What are your standard features?

Answer: Although we have certain brands, methods and styles of items that we have used for many years and are confident in, the customer really isn’t tied to standard features with All Seasons Homes. Our customers are free to install whatever they choose in their new home as long as it works from a building perspective and fits their budget. From our 29+ years of experience, we can tell you which items or materials perform best and which do not. A few examples of features we normally install would be a dry-walled / insulated garage, 96% high efficiency gas furnace with A/C, (1’) roof overhangs on gable & eve ends, double pane / energy efficient windows with "Low-E & Argon" and extra insulation in the attic, etc...

 

How do I know exactly what features I am getting?

Answer: After meeting with you and discussing your needs and budget, we will provide you with a very detailed quote including the features you desire, as well as the specifications and features we most commonly use on our jobs. Once you review the quote, we can fine-tune everything even further from there. It is important for us to get you exactly what you want right from the start so there are only minimal changes (if any) during the course of the project.

 

How much do you charge per sq. foot and what is your pricing?

Answer: We are generally priced about the same or less than most production builders and considerably lower than other production Builders when comparing “Apples for Apples”. The problem is that many builders don’t play fair, they tend to lure customers in with “low base pricing”, promotion incentives etc... then charge them for every little thing they add or upgrade thereafter. We prefer to be honest and upfront in this respect. Price per sq. ft. is tricky because there are many factors involved: What are your tastes? (Basic or Upgraded). What style of home? (Ranches cost more than 2-stories). Do you want a (two or three car garage), do you want a fireplace, custom kitchen or standard? Lot improvements such as (well, septic, sewer, water, driveway) are typically not included in sq. ft. price. What area will the home be built in? (Some counties cost more to build in than others). Note: Generally, smaller homes tend to be a little more per sq ft. than larger homes so you will get "more bang for your buck" with a larger home. Because we have never built "exactly" the same home twice, it’s hard to determine an exact per sq. ft. price for us, but a good starting point for a basic, 2000 sq. ft. / 2-story home would be approx: $140 per sq. ft. / Ranch homes tend to cost more because of the larger foundation and roof/truss costs. Please also note that prices have gone up significantly since 2020.

 

What do you consider the most important part of building a home for someone?

Answer: Honest Communication between the Contractor and the Client, quality workmanship, and close attention to detail by the contractor.

 

What is the best advice you can give a customer when shopping for a builder?

Answer: Does the builder promptly return phone calls or emails? If they don’t do that now, it will probably get worse after you hire them. Walk through one of their homes during the construction phase, most of what you see in fancy model homes is not what you will be getting. Check to see if there are any bad reviews about the builder online, such as on the “Better Business Bureau” or “Consumer Complaints” sites, Facebook horror story sites etc... Ask the builder for a few references or ask to drive by a few of the homes they have built. Our best reference is "Word of Mouth".

 

What style / size homes do you build and where?

Answer: We are truly a custom home builder and there is no limit to the size or styles we can build for you and your family. Please view our photo gallery to get inspired. We have built in the following counties and general areas: Medina, Wayne, Summit, Portage, Stark, Carroll and Tuscarawas.

 

Do you have any model homes we can walk through?

Answer: Larger builders tend to have larger overhead costs. Because we are a small family-owned company, we do not have any model homes. We normally pride ourselves in walking our potential customers through one or two of the homes we are currently building, this way they can see the different stages of construction and know better what to expect. Also, by keeping our overhead down we can pass the savings along to you!

 

How long have you been in business and is your company financially stable?

Answer: We have been in business for over 29 years with the same company name and are financially stable. We also own and operate a Heating & Cooling company for about the same length in time. We are an accredited member of the “BBB” Better Business Bureau with an A+ Rating and have never had a complaint filed. We also carry general liability insurance, are bonded, and are licensed in Ohio as well as the appropriate communities we build in. We would be happy to provide some client references upon request.

 

How often are you at the job site?

Answer: Bob the owner, or his skilled subcontractors are on your project almost each and every day, and sometimes on weekends. We also encourage the client to be involved and visit the job-site as often as possible.

 

Do you have any up-charges or any hidden costs during the build that I should be aware of?

Answer: Unlike many other builders, we do not charge our customers hidden upcharges. Everything that our customers need to know will be disclosed to them in writing before we start construction. If you want to make changes we will supply you with a signed change order for any upgrades that you add or any changes that you make during the course of the project.

 

Do you charge for change orders?

Answer: No, we do not charge our customers a change order fee. The only cost the customer would be responsible for would be the time, labor and materials to do the change, and it will be quoted to them in advance. If it is a simple change that Bob can do, and we have adequate notice, we may not even charge the customer, just depends.

 

How exactly do allowances work?

Answer: Everyone’s tastes and styles are different so in order to give our customers the freedom to pick and choose many of the items that go into their home we include allowances for some items such as flooring, cabinets and light fixtures… The customer may take excess money from one allowance and put it toward another allowanced item if they so choose. At the end of the project we total up all of the allowances and all of the expenses. If there is money left over, the customer gets money back for the difference.

 

Do you finance any of the homes you build?

Answer: No, but we can refer you to one of the banks we work with who specialize in construction loans. See our section labeled “Financing” or below.

 

How does the financing work for new construction?

Answer: Due to the ever-changing mortgage market, you will have to speak with one of our lenders for exact details, but in our experience you can get financing to build your new home with as little as 3% - 5% down-payment, adequate income, and a 640-680 FICO. You can also buy your land and complete your construction loan all in one closing. If you already own your own lot/land, you should be able to use some of the equity in it toward your down payment.

 

How long does the average home take to build?

Answer: We can usually complete your home in 4-6 months after the foundation is installed. Winter builds and larger, more complex homes may take a little longer. Important note: We feel that too many production builders throw their houses up very quickly and that the quality of workmanship always suffers, these are called "cookie cutter" homes and faster is not better, why rush the biggest investment of your life? Note: If a large production Builder promises to have your home completed by a certain date, be weary because they will have a dozen ways to get out of it listed in their contracts.

 

How do I get started with the building process?

Answer: The best place to start is to find a lot if you don’t already have one, we have great realtors who can assist you if needed. See our section labeled “Realtor Partners”. We would be happy to look any lot you are thinking of purchasing before you pull the trigger to make certain the home you want will fit on the lot without any issues. Also, you need to get pre-approved for a construction loan so you know how much home and monthly payment you can afford. Lastly, we can start designing your new dream home.

 

Do you charge for blueprints or any type of deposit?

Answer: We do not charge our customers to design and draw up blueprints however, the average blueprint and paperwork takes us approx: 30-40 hours to complete from start to finish so we do require a deposit before we start. We prefer you get Pre-approved before this stage. Once we proceed, this deposit will be credited as “down payment” toward the price of the home and a receipt will be provided to you stating this.