Garbett Homes understands how significant your new home purchase is to your life and loved ones. Which can make the process intimidating. It becomes even more intimidating if you’re building a new home instead of buying an existing home. Much like the first time you hike a new path, it becomes safer and easier when you get an idea of what it looks like before you start it. Which is why we want to give you a little preview of the path you’re about to take when you buy your new Utah home with us.
Selection Process
Select Homesite
Whether it’s a move-in ready home or from dirt, a townhome or single-family home, you need to pick which homesite in our community works for you. Our knowledgeable and attentive sales associates will work with you to refine your household’s individual wants and needs to pick out the perfect spot. Allowing you to start building the vision of your future home.
Select Floorplan
Once you’ve selected where you’re going to build, it’s time to select what you’re going to build. Our communities will offer you a variety of floorplans and elevations to choose from. Allowing you to choose the perfect layout, colors, and exterior that reflects your lifestyle and personality.
Approval Letter
While you likely were already pre-approved before picking out your home, you might not have gone through the full approval and underwriting process with your lender. While we are excited to bring your new home to life, we require the pre-approval process be done with our preferred lender when financing your new home purchase. Don’t worry too much here! Our preferred lender wants to help you achieve your goals just as much as you do. They will do everything they can to make this process as smooth as possible based on your individual circumstances.
Sign Purchase Agreement
Now that you’ve been successfully pre-approved, it’s time to sign the purchase agreement. As with all contracts make sure you take some time to read through what you’re signing and don’t be afraid to ask questions. We’re happy to answer them! Once that purchase agreement is signed, we can start the necessary background parts to begin building your new Garbett home.
Design Center
Now that you’ve picked the perfect location, look and signed a purchase agreement, it’s time to make some interior selections for your home! Our sales associate will help you make an appointment with one of our design centers where you will be able to pick out options for flooring, cabinets, interior paint, and more to help make your home truly yours. Please note that most move-in ready homes and townhomes have already had these selections made. In those cases, choices at the design center may be more limited or you might skip this step.
Pre-Construction
Pre-Construction Meeting
We know, there's been quite a few meetings already. But this is your home! Your peace of mind is important to us. At this meeting you will review all your design selections with your sales associate, go over the general construction timeline, and answer any questions you might have.
Pre-Construction Survey
We want to hear from you! Part of how we stay on top of our game at Garbett Homes is feedback from our homebuyers during key parts of the construction process. Now that we’re about to start building your home, it’s time to let us know how we’re doing up to that point. If you are purchasing a townhome or quick move-in home this step and a few others have already been completed. But don’t worry. We’ll let you know where the paths re-connect. However, if you are impatient, you can just jump down to “Post Mid-Construction Survey.” You’ll either reconnect there or just before the mid-construction survey.
Permitting & Engineering
Now that you’ve chosen your floorplan and made design selections, it’s time to get permitting and complete the engineering with local government. Don’t worry, you won’t need to take time out of your day to be in meetings with the city. Garbett Homes takes care of everything when it comes to the permitting process. This completes the needed background information we mentioned after you signed your contract.
Construction Begins
Construction
Once the pre-construction meeting is done, we will get started on building your home. Bi-weekly community team meetings with your sales associate and Site Construction manager will keep you updated on the happenings of your home while it’s being built. Creating the perfect opportunity to address any questions or thoughts you might have had about your home since you last spoke.
Four-Way Walk
About the half-way point of the construction process. Before we start putting up drywall you will be invited to undertake what is called a four-way walk. This is an opportunity for you to look at the guts of your new home and learn in-depth about what makes your home Zero Energy Ready. Not only is this an exciting learning opportunity it is also a chance to look over your home’s internals with fresh eyes.
Mid-Construction Survey
Your feedback is extremely valuable to us throughout the construction process. During your four-way walk you will be asked to fill out a Mid-Construction survey. This will let us know a little bit more about what’s on your mind and what we need to do serve you and other homebuyers even better. It’s all about continuous improvement.
Finishes
After the four-way walk and mid-construction survey are completed, we will work on finishing your home. This is where most quick move-in and townhome homebuyer’s customer path re-connects, although it could be an earlier step depending on how far along it is in the construction process. Finishes will include the installation of design center selections, electrical, and the like. Your home is almost ready!
Set Up The Closing
Once the home is complete we perform final inspections and advise you of your closing date! Make sure all of your finances are lined up so there are no surprises at the finish line that will hold up the process. Also verify any instructions for closing with your Garbett Sales Associate and the lender.
Homeowner Orientation
Our construction team will take you through the home and walk you through all of its features and most importantly how to maintain those features. Due to Garbett Homes building to the US Department of Energy’s strict Zero Energy Ready Home standards, the operation of some home systems might be different than other homes you have lived in. It’s important to pay attention during this time to get the most out of your home. And save the most money on your electricity bill. But if you have trouble remembering it all, don’t worry. The information will also be available in your online homeowner portal.
Acceptance Walk
One last pre move-in walk. We want to make sure that your move-in experience goes smoothly. We want to verify that the home is clean and that any concerns that were brought up during homeowner orientation have been addressed. This is also the last time you will be in the home before you close, funding is complete and you receive your keys.
Get Your Keys!
Once the acceptance walk is done it’s time to close and get the keys! Now you can personalize your home, move stuff in and start living that life you dreamed of having when you first signed the contract.
Set Up Utilities
Now that you have the keys and it’s all yours, there’s one last thing you need to do. Call the local utility companies to get electricity, water and internet in your name. Your sales associate should give you a reference sheet to let you know who all you can contact. After that’s done all that’s left is to enjoy your new home.
We at Garbett Homes are passionate about making your new Utah home the home of your dreams. We hope that this opportunity to help you familiarize yourself with the process you will undertake. If you feel that this process is the right one for you. Please reach out to learn more about our communities in Salt Lake City, Millcreek, Midvale, Murray, and Wasatch County.