STAGE 1: Sales Process
The cornerstone to any successful relationship is communication. Excel Homes believes in involving you, our client, throughout the building process. The programs and procedures in place at Excel are designed to permit an orderly construction process to evolve smoothly and to educate the client along the way.
Whether you have built a new home before or are new to the experience, our trained, professional representatives will prepare and fully explain the sales agreement, accompanying addendums, selection forms, deposit registration receipts, and required approval forms. The following is a list of the forms requiring completion during the initial agreement stage.
- Alberta New Homes Warranty Program (ANHWP) sales agreement
- ANHWP deposit registration receipt
- Exterior color selection and approval form
- Addendum A1 called Extras, additions and deletions
- Client survey form
- Detailed Excel specification description
- Initialed design brochure
STAGE 2: Design Consultation
Our clients enjoy a liberal design and selection process within the boundaries of developer and builder allowances. Once the sale is firm, you may meet with the design team to review the plans. Typically this includes electrical layouts, kitchen layouts, interior wall placement, and any pre-designed floor plan options. Exterior or structural changes resulting in square footage changes, footprint changes or engineering is not permitted due to architectural and developer restrictions.
A period of 7 days from the sale date is allowed for any design or floorplan revisions to be confirmed and finalized. No further design modifications are permitted past this stage, as the design team will then prepare the plans and apply for engineering, architectural approval and required permits.
STAGE 3: Selection Process
Your first decision involves the kitchen and your first stop is the appliance supplier. Here your appliance selections are made which affect the cabinet layout. Sizes and positioning of the appliances will be forwarded to our cabinet suppliers who will incorporate these selections into the layout to ensure the beauty and functionality of your kitchen.
Next is the cabinet supplier. You will meet with a professional designer to discuss cabinet styles, hardware selections, colors, and counter finishing. Any additional personal touches are discussed and may be incorporated into the kitchen layout. Things like wine racks, plate slots, appliance garages, and special lighting are some of the common touches. Be sure to bring along your appliance selections and details to insure they fit the cabinets you select.
You then will meet with a professional interior designer. Your consultation will include wall colors, faux painting, flooring, bath details, color co-ordination, trim and finishing details, railings, and even window treatments. Be sure to bring along pillows, cushions, and furniture ideas to help with the co-ordination. Additional flooring selections may require an optional visit to our hardwood-flooring specialists.
Visiting our plumbing supplier is a special experience! These skilled industry leaders will discuss water conservation options, faucet selections and even discuss your future basement plans if required! Sizing of fixtures is critical so be sure to consult your Excel design professional to discuss the sizing parameters.
Our lighting supplier is your last stop. Here the professionals in lighting will design and help you select your lighting requirements. Track lights, display lighting, feature lighting, accent lighting, and exterior lighting are selected to finish off your lifestyle. Does it get any better?
STAGE 4: The Pre-Construction Process
Our Excel professionals will review all of your selections with you once your tour of the suppliers is complete. All of your options, selections, and changes will be documented and presented to the office for processing. As well, your design consultant will incorporate all these changes into the final plans in order to ensure the trades, suppliers and construction personnel are fully aware of the details. At this point your sales professional will review the entire file with you.
Once this is completed, your construction issued blueprints will be reviewed and signed. Lastly, you will authorize the start of construction by signing our Approval to Start Construction form. This form outlines the process, ensures you have finalized the selections, acknowledges the positioning of the home on the homesite, and instructs the Excel team to proceed with the final pre-construction requirements.
As a note: many clients believe that once the Approval to Start Construction directive is given, the excavation will take place immediately.
In fact, now we enter what is often the most frustrating period for the client. Your Excel team must now complete the construction file, including-engineering, testing, architectural approvals, development permits, and building permits. The entire process from sale to excavation may take up to 3 months depending on complexity, changes and volumes. However, we have not forgotten your file and want to keep you informed. Once our submissions have been approved and all the trades have been scheduled, we are ready to roll!
Prior to or just after excavation, your construction specialist will meet with you to again review the components of the file. Communication is critical and we want you involved. He will discuss the construction schedule, visitation and inspection schedules, safety on the site, and processes to watch for as construction unfolds.
Many clients come with expectations borne from assumptions, bad stories, or past experiences. Things are going to happen that may seem odd or wrong to you but to us they are part of the business. We want to be judged on how we deal with situations, not on whether they arise in the first place. We would love to tell you that everything will be smooth, but we know from experience this is not a factory assembly line manned by robots, but hundreds of tradesman working outdoors in an often inhospitable environment. It is of utmost importance we treat you with honesty and integrity so we will say no when it's no, yes when we can, and sorry when it's required.
STAGE 5: Construction Process
Although every home is different and each circumstance will warrant exceptions to the rule, we will provide the Excel client with a tentative overview that we typically follow during the construction of your new home. PLEASE consult your construction superintendent during the construction orientation in order to discuss particulars of your home.
STAGE 6: Pre-Possession
As the excitement grows, the flurry of activity surrounding your possession date will begin. This is the most exciting of stages as you prepare your family for the possession and occupancy of your new home. Approximately 35 days prior to the closing date, Excel will notify you in writing of the date your new home will be available for possession. This is in compliance with your ANHWP purchase agreement and will typically take place once the priming begins and the delivery and installation of cabinets has been confirmed.
The closing and possession date of your new home should not be confused with the completion date of construction. Too many builders schedule too tightly and have trades walking over each other while the moving van pulls up. We do not want this to happen and your home may be finished as much as ten days prior to possession.
This allows our quality and construction professionals to fine tune the home, complete minor adjustments and prepare your new home for occupancy. Together with the written notification of possession, you will receive a statement of adjustments based on your purchase agreement, additions/deletions, home specifications and upgrades. You will also receive GST documents and information on the landscaping (if included in purchase).
This provides you plenty of time to visit the bank and finalize mortgage instructions and arrange an appointment with our solicitor to complete the closing formalities. As well, we want you to have sufficient time to arrange all the necessary moving and utility requirements.
A list of the calls you should make are as follows:
