The custom home building process, from your land to your keys.
Most people building a custom home aren’t worried about the house. They’re worried about the process. This is every step, what we need from you, and how long each part takes.
01
We start with your land, not a plan
The usual approach is to pick a plan and find a lot to put it on. We go the other way around.
Before you’ve paid us anything, we walk your lot. We pull the topographical map, drop the home onto it, and show you the slope, the sightlines, where the driveway wants to go, and how the house will actually sit. We look at septic, setbacks, drainage, and which trees are worth keeping.
You see all of that before you spend real money, because the wrong home on the wrong lot costs you enjoyment and appraisal value you never get back.
And if the land won’t work, we’ll tell you. Even when it costs us the job.
Still shopping for a lot? Bring us the one you’re considering before you buy it. It’s the cheapest hour you’ll ever spend with a builder.
What we need from you
If you have a lot already in mind, we’d walk it together. If you don’t have a lot, we’ll work together to make selections based on the home you want.
How long this takes
It depends on if you have land already in mind or if we’re starting from square one.
What it costs you
Nothing
“We don’t want anybody buying land they can’t use.”
Mike Palmer
02
We build the plan around you
Next we work out how you’re going to live in this home — this year, and in the chapters after it.
Start from one of our plans or from a sketch on the back of an envelope. Either way, the plan bends to fit you. The master goes on the main floor, because your knees won’t love stairs at seventy. The bonus room goes where the kids will actually use it. The kitchen gets the space if that’s where you live, and doesn’t if it isn’t.
Then come the selections: cabinets, counters, tile, trim, lighting, paint. There are a lot of them, and this is the part people expect to feel buried by. You won’t. Misty walks you through it one room at a time, and we’ll tell you when something is worth the money and when it isn’t.
What we need from you
How you live. Who’s in the house, who visits, what you loved and hated about the last place.
How long this takes
It depends. It can take one month, or we’ve worked with clients who took 6 months to land on ideal plan.
“Anybody can build a great house if you spend a fortune. The art is how you shuffle the deck: what you add, what appraises, what you’ll actually enjoy living with.”
Mike Palmer
Want to see what your lot can hold?
Send us the address. We’ll pull the topo, put a home on it, and show you what we find. It costs nothing, and there’s no salesman on the other end.
03
We build it where you can see it
We pull the permits. We get the engineering stamped. We handle the HOA. Then the ground breaks, and for the next 12-18 months you get to watch your home go up.
1 week
1 week
The pre-drywall walkthrough
Before a single wall gets closed up, you walk the house with us. Wiring, plumbing, framing, blocking — all of it still visible. It’s the last easy moment to move an outlet, and it’s the best look you’ll ever get at how your home is actually built.
Every home we build goes on YouTube
Not a highlight reel. The whole house, walked and narrated, including the parts nobody photographs. Which means you can watch a home like yours get built, room by room, before you commit a dollar to us.
What your life looks like while we build.
What is this actually like for 12-18 months?
Hearing from us
You’ll hear from us weekly. Progress, what’s coming next, and anything that needs a decision from you. You won’t have to chase us.
Visiting the site
You’re free to visit whenever you want with an appointment. Most people come by week or two.
Decisions
Decisions arrive in batches. Selections happen in a defined window early on. After that, the choices thin out and the work takes over.
Out of state?
Building from out of state? It can be done. Video walkthroughs, photos at every stage, and a phone that gets answered.
“Having a house built while living out of state was quite the challenge. Mike was excellent at offering suggestions to get us everything we wanted while staying within our budget.”
Mike Kaste | Client Google Review
Our books stay open. All of them.
You’ll see the pricing spreadsheet, including what every line costs and why. During the build, ask for the file of invoices and canceled checks and you’ll get it. An attorney who went through it called us an absolute unicorn, which we’ve chosen to take as a compliment.
The reason is simple: you can’t trust a number you’re not allowed to see.
04
We stand behind it after the keys change hands.
Handing you the keys isn’t the end of the job. It’s the part most builders go quiet about, so here’s exactly what happens.
Your warranty
You have a 1-year material and labor warranty through Mike Palmer Homes. After that, warranties transfer to manufacturer warranty.
When something isn’t right
Give us a call and let us know what’s going on. You’ll hear back within [X business days], and we’ll tell you what we’re doing about it and when.
When its our mistake
We once tore out and re-screwed an entire subfloor at our own cost. Nobody enjoyed that week. But we don’t leave people with problems they don’t know about.
What clients say about the process
“We honestly didn’t know what to expect going into it, but Mike and his team made everything clear and straightforward from day one.”
Kay Datinguinoo | Client Google Review
“Before I do anything I like to research who I’m going to be working with. His YouTube videos really put me at ease.”
Jackson Gabriel | Client Google Review
“He is up front and honest about everything to do with the process, cost, what to expect, drawings. This level of professionalism is difficult to find in the construction business.”
Jennifer & Terry T. | Client Google Review
Frequently asked questions
What happens at the first meeting?
The first meeting usually lasts 1-2 hours. If you have a lot, we’ll meet you on it. If you don’t have one yet, we’ll meet wherever suits you and start with what you want to build rather than where.
Mike does most of the listening: how you live, what you want out of the house, what your budget is, and where you are in the process. Plenty of people come to us with an idea and no clue what step one is. That’s a normal place to start, and figuring out the order of things is part of what we do.
You’ll leave with a straight answer on whether this is workable and what to do next, including if the answer is no. Nobody will ask you to sign anything, and it costs nothing.
How long does it take to build a custom home?
Most of our homes take 12-24 from first conversation to move-in. Every project varies depending on the lot, the plan and the client.
What does it cost to build with you?
Most of our homes finish between [$XXX,000 and $XXX,000], which works out to roughly [$XXX to $XXX per square foot] depending on the lot, the size, and what you choose.
You’ll get a real figure after we’ve seen your land, and you’ll see the spreadsheet behind it.
Can I build on the lot I already own?
That’s most of what we do. Send us the address and we’ll tell you what it can hold. If it can’t hold what you want, we’ll tell you that too.
I don't have land yet. Can you help?
Can I bring my own plans, or my own architect?
Yes. Bring what you have and we’ll look at it against your lot before anything else. Sometimes a plan that looks right on paper doesn’t sit right on the ground, and it’s better to find that out now than after the foundation is poured.
If you’d rather start from one of ours, we’ll change it as much as you want.
How often will I hear from you during the build?
At least once a week, whether there’s news or not. You’ll know what just happened, what’s coming next, and anything we need you to decide.
Let's build your custom home to fit every chapter ahead.
We start with your land, design around how you’ll really live, and stand behind every board long after you move in. Built for a lifetime, not a moment.