When you first start looking for a home, you will have a lot of questions to consider. What type of house would work best for my family? Where should we live? Is there a certain homebuilder that I should talk to before starting to look for a lot? Before long, you will have a million questions to answer and might become overwhelmed. Instead of adding more questions to a seemingly endless list, let's start with the most important—where should you build?
Settling on one location will help you not only answer where your family will live but other questions on your list, as well. In fact, all your long nights and time spent working on your new home could be for nothing if you don't choose the right place to buy your new home.
Fortunately, working with the custom home builders of St. George, Utah, you can discover why the city is one of the fastest-growing places in the country. The city boasts a whole lot more than what meets the eye. From its rich pioneer history, booming economy and being surrounded by many of the state's most beautiful trails and parks, St. George is the place to be.
Still don't believe us? Just ask any of the approximately 10,000 people who moved there over the last year.
St. George's massive increase of new residents took the city from 138,115 recorded residents in 2010 to 177,556 in 2020. But what is drawing all these homebuyers in southern Utah? Is it the booming economy, natural beauty, job opportunities, or growing infrastructure?
CNN awarded St. George among the top 100 Best Places to Live, praising its contrast of quiet seclusion and action sports against a backdrop of red canyon walls and Zion National Park's majestic mountains.
As positive reports flood in, new families continue to make their move to southern Utah. To ensure you make the right choice for your family, our St. George custom home builder reflects on all the many reasons why you should consider making the city your next stop on your home-buying journey.
Let's explore why St. George is the best place to buy a custom home.
Any of the country's top realtors can outline the criteria for selecting the ideal location for your new house. The main four factors to consider usually include:
Along with those factors, you should think about schooling options, job opportunities, and market value. St. George ticks all the right boxes and then some. Here are a few more reasons why this southern Utah town is one of the best places to build your new home in Utah.
St. George is a hot spot for action sports. Whether you enjoy boating on the weekends at Sand Hallow, rock climbing in Snow Canyon, or mountain biking, the growing city has all you need and more. Other sports are also available for you to enjoy, including golf, pickleball, swimming, hiking, running, soccer, and more.
Along with boasting beautiful locations for various sports, the town is also known for its local events. Tuacahn Amphitheater offers various productions throughout the year, including local arts and theater events.
On the weekends, many St. George homeowners drive a short distance to explore nearby national parks, like Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon, Arches, Canyonlands, and more. National monuments like the Grand Staircase in Escalante or Snow Canyon state park to enjoy when you are up for an adventure.
If that wasn't enough, you could visit the weekend art markets in the summer, as well as various retail shops throughout the city. Retailers range from thrift shops and local Native American goods to boutiques and popular brands.
Once you shop to your heart's content, head on over to one of St. George's many restaurants for a bite to eat, you can find any type of dining experience you want, from fast food to fine dining. Whatever you need—St. George has it.
If you want to live in an area that incorporates a healthy work-life balance, then St. George is for you. Many employers find unique ways of accommodating the city's laid-back lifestyle in the workplace. On the other hand, many homeowners work remotely, especially as businesses continue to follow the growing demands of the digital marketplace.
If you want to bring your dream business to life, St. George is also a great place to live. WalletHub released a report in 2021 ranking the small city among the best places to start a business in Utah.
The combination of affordable housing, low unemployment, and increased job opportunities. make this southern Utah city a top choice for young families and professionals who want to invest in the St. George real estate market.
Along with a healthy work-life balance and high employment, St. George is also extremely family-friendly. Many young families flock to this suburb thanks to high-rated public schools and nearby colleges. St. George is in the top half of places with the best public schools.
Along with several public schools, you can also find private and charter schools, depending on your educational needs. Once your child graduates, they won't need to move far to continue their education.
Located in the city's heart, Dixie State University offers six academic colleges, including Business, Education, the Arts, Technology, Health Sciences, Humanities, and Science, Engineering, and Technology. Students can also explore Dixie Technological College or Southern Utah University, located 40 minutes north of St. George.
The future of St. George looks bright, as well. As the city continues to grow, you can expect the state to put additional resources into St. George's schools and educational programs.
With year-round sunny weather, healthy cost of living, and welcoming culture, St. George is one of the best places to relocate when retiring. Retirees can slow down with the small-town feeling of security and comfort while still enjoying the attractions of a larger city.
The dry climate, blue skies, and about 300 days of warm weather also provide older generations with the sunny weather they enjoy in their twilight years.
Nature enthusiasts rejoice— St. George continues Utah's tradition of beautiful outdoor scenery and natural amenities. Washington county homeowners are within driving distance of top-rated golf resorts, lakes, trails, and plenty of places to enjoy activities while in the great outdoors. Not to mention St. George's near-perfect climate and temperature that allows homeowners to enjoy outdoor activities year-round.
Whether you are a mountain biker, runner, hiker, golfer, swimmer, or enjoy looking out your window to a beautiful view, St. George has it all. If that wasn't enough, waking up to the city's desert view won't hurt, either.
Every year the U.S. Census Bureau compiles data to show where people are moving to and away from understanding the latest nationwide trends. In 2020, the Bureau found that St. George, Utah, was the country's fifth fastest-growing metro region.
