Before You Design Your Home
Before we begin the process of designing your custom home, there are some important factors for you to consider. Finding that perfect piece of land, determining when you want to build your dream home, and, of course, how you intend to finance it. Here are some things to consider in each of these areas as you begin your custom home journey.
Land
We design your home to fit your site and your needs. When searching for land, here are some factors that impact the design of your timber frame home that you may want to consider.
Creating your dream home takes time and is a process that you don’t want to rush. The process — from design to construction — can vary greatly. Here are some guidelines for your consideration:
2 or More Years Before You Start: Gather ideas and start to develop your design and layout preferences. A lot can change over time, so don’t worry about the details at this point.
1-2 Years Before You Start: If you haven’t already, now is the time to set an overall budget for the cost of the home, purchase land (if you haven’t already), and create a list of must-haves and wants for your design.
When You Are Ready to Start: Once you have executed a Design Development Agreement (DDA) with us, the design process begins in earnest. Your Riverbend team works with you to design your timber frame home based on your vision and your budget.
Pre-Design
Once you’re ready to start the design process with EcoHouseMart and have signed a Design Development Agreement (DDA), your design meeting is scheduled. Prior to the meeting:
Your EcoHouseMart client representative will visit your build site. (The architectural designer assigned to your project can also visit your build site for an additional fee, if you so desire.)
Provide us with a survey and/or topographical map of your land and build site for our use in designing your home.
Help us understand your vision for your home by sharing images, sketches, and other ideas you have gathered in your research.
Your EcoHouseMart team will gather additional information about your property, such as relevant building codes, restrictions, or applicable CC&R from your Homeowners’ Association.
Conceptual Design
During the initial design meeting, you and your designer will align your overall budget for the home with your desired square footage, architectural styling, layout, and functionality in order to assess the cost feasibility of your project. The size of the home and its design complexity have the greatest impact on cost. In addition, your build site attributes and the level of finishes significantly affect the total cost of the home.
In the weeks that follow, your designer will create a complete conceptual design and present it to you, including a virtual reality presentation of the exterior and interior of the home. Learn more about our Design Process here.
At this point, our project manager will explain our range of construction solutions available to you, to assist you in determining which solution is best suited to your needs.
Preconstruction
When you are satisfied with your conceptual design and the overall estimated cost to build your home and have signed a contract with EcoHouseMart, our architectural designer will prepare a full set of construction drawings, which initiates the pre-construction phase of your project. During this phase, the following steps occur:
Our project manager works with you to select windows, doors, and other materials.
EcoHouseMart works with a third-party structural engineering firm that reviews and stamps the plans to independently verify the structural integrity of your home.
Depending upon the construction solution you choose, our project manager works with you to select a general contractor to construct your home.
Fabrication
Manufacturing starts with EcoHouseMart’s fabrication your log or timber frame package. During the manufacturing phase:
The timber frame is fabricated precisely to the specifications set out in the engineered construction drawings.
The timber frame components are pre-fit at our facility prior to shipping to ensure the highest quality.
Meanwhile, at your build site, you and your general contractor will:
Excavate for your foundation
Pour concrete, backfill, and install the main floor deck, completing the foundation
Before You Design Your Home
Before we begin the process of designing your custom home, there are some important factors for you to consider. Finding that perfect piece of land, determining when you want to build your dream home, and, of course, how you intend to finance it. Here are some things to consider in each of these areas as you begin your custom home journey.
Land
We design your home to fit your site and your needs. When searching for land, here are some factors that impact the design of your timber frame home that you may want to consider.
Creating your dream home takes time and is a process that you don’t want to rush. The process — from design to construction — can vary greatly. Here are some guidelines for your consideration:
2 or More Years Before You Start: Gather ideas and start to develop your design and layout preferences. A lot can change over time, so don’t worry about the details at this point.
1-2 Years Before You Start: If you haven’t already, now is the time to set an overall budget for the cost of the home, purchase land (if you haven’t already), and create a list of must-haves and wants for your design.
When You Are Ready to Start: Once you have executed a Design Development Agreement (DDA) with us, the design process begins in earnest. Your Riverbend team works with you to design your timber frame home based on your vision and your budget.