New Construction
Complete architectural, design and new home construction services
Whether you are a homeowner or a developer, we provide complete architectural and design services, as well as end-to-end construction management to take a brand new home from concept to reality. With over 15 years of building experience in Los Angeles county, our team is ready to handle everything from engineering to permits and approvals, interior design, and of course, the actual construction of your dream home. We specialize in custom homes with high quality finishes and exciting amenities, and we maintain a razor sharp focus on timeliness, cost control, and complete customer satisfaction.
The construction and purchase of a new home can be one of the most exciting times in your life. While many of the logistics may be similar to purchasing a resale, such as signing a construction contract and securing a loan, there are other steps to be taken that are unique to the construction process, such as meeting with the builder for walk throughs at various stages of development and construction, as well as having the freedom to select certain materials for flooring, carpets, lighting fixtures, and counter tops.
Once you have decided on a home and a construction site, the builder contract is drawn up and agreed to by both parties. This contract, also known as a purchase agreement, can be quite long and complex, and it is important to make sure you have read it thoroughly and understand everything before moving forward. Our team is here to help you along with this process, answer any questions you may have, and prepare you for the next step. Once the contract has been agreed upon by both parties, it is now considered “ratified”, which means that both builder and purchaser are now held accountable.
Before any contract is signed, it is always a good idea to be either pre-approved for your loan or have the cost of the construction project covered through other means, such as assets or existing capital. We are happy to connect you with solid, reputable lenders who understand and are experienced with this process, and who can provide the most competitive rates. There are also benefits to working with preferred lenders, such as closing costs, locking in rates for longer terms, as well as reliable and efficient communication between all parties involved. Keep in mind that closing may be several months in the future, and the preferred lender benefits will help to secure you against unexpected interest rate hikes.
As we mentioned, part of the fun of a new construction project is the ability to tailor your new home to your own personal preferences, wants, and needs. Not that this isn’t possible with a resale, but it’s far easier with a new construct to get what you want from the start, as opposed to having to deal with demolition and the inconveniences that may come with replacing floors or countertops or windows. You now have the opportunity to sit down with our designers and choose the options you prefer and which fall into your budget, or imagination, or both! As the process goes forward, you will be able to choose your flooring, carpeting, light fixtures, cabinets, and counters. You can also modify the design if you wish, opening up the kitchen to include the dining area, turning a spare bedroom into a home office space, or maybe choosing to finish off that unfinished basement area for a family room or man cave. The possibilities are endless.
We mentioned the walk throughs. These can happen at any number of stages during the construction of the home, usually pre-construction, pre-drywalling, and pre-settlement. Inspectors will also visit the site at various times to make sure all the proper wiring and other elements are in place and built to code. The pre-settlement walk through is one of the last steps to be taken, when the construction is pretty much complete, but before your closing date. This allows you to discover and address any issues or problems before the final closing.
Once everything is completed, the closing process begins. The title company will make sure that the loan has been properly approved, produce the necessary paperwork, arrange for the signing to take place, and record the purchaser’s ownership. You will need to provide roof of homeowner’s insurance, cashier’s check or verified funds, and any other items as requested by the title company.
Lenders also require a certificate of occupancy for any new residential construction before financing can be secured. This verifies that the builder has properly installed and completed the home’s plumbing, heating, wiring and other specifications.
As with any new major purchase, you have the added benefit of warranty coverage. We provide 2 year warranty coverage on workmanship and materials as well as 10 year coverage on structural elements.
We have all talked to folks who had a less than enjoyable experience in building a new home. Whether you are a first-time home builder or someone returning to this process after several years, there are ways to make sure the process is a smooth and rewarding one.
- Stay in communication. We are here to make this happen for you, and we are ready to answer your questions, address your concerns, and make sure you are informed and up to date on what is happening with your new home construction project every step of the way.
- Make the most of our meetings. Have those questions ready. The sooner we are made aware of any issues, the more rapidly we can address them for you.
- Make time in your schedule for meetings, option selection, and walk throughs, and make sure you are present for each one. Missing a step in the process can delay the construction, and your closing.
At Kofler Design Build, we are a family owned company with more than 15 years of experience in new home construction in the Los Angeles area. We pride ourselves on maintaining professional working relationships with trade professionals in every aspect of home construction, allowing us to offer you, our customer, the highest quality results coupled with top flight customer service and response.