Wow - Built by an Owner-Builder and Sunset Custom Homes
Sunset Custom Homes, Inc., St. Louis, MO, wants to help you build a better house (or addition) … for less. They’ve created a unique Owner-Builder program that puts you in charge of your home building project as the general contractor.
Not only do you eliminate the high general contractor fees, which frees up money you can reinvest in your home, you play an active role in the materials and sub-contractor selection, giving you total control over every facet of the home building process.
The end result? An addition or new home that’s built exactly to your specifications, within your budget and a true reflection of you. Another plus is the potential instant equity you gain just for being willing to take an active role in your building project.
Sunset’s program is ideal for the person who has always wanted a hands-on approach to a home building project, but didn’t know how or where to gain the experience. The company works with you every step of the way, allowing you the opportunity to choose all the components that go into building a home, not just the paint color and cabinet finishes!
As the general contractor, you drive the project, you control the timeline and you make sure materials are delivered and tasks are accomplished on time to keep the project on track.
If this sounds exciting – but daunting – relax. Sunset guides you the whole way, including:
- Architectural design – floor plans and elevations
- Construction drawings
- Whole project estimate
- Shell construction: walls and roof
Once these are complete, your role as the general contractor takes over and Sunset steps into the background, giving you advice, counseling and support as needed. They empower you to:
- Secure building permits
- Specify products
- Hire and manage subcontractors
- Keep proper cost controls
- Deal with building inspectors and all the necessary functions to successfully complete your home building project.
And, if you don’t mind putting a little sweat equity into your home, you can save even more money.
To get your feet wet, Sunset Custom Homes offers free workshops throughout the year to explain the process. You’ll learn:
- The differences between the various types of homes (Brick, Siding, Earth Sheltered)
- How to choose a site (if building a new home)
- How to determine what you can afford
- How to estimate a budget
- What a project feasibility study is
- What types of financing you’ll need
- How and where to apply for a building permit application
- How to determine when to start a project
- How to determine the project timeframe
- Why is pays to work with Sunset Custom Homes
- And more.
Want to be your own general contractor on a custom home like this one? Sunset Custom Homes offers free general contracting workshops throughout the year
Sunset Custom Homes owner, Patrick Tosie, cautions those looking to build a new home or addition to not just focus on the price savings. “Many people seem to look only at price and not all the components or their quality. When people only buy on price, they’re not looking at the long term and are missing the advantages of building better and more efficiently. When you build better and more efficiently, you have lower overall costs in the long term.”
When asked about the Sunset difference, Pat replied, “What makes Sunset Custom Homes different from our competition is how closely we work with our clients. We have many who continue to keep in touch with us for years. We strive for every house to be the home our clients will want to live in for the rest of their lives.”
The Owner-Builder program isn’t for everyone because custom home building takes dedication and perserverence. There are just so many details to manage in building a home from the ground up. But it’s hard to argue with potential instant equity simply by being an integral part of the building process. Plus the experience you gain building your first custom home makes you that much smarter when you act as general on the next one! (Just remember to measure your waistline before you buy your tool belt.)
