New Construction Home Buying Process: What You Need to Know

Buying a new home is a big decision. Building one can feel even bigger. But when you are making a major investment, shouldn’t you be putting your money (plus time, energy, and emotion) into the right home? Would you prefer to move into a home that is exactly as you want it, and fully warrantied, or prepare to remodel, renovate, and repair? The new construction home buying process with Cothran Homes is time-tested to be an exciting experience (in a good way). Here’s what you need to know and expect when you build a home with us.Secure the financing.You need to be pre-approved for the final cost of the home, just as you would when purchasing a resale home. You don’t need a construction loan when you build your home with us. You’ll have one closing when your home is completed.Choose the floor plan and location.We build communities of townhomes and single-family homes in and around Greenville, SC, a vibrant Southern city that is one of the fastest rising housing markets in the country! Once you decide which location ticks all the items on your checklist, we look at the floor plans. Make your design selections.Here’s where your ideas become action. Sit down with our interior design professional and browse the selections for all of the details, like flooring, wall color, lighting, plumbing fixtures, cabinetry, and everything else that makes this home uniquely your own.While you’re finalizing your design selections, Cothran Homes obtains all the necessary permits, so construction can get started on schedule.The foundation is constructed.The first step in construction is preparing the homesite: removing any trees that are required, cleaning up debris, and preparing the ground for the home.We pour the foundation and have it inspected to make sure your home gets off on the right footing.We frame the home.Cothran Homes’ construction crew builds the frame: walls, subfloors, ceiling joists, and rafters. The roof decking comes next. Then, we install the windows and exterior doors. The entire framing process takes about 10 to 20 days, depending on the complexity of your home’s design. The project superintendent runs through a framing checklist to ensure that the home is ready to proceed to the next step.Rough-ins get behind the walls.Your home’s mechanical systems include electrical, plumbing, and HVAC (heating, ventilation, air conditioning). We bring in skilled tradespeople to install the basics for the systems before we add insulation and drywall that closes in your walls. Roughing also includes utility connections: gas, water, and cable.Carpenters and painters take over.The interior walls are finished, so it’s time to install your cabinets and interior doors. The trim is added to windows, doors, and baseboard. If you’ve chosen crown molding, it’s going up now. Countertops are next on the list.The painters then ply their skill to your home’s exterior and all interior walls, doors, and trim.Meanwhile, the exterior gets attention, with the driveway and walkway poured, and the yard prepared for landscaping.Cue the crew of plumbers, electricians, and HVAC.The air conditioning condenser unit and thermostat are installed, and all the ductwork sealed. The plumbing team finishes their part of the process, making sure you have toilets that flush, faucets that flow, and functioning sinks, tubs, and showers. The electricians install the fixtures, switches, and outlets.Finish strongYour home is almost complete. Our team installs the flooring and puts all cabinet, bath, and door hardware in place. The appliances are brought in and hooked up, ready to run when you are.The construction team cleans up every space, inside and out, as they prepare your home for our quality control inspection, prior to the building inspector putting the final seal of approval. We check every detail so that when you finally enter your home, you’ll experience nothing but joy!We walk you through it.Before you close on your home, we’ll bring you through it for a homeowner orientation. We’ll show you how your systems work, where everything is located, and explain any homeowner tasks you need to know, like changing an air filter and shutting off the water supply. On this walk-through, we explain the builder’s warranty and what it covers, and provide a package with all user manualsThis is your chance to let us know of anything you feel needs our attention. We create a list and take care of everything!You take the keys.You close on the home and officially become the homeowner! Discover how satisfying it can be to see your vision of the perfect home become a reality. Take a look at our gallery and talk to us at Cothran Homes about the many options we offer. Whether you want a single-family home or a townhome, we want to be your homebuilder.