Frequently Asked Questions About Build on Your Lot in Houston
Building a new home on your lot can be a daunting process, and we know you may have several questions. Here are a few of the more common ones we hear on a regular basis:
What does “one-stop shopping” mean?
It means floor plan, city codes, inspections, foundation, landscape design… in other words, we will do most everything and are a complete turn-key home builder! Lot preparation, Architectural Control Committee or Home Owner's Association approval, home design with an in-house architect, all permits, engineering, in-house financing, design options in-house with a professional Design Consultant and more! This is why we are very comfortable calling ourselves a full-service custom home builder in Houston.
What is the timeframe to build our home?
We start with a pre-construction agreement to confirm all of your lot due diligence (topography, soil testing, elevation, etc.) and plan customization pricing. Once you sign the initial Construction Agreement, the construction agreement period can take between 30-75 days. Allow another four to six weeks to close on your construction loan. One to four weeks is typically needed for site preparation, which happens before the construction of home starts. Once your homesite is ready, construction of your home can depend on many variables such as weather, labor, materials, inspections, size of the home, customization to the home and more, but generally takes 6-12 months. Your Sales Consultant can help create a timeline that applies to your home.
What is the cost per square foot?
This really varies based on area, floor plan, foundation requirements, plan changes, upgrades and more. Once we have more knowledge of the area of town, plan and more, we can provide a better estimate of your home on your lot.
What contributes to the final cost of the home?
There are four items to consider when providing the total cost of your new home:
1. The base price of the plan (fixed).
2. Customization of the floor plan you choose.
3. Lot preparation, e.g., building the land up with dirt to bring it out of a flood plain, rebuilding curbs or culverts, tree removal, underground electrical run to your home, connecting and re-running lines for city sewer and water, and additional foundation requirements that might be needed once your soil analysis comes back. There are other possible considerations depending on the floor plan, your land and other factors. Your David Weekley Homes Build on Your Lot Sales Consultant will explain preparation costs that apply to your specific home.
4. Design upgrades at the David Weekley Homes : flooring, lighting, countertops, cabinet upgrades and more.
Are there more floor plans available than those shown on the site?
Yes! What you see online are our most popular floor plans for an area. We have literally hundreds of plans to choose from, and we can customize those floor plans as needed to provide the right home for your lifestyle and your lot.
We already have our own floor plan. Can you build it?
We have hundreds of floor plans in a wide variety of designs, and we will customize them to fit the specific needs of our Homebuyers. From estate-sized homes for acreage homesites or smaller single-story homes, we have a plan to suit your needs.
In many cases, you can also enjoy the outstanding quality and craftsmanship of a David Weekley built home based on your own set of plans. Please bring your plan to one of our Build on Your Lot Sales Consultants and we can review it together to help make your dream home a reality.
What kind of financing do you require to build on our lot?
Building on your lot requires either a cash contract or a construction loan. Our Preferred Lender has great options available, and their rates are competitive. Your Sales Consultant can get you started on that process.
Why does it (sometimes) cost more to build on your own land than in a community?
In a community that is in the development stage, a standard set of floor plans is approved in advance, permits are obtained for all homes together, each plan is engineered once, the developers have already prepared the land, utility lines are in place and more. In a community actively being built, there are typically several homes being built at the same time which reduces overhead.
When building on your lot we have to start from scratch. If a structure exists it needs to be demolished and removed, and the land or homesite needs to be prepared for the new home’s foundation. We have to establish utility service or re-run utility lines, test the soil, survey the property, obtain various permits and have the plans approved by the local jurisdiction. Finally, contractors typically need to make a special trip to work on a home that isn't in an active community.
But most importantly, through David Weekley's Build on Your Lot program you can get the home you want. We can customize the home based on your needs, and you don't have to “settle!”
Will you build outside the coverage area shown on your site? We live a few miles outside it.
Yes, depending on your specific situation we may be able to build outside of our coverage area. However, depending on the location of your land there may be an out-of-area fee. Please see your sales consultant for specific information.