There will be many meetings required throughout the building of your new home. The first meeting will be an information gathering process. We will discuss building plans and initial expectations of the work to be done. In the event that you do not have a specific building plan selected, we can set up a meeting with you and a local design firm that we have used for numerous projects. He can help customize your plans so that your home truly is one-of-a-kind.

As stated previously, Michael and Chapin have a vast knowledge of Hartwell and the lake and are available to discuss potential home sites. If you already have a lot, we will usually go to the lot at the first meeting to go over possible positioning of the house and get an informed idea of what the project will entail. We will share with you our building philosophies, our warranty program, a brief overview of the building process, as well as a preliminary schedule.

At the next meeting(s) we will start discussing specific details of the home such as flooring choices, siding choices, etc. This will be a very in-depth meeting utilizing a custom interview sheet that will help set the expectations of the project. It is helpful to bring any magazine or homebuilding book pictures of specific details that you may have. The more information the better!!

The Contract…..

Phillips Brothers will submit a bid for work proposal. Once all the details have been hammered out, a price has been agreed upon, and financing has been secured, we will a write a contract. There are several excellent local lenders and we would be happy to introduce you to them. The contract will consist of several documents.

The Selection Sheet consists of all of the selections, along with a schedule of when the decisions are due, of the various details of your home. It is important to make you selections carefully since supplies, services and material for your home are ordered well ahead of time based upon your selections. Contact information for our recommended vendors will also be included.

The Homeowner’s Handbook will explain the different products and procedures that go into your home. It also details Phillips Brothers Warranty policies.

A schedule for the home construction will also be included along with general milestones. There will be several construction conferences scheduled throughout the home building process. A preliminary schedule of these meeting will also be included.

While every effort will be made to avoid change orders, they do sometimes occur. At Phillips Brothers, we pride ourselves in the fact we see change orders as a way to improve the home rather than a hassle. A detailed procedure of how to submit change orders will also be included.

The Handbook…..

The homeowner will be provided with a homeowner handbook. We strongly encourage the homeowner to review the book. It will help the homeowner learn a lot about the building process, as well as set the expectations of the project.

Specifics of your warranty are outlined in this book. It also has tips on maintaining your new home. Please bring the book to all meetings.

The Building Process…..

By understanding the building process, you will know what to look forward to in the exciting months ahead. Following is a preview of how your Phillips Brothers home will be constructed.

Permits and Site Work

After the general conditions of the project are met, we will secure the appropriate permits to begin construction. Oftentimes, the homeowner will have responsibilities such as obtaining temporary water and electrical supplies. Phillips Brothers will be there to help with this process.

The site preparation comes next. The home is surveyed and staked so that the final positioning of the home can be seen. The area is cleared of trees and then graded to the specific needs of the house. If applicable, the septic system may be installed at this point.

Foundation and Concrete Work

Regardless of whether the house will be built on a slab, with poured walls, or with concrete block, the house will have footings. Depending on local codes, we will have the local building inspector examine the footings. If the house is on a slab, we will pre-treat the home for termites before pouring the concrete. If fact, all the concrete we pour on the main structure of the house will be pre-treated.

The foundation walls are then built using either poured walls or concrete block.

Framing, Housewrap, Windows, Doors, and Roofing

The home is now ready for the framing and carpentry process where wood studs, beams, floor joists, and sheathing are used to create the structure of the home.

Phillips Brothers “stick” build the entire home. The floor system usually consists of a myriad of laminated veneer beams and I-Joists that are designed by certified engineers. The walls and roof system are then covered with OSB sheathing, felt paper and housewrap.

The selected roofing material for the main body is quickly applied to the main body of the home to “dry-in” the house.

Mechanical Systems

During the walk-through, we will discuss positioning of switches, cable and telephone outlets.
The electrical, plumbing and HVAC contractors will “rough-in” their respective trades. If any specialty items, such as a security system, whole house radio system, or central vacuum system have been purchased, these will be roughed in as well.

Again, depending on the area, a local building inspector will go over the work of the sub-contractors and issue his approval.

Siding

While the mechanicals are roughed-in, the appropriate sidings will begin on the outside of the home. Boxing around the roof will also begin and accent roofs will be completed.

Insulation and Sheetrock

The insulation contractor will be brought in next to install the insulation in the appropriate walls. The sheetrock will then be hung and finished.

Interior Finishes

This is when your new home really begins to take shape. Many contractors will be working on your home simultaneously. The interior finish work begins with the installation of interior doors, moldings, and trim. The interior of the home is painted and any fireplaces are finished with appropriate facing material. All flooring, cabinets, and countertop selections are then installed. The mechanical sub-contactors will finish setting the appropriate fixtures.

Exterior Finishes

While the interior is being finished, the exterior will also get a lot of attention. Any gutters, shutters and landscaping will also then be installed.

Ready to move in…..

Your home is inspected, depending on the area, by a local building inspector and a certificate of occupancy will be issued.

We will meet with you at the home to conduct a new home orientation. The purpose of this meeting is to thoroughly acquaint you with you new home’s many features. We will review the maintenance requirements of your home as well as discuss your homebuyers’ warranty.

The information you receive at the orientation is very important. It provides you with an opportunity to make a general inspection of the home’s condition to ascertain that all expectations have been met. Please list any items you are not satisfied on the orientation checklist.

Items to repaired will be noted and the repairs will be scheduled at the earliest opportunity. Although some repairs may be done after you move into your home, we will do our best to minimize the inconvenience.

You are responsible for activating telephone connections and transferring electric, gas, and water services into your name. To assure uninterrupted service, contact the utility companies ahead of time so that the transfer begins immediately on the day of delivery. A contact list of utility companies can be found in your handbook.

Customer Service…..

Approximately one month after moving in, our service manager, Brad Gibson, will meet with you to verify that repairs listed on the pre-closing settlement checklist. If you discover any items that were missed during the orientation, we ask that you bring these up at this meeting.

If any other items are discovered during the warranty period, we ask that you submit the request for warranty work located in the homeowner folder, or submit online.

We will meet again around the 10 month mark to schedule any final service needs. Our main goal is to ensure that all expectations have been met.

In the case the warranty issue is an emergency, a list of numbers will be provided.

Warranty Protection…..

A copy of the Phillips Brothers warranty will be included in the homeowner’s handbook. It warrants workmanship and materials, as outlined in the handbook, for a period on one year. In addition, homeowners are protected by many product warranties from the name brand manufacturers that supply the products in your home.