From 2010 to 2019, the metro region expanded by 29 percent, growing from 138,115 to 177,556 recorded residents.
This isn't the first time the city has been lauded for its explosive expansion. Between 2016 and 2017, St. George, Utah, was the country's fastest-growing metro region when its population climbed by 4% in a single year.
If you are interested in discovering what St. George has in store for your family, this growing city is a great choice. Our custom home builder has the tools, techniques, and one-on-one customization process you need to build your dream home.
Let our St. George builders guide you through every step of the home-building process, from lot selection to design and construction, to guarantee that every square foot looks how you envision.
Working with our team will ensure a beautiful, finished product and a memorable home construction experience. Together, we will handpick every aspect of your new home, assembling the puzzle pieces to create an environment that is uniquely yours.
See the services we offer at Dennis Miller Homes.
If you are ready to build a home in your dream neighborhood, let the custom home builders at Dennis Miller Homes take care of the home building process. Our team has over 35 years of experience building homes in southern Utah, including St. George, Washington City, Santa Clara, and more.
Call us old-fashioned, but we still believe in the core values of any successful business: honesty, communication, and genuine care. We take the stress and anxiety out of house construction by maintaining the integrity of a family name for over 35 years. Dennis Miller Homes, the #1 custom house builder in St. George, is committed to you and your home every step of the way!
Allow us to put our experience and knowledge to the test as we design and build your dream custom home in the best location—St. George, Utah! Every customer has unique needs, and we have the experience and skills to meet yours.
The timeline for building a custom home typically takes longer than other home types. While the exact length depends on location and size, you can expect to wait an average of 12-18 months before moving into your dream home.
Another variable that many new homebuyers should account for is the current construction market. For instance, many areas are recently experiencing a construction material shortage.
According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Commercial Construction Index, 71 percent of general contractors are recently facing a shortage in at least one type of material. The most common is lumber, while also shortages in steel, electrical, and lighting supplies
While the current market is putting more pressure on homebuilders, there are still many reasons to be optimistic:
As you consider relocating to a new home, one of the questions you might ask is whether to buy or build.
The answer? Build a custom home.
Custom home builders team up with you to customize every inch of your new home.
Dennis Miller Homes, a St. George custom home builder, gives Southern Utah homebuyers the tools and services needed to bring their vision to life. As your custom home building partner, we will work with you to select the perfect lot, design the perfect plans, and build the perfect home.
Our unique home-building process also ensures an efficient custom home-building timeline. The process includes:
Along with a proven construction process, Dennis Miller Homes dedicates our custom home building services to providing experiences that will last a lifetime.
As you count on us to bring your dream home to life, we will give you complete control over every aspect of the building process. From selecting the materials to designing the floor plan, you have the final say in what stays and what goes.
Although the custom home building process isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach, most custom home builders follow a similar timeline.
In short, the total construction of a custom home ranges from about 12-18 months. Along with building time, your will also need to account for design and plan approval time.
Typically, design takes an average of 2-3 months, while city/county approval can take 4-8 weeks.
After these steps, your custom home builder will begin the actual construction process, which can take about a year to 18 months.
To help you fully understand the average time to build a house, our team takes an in-depth look at the custom home building timeline step-by-step.
Before building a custom home, you must undergo the planning and design stage. You will need to select a lot to build your home. You will also need to find an architect, interior designer, and partner with a custom home builder, either simultaneously or after finding a lot.
After acquiring a place to build your custom home, you will work closely with your design team to develop a series of plans detailing the scope of your project.
Your architect and builder will work together to create a preliminary design that is both functional and beautiful. The builder then builds an estimate that is based on your budget and fits your needs.
While you and your interior designer make the first phase of design selections, your custom builder will provide a few different things. These include:
During this time, your builder or general contractor will also sign on subcontractors to install the major systems required in your new home plan.
The new construction phase will also include finalizing all remaining design decisions. Together, you will determine your flooring, cabinetry, lighting, and bathroom fixtures. It might be overwhelming, but your team will be by your side to help guide you to the best choice.
In total, the items finalized in the new home construction step includes developing:
Along with designing the home, your custom home building team will help you acquire all required approvals and permits. These will include:
Overall, this phase of the custom home build timeline will take 4-6 months.
Now that the design team completed your custom home plans, it will be time to pour the foundation. After preparing the site, your builder will begin to lay the foundation. Usually, site preparation only takes a few weeks.
Once the site is ready, your builder will pour concrete footers. Then, the next step will depend on whether your house calls for a basic slab foundation or a full basement layout.
The timeline for the foundation can range from 2-4 weeks, starting from the beginning of site prep to when the foundation fully cures.
Once your custom home has a strong foundation, it is ready for the frame. This is where the floor plans you spent weeks drawing with your architect and design team are put to the test.
Your builder will take those designs and erect the basic framework of the home, including the roof structure, internal walls, staircases, and more.
Throughout this phase of the process, you can rely on your builder and construction manager to oversee the project. They will work carefully to ensure that all the work goes smoothly and that there are no mistakes or rework required.
