So you chose a home, selected a lot, and just put down your deposit to begin the process of building your new Florida custom home.

Now what?

In this series, we’ll walk you through exactly what will happen each month your home is under construction.

The home building process can take 6 months or longer depending on the location, size, and complexity of your new home. Today, let’s talk about what you can expect to happen in the first 30 days.

A Quick Tip Before We Begin…

Before meeting with your builder, be sure to prepare a list of questions that you have about the process. This will help you clear your mind for the exciting process that’s about to begin!

Of course, questions will arise even after your initial meeting. Just be sure to write them down and keep them handy for your next meeting, or just give us a call. The last thing we want is for you to stay up late worrying about the size of your closets…so trust us…we get it and we want to be able to give you complete peace of mind.

Customize Your Plan

Now, one of the first decisions you’ll make during this early stage will be how to customize the floor plan you selected. At this meeting, your builder will draw out the floor plan to your exact needs. Perhaps you see a good fit in one of our current layouts but need the bedrooms extended in size – we can do that.

Or maybe you like two of our floor plans and want to try to combine features from both – we can do that too.

That, my friends, is the beauty of home customization and where we earn our stripes as Florida’s Custom Home Builder!

You can see examples of our floor plan customization here.

Now, let’s bring up an important point. We are often asked if we can take another builder’s blueprints and build the home from this specific plan. The short answer is no. While we admire the work of other custom home builders, we wouldn’t ever want to be called copycats! We will however, try to accommodate what you like from your current blueprint into a new plan.

Be prepared to put hours, if not days, into the initial planning stage. After all, the last thing you want to do is build a home that you do not absolutely LOVE.

Design Your Dream Home

Next, you’ll work with our design team to really help make your house a home. ICI Homes has an endless list of designs and styles to choose from, and our team of dedicated design specialists walk you through the entire selections process.

Remember, we’re always available to answer any questions or concerns that may arise.

Permitting and Approvals

Your builder will create the work schedule and contact you to set up a pre-construction meeting to confirm your final selections and verify the orientation of the home on the proposed house survey. After you confirm that the plans are accurate, we’ll handle the paperwork to get your home permit approved.

In most municipalities, this process will take up the rest of the first 30 days. But once ICI Homes receives the final approval, the START package will be released.

The START package includes the permit, survey showing your home on the lot, color selections, plans and the entire set of purchase orders that inform us which suppliers and subcontractors will provide labor and materials for your home. You’ll receive all of this information for your records as well as other important ICI Homes collateral we create for our clients.

Then we’re on to the next step…breaking ground on your new home!

Tune in next month to learn what you can expect by the 60 day mark.