Custom Homes
Building a custom home is likely the largest investment of your lifetime, and it should also be the most rewarding| We hired Greg Higgins to build our house in June of 2012. From the start when we first met Greg, it was clear his knowledge and business approach was what we wanted in our builder. Greg was extremely knowledgeable and supportive of our ideas and concepts for what we wanted for our home. The house was completed on schedule and we have had absolutely no concerns since we have been here. Greg used the most highly skilled craftsman and involved us throughout the build, consulting with us frequently to ensure we were comfortable with our choices. Greg kept meticulous documentation for bills and charges throughout the build to account for every single item. We highly recommend Greg to anyone, and wouldn’t consider using anyone else if we had to build again. |
| Richard Budd and Cindy Mesic |
Our photo gallery shows an extensive portfolio of custom homes, home renovations/restorations and offers a broad range of influences, materials, and designs that we can bring to your custom home building project. We are also very open to working with you to give your imagination free rein in creating a functional, affordable, end result.
During the custom home building process, Ocean Villa Homes coordinates all elements of the project so your home will be built on time and within the budget. It’s important to understand the steps of this process, and how each contributes to the final outcome of you home.
Budget
Arriving at a budget that includes the cost of both the land and your home is an essential first step. Once you’ve decided on a budget you are comfortable with, Ocean Villa Homes can advise you on how to get the maximum value of lot and home for your price range.| Building a new home is for most people the largest financial undertaking of a lifetime, and this undertaking also has the potential to generate a great deal of personal stress and all the undesirable things that can develop from that stress. Both my wife and I are living testaments to the fact that our experience of building a new home using Greg Higgins and Ocean Villa Homes was one of the better decisions that we have made. The end result for us is a new home of high quality that is within the financial plan agreed upon and built on the time according to plan. |
| Dan and Maryke Conway Parksville, B.C. |
Land
Land is the largest single component of a home construction budget. There are two keys to remember to ensure you arrive at an appropriate balance between the price of the land versus the remainder of the budget. First, carefully choose a lot that will leave you with enough room to build your home within your budget. Second, be prepared to invest in a quality lot that will not leave you with unanticipated, but necessary, land development costs.
Land Development
Land development includes all the work that needs to be done before actual construction begins. Excavation, land clearing, utilities and services, driveway and walkways, landscaping, engineering, and permits are all included in land development. These costs likely add up to the second greatest line item in your budget. Before you begin the home development process, Ocean Villa Homes will clearly explain the overall land development costs.| Greg is exceptionally good at keeping the project on time and budget. He is very honest and has an excellent relationship with sub-contractors. Over the years, we have worked with a number of contractors but none of them surpassed Greg’s performance. We have recommended Ocean Villa to many people, which is the sincerest testimony to his abilities. |
| Gary & Carole Fulton |
Selecting a Plan
One of the most exciting steps of building your custom home is choosing the plan. You have several options for obtaining home plans. Plan books, architects, or custom home designers are common sources. You may also choose to combine elements from different sources to arrive at a unique and personalized plan. Once you and your design team have arrived at an overall budget, the home design process can begin. Essential points of agreement are the overall size of the home, the general specifications, and the overall budget for the structure and finishing items.Ocean Villa Homes will be able to advise you on the various technical selection items of your custom home and has the experience and knowledge to suggest the most appropriate and cost-effective options based on your budget.