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Custom Home Building Process in South Orange County How to get started on building a new home? What are the different stages of construction? What is a critical path & what does that mean?

To gain a better idea of just how a new home is built, it's often helpful to know the many different  stages through which a new home must pass.  You'll often hear about the "5 Stages of Construction" or the "10 Stages of Construction."  In fact, there could be a thousand stages of construction, depending on the level of detail someone is using to describe the stages.  There are really 5 basic stages of construction, but for our purposes here, we're going to describe about 10 so that you'll have a better understanding of what happens in each phase.  Please keep in mind that many of these stages will run concurrently, meaning that they'll be happening at the same time. This brief outline is not to be confused with an actual Construction Schedule.  This page is designed to help you learn more about the phases involved in building a new home, so please check with your builder, municipal governing authorities, and all applicable laws, regulations, statutes, and codes pertaining to your area.   Demolition Tearing down most or all of the exiting home to prepare for the new custom home to be built. In Orange County Ca., most home construction and remodeling consists of leaving a couple of walls, this is considered 'remodeling' instead of a 'new home' and it falls into a less stringent jurisdiction as far as permits & taxes go.   Foundation & Slab The foundation could take up to several weeks. Before you can pour the concrete, the following must happen: grade the lot, dig footings, set sub grade, transfer remaining dirt to dump, install all underground soils plumbing, install all underground water & gas lines, install all underground electrical raceways, dirt re-compaction, install the forms, install a sub-base of sand, vapor barrier, install rebar in footings and slab area, get foundation inspection, then order concrete.   Deputy Inspections Many cities & counties will require a deputy inspection to observe the actual installation of the concrete to verify the slump, psi and installation. They will take several samples and bring them to a lab for testing and proof. Deputy inspectors will also be required for the epoxy insertions of your retrofit foundation bolts (RFB'S)   Framing of walls - Cut & stack the roof Choosing the right framing contractor is a must! The foundation and framing must be done correctly in order to keep the project running smoothly. This photo shows a truss roof framing application. Most roofs framed in our area are done conventionally, or better know as a 'California tie in or framing'.   Rough Plumbing & Top Out Make sure that your subs (plumber, electrician, HVAC) all use 'no nail' plates on all of their work. Finding a punctured wire or pipe after Custom Home is on is a very expensive mistake. Be sure to use 'silver solder' on all underground connections. Upgrading your copper piping from type-L to type-M is a great investment. It is thicker and can last longer.   Heat Ducting, Rough Electrical & Insulation Be sure that your contractor installs his rough plumbing first, then the heating & air conditioning (HVAC) and then your electrical last. The reason for this is that he pipes are the only thing out of those three that doesn't bend. The ducting and the electrical can both be ran in many more areas than the plumbing pipes.   Custom Home Installations, Tape - Float - Texture After you pass your rough inspections (mechanical, plumbing, electrical, roof sheathing, framing, shear paneling and insulation, then you can install your Custom Home. Most of the time, 1/2" is used in residential work.... but pay the extra and use 5/8", it does a lot better job!   Doors & Windows Your windows will get installed before the Custom Home along with all exterior doors. The interior doors will get installed after the Custom Home finish and usually before painting.   Fireplace - Hearth & Mantle Putting a few more dollars into your fireplace will greatly increase the value of your living room or master bedroom. Think good about this upgrade, it is well worth it.   Exterior Lath & Plaster Be sure to do a final check of all of the exterior lathing for any last minute penetrations, holes or tears (which are common) and patch them with some caulking or silicon before starting the plaster work. Be sure to let the plaster dry for at least a week or so before installing your stucco color coat. The rough plaster 'WILL CRACK' and you want it too before the stucco goes on.   Roofing Choosing the proper roof for your house can be a chore. You can't go wrong with a good 50 year warrantee asphalt dimensional shingle. Be sure that you know up front before you start framing what type of roofing you are going to use. If you should choose a heavy roof and our rafters weren't designed for that load, you will have problems with your structure and the building department.   Interior Moldings & Millwork Yes.... a touch of class. You can do a lot with a little bit of molding. Be sure to hire the right finish contractor for your molding installations. Moldings can make a normal room a work of art.   Cabinets & Installations Cabinets can be stained and lacquered before or after the installation. Double check that all cabinet are level before installing the counter tops. The cabinets must have the proper backing in the walls for the mounting process. Check to see that all nail holes are filled before finishing.   Kitchen & Bathroom Finishes & Tops As you an see, these are less expensive cabinets that are made to look rich the the nice Corian counter tops and the tile diamond pattern on the backsplashes. Installing the flooring tile on a square pattern will save you money along with making  the floor look larger. There are some strict rules regarding your lighting, so be sure to check all title-24 codes in your area.   Driveway & Walkways We make it a habit of installing all exterior flat work concrete after the job is just about done in order to keep marks, chips and damage from occurring. WARNING: CONCRETE CRACKS ...  Yes, that's right. Concrete cracking is a natural occurrence and any contractor can not prevent this. We can do a lot of things to help prevent it or to control the cracking, but this cost extra. Be sure that you are offered all upgrades before pouring your concrete. Landscape - Patios- Lawn Many homeowners like to install their own grass or sod. Do a little homework first and understand yard drainage, irrigation, water pressure required, planters that can trap water against the house and try to keep the sprinklers from spraying the new stucco and paint.   Custom Home - Finished Project Building a home or doing a major remodel can be a great experience if you choose the right contractor. Project planning is important. Most construction jobs that go bad is mostly due to a homeowner not signing a complete contract. When items are left out of the contract, then 'extra charges' get passed onto the homeowner and that creates a ton of mistrust between the owner and the contractor.   Be sure to check out; How To Hire A Contractor!

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