Online Design Studio
What to expect in Design
So, you’ve reserved your lot and made an appointment with the Design Team. You’ve pinned every inspirational photo you can find on your Pinterest Board, and read ALL of the latest Studio McGee Blogs in order to be prepared. (We totally get it.. we do this too!) Before we get started with getting all of your ideas down on paper, we need to lead with telling you who we are and what our process entails. Here are a couple of things to keep in mind before you begin your journey.
We are a Portfolio Builder, NOT a Custom Home Builder. This means that we have a portfolio of pre-determined plans, elevations, additions, expansions, layouts, finishes and features that we offer. We know that not every layout works for each individual person/family so we have created these options to help you find your best match.
Each option ensures the best functionality, style and use of space in your home.
Personalization is what we do to make your home “one of a kind.” We allow you to personalize your home by choosing from our large variety of included and upgraded finishes. From flooring and cabinets to lighting and paint - we help you set yourself apart by curating color pallets that reflect your own style and preferences.
You probably chose to build your home in Annafeld, at least in part, because you like the diverse feel of the neighborhood. To create this feel, we have to be intentional about placement of colors and exterior styles of the homes. This means that the selections made by your future neighbors may limit your choices for exterior style and color. If all the houses look nearly the same (e.g. white farmhouses), the entire neighborhood loses its character and desirability. That’s not good for anyone. The ideal separation between repeating color schemes is 5 homes. If you know there is a color scheme you’d like within 3 homes of your selected lot, we can work with you to find another color that you’ll love or we can look at changing your home to another lot without the same restraints. Annafeld also has an Architectural Review Committee (ARC) that will have the final approval on selected colors and styles. It is their role to ensure the neighborhood maintains its distinctive feel and historic architecture. Viewing existing homes is a good way to get ideas for exterior color as colors become much more vivid in natural light and on a large scale.
1st Design Appointment
During your first design appointment you will be asked a series of questions that cover every aspect of your home. We start in the kitchen and work our way through the whole house (interior and exterior). For each selection that you’ll have to make, we will always start by showing you what’s included in the base price of your home. Then, we will give you your options for investing in items above and beyond. This meeting will focus more on what level of finish you’d like, rather than narrowing down the exact color.
After you’ve answered all of our questions, the Design Team’s next step will be to take the notes and enter each item into our software system. This compiles a detailed list of every selected item, as well as the corresponding price. This is how we determine the overall price of the home. This typically takes us about 2 weeks to complete.
2nd Design Appointment (Pricing & Colors)
During your second appointment, the first thing we will do is review your Selections Sheet. This is a document that lists each item chosen by you from your 1st Design Appointment. It will show you all selected features that are included, as well as any upgraded items that you chose. Nothing is set in stone at this point, so don’t worry. If you decide that any certain option is going to break the budget, we can still back it down to a more cost effective option.
After we get through discussing and narrowing down your selections, then comes the real fun… COLORS! We will end by helping you choose and put together your final color selections. This is where we really get to be creative and bring your vision to life for your new home!
What's next?
I’m sure you’ve realized by now that there are many steps to building a home. We’ve done our best to make it as seamless as possible so it’s an easy and enjoyable process for you. Below is a quick summary of what happens between design and the start of construction.
Steps to Construction
1. Sign Contracts. This locks in pricing and selections. It also takes you out of the "Design Queue" and moves you into the "Building Queue."
2. GuildQuality Survey. We love to gather feedback from you about your experience and hear how we are doing. Please, take the time to let us know! We strive to earn your 5-star ratings.
3. Out to Consultants. Your Plan/Site Plan gets sent out to the Architects and Engineers that we work with prior to submitting for permit. This takes them 4-5 weeks to review and send them back to us.
4. Internal Plan Review. As soon as we have your Plan/Site Plan back, our drafter, purchaser, construction manager, superintendent and designers meet to make sure that your vision was captured and accurately executed on paper as well as translated to the rest of the team. It's our time to make sure everyone is on the same page.
5. Pre-Construction Meeting. This is where the Design Team hands you off to the Production Team. Your designer will call you to set this up. During this 1-hour meeting you will be introduced to the Superintendent that's in charge of overseeing your home while it's built. Together, you will review and approve your plans, discuss the building process and answer any questions you may have.
*Your Options Deposit is due at this meeting ($)
6. Permitting. Last, if everything is accurate and we have your approval on the plans, then we can send your plans to the city for permitting!
In Conclusion...
If you read this and still feel like you have questions, please contact your McCall Homes Sales or Design Team so we can help you feel confident in knowing what to expect. Thank you for choosing McCall Homes as your builder. We are excited to have you as out neighbor!
The quality and little details were big improvements over the other homes we looked at. We weren't just looking at 'right now,' but also how the home will sell in the future. When you think about resale value and compare standard features and upgrades, they were the best!