Building a custom home on Galveston Island? Here are ten important questions to ask your builder.
How long does it take to build my custom home?
Of course this is the most important question to ask as it affects so many factors including, financing, movers, vacation time and more. Additionally, there are many phases to a custom home project; land must be selected and purchased, the basic design of your home must be finalized and imported into a CAD program, blueprints must be made, prices must be set and construction permits obtained. With this many factors it’s impossible to be precise about the time involved. Eight to twelve months is common.
What's included in the purchase price?
Cutter Style Custom Homes will give you the entire cost involved including septic, water, electricity, permits and all inspections. We don’t have add-on fees and include a contingency allowance of all of the expenses. Of course, if there are major changes in finishings or you want to add a pool, pier or dock, the price will be adjusted accordingly.
Will I be credited with supplying my own fixtures or materials?
This is a common question and of course you will be credited. However, for almost any fixture or material, we can get a better price. If one of your family members owns a lumber yard then by all means set up a discount that we can use. As a custom home builder, we have established contractor prices at all of our suppliers and since we build exclusively on Galveston Island we are able to offer you very competitive material pricing.
Can you help us find the right location?
Yes, we can absolutely assist you in finding the perfect place. If you want to live in the wilds, then Bolivar Peninsula is the place for you. On Bolivar you have wide open beaches where you can camp out, have bond fires and generally live an old-style life. If you love to fish or water ski, then you might want to live on the north side where you can have your own private pier and/or boat dock/lift. The classic Galveston Beach houses are out on the West End and have names like Pirate’s Beach of Indian Beach.
What about hurricanes?
Yes, hurricanes are a fact of life on the island but we always have plenty of notice. The custom homes we build on the Island are equipped with:
- Armored windows
- Storm shutters
- Deep foundations
- Hurricane straps to keep the floors and roof intact
- Elevated AC units
Will there be a homeowners' association.
No!
Will you landscape my new custom home?
Yes, we provide you with a custom home that is ready to move in. We will offer you a choice of many landscaping options including ‘zero-scape’ yards that need no watering or pesticides. There are lots of native grasses that look just terrific when mowed and, of course, palm trees take care of themselves.
Are there zoning laws on Galveston Island?
Galveston has very moderate zoning except the historic districts which are heavily zoned. The entire Island is incorporated so the building permits apply everywhere and are quite strict, especially when it comes to hurricane integrity.We have a thorough knowledge of the zoning law. If you are interested, here is the complete law in a PDF file.
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What can I expect for weather?
The climate in Galveston is very moderate. In the summer the high temperature is 6-8 degrees cooler in the summer than Houston and quite a bit warmer in the winter. Typically, a hot summer day is 89-91 degrees and winter lows are usually in the 40-5o degree range. Complete details here. It almost never freezes and it is always cooler than Houston in the summer.
Building a custom home on Galveston Island? Here are ten important questions to ask your builder.
How long does it take to build my custom home?
Of course this is the most important question to ask as it affects so many factors including, financing, movers, vacation time and more. Additionally, there are many phases to a custom home project; land must be selected and purchased, the basic design of your home must be finalized and imported into a CAD program, blueprints must be made, prices must be set and construction permits obtained. With this many factors it’s impossible to be precise about the time involved. Eight to twelve months is common.
What's included in the purchase price?
Cutter Style Custom Homes will give you the entire cost involved including septic, water, electricity, permits and all inspections. We don’t have add-on fees and include a contingency allowance of all of the expenses. Of course, if there are major changes in finishings or you want to add a pool, pier or dock, the price will be adjusted accordingly.
Will I be credited with supplying my own fixtures or materials?
This is a common question and of course you will be credited. However, for almost any fixture or material, we can get a better price. If one of your family members owns a lumber yard then by all means set up a discount that we can use. As a custom home builder, we have established contractor prices at all of our suppliers and since we build exclusively on Galveston Island we are able to offer you very competitive material pricing.
Can you help us find the right location?
Yes, we can absolutely assist you in finding the perfect place. If you want to live in the wilds, then Bolivar Peninsula is the place for you. On Bolivar you have wide open beaches where you can camp out, have bond fires and generally live an old-style life. If you love to fish or water ski, then you might want to live on the north side where you can have your own private pier and/or boat dock/lift. The classic Galveston Beach houses are out on the West End and have names like Pirate’s Beach of Indian Beach.
What about hurricanes?
Yes, hurricanes are a fact of life on the island but we always have plenty of notice. The custom homes we build on the Island are equipped with:
- Armored windows
- Storm shutters
- Deep foundations
- Hurricane straps to keep the floors and roof intact
- Elevated AC units
Will there be a homeowners' association.
No!
Will you landscape my new custom home?
Yes, we provide you with a custom home that is ready to move in. We will offer you a choice of many landscaping options including ‘zero-scape’ yards that need no watering or pesticides. There are lots of native grasses that look just terrific when mowed and, of course, palm trees take care of themselves.
Are there zoning laws on Galveston Island?
Galveston has very moderate zoning except the historic districts which are heavily zoned. The entire Island is incorporated so the building permits apply everywhere and are quite strict, especially when it comes to hurricane integrity.We have a thorough knowledge of the zoning law. If you are interested, here is the complete law in a PDF file.
|
|
What can I expect for weather?
The climate in Galveston is very moderate. In the summer the high temperature is 6-8 degrees cooler in the summer than Houston and quite a bit warmer in the winter. Typically, a hot summer day is 89-91 degrees and winter lows are usually in the 40-5o degree range. Complete details here. It almost never freezes and it is always cooler than Houston in the summer.