One of the most valuable custom home building tips we put into practice is education! In most industries, further education is mandatory to keep up with what has been learned about the industry and what should be changed to improve. Not in the home building industry though… no further education is required after you have a Contractor’s license. At Lexar, we were astounded at what the industry has learned about “how homes truly work”. about how they could be built to last MUCH longer, about how they could be more energy efficient, cleaner, healthier and be better for the environment. We decided to put what we learned into practice in every home we build, and not back down simply because our competition is building cheaper.
Every Lexar home is built by local sub-contractors, with material from local suppliers within your surrounding area. We understand by hiring from within your community, it helps build your local economy. Each Sub-contractor has been trained by specialist to achieve the performance level required by Lexar Homes. This exclusive training is invaluable, so retaining local Subcontractors assures a consistent high-quality product is achieved.
Lexar Homes builds in most all of Washington and Idaho and Northern Oregon. Click here to see a map of where you will find a Lexar Home office serving your area. We build on YOUR LAND whether its a sloped site overlooking a forest range or beautiful flat prairie. Once you have met with our Project Consultant, we can meet with you at your site to help situate your home exactly how you envision.
The best step is to identify the perfect piece of land that you would like to call home… In doing so, have a BUDGET for the overall project in mind and think about these quick tips when looking for that perfect spot:
Once you have found just the right place to call home, our Project Consultant will meet with you to start creating your dream. Having trouble finding land? Not a problem, we have real estate connections to help you find your little piece of heaven.
Once permits have been secured and we can pour foundation, it generally takes about 6-9 months to build a new home. However, there are many factors that play into the time schedule. The location of your property and the challenges it might create, local permitting and jurisdictional requirements, the time of year your home is built, and the level of customization included in your home’s design are all examples of what can impact the project schedule. We will discuss these factors at the beginning of the project and throughout the process.
Schedule a time to visit our office to discuss current build times for your project.
We have Model Homes available for walk throughs in certain locations and Design Centers in others. Because each home is custom built, specifically for a client on their private property, we don’t have model homes available of all our plans. Whether the location has a Model Home or a Design Center, we are able to offer you a great sense of customization that you will have within your Lexar home.
Yes, we can help place your land and home into one convenient lending package. When building a custom home, it’s important for you to choose both your home AND your neighborhood. We have great partnerships with real estate professionals that will help you find that perfect property, and our experienced lenders will then combine the purchase of the land and the construction of the home into one convenient loan package.
Lexar Homes is an On-Your-Lot builder, so we build your home wherever YOU choose to live. Whether you prefer rural country setting or a convenient lot in town, we’ll build your home on the land you choose. Occasionally, a Lexar location will choose to develop a small plat within their local community. Please contact the office in the region you would like to live to see if they have any developments underway.
While “instant equity” can be a great selling point for a home, there is really no way to know, or “guarantee” how much equity a customer will have in their home when it is complete. The value of a completed home is based upon the home plan the customer chooses to build, how the size and finish level measure up to the other homes being sold in the surrounding area, the finishes the customer chooses for the home, the value of the property, and fluctuations in the selling market. Many of our customers DO end up having great equity in their new home and our Project Consultants can guide you through the process to ensure you maximize your homes equity potential.
We handle custom plans on a case-by-case basis. Many plans often lack the detail required to build a high-performance home that meets Lexar Homes’ standards, or are drawn with minimal construction methods or codes outside of our region. These plans must be redrawn by our CAD Department and engineered to ensure you get a high-quality, energy efficient home. It’s important to note, our existing plans are designed for our climate and code requirements, and from our experience, it is more cost-effective to start with one of our existing plans.
Click here to schedule an appointment with one of our Project Coordinators. We would love to talk about your dream home.
Yes, our Signature Collection and Designer Collection plans are fully customizable. We are committed to making this home truly yours. Our staff of in-house architects, designers, CAD Technicians and engineers will help guide you making changes to our existing plans. Keep in mind, our plans have been designed with efficiency in mind – this includes both design and material efficiencies. There may be additional costs involved depending on the extent of the changes you request, and the floor plan to which changes are being made. Please note that customizing a plan may also require the plan to be re-engineered.
We do customize plans to build on daylight basements if the design of the plan allows. The cost varies based on the overall square footage of the basement, the slope of the lot, code requirements and the finish level of the living space. Many times, a basement is a great way to get additional living space in your home with a slightly lower cost.
Lexar’s quality of included features in our Signature Collection and Designer Collection homes is a step above the competition; with laminate floors, granite countertops, superior cabinetry, tile backsplash, custom grade faucets, painted trim and doors (most locations) etc. Then Make it Your Own and leave out the DIY with our designer offerings that allow you to customize your home to best match your personal style. From fixture and lighting design and color selections, along with flooring and tile modifications, you can add just the right touch of life into your new home.
