FAQs

Financial

The quick answer is that if we own the lot, we will finance the construction of the home (after receiving deposits). If you own the lot, then we will require progress payments from you (or your bank) as construction proceeds.

You can find information about pricing on our Pricing Page.

Generally, a newer home costs more than an existing home. The higher building standards, energy efficiency, newer technology, and comforts in a brand-new home come at a higher cost. However, the future resale value will be higher in a new home as well.

Good question! We have a dedicated an article to this question on our Pricing page.

Our process involves selecting all major items BEFORE construction starts. You can go over budget if you start making changes to what you have approved.

It is rare that our clients make changes during the build. However, when it happens, we have a change order policy that is followed. The policy covers items such as cost impacts and the schedule implications of the change.

It’s up to you. Some of our clients like to have this included in their house price, so they don’t need to pay for this cost “out of pocket” after they move into the house. 

Design

You are not alone if you have trouble visualizing how the final details will look. Luckily, design technology is highly advanced. Sometimes, you can’t even distinguish between a 3D rendering and a photograph. See our article on this topic for further information.

It’s extremely important! We polled our past clients and asked if they would recommend building a custom home without having an in-house designer working with them. 100% of the respondents indicated that an in-house designer is a MUST HAVE for a custom design and build. Check out the article we wrote on this important topic.

We have never logged the actual number of hours it requires. However, we’ve found some clients thrive by diving into the fine design details. On the other hand, some clients don’t have the time or desire to invest as much into the project. We give our clients options. You can have our designers do majority of the legwork, or join in with them every step of the way.

We use our floor plans as a starting point to get us going in the right direction. Our plans can be modified to suit your needs. If you already have an idea for a floor plan, we can work with that. We have an in-house designer to help you every step of the way.

Construction

Specific trades are required to provide us with inspection checklists when they complete the job. We also perform our own in-house inspections at various stages. As a Mike Holmes Approved Homebuilder, our homes receive 3 additional inspections on each build to look beyond what the local inspectors review.

We have pre-scheduled tours throughout the build so you can enjoy the progress being made on your new home. We allow our clients access to the home on their own time as well, but there are conditions associated with this to ensure everyone’s safety.

We have contingency time built into our schedule so we can usually absorb typical delays into the original schedule. Having said that, we give our client schedule updates at numerous times during the build so they are always aware of the forecast possession timeline.

We do not allow this as it can have impacts on our schedule and quality assurance.

Mike Holmes is an authority within the construction industry, whose code is “Make It Right.” The HOLMES Approved Homes Program upholds this code by ensuring that the construction of every home registered in the Program is built right the first time. This is a partnership with Lexis Homes, not an endorsement.

Builder Selection

If you are looking for a high-quality home with great design, we might be a match. If you’re looking for the cheapest builder, Lexis won’t be the right fit for you.

Trick question! There is no such thing as one builder being the best option for everybody.

You’ll have to explore our website and judge this one for yourself!

Due to our process of completing designs and selections before construction, it takes us longer to get construction started compared to builders that make selections during the build.

Miscellaneous

We feel the top fears are costs, time commitments, quantity of decisions, and not being able to visualize how the home will look. We wrote an article on this topic here.

Based on our experience, we have found that people who have difficulty making decisions and/or are not great at timely communication will have a more difficult time in a custom home build.

We ask our clients to rate their level of stress. Most say it was about what they expected. Typically, people who have difficulty making decisions will rate their stress levels as higher.

Absolutely! We enjoy working with realtors. We just ask that you mention this up front so we can include them on the details.

That’s a complicated question as each have their pros and cons. We wrote an article on it here.

We have a lot of experience in this area. We have captured our best tips and tricks in this premium guide.

There are a lot of things to be aware of before embarking on an acreage build. Our thoughts are included in this premium guide.

In a nutshell, a 3rd party warranty company will cover admissible warranty claims in the event a builder can’t or won’t cover the repairs.

A brief overview of the process for building a new home is on “Our Process” page. Alternatively, feel free to call or email us as we would be more than happy to help out.

If you find a finished home that meets all of your needs, this will require less time and effort. We find that many people start by looking at completed homes but they can’t find the right location, floor plan, or style they desire.

The timeline for designs, drawings, engineering, and permits is multiple months and is depends on the specific situation. Afterward, the construction of the home itself will take approximately 6 months for most homes.

Our “Available Lots” page shows the lots we currently own. In some situations, we can also purchase additional lots from land developers or other builders.

Our Show Homes page lists our regular show home hours.