8 Easy Steps to Building Your Home

1. Establish How Much You Want to Invest
Custom building means designing a home that fits your dreams and your budget. The first step is to know what you are capable of investing. You need to discuss this with your lender or your Heritage Builder. You and your builder will then have a budget to design around, rather than make a design come within your budget.

2. Create a General Concept or Sketch
With your Heritage Builder, you can determine which home style and size is best for you. Together, you will create a general concept design sketch and have the drafting department draw a Preliminary plan at no charge. Your Heritage Builder can quote you different home prices and different feature prices to help you arrive at this concept design stage.

3. Finalize the Plan and Price
Our computer-generated, preliminary plan will show you how we interpret your builders' sketches and ideas for a proposed final plan. If significant changes are in order, you will want to get a redraw of the preliminary plans before marking up for the final agreement. If not, you and your Heritage Builder can review and make final revisions to the plan and agree on a total construction firm price.

4. Architectural Stage Plans
We take your preliminary plans and your revisions as submitted, and draw a full set of architectural plans and recommended foundation plans for building purposes. Fees for architectural blueprints are included in the purchase price of your Heritage Home.

5. Construction and Permanent Financing
When your plans are completed, your mortgage company (lender) can order an appraisal and begin processing your loan. Once the appraisal and permanent loan commitment is received, construction financing will be arranged and a loan closing will be scheduled. If you don't already own your land, your lot will be purchased from the loan proceeds.

6. Construction
Before construction begins, and sometimes even before the loan is closed, you will complete the final construction details, make any changes to the plans, and finalize your color selection schedule. With the loan closed and the building permit in hand, your Heritage Builder will contract for the foundation work and place the order for the Heritage Home.

At Heritage, after the receipt of all the order details, your home is scheduled for construction. Materials are ordered and it is generally about six to eight weeks before fabrication begins, and another three weeks before the modular sections are transported to building site and installed on the foundation. Your builder is in charge of this schedule and can give you approximate delivery dates. During this time, they will have the foundation built, and will be getting underground utilities in and electrical service to the job site.

Your home will be built in two or more modular sections in about two weeks. You are welcome to visit your home anytime in the factory. These completed sections will include the plumbing, wiring, lighting, roofing, siding, textured and painted gypsum sheetrock, bath fixtures, cabinets, built-in appliances, ceramic tile, hard surface flooring and carpeting ~ all custom built for you!

7. Home Arrival
Several key factors, including weather and site readiness, affect delivery of your home. Your builder can tell you a few days prior to shipment. Delivery is generally scheduled as soon as possible after the home is completed or when your site is ready. Payment to your builder is required at delivery, prior to setting the house on the foundation or within 5 days of completion at the factory (should delivery be delayed due to a site completion or weather delay). Once the home is delivered, your builder will coordinate the installation of your home on the foundation with the help of a crane and a professional set crew.

8. The Finishing State
Everything happens very fast up to this point, and now the garage needs to be built, the site and basement utilities completed, the heating system installed, and the concrete and yard work done. The interior finish between the modular sections, like carpet seams, center wall doors and jabs, drywall and paint touch up, will be completed at this time. The construction clean-up (broom clean) will be done when the interior is finished. When the home is nearing the completion, it is time to do a detailed walk through and closing with your Heritage Builder. A detailed punch list of any incomplete items that need attention will be agreed upon and final payment will be made before moving in. Your Heritage Builder will provide you with complete details of you new home warranty. The rest is up to you to enjoy!