Design

Stage 2: Design

We approach designing your home in two ways. 1) Choose from a proven and trusted Sterling Plan or 2) Design-Build your home from the ground up.

1. STERLING PLAN: 2-4 Weeks

Choosing from one of our popular plans can make the Design Stage go a little faster while still offering the opportunity to make the Plan meet your Needs, Wants and Wishes. YOU control the details and add your personal touches: a bump out here, a window there, maybe add that screen porch you’ve always wanted – the options are endless.

2. DESIGN-BUILD: 4-6 Weeks

A Design-Build project involves designing your home from scratch; putting Your Ideas and Our Expertise together to maximize how the home sits on the land and make it just right for YOU. This approach will take a little more time and effort and adds a additional step with signing the Design-Build Agreement. But the end result is a home to truly call your own. Download a copy of our Design-Build eBook for more information on this approach.

Either approach you choose, you can expect the following as part of the process of planning your new home on paper.

• Start with a Price for a Turn-Key Version of your Home
• See Plans, Price, and Specifications as they adapt to Your Modifications
• View Plans with a Site Plan to See the Big Picture!
• Finalize the Bigger Details and Sign the Construction Contract
• Select Your Home’s Finishes with Expert Guidance

OPTIONS & SELECTIONS: 4-8 Weeks

After you sign the Construction contract, you will begin Options & Selections (O & S) and it is one of the most impactful parts of the Design Stage. You are guided through choosing the personal touches of your new home. An often complicated and frustrating part of building a home is made easy and fun. We visit our vendors together to bring your vision to life – whether in person or remotely. From big picture items like siding and shingle colors, to the minute details of a beautifully tiled shower, dog wash station or perfectly crafted pantry shelves, you are led through the O & S Process with expertise and personalized attention that is second to none.

Preparing to move from TX to VT, our plan in building a house with Sterling Homes was to be in VT for a few weeks in March to work through the O&S details. Covid-19 changed all that. Instead the entire O&S process was handled remotely but still went amazingly well because the format of the O&S process provides a framework, and our selections coordinator was incredibly helpful and patient in helping us fill in the details. She provided everything we needed to make our selections: websites to make selections from; numerous pictures and ideas from other homes; sending samples of tiles and countertop selections-things we needed to see and feel; and pictures from visits to suppliers to pull together flooring and cabinet and paint selections. She addressed all our questions and concerns, and our regular online meetings were both fun and constructive. With her guidance we completed the O&S process and are now enjoying watching the pictures of our home being built and looking forward to its completion.

~ MaryBeth and John Delphia

Every Selection you make is carefully detailed in the Pricing Summation, Plans and Specifications so when it comes time to build your home, you can sit back and relax, and watch it all come to life.

Stage 3: Build »

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