Building Your Luxury Home

Building a Custom Home: Assembling the Project Team

You’ve made the decision to build the home of your dreams, and you want it to last. Your first step in the process – even before buying the lot – is to assemble your “dream team” of professionals who will turn your idea sketches and torn-out magazine pages into a well-planned design implemented with professionalism and the highest craftsmanship.

Building the Dream Team
There are several professionals you will want to include in your building project: An architect or house designer, a builder or general contractor, a real estate agent or broker, and an interior designer.

When you assemble all team members up front in the process, it is much easier for everyone to be on the same design page. Adding team members one-by-one as you feel they should be added to the process is a sure way to lose cohesiveness of design.

California artist Win Ng says it best: “My method is different. I don’t rush into actual work. When I get a new idea, I start at once building it up in my imagination, and make improvements, and operate the devise in my mind. When I have gone as far as to embody everything in my invention, every possible improvement I can think of, and when I see no fault anywhere, I put into concrete form the final product of my ideas.”

That’s the approach you should take when building your dream home.

Choosing a Builder
Doug McSpadden of McSpadden Custom Homes advises clients to look for three characteristics of a solvent and quality homebuilder. He says the builder must have a solid reputation for good quality. There are two types of quality to check for – product quality and company integrity. Check with homeowners who used the builder in the past three to five years to obtain a picture of the builder’s work. Make sure the builder’s character shows a history of ethical follow through.

Longevity is another characteristic critical to a builder’s history. “You may find a quality builder who has been around for two years, but with today’s market, a lot of new builders may be bankrupt and out of town,” McSpadden says.

Above all, you need good chemistry with your builder, which is key to having a good relationship throughout the process. The bottom line? If you have a good relationship, a positive outcome is inevitable. A good relationship enables the two of you to move through hurdles and inevitable bumps. You will spend the most time with your builder, so make sure the relationship is comfortable and established for a pleasant long-term partnership.

Adding an Architect or House Designer
Most house designers and architects agree good chemistry and communication are of most importance during the project process. Good architects and designers put your needs first, designing to fit your budget, lifestyle, and interests. Experience in line with the type of house you want to build is important, according to Tim Swan of Swan Designs. Swan says he works closely with builders and real estate agents to decide the best course for clients. “Based on the team aspect, see how well they play,” says Jim Phelps of Carolina Design Group. “Clients want to see everyone [in the team] is in it for them and are conscious of costs.”

The Real Estate Transaction
TJ Larson, real estate broker with My Townhome-Maison Properties, says the first step in selecting an agent is to determine how many custom homes the agent has sold in the past.
In a new construction project, it is imperative your agent has experience dealing with the development side of the business, with previous builder relationships in place. “Look to see if the agent has been there on both sides of the fence,” says Larson. There are certain items to look for in a custom home, and it is important your agent has some working knowledge of the general contracting side of business, enabling him or her to talk to the builder in a free exchange of ideas that both understand clearly.

A good agent also will help you ensure what you’re building is sellable if you make that choice in the future.

Design It
An interior designer is another strong addition to the team. Able to help with tasks like adding flair to your home, designers also work as part of the team to help place walls, doors and windows in the best location for lighting advantages and traffic flow. A good designer knows local building codes and blends art and practicality to produce beautiful interiors useful for your specific needs. And if a designer is brought on early in the house design process, he or she can supply valuable information about the design and layout of the home and material choices, that will make decorating a breeze.

The Complete Concept
All members contribute to creating your beautiful new home, and the absence of any one of them may result in a less-than-stellar project. Pulling together the team before you even select your lot enables you to successfully work out the details along the way. Having your chosen team get to know your personality, likes and dislikes, and family needs before any work is done enables you to have a complete view of the final product before picking up a pencil or getting the shovel dirty. And remember, often professionals have pre-established relationships between industries, which may serve you well in the midst of project implementation when good communication is of the highest importance.

RESOURCES

Industry Associations
American Institute of Architects, Charlotte Chapter 704-369-2302
American Society of Interior Designers 919-861-0844
Home Builders Association of Charlotte 704-376-8524
Interior Design Society, Charlotte Chapter 800-888-9590
National Association of the Remodeling Industry 704-365-6274
North Carolina Sustainable Energy Association 919-832-7601
National Kitchen and Bath Association www.nkba.org

Custom Home Builders
Arabella Custom Homes, Inc. 704-968-1979
Arcadia Homes 704-889-4663
Artisan Custom Homes 704-987-9369
Beacon Builders 704-846-3480
Bonterra Builders 704-821-8748
Chiott Custom Homes 704-333-6055
Colonnade Custom Homes 704-522-9200
Conger Builders 704-841-9374
Dienst Custom Homes 704-892-8426
E.S. Johnson 704-987-7950
Harrington Construction, Inc. 704-542-0068
Holevas & Holton 704-843-2046
Ken Bradshaw Co 704-522-0074
Kenneth Bealer Homes 704-662-6400
Kingswood Homes 704-544-6546
Manley Custom Homes 704-895-3672
McSpadden Custom Homes 704-825-7324
Mirabelle Homes 704-243-3475
New Traditions Homes 704-243-0149
Patrick Joseph & Associates 704-905-0139
Provident Homes 704-367-0167
Persis - Nova Builders 704-537-0009
Prestige Custom Homes 704-752-7613
Regal Custom Home Builders 704-849-0659
Robinette Builders 704-927-2760
Simonini Builders 704-358-9940
T. Whelan Homes 704-400-8932
Titan Custom Builders 704-528-7874
Vista Signature Group 704-658-0483

House Designers
Avid Design Studios 704-846-1277
Carolina Design Group 704-895-7805
Charlotte In-Vironments, Inc. 704-527-7700
Christopher Phelps & Associates 704-377-5569
Elite Designs 704-494-0664
Design Plus 3, Inc. 704-841-1988
Kingfisher Design Group 704-507-4639
Pippin Home Designs 704-895-0000
Swan Design Inc. 704-799-2777