The Building Process

At some point in any new home or remodeling project, every client asks us, “So, what’s next?’ The following narrative will explain how Arlington Designer Homes’ building process generally works. Every project is unique, and yours may not fall exactly into this model, but we hope this will be a useful tool to help answer some of your questions.

Arlington Designer Homes has deep connections in the communities where we work, and can help guide you through the whole building process, no matter what stage your project has reached. Whether you are looking for land, or looking for an architect, or have a property and a design in hand and are ready to start selecting materials and pricing out your home, we can help you move forward.

First, you will meet with our President, Andrew Moore, to discuss your project. Whether you are remodeling a kitchen or building a new home, we will need to talk about your needs and expectations. During this conversation, we will discuss your design, individual needs and budget, and will gather all the information we need to provide you with a free estimate.  We stand behind our estimates, and strive to be as honest and transparent as possible about all costs associated with your project. If the estimate is too high, then we can work with you to modify the scope of the project.

Not only is this initial meeting (or meetings) an opportunity to discuss your project, it is also an opportunity for you to learn more about Arlington Designer Homes and our team. We will show you homes that we have built in the area and put you in contact with some of our past customers. You can see what we do, how we work and how we will work with you. These preliminary meetings are an important step in building the type of honest, personal communication that defines our relationships with our customers.

Once you have decided to work with Arlington Designer Homes, and we have agreed upon your specific needs and budget, we will sign a contract. We will provide you with a standard contract for the construction of a new home (or for the completion of a remodeling project) for you to review and sign. Then we’ll work on creating building plans. We have a selection of existing plans that you can choose to modify, or we can work with plans that you bring to the table or recommend an architect who we will work closely with to design new plans specifically for you.

If you bring us in during the design phase of your project, we can be integral in trouble-shooting potential design problems, integrating energy-efficient green products seamlessly into your project, and avoiding budget issues before the occur.

At this time, Arlington Designer Homes can also work with you to help secure financing to build or remodel your home. We have a solid business model and have been in business since 1983, and have worked successfully with a number of banks and agents to help our customers secure appropriate financing.

Once we have the plans in hand, you will work with our designer to make all the selections that will make this house your home. You can visit our suppliers’ showrooms with our designer to look at samples of granite, cabinets, paints and all the other thousands of features and amenities that you might want to choose.  You’ll receive a New Home Book from Arlington Designer Homes that will walk you through all the things that need to be selected, from hinge colors to types of insulation, and our designer will advise you and help you fill out the book with your selections. Your selections directly influence the final contract cost, and so throughout the selection process, we will keep you apprised of the budget impact of your selections and will advise you on how to make selections that will fit your needs and lifestyle while staying within your budget.  (If you choose, we can also give you specific allowances to use for your selections, to help you ensure your project will stay within a set price.) At the same time, our staff will be working with you, the architect and the municipality to secure a building permit and create a construction timeline. Once we have the building permit in hand, we can lock in a timeframe (generally around 6 months for new homes). Then comes the really fun part -- starting your new project!

Your project manager will be by your side from this point until the day you move in. He will provide you with updates, schedule changes, and general communication about the construction of your home and will be available to answer your questions and address your concerns. And as always, our customers are always welcome to visit the jobsites during the construction process. 

The day you move into your new home is a time to celebrate! We will be there to welcome into your new home and walk you through the systems and warranty process. You will have the peace of mind that you have chosen a local home builder who will be there for you in the years to come.