FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Building a home is quite possibly the biggest purchase decision you'll ever make. You're bound to have questions. Our team at Canalfront Builders has answers. We will listen to your needs and help you along the journey to your new home.

HOW DO I GET STARTED BUILDING A CUSTOM HOME?

You need two things to build a custom home:  a suitable lot and a design that fits the way you live. We can help you with both because we work with local Realtors who keep us informed about local property with potential, and then you can begin meeting with our in-house designer to start refining your ideas. Other things you can do are to talk with your banker about your budget and make a list of the important things you want in your home.

WHAT IS YOUR PER-SQUARE-FOOT PRICE TO BUILD? 

There are a lot of factors that go into a square foot price.  It all hinges on size, complexity and the level of finishes. For example, some homes are inherently more cost efficient due to the simplicity of the design. A 3,000 square foot two-story home is more cost effective than a 3,000 square foot one level home. The level of finishes can change the equation tremendously.  If we are working with vinyl siding, cement siding or cedar shake, the pricing difference can be significant. In brief, custom is custom – the per-square-foot price of your home will be determined by the size of the home you have us design and the level of finishes you select to put in your home. 

ARE YOU A GREEN BUILDER?

The term “green building” focuses on a number of factors that can range from tightening the envelope to making the home produce its own power. At Canalfront Builders, our primary focus is on balancing the cost of the improvement with the return on the investment.  We do that by taking a systematic approach to create a cost affordable package of framing, air sealing, crawl space construction, insulation, and HVAC design that will cost you less to operate and have a much smaller energy footprint. We design conditioned crawl spaces with R-10 rigid insulation on the walls and dehumidifiers, we foam seal the rim boards, we use Energy Star appliances and tankless hot water heaters, and we include a blower-door pressure test on every home. Consequently, our houses are routinely getting HERS Index scores in the low 50s. This outperforms almost 50% of the homes that are being built today.  All homes are third-party certified Energy Star and Indoor airPLUS.

DO YOU HAVE A MODEL?

Yes! Canalfront Builders built the model home in the Showfield subdivision that is staffed by Jack Lingo Realty at the entrance to the community. Please call us if you would like to tour the model there.

DO YOU SELL ANY LOT/HOME PACKAGES?

We typically do not offer lot/home packages, but we build in a number of communities where lots are available, including SHOWFIELD and REHOBOTH BEACH YACHT & COUNTRY CLUB. We also will build Spec homes from time to time. We will be glad to meet with you to go over any current offerings.

DO YOU HAVE FLOOR PLANS TO CHOOSE FROM?

We are a custom design-build firm, so we typically build each house only once. However, there are some great designers who have plans online that we have customized to meet our customers needs. If you tell us what you are looking for, we are familiar with so many plans, that we can quickly help direct you to the right plan for you and then make any needed adjustments in-house.

You mention in-house design – what does this mean?

Most builders work with plans from independent architects. At Canalfront Builders, we have our own designer who is part of the Canalfront team who will meet with you here in our office to refine your ideas and make them reality. In addition, we have great relationships with a number of local designers and architects.

Do you use allowances?

In the preliminary budget, we will have to include allowances, but we are very astute at figuring out what level of finishes you want and gearing the allowance to be as realistic as possible. Some builders are guilty of making the allowance the minimum number it would take to get the item bought. For instance, in the past we have designed beautiful kitchens with a more basic appliance package, but the same kitchen can be elevated by the addition of wine cellars, warming drawers and more. The number and brand of the appliances raises the price point accordingly.

If we can tell through our initial meetings that you are a customer who is only going to be happy with a kitchen fit for a professional chef, your allowance will be created to reflect that. Also, the earlier in the process you can make your final selections, the better able we will be to have the final contract reflect actual choices rather than allowances.

WILL I GET A warranty with my home?

For your warranty, we offer the 2-10 HOME BUYERS WARRANTY.  This protects your systems and appliances for two years and the structural components are covered for ten years. Canalfront Builders focus on keeping in touch with you for the first year of the home to make sure that you are completely satisfied. At the completion of your project, you will have a walk-through with the Mike, the superintendent and Mark, the owner, to identify any items that need to be adjusted. At 45 days, there will be another walk-through to proactively ensure that everything is performing as promised. At 11 months, the final walk-through allows us to evaluate the home for any operational or finish items that may need attention. In addition, components in your home, such as appliances, furnaces, light fixtures and more are covered by manufacturers warranties. The warranty binder you receive at move-in neatly captures all this information for ready reference.