The phases after the paperwork is done
Site prep + foundation
Excavation, footings, foundation walls, and underslab work set the physical footprint of the house. This is where basement planning, drainage, and below-grade rough-ins matter most.
Framing
Walls, floors, and roof structure give the home its real shape. This is the stage where layout decisions stop being abstract and start affecting every downstream trade.
Exterior envelope
Roofing, windows, doors, and cladding protect the house and affect comfort, energy performance, and long-term maintenance. Good envelope decisions are never cosmetic only.
Rough-ins (electrical, plumbing, HVAC)
This is where planning saves money. Lighting plans, switch locations, shower layouts, EV readiness, security, low-voltage, and HVAC strategy all need to be properly thought through before the walls close.
Insulation + drywall
Once the walls close up, flexibility drops quickly. This is why we push clients to finalize rough-in-dependent decisions before drywall starts.
Finishes
Trim, flooring, tile, cabinets, paint, and fixtures are where the project becomes emotional for homeowners. It is also where sequencing matters most because the same rooms are being touched by multiple trades.
Use the same order in your selections
Our Home Design Studio is built to match this order so your selections happen like a real builder-client appointment, not random shopping. That keeps the project cleaner and the conversations more useful.
If you want the scheduling side of this explained properly, read our custom home timeline guide.