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Our Design Build Process

John Merrill Homes designs and builds unique and fully custom homes tailored to meet our customers’ goals, whether building new construction from the ground up or large scale renovations and additions to your existing home. Over years of experience designing and building custom homes in a wide range of styles and concepts, we have developed and refined a systematic process to help keep the project on a course toward successful completion.

Using our time-tested process, we can deliver the same quality workmanship and outstanding service to each customer and bring you to your end goal in the smoothest and most cost-efficient manner possible.

Our process ensures an open line of communication the entire way, resulting in your dream custom home being delivered on time and within budget. Learn more about our design build process below.

Step One

Consultation

  • Listen to your goals to help formulate a solution
  • Ask the right questions
  • Establish a scope of the project
  • Understand the budget
design build process
Blueprint floor plan of a house and front elevation of a modern home design, illustrating architectural layouts and exterior details for custom home construction, from John Merrill Homes.
Step Two

Design

  • Site analysis: Review site for constructability, establish footprint maximums, create a rough fit of home (or home additions) on lot
  • Draft preliminary plans: After understanding your goals, we can put pencil to paper to create a floor plan, exterior elevations, and site plan
  • Write specifications: We specify all products and materials going into the home to create clarity
Step Three

Present the Design

  • Custom-designed home plans
  • Specifications created around the customer's budget
  • Site costs
High-quality floor plan of a modern home featuring a spacious master suite, three bedrooms, a great room, kitchen, den, utility room, and a two-car garage.
Blueprints and architectural plans on a white conference table in a modern office setting, with office chairs, a computer keyboard, and color samples visible, showcasing home design planning.
Step Four

Contract

  • Floor plan
  • Site plan
  • Specifications
  • Building agreement
Step Five

Planning

  • Structural engineering
  • Systems engineering
  • Final finish selections are made
  • Obtain necessary permits and approvals
  • Build a custom schedule for the home to execute efficiently
Modern bathroom fixture display with various faucet styles on a white slat wall, bright natural light, and contemporary interior design.
Newly under construction green house in a waterfront development area with palm trees and dirt driveway, featuring multiple windows and a large balcony, on a sunny day.
Step Six

Construction

  • Build per your approved plans and finishes
  • Provide regular updates via BuilderTrend
  • Maintain an open line of communication at all times (we encourage all communication, positive or negative)
  • Quality control is ongoing; punch items are handled as they happen
  • Maintain a clean and positive work environment on our job site to promote the highest quality from our vendor team
Step Seven

Present the Home

  • Ensure the completed home is delivered on time
  • Walk-through and inform you of the operations of the home
  • Review the warranty process and expectations for the first year of new home ownership
  • Celebrate with you for achieving your goals!
Modern white coastal-style home with vertical paneling, multiple balconies with black railings, large black-framed windows, and a landscaped front yard with a paved driveway.