browsing the various categories below:

-Research -Pre-construction  Site Work -Foundation -Framing -Energy Features -Rough-ins -Interior Finishes -Exterior Finishes -Landscaping

Research!  Research!  Research!

There are so many questions you will have to consider up front: Have you checked out your builder? How much are you willing to invest?  Where do you want to build?  What is the crime rate in the area? How are the schools in the area?  Are there covenants or restrictions?  Do you entertain others frequently?  Will you have enough storage space?  Do you work from home? How long do you plan to live there?  Will elderly parents be staying with you?  What is your time frame? And on and on.....SO RESEARCH WELL and save yourself some future conflicts and headaches.  Feel free to ask us for advice and assistance.

Pre-construction

Congratulations!  You have now decided to build a new home. Next you must decide where you want to live so that you may select that perfect  lot to build on.  Remember: It has to be in a great neighborhood, convenient not only to your work but to school (s) where your children will attend.  Also, Is the property served by public utilities or will you need to conduct tests and, perhaps, have a well drilled?  Is there an architectural review committee that will need to approve your house plans? Keith White Custom Homes has been a respected residential building contractor in Northeast  Arkansas for more than a decade.  Our reputation is second to none and we are ever striving to keep it that way.  We're here to help you find not only the answers to these questions, but the RIGHT answers that will best serve YOU!

Next, you'll need to determine you needs and wants for your new home, inside and out. Do you want a one-level, split level, or 2 story house? How many bedrooms and baths do you need? Will it have an island in the kitchen, a home office, or a large family room? You can get ideas by clicking the Home Plans button on our main page, or you may invite us to show you our house plan collections, specialized plan books, and homebuilding software, which often contains hundreds of sample floor plans and elevations. After you finally settle on a suitable design, you will need to identify all of the materials and finishes that you want to go along with it. There are thousands of items that go into the construction of a new home and every single one of them must be specified by someone.  You builder MUST be open to your thoughts and ideas, so that you Dream Home will be your dream and not that of someone who thinks they know better than you what you should have.  Many a dream home has become a house of nightmares because the builder has failed to correctly interpret the owners' wishes.

Also, details not specifically mentioned or clearly defined will almost never reach the production stage, so in order to get WHAT you want the WAY you want it, be sure to put everything, and We do mean EVERYTHING - in writing and in as much detail as necessary.  Create clear, complete, and accurate construction plans and specifications. Besides their importance in building your new house, these documents will be needed in order to create an accurate budget. You cannot realistically expect to know how much your house will cost to build until you know exactly what you are trying to construct.  At Keith White Custom Homes, we will work with you in plan development and product selection to make sure your dream becomes a reality. During the pre-construction phase you will be making some of your most important decisions; ones that you will be living with for as long as you own your home.

Site Work

Hey! Now we're having fun! Here is where we make strategic decisions about which trees can stay, which ones interfere with the building and how to position the house to save what can be saved. A large tree can take thousands of gallons of water a day from the soil and this can be detrimental to your footings if too close to the house. This is the time for setting the floor heights, drainage plan and house orientation.

Footing & Foundation

The footing/foundation is the structure on which the rest of your house is built. It needs to be strong and square with proper attention to the soil condition in order to determine the type of reinforcement needed for the structure load being carried. This is not a good place to try to save money. A proper analysis will translate into peace of mind during your ownership, and also upon resale. Build the walls to be able to withstand the forces of the winds that they will need to hold back. And, with basements, invest in a waterproofing system that will protect areas below grade. A house is only as good as the foundation on which it rests.

Now Don't panic when you see the footing or slab for the first time.  A house ALWAYS looks smaller at this time, but you watch it bloom with each new stage from here on.

Framing

Many people consider the framing stage to be the most exciting. When the framing crew finishes the first floor walls, you will finally be able to take your first walk through the rooms of your new house. It is an enthralling moment. Framing takes anywhere from a week for a small house, to several weeks for a larger one. You'll watch your home's basic structure take shape very fast. It may seem like magic; Suddenly there will be walls, and the next thing you know, a roof, and then windows. This is the stage when the first on-site changes will probably take place. Room sizes and layouts become much easier to see in 3 dimensions. Even the best architect frequently finds something that didn't turn out quite the way it was envisioned on paper. Our subcontractors are selected for not only their expertise, but also their willingness to work with you, our customer, to make your dream a reality.

