Custom Built Homes

1. Any construction project starts with DESIGN. Since we have chosen to stay small and focus on being excellent home builders, we do not pretend to be engineers, designers, or architects. We partner with a few different architects, designers, or draftsmen to help with the initial build plan. Generally, the design plan will cost less than 1% of the overall project price. We want to be informed during the design process, and we can certainly consult on the “buildability” and budget of the project during the design phase.

2. Finding and buying land: This will largely be up to the homeowner. You will find and buy your own piece of land on which you want to build the house.

3. Financing. For custom homes, the homeowner will finance the project. The homeowner owns the land and the project, so the homeowner will finance it. You will work with your desired bank and arrange financing. We are happy to give the bank any documentation they need to verify our competency as builders.

4. Permitting: Before work can begin, a myriad of fine details needs to be considered: soil conditions, septic permit, plat restrictions, building permits, county/city restrictions, etc. We can help navigate these complicated waters.

1. Once we have a design, financing has been secured, land has been purchased, and all the permitting has been ironed out, the fun begins! We break ground and start building.

2. Pricing: The way we have found that works best for custom construction projects is a “cost plus” method of pricing. The homeowner will pay for the cost of the project “plus” the cost of our company to manage the job. Our management cost is somewhere between 15-21% usually it is 20%, but it can depend on the project. We invoice every other Friday, and each invoice must be paid by the following Friday after the invoice is received.

3. Our team is onsite to manage the build and is responsible to management of budget, quality of craftsmanship, and homeowner expectations. We both self-perform construction trades and we sub-contract construction trades. Early in the build, much of the home will be subcontracted, meaning we will hire and manage other companies to do the construction (these trades include, excavating/pouring footers, block masons, framers, plumbers, electricians, HVAC, roofers, insulation, drywallers). Trades we often self-perform (but not always) are trim carpentry, cabinetry, painting, flooring, and tile setting. Whether we are self-performing the work or managing a subcontractor the same level of quality is expected on any of our builds.

Honest Homes Cookeville stands behind the quality of their work and so they offer a robust home warranty on any defects in the home. CLICK HERE to see the standard template for our home warranty.