This stage is usually quick, but your custom home builder will keep you updated with a realistic timeline to keep your entire project on schedule and budget.
After the contracting team nails down the skeleton of the home to the foundation, it is time to install the major systems of your new home.
Most custom home builders hire subcontractors to complete the plumbing and electrical work on a custom home. These teams provide niche services that require extensive knowledge and skill to install.
At Dennis Miller Homes, we have a relationship with some of the top subcontractors in the southern Utah area. These long-standing relationships give our clients the utmost confidence that all the major systems in their new homes will run in tip-top shape for years to come.
The timeline you can expect for these different systems include:
Another factor you might want to consider when building a custom home is increasing system efficiency with energy-efficient construction. If you require such an elaborate system, your timeline may slightly increase.
Other variables in plumbing and electrical work that might affect your timeline include installing:
Altogether, this step in the custom home building process usually takes about four months to complete.
After your builder or subcontracting team finishes installing the wiring and plumbing throughout your new home, it is time to complete the design.
This next step in the custom home building process is all about finishes. From the drywall and interior finishes to the roofing and exterior finishes, your home building team will work hard to make your dream come to fruition.
During this phase, you can expect your building team to install several items, including:
Since the quality and complexity of a custom home design require a higher level of craftsmanship and materials than other home types, this phase of the process may take longer than usual.
An average custom home building timeline for these materials may look like this:
During this time, your custom home builder will keep you updated on your exact timeline, so you know what to expect.
The length of time it takes to build a new custom home usually takes less than two years, depending on various factors. Some of these variables include:
Contractor Recommendation: Make all your decisions ahead of time and stick to them to shorten the custom home building timeline.
If you are considering working with a St. George custom home builder, you may be asking, "What's the busy season?" Fortunately, St. George is one of the few places in Utah that doesn't experience any serious construction delays related to weather or season changes.
Southern Utah homebuyers aren't constricted to a certain building schedule. Unlike Utah homebuyers in the northern part of the state who experience frequent construction delays due to snow and rain, St. George's warm climate keeps things rolling year-round. In fact, our custom home builders work with ideal circumstances when building new homes.
So, whenever you want to build your new custom home in St George, Utah, Dennis Miller Homes will be ready to make it happen.
How to Build A Custom Home...Now
Begin the custom home building timeline by contacting Dennis Miller Homes today. Call us old-timers, but our custom home builders still believe in the fundamental qualities of any good business— honesty, communication, and genuine care. As the leading custom home building team in St. George, we know what it takes to build a southern Utah dream home.
Whether you are looking for a second home for vacations or a new family home for day-to-day living, Dennis Miller Homes is dedicated to making your home-building experience as stress-free as possible. Together, we will create a home that grows with you.
We offer custom home building services throughout southern Utah, including:
We understand that while every client has different needs, we can do our part to make our services equipped and ready to bring your dream home to life. Count on our 35 years of experience building custom homes in St. George to make your home building timeline quick, efficient, and fun.
The St. George real estate market is booming with no signs of slowing down any time soon, thanks to historically low mortgage rates, a strong economic recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic, and increased remote work opportunities.
As of July 2021, the Utah housing market is the top housing market in the nation. With rising numbers throughout the state's job sector, low unemployment, low mortgage rates, few mortgage delinquencies, and low state and local taxes, it is no surprise why many now call Utah 'home'.
The job landscape in Utah is also one of the best in the country. Over the last decade, the state has held the top spot for the fastest-growing job market in the country. While the employment sector surged, it brought new residents with it.
During that same time period, Utah's population increased by 18.4%, making it the fastest-growing state in the US. One look at southern Utah's beautiful desert landscape, natural amenities, and growing infrastructure, and you will quickly understand why so many people are making a move.
As many families choose southern Utah to lay down their roots, Dennis Miller Homes, a leading home builder in southern Utah, is here to not only find you a house but a place that you can call home.
Our team offers a custom home-building process that ensures you build a home with all of the functions and features you need to know that you made the right choice. To help you get a jump start on building your dream home, we compiled a list of five must-haves that every southern Utah home needs. Here is what you should know:
We all know the saying, "Location, location, location." But how does that apply to you? Location will determine not only where you live, but how you live, from your kid's new school to commute to nearby amenities and more.
As a southern Utah custom home builder, we know a thing or two about how a location can affect your home-building experience. We believe that choosing the right place to build is just as important as what you choose to build. Many homebuyers who work with a custom builder already have a site where they plan to build their new place. However, other buyers would prefer an expert to guide them through the site selection process.
Whichever category you fall into, Dennis Miller Homes can help. We can partner with you wherever you are in the home-building process.
If you haven't found a home lot for sale in St. George yet, here are a few things to consider when selecting the best location to build your new home in St. George, Utah.
No matter where you build, your home needs a solid foundation. Look for properties with sturdy soil that you won't need to spend a fortune to make structurally sound.
It might be as simple as pulling up the site's address on the Federal Emergency Management Agency's website to find out about topography and other crucial information at FEMA.gov. You can also send a sample of the soil to an expert for a soil test or ask the seller to provide the information.
