Step 1 Make an appointment with a bank or mortgage lender to help determine your budget and get pre-approved. This is not your final approval, but will give you a very educated guess as what you can afford for your new home. We recommend the services of Amy Baeten, VP Senior Mortgage Loan Officer with Johnson Financial Group. We feel you will be given excellent service. You may reach Amy at 920-662-5347 or e-mail at abaeten@johnsonfinancialgroup.com

• Phone: 920.662.5347
• Email: abaeten@johnsonfinancialgroup.com
• Office Address:  840 Main Ave. De Pere, WI 54115
• Website:  JohnsonFinancialGroup.com/Amy-Baeten

 

Step 2 If you have an existing home to sell, it may be important to get a market analysis of the value of your home from a professional Realtor®. This does not obligate you to list your home at that time, but their opinions will be important to you in determining the value of your existing home. We recommend the services of the Michael Nemecek Group of NextHome

• Phone: 920.217.4942
• Email: michael@selectnexthome.com
• Office Address:  1700 Sand Acres Dr. Suite 2A De Pere, WI 54115
• Website:  www.selectnexthome.com

If you have not chosen a lot, Michael can also provide you with details on lots Atkins Family Builders owns. We also have special arrangements with many developers to purchase lots at preferred pricing.

 

Step 3 Visit Atkins Family Builders model homes to get a good idea of what you want in your new home. It will really help to see many ideas already incorporated into a new home. Most of the homes are furnished and decorated helping you visualize your new home. It is like a showroom all in one place – see all the latest in windows, doors, stone, brick, trim, cabinetry, flooring,decorative plumbing and color selections. Check out the Homes for Sale section of our website.  Our model homes are open most weekends. Call Steve Atkins at 920-217-0210 or Mike Nemecek  at 920-217-4942 for open house hours.

Step 4  Make an appointment for a “New Home Consultation” meeting with Atkins Family Builders. To be better prepared for the meeting, fill out the “Initial Consultation Questionnaire” prior to the appointment and e-mail to steve@atkinsfamilybuilders.net.  The meeting will last about 2 hours.  Night and weekend hours are available.

Step 5 Within 3 weeks of your initial consultation meeting you will receive a preliminary plan and proposal. A second meeting of about 60-90 minutes will then be scheduled to refine the plans and budget. If the plan and budget is acceptable, we will then proceed to producing a set of final plans and a specification of the unique details included in your home. At this time you will also be asked to schedule visits with cabinetry, flooring and masonry suppliers to determine the correct budget for each of these items. We will provide you with the services of an interior designer if you desire at no charge to assist in this process.

Step 6 Once your final plan, specifications, selections and construction costs are approved, Atkins Family Builders will prepare contract documents for construction of your new home. After the documents are signed, take them to your bank or mortgage lender. They will then appraise the plan and specifications. This process usually takes approximately 30 days. Once your approval is in place, contact Atkins family Builders ASAP, so that we can start working on your new dream home.

Step 7 Your new home “Construction Process” can now begin. Usually your new home will break ground within 2-3 weeks after your loan is approved.  The usual construction time for most homes is 6 months from groundbreaking. You are welcome to check the progress of your home as it is built. Be sure to take pictures and start a photo album. Be careful on the construction sites. There are hazards unique to construction you will want to avoid, especially if you have young children. Your Atkins Family Builders Project Manager will be in touch with you frequently.

Step 8 Once your new home is complete you will be given a chance to do a walk through to address any detailing concerns your may have. Timelines will be set to address any concerns should there be any. Before you move in, we’ll clean your new home spotlessly. Once closing paperwork is complete we’ll hand you the key. Congratulations on your new home! We will follow up with your at 30-day, 90-day, and, 340-day intervals to make sure you are pleased with your home.

We would like to point out a couple of items which are unique to the construction industry before getting into the specific details of the construction schedule for your new home.

 

 

First, we invite you to visit the job site to review and inspect the construction phases of your home. With our invitation, however, comes a reminder about safety. While your home is under construction, it is a potentially dangerous place. Please heed the following safety warnings:

• First and foremost, due to potential hazards, we strongly discourage bringing children to the job site. If absolutely necessary, please provide constant supervision.
• When visiting the job site, the use of personal protective equipment is required. We recommend such items as hard-soled boots or shoes, a hard hat (during working hours) and eye protection, etc.
• Always be watchful for hazards at your feet, such as openings in the floor and exposed nails.
• OSHA regulations are in effect at all times. These regulations apply to our customers as well as our subcontractors.

Second, we provide our homeowners with a construction timeline and an estimated completion date. The accuracy of the timeline is dependent upon many factors, some of which we have more control over than others. Factors over which we have very little control over include:

• Weather
• Unforeseen building conditions (i.e. unsuitable soil conditions, etc.)
• Timeliness of customer selections
• Building permit review process
• Material availability
• Change orders, especially after construction has begun

Notwithstanding the factors above, we have a reasonable ability to control the scheduling and completion of your new home. Despite our scheduling efforts, you may notice periods of inactivity during the construction of your home. We realize this can be very frustrating at times, we ask that you be patient. Generally, delays are caused by inconsistencies of subcontractor schedules, and they normally do not affect the final completion date of your home. If a factor arises that will delay the completion date, the homeowner will be notified immediately.

Atkins Family Builders construction process has nine significant phases, which include “crucial” and “glide” procedures. Crucial procedures must be completed prior to commencing the next phase. Glide procedures are vital to the construction of the home, but they will not prevent the next phase from commencing.

PHASE I. EXCAVATION AND FOOTING

All steps crucial.

