Step-By-Step: Custom Home Building Process

Building a custom home with Keystone is a rewarding yet intricate process that results in a home uniquely designed for your lifestyle and taste. Our team is here to guide you through the building process to ensure that your home's progress stays on track.

Below you can find our step-by-step custom home building process in full detail. We help you the whole way from location, to financing, to building, and beyond!

Get Started on Your New Home!

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Visit
Visit
1

COMMUNITY

Select your location; choose one of our ideally located communities or choose to build On Your Lot.

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2

HOME

Explore floorplans designed to meet your lifestyle & budget. Choose a homesite for your future home.

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3

AGREEMENT

Review and sign the purchase agreement with your New Home Advisor and submit the deposit on your new home.

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4

FINANCING

Your New Home Advisor will connect you with a preferred lender to find your perfect financing plan.

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Customize
Customize
5

STRUCTURE

Make structural changes to your floorplan. Finalized plans are sent for engineering and permitting.

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6

DESIGN

Visit the Design Studio and meet with your Designer to select finishes that will personalize your home.

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Build
Build
7

PRE-CONSTRUCTION

Meet with your Construction Manager to review plans and discuss the building process. Download the MyKCH App to prepare for construction updates.

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8

CONSTRUCTION

Use the MyKCH mobile app to communicate with your construction team while your home is being built.

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Enjoy
Enjoy
9

CELEBRATION & SETTLEMENT

Your Construction Manager will introduce you to your new home before settlement.

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10

WARRANTY

Use Punchlist Manager to submit warranty requests or contact our Customer Care Team with any questions.

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Step 1: Select Your New Community

The first step in the home building process is to select your location. Explore our ideally-located communities or the ability to Build On Your Lot.

When choosing a location for your new home, it’s important to think about lifestyle factors that might make certain communities more convenient or appealing than others. For example, how will the move affect your commute? How much space and privacy do you prefer?

These are just a few of the important issues our team will review with you as we guide you through the home building process.

Step 2: Choose a Custom Built Home

In Step 2 of the new home building process, you'll secure your homesite and choose the floorplan that is best suited for your lifestyle & budget!

Make sure you drive through the community and walk your homesite! Your New Home Advisor can meet you on-site to review the unique details that will impact your home.

Visiting the neighborhood will also help you determine its distance from your work, school, and other important destinations (such as daycares, grocers, or hospitals).

Step 3: Sign Your New Home Agreement

Review and sign the purchase agreement for your new home with your New Home Advisor, who will guide you through every detail to ensure that your home meets all your desires! Before financing begins, your New Home Advisor will review construction costs and timeline; impacts of square footage on construction time and budget; and key considerations about the local area, such as zoning and future land development. At this time, you will gain access to KeyChoices to begin exploring your home's customization options and the myKCH app.

Step 4: Custom Home Financing Process

In Step 4, your New Home Advisor will review your finances & desired budget, and will recommend one of our preferred lenders to help you find your perfect financing plan for your new home. Be prepared to discuss your income, debt, savings, credit score, and required deposits to help select the plan that’s right for your budget and needs. Our preferred lenders provide our customers with the best possible price and have extensive knowledge in financing types from conventional loans to construction loans.

To learn more about how construction loans work, how homes are financed, and how mortgage rates have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, explore our New Home Financing FAQs.

Step 5: Make Structural Changes

In Step 5 of the new home building process, you'll meet with your Structural Designer to select custom structural options. This is called the Living Choices Meeting.

At this meeting, you'll have an opportunity to make structural, mechanical, and electrical changes to your standard plan. This includes bump outs, adding or removing walls, kitchen and bath layouts, outlet placement, and much more! Your Structural Designer will go through each element in every room and across the exterior of the home to ensure changes are reflective of your preferences. Any extensive customization will be reviewed by our team for feasibility and associated costs.

We recommend reviewing the Interactive Floorplan tool on your chosen floorplan's page to explore common structural changes!

Step 6: Select Decorative Design Finishes

This is one of the most inspiring and exciting parts of the home building process! In Step 6, you'll meet your Deco Designer at our Design Studio for a few hours to select the decorative finishes that will personalize your home. This includes everything from flooring to kitchen cabinets, backsplashes to light fixtures, siding colors to countertops, and so much more! Express your unique taste and create the custom home of your dreams with luxurious design elements at a variety of price levels to fit your budget.

Explore online the Photo Gallery for colorful inspiration!.

Step 7: Pre-Construction

Before construction begins, you'll meet with your Construction Manager to review your home's plans, options & selections, the construction schedule, and expectations of the home building process.

Step 8: Construction Progress

On average, the new construction process can take 9-12 months or longer, depending on factors including but not limited to the complexity of your chosen designs, the availability of labor and materials, municipality turnaround time for permitting, and weather. Throughout the process, your dedicated Construction Team will be in regular contact to review progress on your new home, providing you with transparency and peace of mind. Our MyKCH mobile app, exclusive to Keystone homeowners, provides unprecedented access to the process, including direct messages and photos!

Step 9: Celebration & Settlement

Your Construction Manager will introduce you to your new home during the Celebration Walk-through. During this meeting, you will walk through every room to inspect all walls, windows, HVAC, plumbing, electrical, and appliance components in accordance with industry standards. Warranty information will also be explained for each item.

Your Settlement process is determined by your chosen loan type. We will work with the title company & your mortgage provider to finalize all of the finances for your new home.

Step 10: Warranty & Beyond

At Keystone Custom Homes, we stand by our quality construction with an industry-leading 20-year structural warranty! Our Customer Care Team provides outstanding support through your homeowner portal as you settle in to your new home.

Our team looks forward to guiding you through the new home building process and into the custom home of your dreams!

New Home Building Process Recap

  1. Choose your community.
  2. Select one of our award-winning custom-built homes.
  3. Review and sign your purchase agreement.
  4. Work with preferred lenders to find the perfect financing plan.
  5. Determine the structure of your new home.
  6. Make design adjustments to personalize the space.
  7. Meet with your Construction Manager before building begins.
  8. Follow along as your Construction Team completes building.
  9. Complete the settlement process — and celebrate your new home!
  10. Receive ongoing customer support from your New Home Specialist to ensure total satisfaction.

Get Started!

Schedule an Appointment to Visit a Model Home.