Journal · Questions
Asked often. Answered the way we would on the phone.
Most prospective clients arrive with a version of the same questions. Here are the answers, in the same voice we’d use if you called the office.
Before you call
- What does a custom home cost?
- More than you might think, less than you fear. There is no honest single number; cost depends on site, scope, finish level, and how you actually want to live. What we can promise: we won’t quote a number we can’t defend, and we’ll be straight about what you’re getting for what you’re spending. Renovations and additions begin meaningfully lower than new homes.
- How long does it take?
- Sixteen to twenty-four months for most new homes; less for renovations. Design and planning come before that, and the time spent there is what keeps the build calm. We’d rather start a month later and finish on time.
- Do I need an architect before I call?
- No. Come with one, or we’ll help you find the right fit. We work with the best architects in Metro Detroit and with firms in New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles on Michigan houses. More on architects and designers →
- Is there a project minimum?
- Not a hard one. The question is fit, not size. We’ve built large estates and restored single rooms in houses we built decades earlier. What matters is whether the work is the kind we can do justice to.
- Have you turned projects down?
- Yes. Some jobs aren’t right for us and some bids should be lost. When we say yes to a project, we mean it.
- Renovations too, or only new homes?
- About half our work is renovation, addition, and restoration, including older houses we didn’t originally build.
- Where do you build?
- Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills, Franklin, West Bloomfield, Orchard Lake, Huntington Woods, Pleasant Ridge, Ann Arbor, and Detroit, and further within Metro Detroit for the right project.
- What is the first conversation like?
- No pitch. Bring what you have: a few photographs, a rough plan, an idea on a napkin. We listen first. By the end, you’ll know whether we’re the right partner for what you have in mind. So will we.
Working together
- How are budgets built and tracked?
- From real numbers, and from the experience to catch a subcontractor’s figure that’s running low or missing scope. We flag it and adjust before it reaches your sheet. Allowances are clear, change orders documented, and the budget is updated in writing as the project moves.
- Who will I talk to during the build?
- One project lead and one site superintendent, from the first conversation through the final walk-through, and the phone call years later if something needs adjusting.
- How often will we hear from you?
- A written update every week of construction, whether there’s news or not. Walk-throughs as often as you want. A real answer from a real person in between.
- What if I want to change something mid-build?
- It happens often and it’s a conversation, not a paperwork ordeal. We re-estimate, tell you what you’d give up or gain, document the change, and proceed when you’ve said yes. The earlier, the easier.
- What happens when something goes wrong?
- The first sentence you hear is “that’s on us, here’s the fix.” Not the weather, the supplier, or the schedule. Context can come later if it’s useful.
After the build
- What warranty do you provide?
- A one-year comprehensive warranty on workmanship, plus the manufacturers’ warranties on materials and systems, which often run far longer. In practice we answer the phone for years after that.
- How do you handle work that comes up years later?
- The same people. A small repair gets the project lead who built the room, or a colleague who has been on the work long enough to know how it was made. For steady seasonal attention there is Home Care.
- Do clients come back?
- Often. Four out of five projects come from past clients or someone they sent. We’ve built second and third houses for the same families, sometimes a decade apart, sometimes for the next generation.