Another consideration you will need to make when selecting a site to build your home is installing utilities, plumbing, electrical wiring, and other crucial home systems. If you are looking at land for sale in Hurricane or other locations throughout southern Utah, you might want to consider the location of a septic tank. If you need to install a septic tank, the property must pass a perc test (or perk, short for "percolation") to ensure that the soil is suitable.
How you plan to orient your home also matters. As you explore different properties, imagine how you will design your home to capture the best views. Familiarize yourself with the entire property before making your final agreement to purchase. Many new home buyers don't take enough time to tour the entire property before buying. Don't make this mistake. Instead, do the work ahead of time to ensure that you buy a piece of land that you love and where you can capture southern Utah's amazing vistas and red rock views.
Along with touring the property and knowing the land, you should consider how the neighborhood will look five or ten years later. St George is growing rapidly, and many locations don't look like they did a year ago. You may love a rural property today without realizing that a developer is building a new commercial complex down the road. While you can't know exactly what will happen in the future, if you get as much city planning information upfront, you can create a custom home that will still be your dream home in 15 years.
It is no surprise that where you choose to build will impact your kids. Costs of homes aside—do everything you can to make that impact positive by looking for properties in locations that boast a family-friendly environment. Consider school zones, parks, hiking and biking trails, libraries, and other important environments. You can spend your time looking online for information about the area or walk the neighborhood, asking people for insider information, like religious communities, number of kids in the area, school districts, sports, and more. This first-hand information will provide great insights into how people live in that area and whether it would be a good choice for your family.
Along with talking to people within the community, ask your custom home builder where people want to live in southern Utah. Our team has years of experience building homes in various areas throughout St. George. From Bloomington Hills to Washington City, we know who is moving and whether you would be a good fit. Together, we can find a site that would be the perfect spot to build your custom home.
Home-building isn't about keeping up with the Joneses anymore. Now, buyers want to create spaces where their families can thrive. Leave behind the extravagance of the 1990s and early 2000s. Instead, design a home with enough space to be comfortable, rather than enormous, extravagant rooms that you will leave empty.
To implement functionality into your custom home-building process, design a practical home that matches your lifestyle. Your home should work for your family, not against it. Consider what everyone in your family needs on a day-to-day basis. How many family members will be living in your new home? Do they work, go to school, or have extracurricular activities or hobbies? How many bedrooms will you need? Bathrooms? Does your family spend much time in the kitchen, watching television together, or outside?
Assessing all of your basic needs first will ensure you build to scale rather than building a home that has too much space for your family to use. However, it is important to include a few 'dream' items where possible. What are the key features that you always wished you had in your home? A butler's pantry? Five-car garage? Theater room?
Once you design a home based on your basic needs, then you should incorporate these big-ticket items. Plus, you will know upfront which features will fit your budget or if you should focus on the areas your family needs to function. If you have to leave some of the fun features off your dream home blueprint, talk with our custom home builders. We have a knack for finding a way of making it work, whether that is opting for a big flat-screen television instead of a dedicated home theater or scaling down to four bedrooms instead of five.
Our St. George custom home builders are committed to providing our clients with full transparency throughout design and construction. We also care about helping you stay on budget, so we bid our projects "long-hand." To help you navigate your budget, we will present you with several options in your price range. Then, you will know whether the choice you are making is within your budget or if you will splurge to get the exact home feature you want.
Whichever option you choose, we will offer our honest advice, letting you know which is best for your budget and lifestyle. It is your home. Let us give you the tools you need to design a home that makes your life easier, and more comfortable, and has everything you want and more.
Southern Utah is known for its unique weather patterns and desert climate. You don't want to build a home that removes you entirely from the beautiful outdoors. Instead, find a way to make the outdoors part of your indoor living space.
There are a few different design tricks that you can implement to accomplish indoor/outdoor living—for example, large pocket doors. These massive doors sneakily slide into the wall, eliminating the wall standing between you and your backyard. It takes open-concept living to the next level. Once you want to make your home itself again, simply pull the pocket doors back to their original position.
Another option for maximizing indoor-outdoor living is installing large windows throughout your home. These windows will allow expansive views of the outdoors and let in floods of natural light. Windows also reduces your need for artificial lighting and makes the room appear bigger. It is a win-win for everyone living in your home.
Plus, your indoor house plants will thrive in a sunny environment, improving your indoor-outdoor lifestyle.
As you build your new custom home, you should also implement a few flexible spaces into your new design. Today's homeowners prefer spaces that function in multiple ways rather than dedicated rooms that only work for one use.
On the other hand, flexible spaces give you the room you need to transform the space depending on your family's current and future needs. For example, a space that you can use as a guest room, a home office, a playroom, or a craft area. These flexible spaces work well in the current remote work environment. As you work from home, you can convert your extra room into a home office during the day, a gym in the morning, and a playroom at night. And as a bonus, your home office can potentially provide extra tax credits, depending on your situation.
Whatever you need, a custom home design will ensure you have the space you need to build a home where your family can grow and thrive.
