Frequently Asked Questions

There are many reasons why a person or family would choose a custom home. Custom homes can offer a level of personalization that isn’t available in your typical prefabricated house. The builders, architects, and designers can work with you to create just about anything you envision from unique structural features to special colors, fixtures, and personal touches.

A custom home is truly whatever you want it to be. You can work with your architect and builder to combine unique ideas, designs, and personal touches of every kind into the total package. The professional team of designers, architects, and builders will work with you to create a custom home that perfectly suits your needs.

The biggest benefit is the ability to create the exact type of house you envision for yourself and your family. Many people have specific ideas about the style of home they want but don’t know how to get from point A to point B on a house plan. You’ll work with an architect and a builder every step of the way until you achieve what you’ve been looking for in your dream custom home.

The cost will depend greatly on the size and style of the custom home you want. Generally, a more personalized and unique style leads to higher costs for your custom home. While it may take a bit longer than working with prefabricated homes or modular homes, in the end, you’ll get exactly what you want. Consulting with an expert should help to minimize costs while maximizing your investment.

Aside from the usual factors that go into choosing any contractor, you should also consider how invested the company is in meeting your needs and requirements. A good custom home builder should be willing to work with you every step of the way to ensure that you get the custom home that fulfills your dreams.

A spec house is a home built without a specific owner in mind. Its style and product options will be a blend of what the builder believes the market wants. You may be able to choose from a couple of options from provided plan layouts, products, and colors, but otherwise will be limited in your ability to customize. The resulting home can be great—but without being tailored to your wishes and needs, clients often find themselves “wishing” for more. In addition, in many cases, the house will be built to code but without additional thought to comfort, view, or quality (Where do you want your outlets? Do you have enough lights in the right places? Are your windows the right size to take advantage of your view and do they open the way you want? Will your washer and dryer fit the space?)

A custom home is explicitly tailored to you. The process will take you through every decision, from what level of insulation you want at or above code to where your outlets are placed to the proper angles and spacing for your dream kitchen to be optimally functional. Every nuance is designed to fit your specific lifestyle.

Every custom home is different, but anticipate that the process will take at least a year from initial meeting to getting your keys. For larger homes or complicated sites, the build may take as many as 18 months. A variety of factors come into play, including a meticulous design process (in which you will make decisions on each element of your home), permit acquisition, site development, and of course the construction itself.

The good news? Once the build phase for your home begins, Cornerstone Custom Homes will provide you with a timeline so you know what to expect and when.

There will always be flexibility given to each client to engage one or two tradespersons or suppliers of your choice. As long as we are made aware before construction commences and that each tradesperson is fully licensed and insured and adheres to the Highwater Homes Safety Policy, we are more than happy for you to use some of your own trades/suppliers.

We have regular site meetings to ensure that your home is being built exactly the way you imagined. At any stage, you are welcome to make changes if time permits and the changes don’t affect the structural integrity of your home. We understand the need for flexibility during the construction phase to ensure the home of your dreams is being built.

If you don’t already have one or are unsure about how to finance your build, we can help connect you to trusted banks and loan officers in the Abilene area.