Once you've acquired your land, sign up for a Bensonwood Shell Package, and we'll send you foundation plans. If we're not the general contractor, you will work with the local builder to get the site work and foundation completed. If you've purchased the enhanced package, we’ll do the work as stated in the Enhanced Package Contract. Not all of the on-site work will be completed by Bensonwood employees: We will contract local resources (when deemed cost-effective), to provide some of the work. But, as the contractor of record, Bensonwood will be responsible for the home.

To begin, we will need to have a commitment from you, which will include a minimal, but non-refundable, $1000 deposit, which will be applied to the purchase price. Included in this fee, you will meet online (or in person at our facilities) with a Bensonwood designer and project manager to go over specifications, schedule, and next steps. An additional fee will be required if a site visit becomes necessary

Depending on complexity, the house itself will take from 6 months to 1 year to complete. After we receive your deposit, a signed contract, and your go-ahead on the specs and finalized design, it typically takes about 3 months to fabricate the elements of your home and arrive on your site. Then, your Bensonwood crew typically raises and assembles the basic shell in about 1 month. After that, roofing, electrical, plumbing, etc. may require another 3-4 months, with additional weeks for finished landscaping. Keep in mind, though, that because of the time saved through concurrent production of house elements and ongoing site work, you save months in site time, interest, and rental time.

To get started: Send your deposit and we'll specify all the components to ensure very accurate pricing. Then, when you return your signed contract proposal, we'll assign a project manager and work with you and your bank on a payment schedule.

Yes you can. We would love to work with you on changes. There may be a fee, but we won't know what it is until we know what changes you will need. For minimal changes, there is no charge: i.e. , moving a closet, flipping plans to better fit the site, different siding, and different connector to garage, would be at no additional charge. For more significant changes, additional design effort will be required. Examples would include increasing floor space, changing walls, etc., which would require a two-phase design contract. For a two-phase design contract, we'll start with the original plan, list changes, then give you the design contract price, initial drawings with changes, and pricing for requested changes. Or, for more extensive changes that significantly depart from the original plan, a custom home contract is required. Finally, if special code issues arise (i.e., the house has to be brick in the area where it is being built), we may need to reevaluate costs.

There's an allowance for appliances and their installation. If you choose appliances that (1) cost more to purchase and/or install, or (2) affect the design of the cabinetry, you would be responsible for the cost difference.

The homes have specs for a slab on grade or full basement. A crawl space, raised foundation, walk-out walls, or configured living space would require design work at an additional cost

Yes. It will require a design contract and may increase costs, however. The additional charges would cover a change in window sizes and wall redesign.

Yes. We will deduct the cost of materials. It will be up to you to purchase the materials.

The existing walls have National Fiber Insulation, with an R-value of 21, which, along with our tight building envelopes, results in great energy efficiency. Our homes typically heat and cool for half the cost of a conventional, stick-built home. While the standard Collection home doesn't include super-insulated walls for these homes, we can design a house with similar attributes and make the necessary changes to the foundation, windows, and millwork package, to accommodate the thicker walls. It will require a design contract.

The fiber cement siding is by James Hardie Building Products.

Yes, and they come with a lightly oiled surface to bring out their rich color.

Yes. If it's not already on the plans, it will be an upgrade. A design contract is needed if a more extensive, or intricately-detailed porch is added.

Yes. It will be an upgrade.