One of the main features St. George homebuyers look for in a new home is a mother-in-law apartment or casita. Casitas or mother-in-law apartments, also known as guest houses, are separate dwelling units (ADUs) from the main house. These separate living areas work well in southern Utah because it is a prime vacation spot for many northern Utah residents. Such a feature can be useful if you have an older parent who comes to live with you, an adult child who needs to move back home, or simply if you want to provide comfort and privacy to out-of-town visitors.
In the meantime, you can also use this dwelling as a separate home office, studio, or pool house. Another option that many St. George homeowners with casitas enjoy is listing the guest house on Airbnb to earn extra income during peak vacation seasons.
While this feature isn't always a top priority for many new homebuyers, it quickly becomes a favorite once they understand its versatility. If you want to include an ADU in your custom home design, speak with our southern Utah home builder. We will provide you with valuable insights, including how much it costs to build a casita.
Together, we can make the best choice for your new St. George home.
Whatever feature you choose to include in your home, partner with Southern Utah custom home builder Dennis Miller Homes. We take the stress and anxiety out of house construction by maintaining the integrity of a family name for over 35 years. Call us old-fashioned, but we still believe in the core values of every successful business: honesty, openness, and real concern. As one of the top custom house builders in St. George, we commit to you and your home every step of the way!
Allow us to put our experience and knowledge to the test as we design and build a custom home in a prime location that matches your lifestyle, maximizes indoor-outdoor living, has flexible space, and has a separate guest house. However, we understand that while these features are key for many southern Utah buyers, every customer has unique requirements. No matter your needs, we are prepared to satisfy them by customizing a home just for you.
Schedule a free consultation today to get started building your new custom home.
Building a home with Dennis Miller Homes is an experience unlike any other. But don't take our word for it, just ask our clients.
In a recent online review, Tyler Hall details what building a custom home with Dennis Miller Homes is like, from lot selection to customization. He writes, "My wife and I recently built a home with Dennis and Jared Miller. We are very grateful for all of their help throughout the construction process. It was fun, challenging, and exhilarating. We already owned the building lot and brought a set of plans to the table. Jared and Dennis were great at listening to what we wanted. They helped us tweak our plans a little, so they would be better for construction. We enjoyed getting their professional input and then making our decision. They were great at executing what my wife and I envisioned. We appreciated that they didn't push what would be easier or what they would do in their house. They let us choose after giving great input and explanations about the options available.
During our builder selection process, we really were looking for an honest builder that is able to create a good quality product. We feel like we hit the jackpot in that regard. Our home turned out beautiful, and all of whom we worked with within the Miller family are full of integrity.
We feel like the home that we are now living in has great value. We appreciate the value that Dennis and Jared expect and deliver. They aren't the cheapest builder in town, yet the value is there. When comparing bids from multiple builders in town, we made sure to compare the bid cost with all of the common allowances taken out. This helped to see that the Dennis Miller Homes price is in the ballpark of most other builders, yet they allow for larger allowances in their bid than do some other builders in town. Adjusting the allowances out, helped us compare costs much better.
Building, after all, is construction. It requires problem-solving and creativity along the way. I don't think there will ever be a perfect build, yet I am grateful that my wife and I almost had a perfect build with Jared and Dennis. I would 100% recommend Dennis Miller Homes as the general contractor to build your next home."
Getting an in-depth look at Tyler and his wife's experience with Dennis Miller Homes proves how personal building a St. George home is with our team by your side. And they aren't the only satisfied clients in our portfolio, either. Currently, 45 Dennis Miller Home homeowners posted five-star reviews, describing just how happy they are they choose us.
But don't worry. While we are proud of our five-star history, we don't plan to rest on our laurels. Our team commits to meeting the needs of all our clients—past, present, and future. Working with them, we will find new ways to meet their needs and improve our custom home building process. We know it is up to us, and we plan on meeting you where you are to make your dream custom home a reality.
Here are three reasons why you should consider making Dennis Miller Homes your custom home builder in Utah.
At Dennis Miller Homes, we pride ourselves on providing a one-of-a-kind custom home building experience. Our St. George team provides complete customization, unlike other home builders, with limited design options. Whether you want to build a conventional two-story home or a contemporary ranch-style home, the custom home construction process has unlimited possibilities.
Our team of innovators and solution-minded builders will work with you to design a home by walking hand-in-hand with you throughout the design and building process. Do you prefer open concept living or designated spaces? Are you interested in building a rambler or a two-story home? Will you add an outdoor pool along with luxury landscaping to the exterior or keep things simple? No matter what you want, Dennis Miller Homes has the customization process to make it happen.
Using our proven custom home building process, you will design a home based on your lifestyle while receiving expert advice from professionals on our experienced home building team. Together, we will choose the floor plan of your home, interior and exterior features, flooring layout, spatial requirements, window treatments, fixtures, lighting, and more.
Each step of our customization process will revolve around your objectives, vision, and expectations.
The custom home building process at Dennis Miller Homes involves the following steps:
No matter which step you are in, you will remain our focus. We will be there from the first meeting and design to the final walk-through to guarantee that we made the design of your dream home come to life.
