General sketch plans that they have drawn giving a basic idea of what they want to build.
House plans from a magazine, plan book or internet source that has certain components that they like, but would need modifications to suite their needs.
Clients that have already worked with an architect and have completed house
plans ready to estimate.
A design idea in their head or a general design that they can describe
or sketch on a napkin (yes, this still happens)
Regardless of how these ideas are conveyed to us, Bay Area Custom Homes and its design team can work with you to design your dream home. With our in house computer design services, we can work with each client to design their custom home from scratch, modify existing plans or work with any general ideas in order to achieve a unique custom home design.
Based on the particular aspects of each project, county and state permitting processes and approvals can vary greatly. Typically custom home projects will require, at a minimum, reviews in the following areas:
Grading Permits: (needed when lot disturbance
reaches a certain amount)
Planning and Zoning review: This will ensure that the proposed
development meets local zoning requirements.
Environmental review: This will take into account removal and replacement of any trees and vegetation required for development of the property.
Grading review: This will take into account the contour of the lot and how rain water will be channeled based on the proposed construction or coverage of the property. (house, driveways etc)
Building Permits: (needed for all construction)
Health Department review: This review will analyze how water
and sewage will be handled for the new construction, be it public
or private utilities.
Construction Plan review: This involves a review of the proposed
structures building plans and construction documentation.
The time required for permit reviews and approvals will vary greatly depending on the exact scope of each individual project. There will typically be a “comment and response” period during the controlling agencies review process, but generally speaking, the time frames for this process are:
Minor interior renovations: 1 day to 1 week
Additions: 2-6 weeks
Building Permits: 2-4 weeks
Grading Permits: 4-52 weeks
A number of factors can impact these time frames as each project will have
different requirements.
Bay Area Custom Homes is happy to offer these permitting services
to our prospective clients. We have a great deal of experience
working with all of the governmental agencies which will ensure that
all permitting approvals are received as quickly as possible in order
to move our clients projects forward in a timely manner.
Since all of the custom homes, renovations and additions that we build at Bay Area Custom Homes are unique; all of the products that go into each home are equally individual based on the clients input. With literally hundreds of decisions to be made like faucet styles, lighting, cabinetry and flooring, this aspect of the building process will likely be the most time consuming, yet rewarding endeavor for each client. This process gives the homeowner the ability to make their new custom home as individual as they are and unique to them.
At Bay Area Custom Homes, we strive to make this sometimes stressful process as easy as possible. Some clients will come to us and already know everything that they want in their new home, but most have not had the opportunity to decide on these thing yet since they have been looking at lots, designing their new home etc. Bay Area Custom Homes will start this process with their clients as soon as a house design has been finalized. Since there is such a vast number of choices that will have to be made, we try to spread them out over time as the project moves forward in order to keep the client from feeling overloaded. We start the selection process with the items that will be most important and required early on in the construction of the home, and them move through to the finish items that will come into play as the various phases of the home are completed.
Bay Area Custom Homes has a great number of local suppliers that we regularly work with, where clients can make their various product selection choices. Another option which has become quite popular in the last few years and we have found that our clients like, is using the internet for their choices. With its ease of use, clients are typically able to find a vast number of product selections very quickly and easily from their home computers, without having to travel to multiple stores, which may not have the items that they like.
Bay Area Custom Homes will work with our clients to ensure that they are able to find all of the product selections that they would like in their new home, whether through local sources, or out of state suppliers.
BUILDING MATERIALS
Bay Area Custom Homes works with some of
the finest manufactures and suppliers in the construction industry. Even
though most of our prospective clients have to work within a specific budget,
this does not mean that they can not have the quality material and products
that they expect when building a new home.
With many years of experience in the home building industry, Bay Area Custom Homes can match quality products with each individual client’s construction budget, ensuring an affordable and lasting home that fits the buyer’s needs.
Here is a small example of some of the products and suppliers that we work with:
| Lumber: | Georgia Pacific | Plumbing: | Kohler | |
| TJI | Whirlpool | |||
| Louisiana Pacific | Bain-Ultra | |||
| Advantek | Moen | |||
| Roofing: | Tamko | Cabinetry: | KraftMaid | |
| Certainteed | Merrilat | |||
| Timeberline | Arisocraft | |||
| G.A.F | Starmark | |||
| Windows: | Anderson | Countertops: | Granite | |
| Pella | Silestone | |||
| Weathershield | Formica | |||
| Marvin | Marblux | |||
| United | ||||
| Doors: | ThermaTru | Flooring: | Bruce | |
| Pease | Wilsonart | |||
| Masonite | Mowhawk | |||
| Wayne Dalton | Luzeron |
With 25 years experience in the custom home building industry, Bay Area Custom Homes has been able to develop long standing relationships with a core group of sub-contractors and suppliers. Many of our sub- contractors have been working for us for 10 or more years. Because of this, we are able to tightly control our construction schedules and quality, since all of our contractors are familiar with our company and each other.
We are not a production building company and typically only work on 5-6 custom homes per year. Because of this, each project is able to receive the time and attention that is required to produce a quality product.
Principal involvement is something that is carried out daily for each aspect of every project. This ensures that each of our prospective clients are satisfied with their new custom home and receive the quality and attention that they expect and deserve.
Bay Area Custom Homes strives to provide our clients with 100% satisfaction with their new home or renovation. With standard 1 year warranties on workmanship, various length product warranties and optional Home Buyers 2/10 warranties, each client can feel secure in knowing that their investment will last for many years to come.
410.757.0063