Throughout every aspect of the construction process you deal with company individuals that have a vested interest in how satisfied you are. They have the knowledge, are given the authority to provide options, offer suggestions and make decisions. This helps to limit delays and gives you the piece of mind that who you are dealing with actually gives a crap.
If you are looking to acquire new land, we’ll help you find it and blend the sale of your current property. Our own in-house licensed, professional, real estate council can help locate and procure that perfect site for your new home. This might include a Multiple Listing Service listing or a ‘pocket listing’ we know of through our network of individuals or Calgary real estate associates.
Moreover, we are focused and council for YOU. The pros and cons of the site as it pertains to not only the value but to the construction process, bylaw and architectural considerations. Will the site need retaining? How about moving a power line? These some of the important things to look at that can have a substantial bearing on costs.
Even if you have an existing home site or in the process of closing on a property, we are more than happy to provide the same insight on the site’s conditions. Something that we can offer as part of every Manor House custom home experience.
Contact us to enquire how we can save you subtiantial commission costs and get proper real estate service.
An in-depth planning and design meeting will help make the overall build go smoothly. At this stage, we learn what your needs are to be better able to provide you with direction and the best options for you to consider for architectural design. This will take into consideration personality, budget and vision. It may be one of a selection of award-winning architectural firms, an individual architect or an architectural technologists.
If you have a firm or individual you’d like to use and feel they are the ones for you, we are happy to work with them too. It’s possible we already have!
Ultimately the choice will be yours.
Throughout the planning phase, we collaborate with and provide valued feedback with the design team of choice. Generally we will handle all the mundane tasks of communication with community associations, the City of Calgary, and the utility companies or provide back-up to the designers when dealing with these agencies.
During the initial meeting and conversation, the budget is predominantly the area most people have concern or questions over. If there are no plans at that moment to gauge size or specification, we will offer a price per square foot range along with a visual representation. This will usually coincides with a home tour for yet better reference.
If there is a set of plans, or once a set is drawn, we will produce a ‘preliminary budget’. ’. We utilize the information gathered during our discussions to give you accurate pricing. We again ustilise the information gathered during our discussions to give you accurate pricing. Those plans are sent out to our trade partners and we will provide reasonable allowances if no selections are made so that you know what to expect, not just so we get the job. Too often some unscrupulous custom home builders will strip the spec down or give allowances that are just not feasible.
Once we have reviewed this budget, we will then clarify our commitments to you the client, and yours to us. If everyone is in agreement, with all aspects, a construction contract is signed and we can start the exciting part!
At this point, the plans are likely well into the City for deveolpment approval and a set of customised specifications and an updated construction budget is produced from the final design and building permit drawings. At this point we are able to start the selection process, if it hasn’t already been started.
Generally, costs up to drywall do not change much if anything. Most client’s budget can ‘creep’ once the selection process begins. This is why we like to get on top of this prior to even digging a hole where possible. It takes a massive amount of stress off of you as you are not worried about costs spiralling out of control. Just because it is a custom home, doesn’t mean there is an unlimited budget. We also like this because then we know what’s going where, how we are going to install it and how much lead time some things will take to get in.
Our pricing works from a cost plus model. You get our preferred pricing and you approve every invoice monthly. There is never a charge for any change orders. The entire approach is completely transparent.
We love to build, and we love to talk about building. That is why we discuss every element of your home with you, and cover all of your options. So at each stage of the process, you will understand exactly what we are doing to make your home superior.
We build every home as if it was our own with daily site inspections to make sure no detail is overlooked. We welcome your presence with monitored site visits but rest assured, it is in very good hands.
There are three permiting stages that require completion and authorization from the local municipality. Manor works on your behalf during each phase to get each necessary approval. These stages are:
Demolition Permit:
If you are tearing down an existing home in order to construct a completely new residence this is required. We will do hazardous testing an explain the lab results. Any material that is deemed to be hazardous will need to be removed prior to demolition. Additionally, all disconnects, water/gas/electricity are completed and signed off by each department making way for us to obtain the demolition permit.
Development Permit:
Once you have approved your architectural plans they are submitted to the municiplity for their review to ensure they conform to the local bylaw and planning policies. In the City of Calgary there are two streams: Contextual and Discretionary. Contextual applications fit inside the City’s strict guidelines whereas a Discretionary application allows more flexibility in design or placement. The advantage with Contextual is that it is a much faster approval process, conversely, it offers the least flexibility. Generally, a Contextual application will be approved within 4-6 weeks without much issue. A Discretionary application can take up to 3 months but they are more ambiguous, with a chance that it is not approved.
Building Permit:
Once both the Development and Demolition permits have been approved, a Building permit application can be submitted. This permit relates to fire, and health and safety for the occupants of the structure. It must conform to the current Alberta Building Code.
We provide you with a construction timetable so that you know what each step in this part of the process entails.
Not much gets past us, but if it does, we have the knowledge, experience and equipment to catch it before it becomes a big issue.
Possession is your finish line, but it is not ours. After you move in, we remain committed to your satisfaction – we are just a phone call away if any concerns arise. We offer warranty coverage through Travelers Canada. Review the section on Warranty for complete details.
Something that we have take utmost pride in is being a key holder and emergency contact for our past clients. We feel that is a direct reflection of their overall satisfaction with us