Foundations of Custom Home Planning

This unit introduces the core preconstruction skills needed to plan and manage a custom residential build, including site selection, plan interpretation, project documentation, team roles, financing options, and initial site and permitting considerations. It prepares students for hands-on construction sequencing and trade coordination in subsequent units by establishing budget, schedule, and communication foundations.

Learning Objectives

• Analyze at least three prospective lots/sites using a standardized checklist (zoning/regulatory constraints, topography, utilities, drainage, access, and lot-buying criteria) and produce a ranked recommendation that aligns with client style preferences and construction limitations.
• Apply residential plan- and blueprint-reading skills to a provided set of construction drawings to identify foundation type, framing layout, rough-in locations, exterior finish components, and necessary permit items, and annotate the plans with coordination notes for trades and inspectors.
• Demonstrate development of a preliminary project budget and liquidity plan by comparing a construction-loan scenario and a self-funded scenario, calculating required cash flow, contingency reserves, and a monthly draw schedule, and justifying a recommended financing approach.
• Evaluate, assemble, and present a project management package (including organized documentation, contracts, permit timelines, communication roles, and a maintenance/closeout checklist) that clarifies responsibilities for the homeowner, architect, contractor, and building department through framing and exterior finishing stages.