At Four Oaks, we’ve designed our custom home building process to keep you informed at every stage, remove guesswork, and make sure you’re never waiting to hear what’s happening.
The custom home build process can feel intimidating. Most people have never done it before. At Four Oaks, we’ve designed our process to keep you informed at every stage, remove guesswork, and make sure you’re never waiting to hear what’s happening.
We start by listening. You tell us what you want to build, where you want to build it, and what budget you’re working with. There’s no sales pitch here, just a conversation. If we’re not the right fit for your project, we’ll tell you that too.
Timeline: 1 – 2 Weeks
If you have land, we review the site for build-readiness: soil, access, utilities, zoning, and setbacks. If you don’t have land yet, we connect you with trusted local realtors who know the areas where we build. Getting the land right is as important as getting the home right.
Timeline: 1 – 4 weeks depending on land status
This is where your home starts to take shape on paper. We work through floor plans, elevations, and exterior design. Then we move to interior selections: cabinetry, countertops, flooring, tile, fixtures. Our team helps you make selections within your budget, because we’ve seen what happens when that guidance is missing.
Timeline: 8-12 weeks
Once your home’s design, specifications, and major selections have been finalized, Four Oaks Builders prepares a comprehensive construction proposal and contract for review. This phase ensures that the project scope, pricing, responsibilities, and expectations are clearly defined before construction begins.
Contract Structure
Four Oaks Builders typically utilizes a Fixed-Price Construction Agreement, providing clients with a clearly defined contract price based on the approved plans, specifications, allowances, and scope of work. For certain projects where design details or selections are still evolving, a Cost-Plus Agreement may be used, under which the client pays the actual cost of construction plus an agreed-upon builder fee.
Change Orders
Any modification to the approved plans, specifications, materials, finishes, allowances, or scope of work must be documented through a written Change Order. Each Change Order identifies the change in scope, any associated cost adjustment, and any impact on the construction schedule. Change Orders must be reviewed and approved by the client before the additional work is performed.
Contract Inclusions and Exclusions
The Construction Agreement clearly identifies all work included in the contract price, including the approved plans, specifications, allowances, and builder-provided services. Any item not specifically identified within the contract documents is excluded from the contract price unless otherwise agreed to in writing. This process helps eliminate misunderstandings and ensures complete transparency throughout the project.
Pre-Construction Review and Approval
Prior to the start of construction, clients review and execute all required contract documents, including:
Construction may commence once all required documents have been executed, financing requirements have been satisfied, and applicable permits have been obtained.
Timeline: Following completion of the design and selection process, the budgeting, proposal, and contract review phase typically requires 2–4 weeks to finalize. This allows adequate time for estimating, scope verification, contract preparation, and client review before moving into permitting and pre-construction activities.
This process provides every client with a clear understanding of project costs, scope, and expectations before construction begins.
Once the design, selections, budget, and contract are finalized, Four Oaks Builders quickly moves the project into permitting and construction. Once permits are issued, construction begins. Your builder is on-site throughout the construction process and remains actively involved in managing the schedule, trade partners, inspections, quality control, and day-to-day problem solving. You will receive consistent communication, and schedule updates. When issues come up, and they occasionally do on any custom build, you will hear about them promptly, along with a clear explanation of the issue, the options available, and the recommended plan for resolution. We do not hide problems. We solve them.
Throughout construction, we also schedule site interactions and key site walks with the client and builder together so important details can be reviewed before the next phase of work begins.
Typical client site interactions throughout the project include:
Pre-Construction Site Meeting
Before construction begins, we meet on-site to review access, house placement and orientation, driveway location, clearing and grading, tree protection, and the general construction timeline.
Framing
After framing is complete and before insulation and drywall, we communicate with the client to review room layouts, window and door locations, ceiling details, stairs, built-ins, fireplaces, and other structural or design details. In practice we are communicating with you during framing to stay ahead of tweaks or adjustments you may want or need to your layout.
Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing, and Low-Voltage
Before walls are closed, we review key electrical, lighting, plumbing, HVAC, audio/video, security, and low-voltage locations. This is one of the most important discussions because changes are much easier before the drywall goes up.
Cabinetry and Interior Trim
As interior finishes begin, we review cabinetry layouts, trim details, built-ins, fireplace surrounds, ceiling treatments, shelving, and other finish details.
Timeline: These steps occur throughout the build and are dependent upon the build timeline.
Before you take possession of your home, we walk through the home together. We document anything that needs attention and address it before you move in. Your home should be complete and correct, not mostly done, but done! We also take this opportunity to answer any remaining questions regarding mechanical systems, shut-off locations, appliances, smart home features, warranty procedures, maintenance expectations, etc.
Timeline: 1-2 weeks
The most common communication complaint we hear about other builders is simple: they go quiet. We don’t. Here is exactly what proactive communication looks like at Four Oaks.
You'll hear from us on a consistent schedule throughout the build, not just when there's a milestone or a problem. You'll always know where your project stands.
Issues come up on every build. When they do, you'll hear about it from us, before you'd notice it yourself, and always with a clear plan for resolution. No surprises. No cover-ups.
You will have Andy's and Chris's direct contact information from day one. Not a project manager. Not an office number. The people who are building your home are the people you can reach.
Common Questions About the Custom Home Build Process
We’ve answered the most common questions about our custom home build process – cost, communication, timelines, and what you need to have ready before we start. Start there if you’re still exploring.
The first step is a conversation. You tell us what you’re thinking, we tell you exactly what the process looks like, what it costs, and whether we’re the right fit. With us listening.