Dennis Miller Homes has been one of Southern Utah's most trusted home builders for more than 35 years. St. George residents continually rely on us to provide them with a one-of-a-kind custom home building experience filled with limitless options and design opportunities. To ensure that our clients receive the best customer experience possible, we commit to communication with our clients on a regular basis.
If you choose Dennis Miller Homes as your St. George custom home builder, you can trust us from the outset. Expect us to contact you regularly, offering updates and facilitating transparent conversations that promote honesty and integrity throughout the construction process.
We keep our lines of communication open and honest. As a result, our team and yours will trust one another. This type of relationship helps to produce a rewarding home-building experience for everyone involved.
For example, at the beginning of our partnership, we will discuss your lot (or a potential lot) options with you in-depth. We will discuss your needs and dislikes, as well as the square footage required for your family to live comfortably.
We will also compare lot alternatives to ensure you make the best choice to build your custom home. Whatever site you select, our staff will work as hard as possible to ensure your southern Utah lot is the ideal location for your new home.
After making your final decision, we will continue to communicate with you throughout the entire design and construction process. Whether you are worried about your budget allowances or want a timeline update, you can rely on us to be there to provide all the information you need to feel good about where you are in the process.
Call us old-fashioned, but we still believe in the core values of every successful business: honesty, openness, and real concern. Those values allowed us to transform our small, family business into a quality custom home builder with more than 35 years of experience.
The first factor we tell homeowners to consider when looking for a St. George home builder is experience. Knowing how long a custom home builder has been in business and how much experience they have in the area can help you decide if they have the skills and knowledge to construct your new house.
Fortunately, we have 35 years under our belt. Over those three and a half decades, we formed relationships with vendors that will be indispensable when building your new home. We developed an in-depth understanding of local zoning and rules to use when seeking approval to build on your lot.
Along with these crucial characteristics of our home building company, we know the area. We have deep relationships with architects, interior designers, and contract workers throughout St. George and southern Utah. These business relationships can help take your project to the next level.
You will also have the reassurance that our relationships will allow us to source materials and fully bring your design to fruition, even when other builders can't.
Throughout our decades of being in business, our team has also improved our construction skills and craftsmanship. We not only know what it takes to build a custom home but how to build a custom home that lasts. When people see a Dennis Miller Home, they know who built it. That is why current and future St. George residents choose us as their custom home builder.
We take the stress and anxiety out of custom home building by maintaining the integrity of our family name for over 35 years. Dennis Miller Homes, St. George's top custom home builder, will commit to you and your home every step of the way!
Hiring Dennis Miller Homes as your custom home builder is just as easy as building with us. First, contact our home building team to set up a meeting. At this initial meeting, we will discuss your ideas for your new home in detail. Have a lot already? Are you still looking for one? It doesn't matter. Our team can work with you wherever you are in the design and construction process. We even have recommendations for southern Utah architecture firms and designers.
Then, you will work with our team to determine which customization plan you want to follow. At Dennis Miller Homes, we pride ourselves on offering a range of solutions to ensure all our client's needs are met, including design + build services.
Our three-tier custom home-building concept allows you to design your dream home as much or as little as you choose.
No matter where you fall, Dennis Miller Homes is the custom home builder you need to bring your dream home to life.
Let us put our years of experience and knowledge to work for you to design and construct your custom home. Every home building client has different needs, and we are ready to meet yours.
Let us design a home specifically for you.
Contact our St. George custom home builder today to learn more.
Building a custom home is exciting. You dreamed of this stage of life for years, packed your vision board full of ideas, and are ready to bring those visions to life. But making your dream home a reality takes more than adding items to your cart and waiting for the finished process. It requires an experienced builder to walk you through the custom home-building process.
How do you choose the right custom home builder for a project that is so close to home? St. George custom home builder, Dennis Miller Homes, breaks down all the top questions to ask when building your own home.
These questions include a wide range of topics to target areas that will impact your experience most, such as experience level, floor plans, cost, contingencies, licensing, references, and more. We will also discuss the steps to take when hiring a custom home builder.
To ensure you partner with the best custom home builder, here are six questions to ask and why they are important.
Residential real estate might be all about location, location, location, but the custom home building is all about the experience. It would be best to be confident in your home builder's abilities to build your dream home.
To help you gain that confidence, ask, "How long have you been a custom home builder in St. George (or the area you are hoping to build)?" This should be the first question you ask when vetting a custom home builder.
Knowing how long a custom home builder has been in business and their experience in the area will help you determine whether they have the skill and knowledge to build your new home. If your future builder has a history of building in Southern Utah, or St. George, Utah, you can leave your first meeting confident that they are well-versed in local regulations and zoning.
You will also have the reassurance that they have relationships with vendors throughout the area to source materials and fully bring your design to fruition.
Our team also recommends determining if your custom home builder is a general contractor. Not all builders offer general contracting services. But it is often useful to partner with one who is both.
You'll want to know your builder's custom home-building process. Just because a builder says he is a custom home builder doesn't always mean their process will meet your exact needs.
