Before construction can begin, a significant amount of work must happen behind the scenes. The pre-construction phase may include design development, architectural plans, engineering coordination, building permits, septic approvals, solar approvals, grading permits, utility coordination, property surveys, and approvals from multiple departments.
In this Home Construction Process series, we’ll be using facts and photos from one particular project — a 1,200 sqft 3-bedroom 2-bathroom ground-up residential home we built in Paradise, CA. This allows us to show a reality of construction process from start to finish, with practical examples from an actual California home-building project.
Every custom home is different, and every project has its own local requirements, timelines, and challenges. Using one particular case allows us to show you all the main stages and walk you through the full journey step by step — from empty land to a finished home.
Pre-Construction Stage: Design, Plans and Permits
At RISE GC every home remodel and construction project starts with an on-site meeting with the client. Free on-site estimate is where the initial discussion happens, first exam of the land, measurements. The future homeowner shares their ideas about the house and the landscape around it, and we can asses what are the possibilities on this land, assess what will be the process, the scope of work, and a rough cost, and answer any questions.
With RISE GC this stage includes:
- Initial estimate and consultation.
- Second meeting with our engineer and preparation of the site plan — a general plan for the future home. Approx. cost = $500.
- Building permit preparation — we prepare architectural plans and submit the required documents to the city to obtain the permit. Approx. cost = $5,000.
- Construction contract — once the site plan is complete and the architectural permit is approved, we prepare a detailed construction proposal and contract.
- Interior and exterior design files, landscape plan, 3D design, or 360° walkthrough designs.
This approach allows us to fully understand your project and avoid unexpected issues later. Based on the on-site evaluation, we prepare a detailed quote and a contract, tailored specifically to your project.
The excerpt from the architectural plans
With this home, significant effort was invested into designing a layout that would feel modern, open, functional, and comfortable for everyday living. Every room was carefully considered to maximize natural light, improve circulation throughout the home, and create a welcoming atmosphere. Material selection was another major part of this stage. We visited multiple suppliers and showrooms to compare products, finishes, colors, and design options before making final selections.
Fragments from our 360-walkthrough interior design
You do not have to commit to every major decision right away. With construction, not all information is available immediately, which is why building a new home is often known for being “never on time and never within budget.” To avoid major issues and costly mistakes, we designed our home-building process so that you stay informed, make the most important decisions at the right time, don’t spend more than necessary fixing issues in the middle of the process.
We are not building our proposals and contracts on wild assumptions. And you are not pushed into big decisions right away.
With RISE GC, before signing the construction contract, you will already have your site plan — including the exact placement, square footage, and structure of your future home. As a result of the pre-construction stage we’ll know the exact scope of work and the cost of labor, and general cost and quantity of materials. You will also have the major documents prepared and submitted for your building permit.
To see how this house looked at the final stage, click the video review on our New Construction page. Preparing to build your own home? Visit our blog, where we share useful insights for Bay Area homeowners.