It's a Big Job!
Building a brand new home to your specifications involves many people over several months. We estimate that more than 70 different suppliers and trade professionals will work on your home. The team that you meet directly represents only a fraction of those who will work on your new home. Behind them are hundreds of the best professionals in the business who meet Gold Medallion's high standards.
Choose Home Site and Plan
The process begins when you visit our web site. Here you can determine which of our neighborhoods may be in a good location for you and fit your budget. You will want to visit our neighborhood sales center, meet one of our trained counselors, and choose a home site and plan. When you have made this choice, you will complete a sales agreement and attach an Earnest Money check—usually $1,000. At this time you will be presented with a sturdy binder that contains a copy of your agreement, your warranty, Homeowner's Maintenance Guidelines, NAHB's Construction Guidelines, copies of our team's business cards, and places for your notes and ideas.
Personalize
Once you have taken these steps, you can personalize your new home. Our on line catalog is a good place to begin. It will allow you to consider the many possibilities on your own schedule and in the comfort of your own home. You can go back as many times as you want and research benefits of different possibilities side-by-side. You can create a Wish List and tinker with the budget. Then you can visit our Design Studio where our Selection Specialist will provide further education and assist you through our selections process. We have a systemized approach that makes this easy and fun. You will have the opportunity to touch and feel your selections and you view them in context with each other. As we put the different finishes of your home together, we create a giant collage.
Getting Ready
When all the choices are finalized, your will review them listed on the Selection Sheet and pay the Construction Service Fees. As soon as we have the completed Selection Sheet, our Plans and Permits department assembles several complete sets of the plans for review by a couple of different bodies: architectural control committee of the master developer, municipal planning and zoning, municipal building officials, appraiser, and construction lender. They will examine and approve for their organizations. Once construction financing is in place and the permit has been obtained, we can schedule construction.
Construction Orientation Meeting
You will be invited to a Construction Orientation Meeting where your will meet our entire team and probably some of your new neighbors. We have a light dinner. We review the process, you will have opportunities to ask questions, and review your construction packet with your Superintendent. This is an informal evening. We encourage our customers to read through their Homeowner's Manual and often award prizes to those who participate in the discussions.
Moving Dirt
Excavation is first, followed by footing, sub-rough plumbing, foundation walls, and basement or on grade floor. It may seem that there are long lags between these stages, but we may be waiting for a city inspection, and they depend on a busy official's schedule.
Going Vertical
The most exciting part is watching the frame of the home constructed. This appears to move quickly because the progress if obvious. After the frame is completed, other trades follow, sometimes overlapping each other.
Pre-drywall Tour
When plumbing, electrical, and heating and ventilation ductwork are installed, you will be invited to tour the home and see what's behind the walls. There is a small window of opportunity to take this tour before everything is covered up, so plan to be available when your Superintendent calls as this time nears.
Finishes
Windows, roofing, insulation, sheetrock, woodwork and doors, exterior finishes, painting. Flooring, driveways, sidewalks, patios (decks), cabinets, countertops, finish plumbing, light fixtures, and landscaping follow one after another, but not necessarily in that order.
New Home Orientation
When the house is complete, it goes through a series of rigorous inspections: master developer, municipal building officials, Energy Star, and appraisers will all visit. But the most rigorous inspection is the one performed by your Superintendent and our Customer Care Team. When these are completed, you will be invited to tour your new home. If there is anything that needs to be adjusted, we will take care of that during the next couple of days. You will attend Settlement at United Title Services right after a follow up tour of your home. The documents will be recorded and the loan will be funded within a couple of days after that. Then you can pick up your keys at the United Title Services.
