The Old Way

• Pay an independent design firm to draft a set of plans.
• Take those plans and get 3 bids from independent builders.
• Choose the lowest bid and get started.

The Problems With The Old Way

The house that can’t be built.

Most architects are not familiar with current material and labor costs. Nor are they well versed in construction techniques. Thus, in the pursuit of your dreams, often architects and design firms will produce high-priced, unrealistic designs. What often results is a poorly constructed, oversized, wooden shell, with no quality features. Other times, the plans are simply shelved because no builder can construct the home for the amount of money originally budgeted. Even worse, some projects become abandoned after being half-built and then abandoned by the lowest bidder who was inexperience and over his head.

CCH takes an approach that will solve this problem. As builder and designer, we keep the size of the project within your budget, so that when it is complete, it contains the quality you deserve. We also understand that not every thing written on paper can be duplicated in the field in a reasonable time. We keep the design feasible to eliminate delays which may arise in the field. At Contemporary Classic Homes, “on time and on budget” is more than just a phrase – it is our way of business.

The corner cutting contractor.

The lowest bidder in a traditional setting has a tremendous incentive to lower his quality and cut corners during construction. Worse, he will insist that planning and permitting were not in the bid, and you will find yourself standing in line for hours dealing with city planning departments about subjects you don’t even understand. CCH eliminates this problem by discussing your budget and being honest about what can be accomplished within that budget. We give you a detailed plan and set of allowances, that allows you to see, understand, and control the quality of the construction. We handle permitting and planning as part of our package.

The change order price gouge.

There is usually a tremendous amount of financial pressure on the low bidder in traditional setting. The most common way for the low bidder to wiggle out of his original bid, is to “nickel and dime” his customer during construction. No set of architect’s plans can contain every detail. It may specify a ceiling fan in a room, but will not contain a price or even specify the brand. The low bidder simply insists that his bid did not include a quality “Hunter” fan, but rather a low quality “no name” fan with no warranty. If you ask a Hunter fan, he will consider the request to be a “change order.” His price for a Hunter fan is $450.00 (twice the price he pays, plus a $100.00 change order fee).

At CCH, our design build process eliminates this pressure. We provide you with an allowance for most items that can be customized, and you get to choose brands and styles – all while staying on the original budget. Change orders are then limited to structural changes made after construction has already been completed.

The blame game.

Often, traditional bidding results in a tension between builder and designer. The designer fears that the builder will take liberties with the original plan in order to cut costs. The builder is often upset because of perceived design failures or lack of detail, adding to the tremendous financial pressure he is already feeling as low bidder. As the owner of the project, you may end up in the middle of a bitter finger pointing game. With CCH’s design-build process, we act as builder and designer, removing the tension, finding solutions, and getting the job done.

The New Way

It all starts with an idea – perhaps on a piece of paper – perhaps in your mind. Here is how we make it a reality:

First Meeting

Usually, we meet with you after you have completed our Questionnaire which provides us with the information necessary to have a very productive first meeting. Our process starts by evaluating your lifestyle, what you want in a home, and determining a realistic budget. We will also give you an estimate of the cost to design the home. We can even help you obtain financing and pre-approval through our financial partners Cornerstone Mortgage.

Design Agreement

If, after our initial meetings, you feel comfortable with CCH, then a modest amount will be collected to produce the design of your dreams. We will begin immediately on a set of plans, keeping you informed and involved all the way.

Site Selection

If you have already purchased a lot, the design will key off of that particular location. If not, CCH may have a lot for you in its inventory, or our affiliate, Bluegrass Properties can locate a lot for you to purchase.

Planning

CCH will take all necessary actions with the local authorities to make sure the lot will accommodate the construction. We go through the permitting and planning process, assuming the role of land developer – a burden many builders place upon you! We’ll work with the civil engineers, municipal utilities, and city officials. We’ll will handle zoning issues, compliance issues, and represent you to insure that the process flows smoothly.

Final Design and Budget

With CCH, you will be able to view, review, and approve the final design. Then a construction budget will be prepared for you to see where the construction costs will go.

Home Purchase Agreement

After you approve the final design, a Home Purchase agreement will be presented to you. On homes built on CCH lots and/or financed by CCH until completion, a New Home Purchase Agreement will be signed, along with a set of Construction Specifications, and an Allowance Memo.

Many customers prefer to retain financial control and save money by closing the purchase early and financing the construction as it progresses. If you prefer this method, we can meet with a bank of your choosing to set the process up. Or we can arrange for you to meet with our lending partner Cornerstone Mortgage who can prepare the documentation for you and walk you through the process of construction lending.

Construction

As your new home is constructed, you will be involved as much or as little as you like. We prefer to meet with you often to review progress, and to assure that the proper custom accessories are selected at the appropriate time. You will select all items on the allowance memo and work with our interior designer to make sure your home is the best it can be. For a list of items you may want to consider in your home, see our Products and Suppliers page.

Completion and Service

After we hand you the keys to your new home, Contemporary Classic Homes does not disappear. We will work with you upon move-in to make sure ever single detail is to your satisfaction. 30 days after move-in we will check on you again, to make absolutely sure all features of the home are functioning properly and that you are happy with your investment. Our warranty then operates to protect you for years to come.