Energy Features

The choices that are made in the planning stages of your home are critical to the cost of heating and cooling the home for years to come. Our standard package includes major upgrades in the insulation, building components and equipment. Many of these features must be built in in the beginning or they cannot be added.

Rough-ins

As the individual trade subcontractors converge on your house, things will appear to slow down considerably. In reality, a lot more work is actually being done on your house during the rough-in stage, it just isn't as dramatic. During the next several weeks , dozens of people will be installing the inner workings of your house. Plumbing, heating, air-conditioning, lighting, security systems, central vacuum systems, television cable, entertainment systems, computer networks, exhaust fans, phone lines, fireplaces, and scores of back-ups and nailers for things yet to be installed. This may not be an exciting time, but it is very important that everything and everybody be properly coordinated. Take the time to get things right at the rough-in stage, and you will save yourself lots of aggravation later on. TO ASSURE THAT YOUR SELECTIONS AND MODIFICATIONS ARE IMPLEMENTED, PLEASE MAKE ARRANGEMENTS TO VISIT WITH THE SUBCONTRACTORS ONSITE DURING THIS PROCESS, CHANGES MADE AFTER INITIAL INSTALLATION ARE VERY EXPENSIVE.


Interior Finishes

When you are absolutely certain that everything has been roughed-in properly, it is time to finish the walls, install the doors & trim, hang the cabinets, put down the hardwood flooring, install ceramic tile, and cover everything that doesn't move with either paper, fabric, plastic, or paint. IT IS TIME TO DOUBLE CHECK TO MAKE SURE ALL YOUR SELECTIONS ARE FIRM AND AVAILABLE. After the paint, the next things to be installed are the light fixtures, counter tops, appliances, plumbing fixtures, mirrors, shower doors, security systems, door knobs, etc.

Exterior Finishes

While work is progressing inside, there is much to be done outside as well. Keep in mind that almost all of the exterior finishes need to be designed and installed to keep out the elements and protect the main structure for as long as possible. The exterior finishes might be any combination of brick, stone, stucco, vinyl, aluminum, concrete, or wood. Before you make a final decision, you need to take into consideration the weather conditions in the area where you are building and how much time you will be able to spend on maintaining the outside of your house. How much will you really save by not using brick if you are going to have to paint every few years? A low maintenance exterior is a good investment.

Landscaping

Landscaping can tie your house together with the land. Proper landscaping can help keep your house cooler in the summer, and protect it from cold winter winds. The walks, patios, pool, walls, pond, and plantings that make up a landscape can easily represent a sizeable expense, yet they are very important in making a new house look and feel like a home. All too often, because this is one of the last phases of the job, people forget about the importance of blending the structure with nature. Be sure to make a reasonable budget for landscaping and try very hard not to spend it on something else. It may make sense to install your basic landscaping and add to it over time.

Completion

Chances are that you still have a long way to go before we need to discuss what happens when your house is complete. Even when you think the project is just about complete, you will still have some of the most frustrating work ahead of you - the punch-out work. Replacing those two broken tiles, hiding that bad drywall seam, fixing the squeaky floor in the dining room, or getting the plumber to come back and move the powder room faucet up to the master bath, where it belongs, all are part of the normal finishing process. Two weeks prior to closing, you may think things will never come together in time but just hold on and let the subcontractors work through all the finish, adjustment and cleanup. It will come together!!! "Alright! Everything is finished. Now we can finally relax and enjoy our new home!"  Remember, we are still here to back our one-year builder warranty - just ask any KEITH WHITE CUSTOM HOMES homeowner. We can't wait, nor can you, for the moment we say to you:

Congratulations! Your new home has just been constructed by one of the most reputable building contractors in the state of Arkansas. Thank you for your confidence in our organization.

Sincerely,


Keith White
 

President & CEO

Keith White Custom Homes, Inc.