FAQs:

What does it take to get started?

Pick out a couple of house plans which interest you and most closely suit your needs. This is the first step toward starting the process of building a new home. The second step is finding a building lot. The third step is finding a home builder. Your final step is making financial arrangements to pay for your new home.

How can I find a building lot?

Local newspapers, real estate publications, and real estate agents can all be useful resources. Talk with neighbors in the area you want to build. Use your network of friends, relatives and acquaintances. Ask your friends about a home builder they used. We are usually aware of most of the lots on the market and at times, we carry inventory of several lots ready to build on.

What is a custom home?

Unlimited choices! You choose the design, size and room configuration of your new home. You choose the colour and style of the siding, the roofing, the shutters and the gutters. You choose the paint, flooring, cabinets, lighting and bath fixtures. You choose whether to include the cathedral ceiling, fireplace or whirlpool tub. You also chose your home builder. Why would you want your new home to look like all the other homes on your block? The process of designing a custom home takes into consideration the way you and your family live. A custom home is designed and built for you.

Can I bring in my own plans which I have found in a plan book or on a web site?

Yes. ICFhome.ca has many plans to choose from, but you can also use the power of the internet or the many plan books available to choose the home plan that looks good and works for you. Modifications to a plan are available and frequently turn a stock plan into the home for you and your family.

Can I work on my home?

ICFhome.ca allows home buyers to supply material and labour. Typical selections are driveway, painting, cabinets, flooring and final grade and seed. Some elements require special inspections or licensed installers. Do your homework and get all the specifics before considering supplying material and labour toward construction of one or more elements of your new home. Also remember the time to completion is always longer when home buyers supply material and labour toward construction.

Will ICFhome.ca install home buyer supplied materials?

Yes. However, due to past experience with warranty problems as well as defective, missing or broken parts, ICFhome.ca has a policy not to guarantee home buyer supplied materials.

What can I do to make the home buying experience go smoothly?

The home buyers who enjoy the process the most are those who are clear about what they want and what they can afford. This means cutting out pictures of home elements you like, driving by homes to get ideas on colour combinations, making lists of what you liked or did not like about previous homes and contacting a mortgage representative to discuss your budget. All these steps will serve you well toward ensuring the finished home you move into is just what you wanted.

Is cost per square foot a good way to compare and choose a builder?

If you choose to use cost per square foot to make comparisons, you will be assured of getting the cheapest home. Nobody wants to waste money, but when you are making a major investment, you don't want your builder to cut corners. Making matters worse, not all builders use the same formula for computing square footage, so the numbers may be off.

Furthermore, using price per square foot only works on homes with the same style, size, and specifications. For example a two-story family room has the same square footage as a one-story room, but it is more expensive. Another example is that a marble floor does not take up any more space than a vinyl floor, but it also costs much more. With custom homes, looking at the price per square foot makes about as much sense as comparing the price per pound.

Would getting three bids on my home assure me of the lowest price?

While getting three bids might seem to be the best way to secure a low price, it usually does not work. The three main reasons are:

Unless your plans and specifications are 100% complete, builders must guess in order to complete the bid. This will leave you comparing apples to oranges. It will be impossible to determine which one is really the lowest. What often happens is that people select the least expensive home builder only to find out that they do not like what the builder chooses for them. By the time they have changed the specifications, the house costs more than they expected.

The people who really loose out, however, are the ones who don't find out about the use of substandard quality labour and materials until after they have moved into their new home. While they worked hard to get the best price, they now discover that the house is not what they expected and the utility and maintenance costs are higher than other comparable homes. It is important to remember that the initial purchase price is only part of the true cost of owning a home.

The fact is, if plans and specifications are properly drawn and executed, three competent and reputable builders will provide very similar bids. I recommend that you research the best builders and find the one that you feel you can connect with. Partner with them to determine what your budget is, select a site, design your home, secure financing, build and service your home. Building a home requires a major investment of both money and time. When comparing builders, finding a reputable home builder you trust is much more important than relying on the lowest bid.

Should I buy my lot and have finished plans before I interview builders?

Generally it is better to work with the builder from the start for the following reasons:

People often purchase an attractive property that ends up requiring extensive work in order to build a house on it. With the additional cost needed to develop the property, the home often ends up being smaller and of lesser quality than the owners had in mind. A builder can help you work through the site condition issues, ensuring that the home and property complement each other and are within your budget.

Most reputable and experienced builders have extensive knowledge and reliable contacts that can make the entire process much easier for you. They have an understanding of the market and will help you design a home that meets your needs while working with the particular site conditions and general location.

How long does it take to build a house?

Any home builder in Ontario will tell you that construction time always depends on the size and location of the home. Generally speaking a 1300 sq. ft. home, on a city subdivision lot can easily be built in 90 days.
A 2500 sq. ft. home on acreage will take longer – usually 5 to 6 months. Well, septic and power must all be scheduled, plus there is simply more building to construct.

Contractors sometimes have no control of availability of materials or small scheduling delays, so allow yourself ample time before having to vacate your current home. Your first and foremost concern should be having a quality finished product and this is accomplished by allowing your builder adequate time to complete the project.

We maintain a list of subs we prefer to use during construction. These subs have proven themselves to us with regards to their work ethics. Our goal is to schedule in advance the necessary time to complete each aspect of construction. However, in this industry, even the most carefully scheduled project can be delayed a day or two due to unknowns. Again, with the goal in mind of a quality finished product, allow your builder enough time to provide you with a quality completed project.

Be realistic on completion times, and for your own piece of mind, allow an extra 2 weeks from contract completion date.

What should I look for in a custom home builder?

The following are the top seven qualities that you should consider when you evaluate the potential builders of your new home:

• Strong Reputation - Check references not only of recent customers, but also of people who have lived in their homes for a number of years. Poor quality may not be apparent immediately.
• Experience - This is a major investment for you. Make certain that the builder has the experience and qualification necessary to build your home the way you want it. You don't want someone "learning on the job".
• Trustworthy - You want someone who you can trust. You will be relying on the builder to make hundreds of important decisions, and you need to be confident that he will treat you fairly. If you have the feeling that you are going to have to check everything he does, I would recommend that you find another builder.
• Understanding and Caring - For most people, building a custom home is a dream come true. You've probably spent years thinking about it. Now you want to work with someone who will take the time to help make your dream become a pleasant reality rather than a nightmare. You probably will change your mind during the process and the really good builders will try to work with you, while controlling costs.
• Encourages You To Inspect Homes Under Construction - When a builder is really proud of his work, he will want you to see it under construction. Look at the quality of the framing, the insulation, the plumbing, the windows, and the craftsmanship and attitude of the subcontractors. This means much more than a glossy brochure.
• Detailed Specifications - The best builders go out of their way to make certain that you both agree on exactly what will be in the home. They would rather loose a potential customer at the beginning of the process than have a surprised or disappointed customer later. If you don't know exactly what you are getting, ask for it in writing.
• Long Term Relationships With Quality Subcontractors - Most builders subcontract out much of the actual building process. The best builders have strong long-term relationships with their subcontractors. That is the only way to maintain a high level of quality and service. Builders who constantly switch subcontractors in search of the lowest price, often end up with lesser quality and longer building times. Instead of being partners in building a quality home, the subcontractors see themselves more as mercenaries, and they lack the pride that it necessary to build a great home.