Frequently Asked Questions
- If I’m just starting to look for land in North Carolina, isn’t
it too early to be contacting a home builder like Great Circle Homes? ANSWER
- I’m planning on buying land soon, while prices are still within
my budget, and waiting a couple of years to build. Am I too early in the
process to contact you? ANSWER
- Why should I have confidence that my experience working with Great
Circle Homes will be any more inclusive than with most other builders? ANSWER
- I’ve never had a custom home built, or looked for land to buy.
Where do I start? ANSWER
- What makes Great Circle Homes so different from most other builders? ANSWER
- Can you build my home using post and beam, and other types
of construction, in addition to conventional building methods? ANSWER
- I’m interested in building “green.” How much experience
do you have? ANSWER
- Can you help me get a line on financing? Can
you help me find a mover? Can you help me (fill in the blank _________). ANSWER
- Why should I shell out the extra bucks for an architect, when a designer
costs so much less? ANSWER
- If I want to be my own general contractor, why do I need anything from
Great Circle Homes? ANSWER
- I’m a land developer, looking for preferred builders. Why should
I consider Great Circle Homes? ANSWER
- I like your philosophy. I'm interested in building a spec home, but
have no experience. Can we work together? ANSWER
- You haven’t been in business as long as some
other builders. Should I be concerned? ANSWER
Answers to Frequently Asked Questions
- If I’m just starting to
look for land in North Carolina, isn’t it too early to be contacting
a home builder like Great Circle Homes?
Not only is it NOT too early, but the timing couldn’t be better! The reason: many, many folks make the sometimes costly mistake of having a houseplan in their minds, and buying the property without giving enough consideration to whether the lay of the land can practically accommodate their dream plan. You should always ask a builder to evaluate land you’re considering, relative to what you’d like to build. We offer that service FREE! Contact us.
If you haven’t begun working with a Realtor yet, our in-house Realtor broker can help with your land search, as well. Contact information.
- I’m planning on
buying land soon, while prices are still within my budget, and waiting
a couple of years to build. Am I too early in the process to contact
you?
For a couple of reasons, this is the BEST time to contact us. The first is outlined in the answer to Question 1, above. The second is that at the rate materials and labor costs are rising, you’ll likely save more on construction costs by building now than you could reasonably expect to earn from investing those dollars somewhere else today. Contact us, and we’ll be glad to help you run some scenarios.
- Why should I have confidence
that my experience working with Great Circle Homes will be any more inclusive
than with most other builders?
Other builders don’t want to include your ideas or participation any more than they have to. One of our most powerful strengths is that we encourage your involvement. If we don’t deliver on that, we will have misled you and, at the end of the project, you’ll lump us in with all the others. Where there’s no delight, there are no glowing referrals. That is why, from first to last, we're all about client satisfaction.
- I’ve never had a
custom home built, or looked for land to buy. Where do I start?
Without a partner like Great Circle Homes, you commence a mad scramble, trying to make sense out of a million shreds of information, and how they all impact one another. On the other hand, we know the questions you’ll have and the answers you’ll need. The earlier in the process you contact us, the more intangibles you get from working with us. Nothing wrong with a little hand-holding through the thicket.
- What makes Great Circle Homes
so different from most other builders?
We don’t know of another builder that is willing and able to give you a hand at EVERY step along the way—from your earliest inkling of a dream, to helping you with address-change notifications at move-in. You may or may not need all that—it’s up to you—but the strength of our business is based on offering you that range of capabilities.
- Can you build my home using
post and beam, and other types of construction, in addition
to conventional building methods?
Sure. And, if you’re interested in saving on your construction costs, we offer “hybrid” construction. This gives you the look and feel of post & beam, but with the less costly conventional, or “stick-built” construction. We have the experience and resources to build what you want, the way you want it. Check our examples of homes we’ve created to see for yourself.
- I’m interested in building “green.” How
much experience do you have?
This is a fast-evolving target, considering new materials, techniques, tax breaks, your life-style, and how far you want to take it. Building with conservation in mind isn’t always about using the most exotic materials or techniques (often at a premium cost). Once we learn about how you like to live, we and our designers can design and build smart—not necesssarily expensive—to achieve your goals.
- Can you help me get a line
on financing? Can you help me find a mover? Can you help me (fill in
the blank _________)?
In a word, “yes.” It’s what we do that distances us from the “old school” builder who just wants to use all the familiar materials and techniques he’s used for years and years, and simply build your home—nothing more. Our Great Circle of resources is ready to converge on your situation to give you clarity and peace of mind about whatever is concerning you.
- Why should I shell out the
extra bucks for an architect, when a designer costs so much less?
It’s a matter of nuance and refinement. In our Great Circle of Resources, our designers can massage a floorplan you’ve sketched, add in some elevation details, flesh it all out to be buildable and efficient, and draw up a set of plans and elevations that we’ll gladly and confidently work from. On the other hand, an architect learns about how you live, develops a “schematic” of living space adjacencies, studies the topography of the site, considers the natural lighting and shade in the orientation on the property, refines the interaction of the overall and indivdual shapes of building masses and rooms, adds in delicious details throughout—inside and out—and delivers detailed drawings of every aspect of the home. Through the entire design process, you’ll see 3D renderings from different angles. Sure, it’ll take considerably longer and cost more, but the design will be a magnificent reflection of your desires, needs, and goals, and of who you are.
- If I want to be my own general contractor,
why do I need anything from Great Circle Homes?
Ah! You’ve hit on yet another one of our unique services. You may be retired or otherwise able to make the substantial time investment to manage your own home-building project. But, if you don’t do it full time, you may not know what all the steps entail, the optimum order of activities, the best subcontractors, or what to do when things go wrong. We offer a consulting service to help you through all that. Even with our helping hand, you’ll save thousands of dollars. Some of our clients have begun by being their own contractors, and have asked us to step in, partway through, to complete the project. We’re happy to oblige. Contact us to learn more.
- I’m a land developer,
looking for preferred builders. Why should I consider Great Circle Homes?
We have managed and consulted with others on the rezoning, master-plan design, infrastructure build-out, and every other aspect of taking a large plat of land, and transforming it into a planned community. Again, our Great Circle of resources can come into play to offer you whatever level of expertise you need to bring your project to market. Contact Fred Colwell to discuss this.
- I like your
philosophy. I'm interested in building a spec home, but have no experience.
Or, I do have experience, but I’d like some help. Can we work
together?
Certainly. With your investment, our expertise, and the booming market for higher-end homes in Western North Carolina, we can all benefit.
- You haven’t
been in business as long as some other builders. Should I be
concerned?
The fact is, each of our owners has been in business for decades, delighting clients, amassing experience and understanding of the needs of the marketplace along the way. Would you rather choose an “old school” builder whose company has plodded along the same narrow path for 20 years, or run with folks who get what you want done, and are willing to respond like you’ve never known possible? Our individual reputations are impeccable. From that we’re building our reputation as a company. Give us the opportunity to meet with you, to see for yourself if we’re your best choice.