During your initial meeting with a prospective custom home builder, discuss their design process. Will you choose a custom home design from the builder's collection of existing floor plans? Or will they offer a custom home-building process that makes your homes completely customizable?
You won't need to write off a builder who allows you to customize existing floor plans. There might be a floor plan that you are willing to work with and make your own. However, a custom home builder should give you the freedom you need to build a home entirely from scratch.
At Dennis Miller Homes, we have everything you need to build a custom home tailored to your lifestyle. Our design + build services include a three-tier model that allows you to customize as much or as little as you need.
For instance, follow Tier 3 to create a one-of-a-kind floor plan with a team of luxury home builders, interior designers, architects, and more. If you don't need that many options, you can modify floor plans designed by another builder or select one from our stock portfolio.
Whichever process you prefer, have an open dialogue with your home builder to understand the design model you will follow when building your own home.
One of the advantages of going custom is that you determine the cost of your home. As you vet custom home builders, discuss your budget. Does your builder believe they can build a home that matches your vision while sticking to the numbers you had in mind?
Hundreds of variables affect the final cost of a custom home, including location, design, time of year, the current market, and more. Talking with your custom home builder about the cost will help you decide whether this path is right for you.
Dennis Miller Homes uses a long-hand bidding process to show buyers the approximate project costs before anyone signs any contracts. This bidding process will cost you upfront to ensure you can design within your budget.
Then, as you make future design decisions, you can see whether items fit within the bid's allowances or if you need to adjust.
We (and our clients) prefer showing this cost transparency because it removes any of the usual guesswork and provides the best home-building experience possible.
Along with discussing the budget, you must ask your builder about contingencies.
Recently, custom home builders have been dealing with soaring lumber prices that are impacting the market more than many buyers realize.
If these problems arise, how will your future home builder handle them? What happens if there are cost overruns? Will they add surcharges to your bid or back out of your contract?
While you can't plan for everything, knowing how your builder plans to handle billing on the front end will ensure that you aren't surprised on the back of it.
The State of Utah requires custom home builders to have a Utah contractor license. To receive a license, applicants must complete an approved education program, pass trade, and business law exams, and complete a license application packet.
Along with these requirements, custom home builders need at least two years of full-time related experience. You will also want your home builder to carry insurance. Everyone who works on your project should have insurance coverage, including subcontractors. Then you won't be held liable if an accident occurs.
As you search for your St. George Custom Home Builder, look for the following licenses, accreditations, and insurance coverage:
For further information, please refer to R156-55a-302b. Qualifications for Licensure – Experience Requirements.
Another important thing to ask your home builder, to understand their experience and skill level, is to see their portfolio. Look at their website to check on photos of past projects. Look at this portfolio of properties and visit any in person if you can.
You should also ask for references and phone numbers as you meet with them.
Don't be afraid to call these references and ask for more information. Check to see how the builder worked with these clients. Discuss communication styles, how they handled disputes, if they lived up to promises and any other questions that might provide valuable insight.
It would help if you also asked whether the homeowners had any issues down the line with warranties, improper installation, poor materials, building, etc. If they did, how did your home builder handle it?
Along with talking to these references, look online for other client reviews. You can get a clear idea of how your home builders treat clients by reading online testimonials. These reviews are a great way to sense how a company operates before or after your initial consultation.
Take the time to consider a range of reviews, whether they are five-star ratings or reviews that are less than a rave.
If you notice a particularly bad review, check to see if the company addressed the situation or did nothing to redeem it. If they openly respond to the client to offer solutions, you can rest easy knowing they care about every experience.
You can also ask your home builder about any of the red flags you noticed while scanning reviews. This dialogue, along with reviews and references, will give you a good idea of how your custom home builder will operate as you build your own home.
Browse our collection of St. George custom homes to see how Dennis Miller Homes can bring your dream home to life.
Custom homes are exactly what they sound like. They're one-of-a-kind. If you engage with a custom home builder, they are more likely to build a home that meets your exact specifications. Together, you will decide everything from the site of your new home to the floor plan. While custom homes take longer to build than other types of homes, the result is significantly superior.
Because custom house construction requires more involvement than other types of home construction, you'll want to be diligent in your search for a builder. Here are a few other questions to ask as you make your choice:
Asking these questions before signing with a home builder will build your confidence and ensure you pick the right team for the job. Use these questions as a starting point.
Together, you can have an open conversation with your custom home builder, who will guarantee you partner with the finest builder for your new St. George home.
No matter which custom home builder you enlist for your project, do your due diligence. A good custom home builder will offer insightful answers to all your questions, even if they aren't what you expect. They should also keep communication lines open to build trust with you as their future client.
Here's how to hire Dennis Miller Homes to build your next custom home. We're available to answer these questions and more.
Dennis Miller Homes believes in transparency through every step of the home-building process.
From the very beginning, you can count on us. We care about your goals, your vision, and your expectations.
Our custom home-building process begins and ends with you. From the first meeting and design to the final walk-through and hand-off, we will be there to ensure that we meet all your needs.
As a team, we will do what it takes to make you feel comfortable with our partnership. Whether that means bringing in your own architect or turning to us for references, Dennis Miller Homes has what it takes to make your dream home perfect.
