Building Your Piney Island Home

The Construction Process

The following is a preview of how your Piney Island Home will be constructed. By having a general understanding of the construction process, you'll know what to look forward to during the exciting weeks ahead.

The time period from signing the Construction Agreement to the start of your home is normally 45 to 60 days and subject to variables such as local government approvals, mortgage approval, deposit requirements, and, if applicable, providing a Contract of Sale on your previous home.

Average construction time is 150 to 180 days. This can vary by home style, selections, weather conditions, and other factors listed in the paragraph outlining the estimated completion date.

Home Site Preparation and Permits

Engineers determine the position of the home on the home site prior to ground breaking. Elements such as terrain, drainage, utility easements, and municipal requirements for setback and side yard dimensions are taken into consideration during this process.

Next, we secure the appropriate local building authority approvals and permits for the home plan and home site improvements.

The site preparation comes next. At this stage, the home site is surveyed and marked with stakes to show the final positioning of the home. The land is then cleared of trees and obstructions and the soil is graded for the construction process.

Footings and Foundation

The footings, made of poured concrete, are then put into place to form a base support for the foundation walls. Depending on the area, local building inspections of the footing trenches or footings are conducted.

The foundation walls are then built using concrete block. Depending on lot conditions such as terrain and elevation additional courses of block may need to be required. A determination is made at the time of footings whether additional courses are required. There are typically four courses of block in the base price of your home and additional courses will be priced separately.

Framing and Carpentry

The structure is now ready for the framing and carpentry process where wood studs, beams, floor joists, and roof trusses are used to create the structure of the home.

To frame the floors, steel center beams are set in the top of the foundation walls, supported by foundation piers. This creates the base for the subfloor, walls, and roof. Sill plates are secured to the top of the foundation walls separated by a metal termite shield and foam. Then the floor joists are nailed to the sills, perpendicular to the center beam. Subflooring is then glued and nailed to the floor joists, forming a base for the finished flooring material.

For wall framing, Piney Island "stick" builds all exterior walls and wraps them with plywood sheathing and typar house wrap. With the wall structure complete, the ceiling and roof are then framed. A pre-engineered truss system supports the weight of the roof. In some cases, these trusses are used in combination with conventional roof framing.

The trusses are covered with plywood roof sheathing, which is then covered with a 30lb felt paper, followed by architectural roof shingles. Ridge vents are installed at the peak or top ridge of the roof to increase air circulation in the attic space.

Mechanical Systems

Upon completion of framing, Piney Island proceed with the rough-in installation of all mechanical systems. Mechanical systems include plumbing lines, heating and air conditioning, gas lines, and electrical. This is the point where the electrical walkthrough of the home is scheduled and all phone and cable outlets are placed. These components are installed while the interior walls are open and accessible. Upon completion of mechanicals and prior to drywall and insulation, Piney Island does a thorough frame check of your home.

Interior Finishing

Once the mechanical systems are installed and inspected, the insulation is placed in the ceilings, and walls. Piney Island also seals all seams with structural adhesive for additional insulation purposes. Following the insulation phase the walls, ceiling surfaces of the home are finished by applying the drywall to the studs, joists, and trusses.

The interior finish work continues with the installation of interior doors, moldings, and trim. The interior of the home is painted and any fireplaces are finished with appropriate facing material. The plumbing, heating, and electrical finish detail is then started, including the installation of a water heater and furnace. All cabinets, countertops, and floor selections are then installed.

Grading and Landscaping

Your Piney Island home is nearing completion. Once the interior is complete, it's time to begin final home site grading, landscaping, and the installation of the driveway.

Your home is again inspected by the local building inspector and a certificate of occupancy is issued. We will require at least 48 hours after the final inspection is performed for the processing of the certificate.

Pre-settlement Orientation

The pre-settlement orientation is conducted by either Duane Maddy or our customer service manager. The purpose of this meeting is to thoroughly acquaint you with your new home's many features, to familiarize you with the proper operation of the home's equipment, and to review the maintenance requirements of your home. Your 2-10 homebuyers' warranty and manufacturer's warranties will also be discussed.

The information you receive at this orientation is very important. We will outline your responsibilities and explain to you routine homeowners' maintenance as well as our responsibilities to you.

The orientation also provides you with the opportunity to make a general inspection of the home's condition to ascertain that all items meet appropriate workmanship standards and specifications. Please utilize this meeting to carefully inspect the home and then list the items not yet complete on the pre-settlement orientation checklist.

Items to be repaired will be noted and the repairs will be scheduled at the earliest opportunity. Although some repairs may be done after you move into your home, we will do our best to minimize the inconvenience. Also be aware that the repair of certain items may be delayed due to contractor scheduling, the availability of appropriate materials, and weather conditions. In many cases winter weather will delay the completion of exterior items, such as painting, final lot grading, landscaping, exterior concrete, and asphalt driveways.

You are responsible for activating telephone connections and transferring electric, gas, and water services into your name. To assure uninterrupted service, contact utility companies ahead of time so that the transfer begins immediately on the day of delivery.

Welcome to Your New Home!

The settlement process is now complete. You have the keys. And you are now ready for the most exiting step of all-moving into and enjoying your new Piney Island home!

Approximately 3 months after settlement you will receive our Customer Survey asking for your input on the home buying process with Piney Island. We value your opinions and your timely response allows us to continually improve our customer service.