Construction Process
What actually happens between a cleared lot and a finished house, in the order it happens.
We walk the twelve phases of a custom build start to finish — permitting, site work, foundation, framing, dry-in, rough-in, insulation and drywall, finishes, and final inspection — and where each one can slip. You leave knowing which inspections gate which payments, what a draw schedule looks like, and how long each phase typically takes in this part of Texas.
The second hour covers the paperwork that runs alongside the build: the contract, allowances, change orders, and what a lien waiver is protecting you from. We go through a real draw schedule line by line so the numbers stop being abstract.
Best for anyone who has never built before, including buyers still deciding between building and buying existing.
Walk the Lot
How to read a piece of land before you buy it, and what the cheap lot is usually hiding.
Held on an actual lot. We cover slope and drainage, tree cover and clearing costs, rock and caliche, septic versus sewer, well versus water co-op, electric service distance, driveway length and culverts, and how far the building envelope really extends once setbacks and easements are drawn.
You also get the due-diligence list: survey, soil report, floodplain, deed restrictions, HOA architectural review, and what to put in the contract so you can walk away if something comes back bad. Site work is where most custom-build budgets break, and almost all of it is knowable before closing.
Best for buyers shopping land now or holding a lot they haven’t priced out yet.
Meet the Builder
How to interview builders, compare bids that aren’t comparable, and pick the right fit.
Two builders quoting the same plan will hand you two documents that can’t be compared line to line. We go through the questions that make them comparable: what’s in the allowance, what’s excluded, who carries the site-work risk, how change orders are priced, who supervises daily, how many homes they run at once, and what the warranty covers after move-in.
We also cover reference calls that tell you something — talk to a client two years post-move-in, not two weeks — plus how to verify licensing, insurance and lien history, and the difference between a builder-led contract and owner-builder programs where the general contractor role lands on you.
Best for buyers with a lot and a plan who are collecting bids. A guest builder joins most sessions.
Getting Started
Financing, budget and the first ninety days — turning the plan into a signed set of numbers.
We start with money: construction-to-permanent loans versus a separate lot loan and end loan, how much cash you need at each stage, interest-only draw periods, appraisal risk on a custom plan, and what lenders want to see before they’ll commit. Then we build a realistic all-in budget that includes land, site work, the house, finishes, landscaping and the contingency almost everyone leaves out.
The last hour is the sequence — lender pre-approval, land under contract, builder selected, plans finalized, permits filed — and who to call in what order so nothing waits on something else. You leave with a dated ninety-day checklist.
Best for anyone ready to move this year.