• Preparation of the site plan and staking the home on the lot.
• Strip the topsoil and excavate for the foundation.
• Pour the footing
• Install the drain tile system and place gravel inside and outside of footin

PHASE II. FOUNDATION, BACKFILL, AND INTERIOR FLATWORK

• Form, place, and strip the foundation — crucial.
• Set wood beams and columns or bearing walls under the first floor — crucial.
• Install the rough plumbing in basement — glide.
• Waterproof the foundation walls — crucial.
• Place gravel around foundation walls — crucial.
• Backfill the foundation walls — crucial.
• Form, place and finish the interior floor slabs — glide.

The total time frame from when we start your home until this point is usually 3 to 4 weeks.

PHASE III. FRAMING

All steps crucial.

• Manufacture roof trusses and deliver to the job site.
• Deliver framing materials, frame the home.
• Deliver and install doors, windows and stairs.
• Install the shingles — dry in the home.

The total time frame to this point should be around 8 to 10 weeks. After installation of shingles, the weather becomes a much less factor in determining the completion date.

PHASE IV. MECHANICALS (ROUGH)

This phase of construction is very important, because the positioning of the mechanics is final. Mechanical installations will be installed in accordance with the homeowner-approved building plan, cabinet layout and electrical diagrams.

• HVAC — installation of all ductwork and furnace — crucial.
• Plumbing — installation of waste/supply lines, tubs/showers — crucial.
• Electrical — installation of electrical wiring — crucial. You will need to participate in planning the roughing in the wiring of your home. Please allow 2-3 hours one morning during this phase. You will be contacted regarding the appropriate time
• Home automation systems — sound, security, intercom, etc. — crucial.
• Insulation of exterior walls — crucial.
• Stocking, installation and finishing of plasterboard material — crucial.
• Exterior brickwork — glide.
• Exterior utility lines installed. — glide.

The total time frame to this point should be around 9 to 12 weeks. At this time we will provide you with a completion date. Generally, the home’s completion date should be 6-8 weeks after the drywall is finished!

PHASE V. EXTERIOR

• Finish the exterior brickwork, and clean — crucial.
• Rough grade the yard — crucial.
• Exterior Concrete work — glide.
• Install the insulation in the attic — glide.
• Install the garage door — crucial.
• Have the house weather proof — crucial.

PHASE VI. FINISH TRIM

• First coat of paint on walls — crucial.
• Ceramic tile, hardwood, and/or vinyl flooring installation — crucial.
• Deliver and install interior trim items: cabinets, tops, trim, appliances, railings, etc. — crucial.
• Acquire utility meters — glide.

The total time to date should be around 16-18 weeks.

PHASE VII. MECHANICS (FINAL)

• HVAC — set exterior unit, grilles, and thermostat, activate the system — crucial.
• Plumbing — install faucets and toilets, activate water service — crucial.
• Electrical — install lighting fixtures, receptacles, and switches — crucial.
• Punch-out and rough clean for carpet installation — crucial.
• Second coat of paint and paint trim — crucial.
• Exterior painting and caulking — glide.

PHASE VIII. FINISH FLOORING & PUNCH OUT

All steps crucial.

• Install the carpet.
• Punch-out and fine tune.
• Paint touch-up.
• Clean your home.
• Install screens and adjust all windows.
• Apply final coat on hardwood flooring is applicable
• Final inspections with town, village or city.

The total time to date for the whole project should be around 18- 20 weeks.

PHASE IX. COMPLETION & CLOSING

Congratulations on the completion of your new Atkins Family Builders Home! We know that you will be pleased with your new home, and that it will provide you with many trouble-free years of security and pleasure!

You can further enhance the performance of your new home, and your level of satisfaction, by performing routine maintenance on your home at regular intervals. The first step in the maintenance process begins with the walk through, or Homeowner’s Orientation Meeting. This meeting has two purposes.

First, we want you to become familiar with your new home. All of the mechanical systems and other features of your home will be discussed during this meeting. Maintenance tips will also be reviewed. All warranty papers and instruction manuals will be left in a kitchen drawer for your reference. Please remember to fill out and mail all warranty cards immediately.

Second, we need to document any punch out items remaining on your new home. It is possible that, in working with you to coordinate a move in date, some minor items may still be incomplete upon occupancy. At the end of the orientation, we will also agree to a timeline during which all of the open items on the list will be completed.

CLOSING!

This is the most important and exciting phase. You close on your home, take ownership and your limited warranty period will commence. At this time we will give you the keys to your home, you can move in and start enjoying many wonderful years in your new home custom built just for you!

At Atkins Family Builders the following steps are taken to ensure the highest quality home possible…

Pre-Construction Review
Your individualized plan and selections are reviewed by your Design Coordinator and the Project Manager to be sure everything gets clearly communicated, planned and all steps and precautions are taken to ensure your home is built exactly the way you asked.

Pre-Plasterboard Orientation
You will meet w/your Project Manager to review framing, electrical, plumbing and ventilation of your new home, prior to sheetrock installation. You will also meet with the electrician at your home site for outlet, switch and lighting placement.

Pre-Closing Orientation
You will tour your new home with your Project Manager who will demonstrate and explain equipment, warranties and homeowner maintenance responsibilities. Any items which require attention will be noted and addressed within 14 days.

60-Day Review
If at this point you have any issues you need addressed, you will fill out and return your 60 Day Review form. All issues will be addressed as applicable within 30 days of receipt or passed on to the proper subcontractor to ensure the issues are resolved.

11-Month Review
Eleven months after your closing date, mail in your 11-Month Review form with any items to be corrected. All covered items will be addressed within 30 days.