As with any successful product, people can make the difference. At John Gerard Homes you are receiving over 30 years of experience in custom home building. We feel the key to our success has been and still remains to be communication. We encourage our clients to visit the jobsite and be actively involved throughout the building process. For us to be able to provide a successful product, we need to understand our clients’ lifestyles and receive their input. Through continuous site meetings, phone calls and discussions, we feel we will be able to properly prepare and advise our clients to make the numerous decisions necessary throughout the building process. We feel this will contribute to what each of our purchasers had hoped for --- their dream home.

How and when do I make my selections?

Selections are made on an ongoing basis throughout the course of construction. It starts very early with the placement of the home on the lot and the necessary removal of any existing vegetation/trees. There are literally hundreds of decisions that need to be made. Clients are provided with a "shopping list" of items that will have to be decided upon, and the necessary timelines associated with each decision that must be made.

What is the procedure for making "customer built" requests or changes during the building process?

"Custom built" requests can occur at any time throughout the building process. We recognize that our clients have never walked through or seen the home that is being built for them; therefore, there are apt to be some changes or "custom requests" as the project moves forward. We try to be as proactive as possible in preparing our clients for decision making, however, there are bound to be some changes people want to make after the fact. It may be as simple as moving a light switch or as complex as moving a window or wall. Regardless of the request we will look at its feasibility, cost impact, and possible delay and then try to accommodate the change to the best of our ability. We are building "custom" homes and realize that changes and custom requests are part of the process.

Why do some options cost more than at the hardware store?

We have had clients come to us and say "I can buy the same faucet at the hardware store cheaper than you will sell it to me?" "How do you justify that?" Basically it’s simple. Sometimes things are not what they appear. For instance, in the case of the faucet it happened that the hardware store had a specific line of faucets made just for them. But upon closer examination, it was evident that although the product looked the same, it was constructed of cheaper material and did not include the same parts. There is also the aspect of warranty. The products we supply and install have to be warrantied for a minimum of one year and in some cases two years. If a product malfunctions we are responsible for its repair or replacement. It is therefore important to know we have the support and backing from the company’s products we install, should a problem arise. We are very careful about the product lines we use and how these products are installed. Remember the hardware store does not install their products.

How can I monitor the progress of construction on my new home?

You will be able to monitor your new home’s progress through, regular visits, scheduled site meetings, and continuous communication with your builder. A timeline will be made available to you upon signing a contract. This will give you an outline of when things should occur and what you need to do about making necessary decisions.

May I visit my new home prior to closing?

You are encouraged to visit the jobsite on a regular basis. We feel that the success of the project will improve the more you involve yourselves in the process. We feel our client’s require a certain amount of time to bond to their new home while it is being built. We feel the best way for them to make their necessary decisions will be to keep visiting the home as it is being built. For instance prior to wiring the house it is important to have walked through the home numerous times to understand how the "traffic patterns" work. You will have numerous decisions to make on placement of 3-way switches, but it will be difficult unless you have visited your new home on several occasions.

What happens on closing?

The week of closing the transaction can be a hectic one. There are visits to the lawyer, bank, moving company, moving out of one house and into another. If the new property is owned by the builder, the actual closing occurs when the property changes hand from the builder to the purchaser. This is completed by lawyers at the Land Registry Office. If the purchaser owns the lot then the closing occurs after final payment is made to the builder. Previous accounts that have been set up with Hydro One and Consumers Gas in the builders name will be transferred into the purchasers’ name on closing. A walk-through inspection will also occur with the builder or a representative of the builder prior to you moving in. This will activate your Ontario New Home Warranty and outline any items which may need to be completed or corrected after moving in.

What happens after I move in?

Your relationship with your builder will change somewhat after you move in. The communication you experienced so intently will now slowly dissipate. The building decisions have now been completed and now it is time to service the home. It is normal to have a settling in period, during which time you will make a list of questions, items for service etc. Your home has not been "road tested" so some small items may occur which will require service. You will be introduced to the after sales representative whom you will form a relationship with for the next two years. You will be able to work out a suitable timetable to look after your service requests in an acceptable time frame. And then the rest is simple, sit back, relax and enjoy the rewards of custom home building --- your new home!!!

Will John Gerard Homes construct a home on my lot?

Yes. We do build on customer’s lots. The payment schedule will be different in that you will make progress payments at certain stages during the construction of the home. These payments will be made to our lawyer in trust and he will intern hold 10% in trust as a lien holdback. This holdback will be released to us 45 days after the closing of the house.