The Process of Building and Renovating

Building or renovating a home or business for most people is an exciting and satisfying process. It allows you to chose the design and surroundings that you chose to live and work in. However the building process can seem overwhelming at times. To assist you with this procedure, we have developed the following outline of the construction process.

J. R. Brown Construction, Inc. manages dozens of people who are involved in the orchestrated effort to build or renovate your project. The stages described below, which can take several months or more, is the progression for a typical "stick built"-or wood-framed-home.

Initial Meeting

This meeting will allow the client and contractor the opportunity to discuss the needs of the homeowner, the budget, and site planning. This process can continue for several weeks while the party's fine tune all the information that is exchanged. You may have seen a set of plans you're your interested in, we advise you not to purchase any drawings until you're sure the home will fit on the property and within your budget. We will be more then happy to assist along the way. The client can spend this time making decisions on some of the products to be used in the construction. Once this process is complete, the client can approach their bank or mortgage company.

Financing and Contract

Each bank approaches financing in slightly different ways. J. R. Brown Construction, Inc. will deal one on one with your bank or mortgage company to supply them with all the information they require to expedite the process. The signed contract and drawings are part of the information the bank will require.

Permit Applications

Once your financing is approved J. R. Brown Construction, Inc. can apply with the appropriate municipal authority for all required permits. Often the municipality will forward these documents on to a third party agency that will review the plans and issue a building permit. This third party agency will also be responsible for all the required inspections throughout the course of the project. Additional permits such as a driveway permit, sewer tap, and water tap will also be required. At this point we advise you to talk to your insurance agent about insuring your future home.

Foundation and Site Work

Before the home is built, the site must be cleared and graded. Once this is done, trenches for the footers are dug. Most footers are built of poured concrete, although pre-cast concrete panels are gaining in popularity because of their added strength and speed of installation. J. R. Brown Construction, Inc. will discuss these options with you at the initial meeting. Once your footers are inspected, the foundation can be constructed using poured concrete, block, or panels. Once again another inspection is required. Once these inspections are complete the framing can begin.

Framing

Once the foundation is set, the floor, walls, stairs and roof are built. The frame is the shell of the home that provides the shape of the structure. The conventional approach is to build the home from individual pieces of lumber, called stick-built construction. This will appear to go incredibly fast at some points. This phase of the project can be dangerous, with trusses and lumber being lifted overhead, we advise all clients to be extremely careful on the jobsite.

Exterior Finishes

This stage finishes the outside of the home and protects the inside from the elements. From the outside, at least, your home looks almost done. When selecting your façade and roof covering, consider the maintenance costs and requirements, and how long the product will last. Remember that the cheapest product out of the box will not necessarily be the least expensive long term.

Often the concrete is poured in the basement and garage while the exterior work is commencing.

Mechanical Rough-Ins

Once the interior of the house is properly protected from the elements, the plumbing, electricity, water heating, and heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems are installed. This occurs while crews are continuing to work on the exterior of the home. Once all rough-ins are complete we receive the framing inspection and all the mechanical rough-in inspections.

Insulation and Air Sealing

This step ensures your home will stay comfortable in even the most extreme temperatures. First, we will professionally air seal your home. Insulation is then added to the exterior walls and the roof-although some products will air seal and insulate in one step. The quality of insulation material can make a big difference in energy bills. J. R. Brown Construction, Inc. will discuss all the available insulations at the initial meeting. The insulation requires a separate inspection to ensure energy efficiency.

Interior Finishes

Once everything behind the walls is complete, the drywall is installed. A drywall inspection is then required. Then the home is painted, flooring tiles and cabinetry are installed. This is the longest phase, for good reason. Unlike the mechanical rough-in step, everyone on the project in the interior finish steps usually cannot do work at the same time. Carpet is usually the final finish installed in your new home. Your final inspection is required at this time and an occupancy permit is issued.

Landscaping

This step can occur any time after the exterior finishes are complete, but it's usually done concurrently with interior finishes.

Walk-Through

A final walk-through before the closing is the time to ensure that everything is completed to your liking. J. R. Brown Construction, Inc. will also explain how different things in your home operate and give you all the warranty paperwork for all your products.