FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Licensed: Florida requires contractors to be licensed and bonded. Above all, be sure you are working with a contractor who has these credentials. Caroline Contractors LLC has a general contractor certified license, which is valid throughout the state, permitting us to work anywhere in Florida.

Insured: Contractors should have personal liability, workers’ compensation, and property damage coverage. They should also encourage high safety standards on site to prevent accidents. We are happy to provide copies of insurance certificates upon request.

Experienced: A qualified general contractor has the experience and knowledge to do the job the right way without missing a step. They can prevent costly downtime and always have funds on hand that are enough to keep running your project. In addition, an experienced general contractor can usually look at the work of the subcontractor and immediately know if the work will pass inspection.

Choose your contractor carefully! No other decision will have a greater impact on the success or failure of your project. Great plans, contracts, and construction documents cannot get good work from someone lacking in skill or integrity. Be sure to ask many or even all of these questions.

• How long have you been in business?
• How many jobs like this have you completed?
• What is the average square-foot cost for this type of job?
• Who will supervise the construction on site?
• Who will I communicate with about job progress, changes, and any problems that may arise?
• How do you prefer to work: competitive bid, cost-plus, negotiated price, or something other?
• What is your company’s greatest strength?
• (For remodeling): What efforts do you take to keep the job site clean and safe for children, and to keep dust out of the living quarters?

As opposed to a production builder, who simultaneously builds a community of homes based on a library of floor plans, a custom builder creates a one-of-a-kind home that has a great range of design choices. You can supply a floor plan or commission a set of floor plans to be drawn from scratch, and you are more involved in the process, with the opportunity to make many decisions. You can pick from nearly any product in a category — within your budget, of course – rather than selecting from a defined menu of choices. Caroline Contractors LLC is happy to make product suggestions if asked, but the end choice for your custom home is yours.

There are many ways that investing in a custom built home can benefit you. In simple terms, a custom built home is designed to give you exactly what you are looking for. If you have specific design features, floor plans, space accommodations, or accessibility needs in mind, designing and building your home according to those specifications will help your family live in comfort for many years to come. Custom built homes require significantly fewer updates or upgrades, as they are built with your needs in mind; this makes them a wise investment in the long run. In addition to your own needs, a custom built home can optimize the land on which the property is built. Every piece of land is different; with our help, you can choose what features you want to highlight or build into your home to make it easier to enjoy certain features.

While every custom built home is different, you should anticipate that the process will take at least a year from the initial planning stages to the day you move in. For larger or more complex builds, the process could take even longer. A variety of factors influence the timeline of your home build, including the complexity of the plans, permit acquisition, site development, the availability of materials, weather delays, and more. Our builders will work closely with you so you are always kept up to date on your project’s status and so that we can make sure everything matches what you want.

The custom home building process can be incredibly rewarding, especially when you’re working with an experienced professional. Your experience can be divided into three categories. During the preliminary study, we’ll discuss your vision for your project, do some preliminary research, and begin gathering information for the design phase. As we develop the design, we’ll help you make initial feature selections, ensure the project remains on budget, and begin obtaining permits and making arrangements. Once the plans are complete and the schedule is finalized, construction can begin. We’ll keep you up to date throughout the process to ensure that your new home is created just as you have imagined.

For the most part, a custom built home is likely to cost more than a comparable existing house – at least at first. Over the long term, a custom home will tend to be the cheaper option, as you won’t need to make as many adjustments or upgrades to continue living there. Our builders use high-quality materials and modern construction methods with a particular emphasis on long-term energy efficiency, making a custom built home a worthwhile investment for long term quality.

Designing your own home is extremely exciting, but it can also be overwhelming if you’re not sure where to begin. Our team will work with you every step of the way, but it pays to consider factors such as your lifestyle, your family’s present and future needs, your budget, the way you use your home, and the specific layout of your property. These considerations can help you make a plan that incorporates your different circumstances to create one cohesive final product.