Planning your project.

Start three things in parallel: a realistic budget, the right lot, and a clear brief for how you want to live. From there a builder and designer can test feasibility before you commit to full drawings. Engaging a construction manager early means cost, site constraints and approvals are weighed from day one rather than discovered late.

Usually the land first, because the lot drives almost everything — size, slope, servicing, zoning, setbacks and what you can build. A design done before the lot is chosen often has to be redone. If you already own a lot, design can begin immediately around its specific constraints.

Look past price to buildability: zoning and permitted use, lot size and setbacks, soil and grading, servicing (municipal water and sewer versus well and septic), access, trees, easements, and any flood or conservation-authority constraints. A feasibility review before you buy can prevent expensive surprises — we are glad to assess a lot before you commit.

Yes. Many clients already hold their building lot. We begin with a feasibility review of the site and your brief, coordinate the design and consultants, manage permits and budgeting, and build through to completion.

A feasibility study tests whether your goals, your site and your budget align before you spend on full design — covering zoning, servicing, site constraints, rough costs and timeline. For anything but the simplest build it is worth doing: it is the cheapest stage at which to change your mind.

Typically a building permit, and depending on the site, zoning approvals or a minor variance, lot-grading and septic or well approvals, conservation-authority sign-off near water, and tree or heritage permits. We coordinate the drawings, consultants and submissions and manage the approval process on your behalf.

A severance (consent) is municipal approval to divide one parcel into two or more separate titles — needed when you want to create new building lots from an existing property. It is a separate planning process from the building permit and can take time, so it is planned early.

As a rule of thumb, design and approvals take several months to a year depending on complexity and the municipal process, and construction of a substantial custom home commonly runs about 12 to 18 months. Severances, variances or a difficult site add time. We programme a realistic schedule and track the critical path throughout.

Early, ideally alongside the architect. Bringing a construction manager in during design means budget, buildability and schedule shape the drawings, rather than the drawings being priced — and often value-engineered — after the fact. It is the single best way to avoid redesign and surprise costs.

Starting construction before the design is resolved, underestimating soft costs and contingency, choosing a lot without a feasibility check, and leaving the builder out until pricing. Each is avoidable by resolving the design on paper, budgeting realistically, and engaging your builder during planning.