- Pools / Hot Tubs- Covered Patios and Additions
- Grilling areas- Outdoor Kitchens/Bars- Gazebos
- Putting Greens- Fire Pits- Fireplaces
- Outdoor Pizza Ovens- Built in TVs
- Sun Rooms- Decks
- Fountains and Water Features
- Covered Car Ports
- Stamped and Patterned Concrete Patios
- Retaining Walls
- Landscape / Flower Beds
- Outdoor Furniture

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**Call for a FREE assessment and estimate.We also do back yard designs and layouts.**

STAGE 1 – Find and purchase a lot:
This could be the most difficult and time consuming step as it involves finding the right lot/tear down and location that you would prefer to build and live on.

STAGE 2 – Set up and close on a Construction / Home Loan: (typically called a “one time construction loan”) with a Bank/Lender of your choice.
There are a few Bankers/Lenders that we have used in the past that you are welcome to contact.  That is if you don’t have your own.

STAGE 3 – Start the Architectural process by having the first meeting with the Architectural Designer:
You can choose who ever you want as your architect.  There is also a Designer that we have used on most of our homes that you are welcome to use.  There will be about 3-4 meetings with the Designer before the house plans are complete.  Bring to the first meeting, some ideas, a want and wish list, and pictures or rough drawings of what you are looking for in your new home.  The Designer will take it from there.

STAGE 4 – Color and Selection process:
You can use your own Interior Designer, or use the one that we use who has worked with most of our buyers.  You and the Designer will start choosing all the colors and selections that will go into your new home.  This stage will take some time but you will enjoy it, as it is fun going around to all the different show rooms making your selections.  The Designer as well as us will help take you through the entire process. You will be picking out everything that goes on the inside and outside of your new home.  Bring pictures and ideas of what you are looking for so the Designer can get a good feel for your tastes, etc.  If you are prepared with some pictures and some ideas, and you know pretty much what you want, then it will go that much quicker and smoother.  The selection process will take about 3-4 meetings with the Designer, plus trips out to the different show rooms. There is a spread sheet to work off of that will help you through the process, including everything you will need to choose for your new home.

STAGE 5 – Bidding and Budget Process:
Once the plans are complete and the selections are made, your job  for the most part is complete! There will be several sets of plans that will go out for bids to various vendors and contractors. A soils test will be conducted on your lot to find out the type of dirt we are about to build on. Foundation Engineers will start the foundation plans. Structural Engineers will start the framing layout plans. The budget will be finalized when all bids are received. The permit packet will be taken to the city for review and approval. We will finalize our “Cost-Plus” contract and construction financing.

STAGE 6 – Construction begins!
Throughout construction, we will e-mail you on a weekly basis the construction schedule so you know what is going on for the following week on your home.  We will send you an update on the budget upon your request. Most all communication will be via e-mail when we are adding, changing, deleting, etc.  No paper work will be needed.

Before we start construction, we will have a pre-start meeting to give the plans and selections one more look over.  We will also discuss the construction process of your new home, along with how the accounting and payroll will be handled. We will also have a scheduled pre-drywall meeting prior to sheet rocking the home to make sure everything is in place before we cover the walls up.  There will also be a final home orientation meeting at the new home prior to close/move-in.  At this meeting we will go over the basic operations of your new home and discuss your warranty coverage that you will have on your new home.

NOTE: The time frame for stages 1-5 take about 2-3 months. These are basically the set up stages prior to beginning construction.  The time frame for stage 6 is about 6-7 months.  This is the actual construction time of the home.  Overall, 8-10 months from start to finish.

We want you to feel confident that you are making the right decision. If there is any further information that you need from us, or just have a question, please do not feel shy in contacting us. (The only dumb questions are the ones never asked.)  Our relationship with our buyers is very unique, open and up front.  This unique “personal touch” with our clients is the Highland Classic Way!

