The Iowa Custom Home Building Process
What to Expect: A Step-By-Step Guide to Building a Custom Home With KRM
Building your dream home is an exciting adventure, and we strive to make the journey simple. Our streamlined home building process helps us make it happen. Each step of our plan demonstrates our commitment to craftsmanship, attention to detail, and customer satisfaction.
Are you interested in starting a build with us? Here’s what to expect during the process.
Step 1: Initial Homeowner Meeting
We kickstart the process with an in-depth consultation.
During this meeting, we discuss your goals for your new home and your budget. We take time to understand your lifestyle, preferences, and specified design elements. This meeting helps our team understand many aspects of your project, including:
- Your lifestyle
- Your preferences
- Specific design elements you would like
- Your desired floor plan
- Your desired build site
Additionally, we will touch on financing, our preferred lender, and deposit requirements.
Explore our custom and semi-custom home building options.
Step 2: Financing
If you will be financing your home, receiving pre-approval from your lender is a key part of the process.
From the start of the project, we help you understand the financing process for a custom home. We’ll provide you with information on our preferred lender: Community Choice Credit Union. Our trusted relationship with Community Choice gives you access to flexible financing options, competitive rates, and a lender who trusts us and knows our process.
Want more info on financing?
Step 3: Pricing Meeting
There are a variety of factors that determine home pricing.
We build individualized pricing sheets to help you understand the cost of your build if you are using one of our floor plans. If your building plans include extensive customizations, we create detailed proposals that outline costs.
Step 4: Follow-up Meetings
Following your pricing meeting, we’ll hold follow-up meetings as needed to review the proposal, plan, and features. Our goal in this step is to perfect the plan and finishes of your home.
We’ll walk through the pricing sheet or proposal with you and discuss any adjustments you’d like made. Our goal is to provide a home that meets your every expectation. We’re happy to accommodate any changes you deem necessary.
Step 5: Purchase Agreement
Once you feel confident in your building plan, both parties sign a purchase agreement. This agreement outlines all purchasing terms and conditions. It includes your custom home’s specifications, design, and construction details.
Step 6: Plans & Specs Meeting
During this meeting, your home starts to take shape. You’ll get in touch with one of our internal project managers, who walk you through our showroom. You’ll pick all the exciting elements of your future home, including paint colors, fixtures, hardware, and more! Our experts guide you through the selection process, and offer advice on quality and functionality.
Be Inspired
Our digital Luxury Home Wish List look book is a curated list of the most requested custom home features we see in the market today. Take a look and start your wish list!
Step 7: Pre-Dig Checklist
KRM Custom Homes takes care of permits and approvals to ensure compliance with building codes and regulations. We handle the paperwork to save you time, and make the process as stress-free as possible.
Before breaking ground, we arrange a pre-construction meeting where we review plans, timelines, and project logistics. This ensures you fully understand the building process, and it sets clear expectations for the involved parties.
The complete pre-dig checklist includes:
- Permitting complete
- Selection complete
- Site Plan complete
- Builder deposit
- Dig date established
- Proposal signed
- Builder forms signed
When is the best season to start construction on your custom home? The answer might surprise you!
Step 8: Plans & Specs Meeting
With all necessary approvals in place, we begin the construction phase.
Our team excavates the site, prepares the foundation, and lays the groundwork of your custom home. Within one week of the dig, we’ll set the close date as well, so you know exactly when you’ll move in.
Rest assured knowing we employ skilled professionals and use high-quality materials. Our team follows industry best practices and pays meticulous attention to detail.
Step 9: On-Site Electrical Walk
This is where you walk the framed house to verify light switch, outlet, and lighting locations on-site.
Our certified technicians and tradespeople meticulously install these components, ensuring optimal functionality. We work tirelessly to ensure your home is move-in ready as soon as possible.
Step 10: Trim Walk
With all necessary approvals in place, we begin the construction phase.
This step is an exciting part of making your home feel like home. During this step, you’ll verify the trim detail and design on-site, with help from the trim carpenter. We’ll talk through the different sizes and types of wood to ensure every detail is right where you want it.
Step 11: The Final Quality Walk
The end is getting close!
To ensure the highest quality standards, our team conducts regular inspections at various stages of construction. We address potential issues promptly so your home meets and exceeds building codes and quality benchmarks. This comprehensive final walkthrough is an opportunity to review all aspects of your new home, address any questions or concerns, and ensure that you are completely satisfied with the final result.
Step 12: Homeowner Orientation
During orientation, we’ll talk you through the mechanisms of your home. We’ll teach you how to use and maintain its unique features to make your transition as easy as possible. Our team is happy to address any questions you have.
Step 13: Closing Date
Congratulations! On this date, you officially take possession of your new home. We’ll hand you your new keys and be on our way!
Step 14: Warranty
Our journey with you doesn’t end when your home is completed. You’ll be able to notify us about any issues with your new home, knowing it will be resolved quickly and seamlessly. KRM has a one-year limited warranty on all of our workmanship. You will also have a wide variety of manufacturer warranties on the products we use to build your home. We’ll walk through each of the details during your orientation.
We use an online system that allows homeowners to notify us if problems arise. Our team addresses issues within 48 hours.
Read our guide to understanding the types of home builder warranties