This depends on numerous factors. In an apple to apples comparison, it would typically cost less to build a new home than to buy a comparable existing home. When purchasing an existing home, you are paying the current appraised value… this equates to no equity in the home at all. When building a new home, the cost to build is typically less than what the appraised value would be when completed. This offers equity in your home. There are tremendous benefits to building a new home. The cost of living in a new high-performance home is less than an existing home. A Lexar Home provides lower energy bills, lower cleaning costs, and lower water bills freeing up additional money and time for you to spend on what you love. Subsequently, your new home comes with a warranty matched by no other in the industry.
Yes, there are many ways to gain some “sweat equity” while building your home. The best savings come from managing the site development. We are happy to discuss how you would like to lend a hand, but the work that falls under the warranty of the home will need to be performed by a Lexar trained contractor. Education on this part of the process is one of the most important custom home building tips we give through our process.
Most customers who find the time to pencil out the cost benefit of managing their own project realize the benefit of building a Lexar Home. With over a dozen locations throughout the Pacific Northwest we negotiate the best price for materials and labor, while maintaining excellent working relationships with quality subcontractors.
Our cost is quite competitive for being a High-Performance, On-Your-Lot, Custom home builder. Each office will vary though depending on the local cost of materials and labor.
Why do we compare the quality of a home by the “cost per square foot”? It’s because that’s how the lower-end discount builders market their product and it’s all they really have to differentiate themselves. It’s what we call “a race to the bottom…” Who can build the cheapest home… The appraisal on your home isn’t a simple “cost per square foot” but based on the amenities and quality built into that square footage. If you make your home purchase based on who builds the cheapest house, then you are risking the largest investment of your life on the easiest way to build… cheap. At Lexar, we decided that quality is too important to sacrifice.
The pricing you find online includes the home from the foundation up. Additional costs include whatever site development your chosen site requires, along with jurisdictional permitting fees, and in some states, sales tax. These costs vary so greatly from site-to-site and in each jurisdiction that it’s very difficult to estimate your overall project costs without having some in-depth knowledge of your lot. But not to fear, we have Project Consultants to help you from the very start to put the project together or ask about our Turn-Key Services and we’ll handle it all for you. When it comes to custom home building tips, understand pricing is one of the most important elements.
We work directly with approved local lenders to help you find the best financing for your project. Each lender works in a slightly different manner, but most lenders combine the purchase of the property with the construction of the new home into one convenient package. If you already own property, you may be able to use the equity toward the down payment if one is required. We can help connect you with an approved lender in your area. Once the project begins, the lender makes scheduled draws for you. At the end of the project, the lender rolls the construction loan into a home mortgage.
To learn more about financing your home, click HERE.
When you build a Lexar Signature Collection or Designer Collection home, you receive our exclusive 3-5-Limited Lifetime Warranty which is one of the best in industry. Thanks to Lexar’s high-performance construction practices, this warranty protects your home from foundation to roof top for the first three years, three times as long as most builders’ entire warranty. The mechanical system has a 5-year warranty and the structure carries an unheard-of Limited Lifetime warranty for your peace of mind. Click HERE to learn more about what is covered by the warranty program for our Signature Collection and Designer Collection homes.
Identifying a property you are interested in is helpful to clarify questions regarding necessary site development and permitting. We would encourage you to contact us prior to making an offer on a property. We can meet with you to go over the process of building and schedule a time to visit the site.
Acquiring a piece of property includes many considerations such as required set-backs, slope of the land, wetland concerns, site clearing, water and power sources, wastewater treatment, and soil type. Check with the seller to see if a land survey, or geotechnical report is available. These will cover many of these considerations. Need some help finding property? We can connect you with a trusted real estate professional to help you find the right spot.
Contact us! We would be happy to meet and discuss the floor plan that best suits your needs and work up an estimate of a total project budget. Then gather at your prospective property to verify the package can be put together as you were thinking.
Each Lexar office has a list of subcontractors that our customers have had great success in hiring to do these and other items. We will provide you with those contacts, but you are able to use someone of your own choosing as well. Some Lexar locations also offer a Turn-Key service for those customers who’d prefer Lexar manage the entire project.
Click HERE for more information about our Turn-Key Service or CONTACT US to schedule a time to chat.
Understanding what goes into site preparation is another one of our valuable custom home building tips. Unique to each lot, site preparation includes land clearing, excavation, backfill, trenching, utility installation and hookups, exterior concrete work, and establishes a driveway.
This cost varies greatly from $50,000 to $200,000+ and is largely dependent on the size of the lot, slopes, wetlands, desired house location etc. which all determines the amount of site preparation necessary. In some areas, the cost of site development starts at the high end of this range while in others it begins on the lower end. We are happy to work with you to help estimate development costs for any lot.
Want more custom home building tips? We’d be happy to answer any questions you may have 1-888-701-6132
For a no-obligation chat about your building possibilities simply call our specialists Emily & Madison at 1-888-701-6132 today. Alternatively, complete the form below and one of our Home Consultants will get back to you promptly.
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Monday - Thursday 9am-5pm
Friday 9am-3pm
Saturday 9am-1pm
