Client relations are built on repeatable systems. Custom homes are dynamic — our process can’t be. Too many variables to “wing it.” Decisions land mid-build, site conditions change, and a clear order of operations keeps scope, schedule, and money steady.

Getting Started

Inbound Lead — Quick Triage

Every project starts with a call or email. We cover timelines, the scope we handle, budgeting and payment structure, and scheduling. The goal is to book a short meeting to qualify the project.

Qualification — Intake Form

Before the job walk, we send our owner intake form. We ask about motivation, expectations, scope history, time in town, and who the decision makers are. This confirms fit before we invest field hours.

Job Walk — Alignment Check

We walk the site, listen, and take photos. We discuss scope and approach, then set expectations. At the end of the walk, we answer two questions:

Are we aligned?
Do we move to a Preconstruction Agreement?

Preconstruction and Go/No-Go

A signed preconstruction agreement produces a working budget/estimate, a high-level phase plan with a target start window, known permit and plan considerations, and a timeline for deliverables.

Before mobilizing, both sides confirm fit on relationship and expectations — and agreement on communication, budgeting, payments, and schedule SOPs. If it’s a yes, we roll straight into mobilization planning: breaking the build into clear phases, lining up subs and internal crews, ordering long-lead materials, and tracking permits.

Communication Cadence

This is where most builders lose trust. We lock in a cadence from day one:

Friday email (to client + team) — work completed by trade/area, schedule for the week ahead, and a link to photo documentation
Tuesday email — confirmation for Wednesday meeting, with agenda and questions/decisions needed
Wednesday meeting — site walk or call; all decisions captured
Channels — email (Google Workspace) and phone. Any decision made by phone gets a same-day follow-up email summarizing the call

Budget, Billing, and Documentation

Budget and Billing

Monthly cost review with the client
Change orders documented before work shifts
No surprise invoices. Ever.

Documentation

One folder tree in Google Drive: Contracts / Budget / Schedule / RFIs / Decisions / Photos / Submittals / As-builts. Every meeting gets an agenda, notes, decisions, and an owner. Emails reference the Drive path. Photos and markups live with the sheet they affect.

If it’s said, it’s written.

Dynamic but Disciplined

We can bob and weave only if the system is rigid. Be flexible in how we solve the problem. Be strict in how we communicate, schedule, and buy.

Closeout

Every project ends with a full closeout package:

Home care and maintenance guide
Final budget and document archive by subsection
Warranty contacts and schedules

What We Measure: Client Confidence

Clear communication at every stage
Consistent billing reviews with no surprises
Short-term and phase schedules always visible
High execution standard in the field

Client SOP: From First Call to Closeout