After your blueprints are finalized and you get the go-ahead from building authorities, your lot will be prepared for building. It’s heavy equipment time, so expect backhoes, bulldozers and dump trucks. Workers will clear trees and other obstructions, level the lot and dig the holes and trenches. Now , it time for footings and foundations. Most footings and foundations are poured cement that is reinforced with steel rods called rebar. Footing forms are laid along the outline of your home and filled with concrete.

Some people call it the skeleton, others refer to it as the shell. What it means is that things finally start getting vertical. The walls, floors, and roofs that define shape of your new home go up.

The exterior work will run in parallel with the remaining interior work. Roofing will be installed followed by various other elements such as siding, and other exterior surface materials. Final grading to make sure water gets directed away from your home. Driveways, walkways, and patios will be poured, along with the final landscaping.

After the roof, windows and exterior walls are complete, the house is considered “dried in.” That means the interior should be protected from the weather enough for tradespeople to begin installing heating and cooling ducts, plumbing and finally electrical wiring.

Time to verify all of the structural changes and see if any change orders are needed.

Time to fill in those walls with insulation. Much of the decision on what type of insulation to use will depend on budget and climate.

Things start to get real when the drywall goes up. The seams will be taped and “mudded” and any spray texture finish applied.

Toilets, faucets, hot water heater, electrical panel, light switches and fixtures, outlets and heat register covers come in next, along with your HVAC System.

Cabinets, appliances, and other finishes are installed. Everything from kitchen counters and cabinets to bathtubs and vanities will be installed/

Now that the heavy construction foot traffic is over, it’s time for crews to install carpeting and hardwoods.

Final walkthrough isn’t optional. We will go through the home in great detail. We will create a “punch list” of items that need to be fixed before you accept the home as finished and make final payment. We will also explain how the thermostat works as well as any maintenance requirements you’ll need to meet and any warranty protection you have.