Our Process: Turn-Key Builds
Learn how the process works from start-to-finish when you do a Turn-Key project with Next Modular
Turn-Key Process Overview:
Phase 1 – Preliminary Estimates: Initial conversation (WHAT to build, WHEN to build, WHERE to build, HOW MUCH to spend), preliminary estimates over phone/email, first in-person meeting to see model home and decor options, revised home estimate.
Phase 2 – Pre-Construction: Pre-Construction Agreement, first site visit with Project Manager on your property, soil samples, building permits, site work quotes, site plans, engineered home prints, loan underwriting.
Phase 3 – Active Construction: Construction loan closing, modular home ordered at factory, ground breaking, active construction, foundation install, home setting, building garage/porch, septic/well install, finish work, project turn over, move in to your new home!
This is just a brief overview of our process. If you’re ready for a deep dive into the details of how this all works, read on!
Phase 1 – Initial Conversation
When you first contact us, you will have a ton of questions for us, and we will have a lot of questions for you! This initial phase is all about information gathering, and we will generally want to cover the following things:
- what you want to build (home style, garage, etc)
- where your land is located and what condition it’s in (existing septic? Lots of trees? etc.)
- when you want to build (any time within 9 months or less is considered ASAP to us)
- how much you are targeting for an overall project budget
If you don’t know the answers to some or any of these at this time, that’s ok! Your personal Home Consultant will work with the info you have on hand. During the first conversation, your Home Consultant is gathering information from you that will help us more accurately estimate your project costs.
This initial conversation usually happens over the phone and/or email, but we can also set up in-person meetings if that’s more your speed. We’ll also ask you to send us any custom plans or prints you have at this time, if you’re doing a custom floorplan (or a floorplan from a different modular website).
Phase 1 – Preliminary Estimates & Meeting
After the initial conversation, we will be armed with enough information to put together your preliminary Home Estimate. This estimate is similar to the Turn-Key Estimate you see on our website, but it is much more detailed, and custom-tailored to your specific situation. We’ll typically email you the initial Home Estimate.
Once you’ve received and reviewed your initial estimate, the next step is to coordinate an in-person meeting with your Home Consultant to go over more specific details on the various home options and upgrades available (think: siding color, countertop upgrades/options, further details on garage construction, etc). This in-person meeting usually takes place at the Model Center, where you can walk through our display homes and see physical samples of the various decor selections available. This will usually trigger a whole bunch of additional questions, which is good!
After this meeting, your Home Consultant will revise your home estimate to include the options and upgrades you are interested in putting in the home and email that to you.
This is also the right time to start talking with your bank about getting a construction loan for your project, since you now have a good idea of expected project costs. We can work with any bank that will give you a construction loan, but if you aren’t working with a bank currently, check out our list of new construction lenders for some options.
Phase 2 – Pre-Construction
Once you are comfortable with the estimated project costs we’ve provided you, the next step is to move into the Pre-Construction phase. During this phase, you will be introduced to your Project Manager. Your Project Manager and your Home Consultant will coordinate with you to get the ball rolling on the following things:
- Updated Engineered Home Prints – these prints are much more detailed than what you see on the website, and they will reflect any changes you are making to one of our plans. If you’re doing a complete custom print, this will be the first draft of your engineered, computer drafted prints
- Initial Site Visit – Your Project Manager will meet you at your property to guide you through home placement, and to make note of any things that may have bearing on your project costs (such as trees you may not have realized need removed)
- Draft Detailed Computer Generated Site Plans – These will be needed for the building permit, and they will show home/garage placement, septic layout, driveways, etc.
- Obtain Soil Samples – These are necessary to determine detailed septic costs if you will have a private septic system, and the septic location must be determined before these are done
- Submit for Septic & Building Permits – We want to get these early on, before your loan is closed or the modular home is ordered
- Obtain Core Quotes – The initial estimates we put together are based on historic cost data gathered over years of building modular homes, and are constantly updated to reflect current market conditions, so they are quite accurate! That said, things like the Septic System can’t be 100% accurately quoted until we have soil samples done and site-specific requirements in hand from the local Health Department, so during Pre-Construction your Project Manager will begin to compile written quotes from the subcontractors we plan to use for the big ticket items in your project, such as the foundation, HVAC, septic, and garage build. We call these your “Core Quotes” because they have the biggest bearing on final project costs.
Phase 2 – Pre-Construction
We have a Pre-Construction Agreement that you’ll sign when you are ready to move into this phase. This agreement costs $2,500 and it gets our entire team mobilized on your behalf. While building a home is not rocket science, there is a lot of time, travel and leg work involved just to get to the point where we can break ground, and that is what this covers. Ultimately, when you sign a full Construction Contract with us and begin construction, this $2,500 will be credited towards your home cost, so you’re not paying for anything twice!
Also, once you’ve entered the Pre-Construction phase, our Finance Consultant will begin to get involved behind the scenes with your lender to get them any paperwork they need from us (like insurance certificates), and any info or paperwork they need pertaining to your build, including plans and specs, copies of site plans and surveys, building permits, etc. The goal here is to move the process along towards the ultimate goal of closing the construction loan (in financial terms “closing” a construction loan actually means starting the loan and paying out the initial money needed to get going on actual construction).
At some point during the Pre-Construction phase, once we have received enough of the Core Quotes back from our subcontractors and you have finalized your home prints and decor options/upgrades with your Home Consultant, we will draft the full Construction Contract for signing, and our Finance Consultant will send it to the lender. This phase of the process is somewhat fluid, as there are many moving parts, but the ultimate goal is to get the loan closed at the right time. You, the Bank, and everyone in our office has a part to play, and we’ll be there to guide you through every step of the way!
Phase 3 – Active Construction
The final step before breaking ground is to close the construction loan. Our Finance Consultant will play a key role in bringing together all the documents, paperwork, insurance certificates, etc needed to get this done.
As soon as the construction loan closes and we receive the first construction draw, we will place your home order with the factory. Once we get a projected offline date from the factory for your home, the Project Manager will begin to schedule the various subcontractors needed for your project.
A few weeks before the home is scheduled to come offline, we will get the foundation in the ground, backfilled, and ready to receive the home. Before you know it, the day will come to set your home! Once the home is set, we will first get the electric hooked up, and then soon after the HVAC system installed. Plumbing hookups, well installation, septic install and garage/porch building will be ongoing at this time as well. Soon it will be time for the interior finish work, and we’ll complete any drywall & trim work needed, as well do things like laminate floors, custom tile showers, appliances, etc.
Once all work is completed, you will do a final walk-through with your Project Manager, and together you’ll come up with a “punch list” of final finish items you’d like to see addressed (minor cabinet touch ups, etc). We’ll bring in our punch-out team to take care of any remaining touch ups needed. Finally, the when the dust settles (don’t worry, we’ll sweep it up!) you will find yourself the proud owner of a fully finished, brand new, beautifully completed modular home. Welcome Home 🙂
Final Thoughts
If this all seems completely overwhelming, you are in good company! Building a new home is a challenging but rewarding adventure, and we understand if all this new information is a little hard to take in at once.
When you build with Next Modular, you get a team of caring, dedicated professionals, and we are committed to guiding you through this process every step of the way. We’ll take the time to explain things in a way that makes sense to you. Above all, we truly want to build you a beautiful, affordable home that you will love for many years to come.
Take the first step today and reach out to us, we’d love to hear from you 🙂
