F A Q s
So many decisions and deadlines – how does it all get done on time and how do I keep track?
We spend a lot of time determining the design and finishes of your home during the critical planning stage. The design of your home, the layout of the rooms, and the materials and methods to be used, are thoroughly discussed and analyzed in light of your stated goals, both architectural and budgetary.
We organize all your ideas and selections in one place on a private website devoted exclusively to your project, and we make it our goal to provide you with enough information to make most of your decisions prior to construction. Planning as much as possible at the front end takes out the stress and puts the fun in.
Everyone knows planning is important but consider these also:
The key to building is to follow a properly ordered schedule. Our schedule and sequence of decisions, based on the National Association of Homebuilders preferred guidelines, greatly facilitates the construction process, saves you money, and enhances the ease and enjoyment of your home building experience.
If you haven’t already, email us for our “Free Planning & Design Guide” where the process of building ANY home is outlined and explained in further detail, along with a lot of other good advice and general information.
Contact us for more about this and other planning resources.
We organize all your ideas and selections in one place on a private website devoted exclusively to your project, and we make it our goal to provide you with enough information to make most of your decisions prior to construction. Planning as much as possible at the front end takes out the stress and puts the fun in.
Everyone knows planning is important but consider these also:
- Planning your room sizes, layout and style with us to guide you and lend our experience helps you maximize the value, use, and resale value of your home.
- Planning allows us to help you to design within your budget and functional needs.
- Planning will reduce or eliminate local bureaucratic issues of homebuilding in your area, such as permitting and site development.
- Planning allows all team members to do their jobs efficiently, and saves you money by avoiding costly change orders.
The key to building is to follow a properly ordered schedule. Our schedule and sequence of decisions, based on the National Association of Homebuilders preferred guidelines, greatly facilitates the construction process, saves you money, and enhances the ease and enjoyment of your home building experience.
If you haven’t already, email us for our “Free Planning & Design Guide” where the process of building ANY home is outlined and explained in further detail, along with a lot of other good advice and general information.
Contact us for more about this and other planning resources.
How long will it take?
This depends on the scope of the project, but anywhere from 9 to 12 months is the average.
How much will it cost?
We start with a conceptual estimate the total cost of building your home first, including the development of your lot, and can do so within 10% - even before you sign a contract on the land you are looking to buy.
Often the cost of a lot is only part of the story. Development of your lot to comply with a particular county’s codes and regulations can have a large impact on the total cost, and we can approximate that while you are considering the purchase of the land you have chosen. Knowing this information can give you, as the buyer, leverage when negotiating the price.
Our final budgets are accurate. Not only is everything in writing and all in one place, there are no surprises. We have an open book policy. Prior to construction, we spend a lot of time digging into the details of what you want. As an example, an allowance for flooring chosen but not finalized is based on the level of finish you have asked for, not a generic ‘guesstimate’.
We build to your budget. This is not only imperative but essential for the success of our working relationship.
Often the cost of a lot is only part of the story. Development of your lot to comply with a particular county’s codes and regulations can have a large impact on the total cost, and we can approximate that while you are considering the purchase of the land you have chosen. Knowing this information can give you, as the buyer, leverage when negotiating the price.
Our final budgets are accurate. Not only is everything in writing and all in one place, there are no surprises. We have an open book policy. Prior to construction, we spend a lot of time digging into the details of what you want. As an example, an allowance for flooring chosen but not finalized is based on the level of finish you have asked for, not a generic ‘guesstimate’.
We build to your budget. This is not only imperative but essential for the success of our working relationship.
Who works with you?
We have chosen building partners based on their track record with our quality control checklist and on the glowing compliments of our clients. We have worked with many of them for more than 20 years. Reliability, financial security and honesty are very important to us.
How about your suppliers?
We use time-tested building components with an eye for quality and beauty. After so many years of vetting suppliers, we can do so without needless/wasteful expense, for the greatest value. Where possible and as you dictate, we offer to source materials that meet our ‘green’ standards – locally available, resource efficient, practical, cost effective and beautiful. Some ‘green’ products are not ‘green’ and we have the experience to tell the difference.
How are you paid?
We offer several contract options, and will discuss in depth the benefits of each, vis-a-vis your situation. Most often we offer a contract known as “cost plus a fixed fee”. Our builder’s fee remains fixed, unless the scope of the work changes substantially. You see every invoice. What you will not see are any universal markups – every invoice is precisely what we pay our suppliers and subcontractors.
Another option is a “lump sum” contract where you tell us what to build at an agreed upon price and we build it for that price. Either way has been popular and depends largely on your personal preference.
Another option is a “lump sum” contract where you tell us what to build at an agreed upon price and we build it for that price. Either way has been popular and depends largely on your personal preference.
How do we know what we’re paying for each month?
We build to your budgetary requirements, with detailed monthly draws and cost-to-date reports to track expenses. You see and approve every invoice. What you won’t see are universal mark-ups on materials or labor.
How healthy will my home be?
We provide a healthy and safe living environment for efficient use of energy and other resources, as well as for the benefit of your comfort. We were ‘green’ before ‘green’ was cool. The National Association of Home Builders has twice presented IMAGE Homes with the Energy Value Housing Award.
This prestigious award is given to one of 25 entrants every year for the greenest and most energy efficient home built in the country. IMAGE Homes has also received the highest award from the international Energy Efficient Builders Association (EEBA). Heating bills of our energy and resource efficient custom homes can be as low as $300.00 annually for a 5,000 square foot home! Our demonstration home, “The Evergreen Home”, was written about in Xcel Energy’s “Update” insert sent out in everyone’s energy bill as an example of green building, “...at its best”.
This prestigious award is given to one of 25 entrants every year for the greenest and most energy efficient home built in the country. IMAGE Homes has also received the highest award from the international Energy Efficient Builders Association (EEBA). Heating bills of our energy and resource efficient custom homes can be as low as $300.00 annually for a 5,000 square foot home! Our demonstration home, “The Evergreen Home”, was written about in Xcel Energy’s “Update” insert sent out in everyone’s energy bill as an example of green building, “...at its best”.
