The process of building your new Custom Home is a relatively simple one; a formula we have been developing and perfecting for over twenty years. You can have confidence in us to lead you through this process, and to give you all of the information that you need to make the building of your new home seamless and enjoyable.

Before beginning down the road that leads to your new home, you will need to have a lot on which to build it! It is far better to select your lot prior to choosing your home plan, as you never know if the plan you have fallen in love with will fit on a particular building site. We keep files here at the office of lots that are available or will be coming available soon. Often, people that intend to move will call and inform us about their lot, so that we can match it up with a particular purchaser that is waiting in line.

Finding the perfect site to build your familyÕs new home may not be easy. It may take weeks or even months to find. We will work with you, but you should also make every effort to turn over your own stones. Make phone calls, send out letters, talk to neighbors, and check out local real estate listings- You never know when the perfect lot will appear!

Once you have your lot, you are ready to begin "The Process." The Process begins with what we call a "PCA." A "PCA" is a "Professional Consultation Agreement." Before, when we were helping you look for your lot, we were checking each other out, as if we were casually dating...Once we sign the PCA, we are officially engaged, and we can start to plan your big event in earnest! (The cost of entering into a PCA averages around $30,000. This money pays us for the next six months of working with you during the planning process, before we begin construction - Think of it as an early deposit - In fact, you will be credited with 100% of your PCA money at the time that your Contract is ready and your down-payment is due - For example, if your down-payment would have been $65,000 for your contract, you will only owe $35,000)

Once we sign the PCA, we will begin to form a team that will help you through this initial period. You will need an Engineer, who will come out and do some specific measurements on your lot. When you have that information back, THEN it will be time to start thinking about your plan, because then, and only then, will you know the exact dimensions of your "Building Envelope". Once we know the size of the envelope, we can bring on our next Team Member, which will be your Architect. You will work with us and with the Architect over the next few months to develop and perfect the plan that will become your Dream Home. We will discuss the spatial needs of your family, your expectations regarding specifications and finishes, and ways in which we can make your house unique and specific to your ideas. During the time that we are working with the Architect, we can also start you on the road to demolishing the existing home that is on your site. While you may have hired the Engineer and the Architect under your own contract, we will need to contract directly with the Excavator, and his fee will be treated as one of your "Site Costs". Site Costs are not a part of your Construction Contract. They are "in addition to", and include all of those items and services which pertain to the property outside of the house and are not part of the structure itself. Examples of Site Costs are demolition, excavation, the dumpster, the port-a-potty, your driveway and sidewalk, the installation of your silt fence, and landscaping.

During your PCA phase, we will work with you to establish a relationship with a lender who can take care of all of your financing needs. We have a number of different lenders and institutions that we can refer to you - One of them is sure to be a perfect fit!

The final thing we will be doing during the PCA phase is to develop your budget, which will lead towards the draft of your actual contract. By meeting with you during this initial PCA phase, we will have learned a lot about exactly what type of fit and finish you desire for your new home. We will produce a contract for you with your exact specifications, after sending your completed plans out to all of our various vendors and sub-contractors to review.

You should expect to spend between 7-9 months in the "PCA phase". This phase will culminate in a fixed price contract for you new custom home. Depending on your needs and desires, our Construction Contracts generally run between $170 - $225 per finished square foot for a Commonwealth Housing/JP Brehony home.

You should plan on 10 months as an average to complete your new custom home. During that time, there will be a flurry of activity, when you meet with each different vendor, and make decisions on all of your allowances. You will chose your roof color, your siding selection, your brick or stone color, what type of plumbing and electrical fixtures you would like, what sort of cabinets and appliances you want, your flooring selections, and much, much more! It sounds like it could be overwhelming, but not to worry! Remember, while this may be a first for you, we are old hands at building custom homes! We can make suggestions for you, we can lead you and guide you - Our goal is to make this a process that you will enjoy - Some of our clients enjoy the process so much that we are building second and third homes for them! WeÕll all pull together to make sure that you enjoy your experience and are thrilled with your result.