STARTING FROM SCRATCH

Highland Classic Homes only builds new custom homes from the ground up.  We are just not big believers in tearing down to a first floor or the original foundation of an existing structure and starting from there.  It is hard to imagine adding that much weight onto an older foundation that it wasn’t engineered for.  You are also being restricted to building to that same foundation layout.  So why not start over with the latest in foundation design and engineering and have the opportunity to design a completely new custom home from ground up.  Also, we do not do any interior remodeling or add-ons. We put all of our focus in building new homes from the ground up.

QUALITY AND VALUE FOR THE MONEY

At Highland Classic Homes, we pride ourselves in building a quality, energy efficient home for the money and value.  Through constant research and negotiations, we believe that (all things being considered) we have the best contractors and vendors for the money, without lacking the quality in materials and workmanship that we expect.  We believe that our detail and finish out compares to other new custom homes costing much, much more.  Our goal is to build the best possible home for the least amount of money.

BUILD A NEW HOME AND HAVE FUN DOING IT

We want the buyer to have an enjoyable home building experience and that is why we personally take them through the process from start to finish.  The pre-planning phase is very important.  The more we can plan up front the smoother and quicker the building process will go with less headaches and errors.  This is why we have our buyers pick out all of their colors and selections up front prior to starting construction.  Not to say that there will be changes along the way, after all this is a custom home.  But, we know what we have, what our budget is, and what our starting point is before we break ground.

We want our homes to be well thought out through the entire process.  This is why we have a professional Architectural Designer work with you on your new house plans.  After the plans are complete, a professional interior/exterior Designer will help you pick out all of your colors and selections that go into your new home.  These professionals are up on the latest trends in new home design and fashion.   Hey, building a home can actually be FUN!

BUILDING WITHIN BUDGET AND ON TIME

We are committed to staying on budget.  After all, what good is preparing the budget before the start of construction if we don’t take it seriously.  When we commit to a budget, we mean it.  The budget is followed daily and we are constantly looking for ways that we can save along each step of the way throughout the entire process.

Highland Classic Homes builds on a “Cost-Plus Fee” basis which will save the buyer money as all “builder costs” are passed onto the buyer.  You can also “write-off” all taxable materials that went into your home when you file your personal taxes.  These are just a couple of the many advantages of building “Cost-Plus.” Also, since we do tight budget tracking on our homes, we are able to project the estimated cost of a home (based on our standard amenities) very early on in the process. While most custom home build times take as long as a year for completion, we take around 8-10 months.   We account for this largely due to our pre-planning, scheduling and execution processes of the construction project. Building a quality home in a timely fashion will save you money.

You may be choosing to build a new home because you can design what you want from ground up to fit your lifestyle needs.  You don’t have to use an existing structure, or remodel an older home where you don’t always know what you are getting into.  You also get a full 1 year warranty, as well as an extended warranty from your builder after you move in.
But now, due to the economic situation, some contractors and suppliers are slashing their prices in order to compete to get more business.  Their work load is down and are needing to stay a float.  This may not last for long.  Also, mortgage lending rates are at all time lows.  For most of us, we have not seen rates this low, and most likely will not see them this low again in our life time.  They will not stay this low for long.

In going forward, you will start off with an initial meeting with Highland Classic Homes putting the pros and cons together of building a new home in order to determine if this is the way to go.  We will also discuss the building process which we will take you through from start to finish.  You do not have to already own your own lot in order to begin.  We will help find one for you.

You can contact us through our web page.

What Dallas area Realtors are saying about Highland Classic Homes:

“Another great home by Mark Dann.  I can’t get over what a great value he is able to

provide while still offering such a nice product.”

K. Slaughter – Virginia Cook

“Mark Dann is a perfectionist and he is very proud of every home that he builds.  It

clearly shows in his work.  He thinks of every detail.  Each of his homes have fine

craftsmanship. The finish out is truly amazing and stands out above the rest. You will

not be disappointed in the final product.”

D. Wright –  Gilchrist and Company

“Mark Dann builds his Highland Classic Homes the way he lives his life – with care and

concern for others needs and with an extraordinary focus on quality and detail.”

C. Wheeler, Virginia Cook Realtors