We have over 35 years of experience building homes throughout St. George, Utah. From the newest lots in Bloomington Hills to Hurricane and more, the Dennis Miller Homes team has the skills, knowledge, and experience to build strong homes and even stronger relationships. Put our hard work to the test — contact Dennis Miller Homes to begin the custom home-building process. We will create a work of art that is all you envision and more.
Buyers looking for a new home often ask, "How much does it cost to build a custom home?" The cost to build a custom home depends on a range of variables, including the specified location, size of the home, and more. Although many people confuse custom homes with multi-million dollar McMansions, building a custom home means choosing your price.
HomeAdvisor estimates that a custom home can cost anywhere between $350,000 to over $1 million. At Dennis Miller Homes, we tell our clients there is no firm price on building a custom home in St. George, Utah. Instead, our custom home building process allows you to customize your home and budget.
Because you decide which style, features, and amenities you want in your home design the total cost of those will depend upon your selections.
When you work with us, our home builder in St. George, Utah will work with you to set a comfortable budget, whether $400,000 or $2 million.
Our team will present you with a proposal at the beginning of the building process that includes a long-hand bid. This bid will have several different allowances to give you an idea of how much money you will pay depending on your home design.
For example, the long-hand bid often includes an appliance allowance. If you don't use your kitchen as often as other areas of your home, you might decide to install appliances that aren't as high-grade as we included in the bid. On the other hand, buyers who enjoy cooking might want to upgrade their kitchen appliances.
Based on your decision, you can update your budget to reflect how much money you spent on that allowance. Then, you can decide to allocate money from a different allowance or adjust your final budget.
No matter which option you choose, our team will be by your side to regularly update you on where your money is going. We want you to stay informed throughout the process to make design choices to help you reach your end goal.
Unlike quick builds, prefabs, or used homes in St. George, custom homes are original designs informed by our clients.
Dennis Miller Homes's custom home-building services will help you build a home that reflects your lifestyle and budget. Working with our St. George custom home builder, you will be guided through every step of the design and construction process.
You will select everything about your new home, from the location to the floor plan to the finishing touches by collaborating with our design + build team. Before you begin the custom home building process, to ensure you understand the cost of building your St. George custom home, our team has outlined a few variables that may affect the final price.
Let's discuss.
The current real estate market can dramatically affect the cost of your new home. If homes are selling at a higher price, you can expect to pay more to build a custom home. If the market is low, you might pay steady or, even, discounted prices.
Other market factors that come into play when building a custom home are lumber or other material costs. The laws of supply and demand means that prices sometimes fluctuate.
It is up to you to decide when it’s the right time to build a custom home.Some homebuyers have a flexible timeline while others must begin the building process immediately. Our team will work hard to meet your timelines and ensure you get the best price for your custom home. We are on your side.
Custom homes come with a custom price tag. No matter the current standing of the Utah real estate market, there are always benefits to building a custom home, including:
Although the estimate for construction in the United States is $150 per square foot, that cost fluctuates depending on where you build. For instance, the construction costs for building a custom home in St. George, Utah, are vastly different than they are in Los Angeles, California, or even Salt Lake City, Utah.
The price discrepancy is due to changes of the price of materials, building permits, labor, and other fees by location. No matter where you build, there is always a potential for unforeseen costs. For example, rocky surfaces require special machinery to remove, which may affect your budget.
Our team will analyze potential build sites to provide you with an estimate and alert you to any factors that may increase your costs.
Another location factor that impacts price is the project scope. The size of your custom home will directly impact the cost to build it. Generally speaking, increasing the size of your home or the amount of work that it will take to build your home will increase the total project cost.
If you choose to build your custom home on a lot with sloping, you will pay more for grading, foundation work, and retaining walls. If you select a large lot, you may spend more money on landscaping. Other factors may include adjustments for water table levels, reclamation needs, and tree removal.
When you choose the right custom home builder, you can collaborate and agree on a project scope that fits your budget.
How much design work your custom home requires will affect the final cost of your project. For example, if you need a fully customized home plan drawn up by our team, it will cost you more than if you were to alter a replicated design. At Dennis Miller Homes, we offer it all.
Our three-tier design model ensures that you have the home-building services you need to fit your budget.
The major advantage of building a custom home is customizing your design. As discussed earlier, your specifications determine the cost of your new home. You will spend more money on larger homes with luxury finishes than mid-grade finishes in a mid-size home. The cost is up to you.
Installing optional features in your custom home will also drive up the cost. One feature that many St. George homeowners love to install in their custom home is an outdoor pool.
While swimming pools are fantastic in a hot location like southern Utah, installing a pool will cost you more money. The variations on swimming pools range from custom designed pools vs. prefabricated liners, hot tubs, fountains, stone and concrete work, slides, or diving boards.
Our design + build construction team can estimate the cost of your planned outdoor swimming pool in the original bid for your custom home. Together, we can determine how to design a custom home that includes all of your wishes for the right price.
Along with the typical construction costs, there are a few more factors that will affect the final cost of living in your custom home. Some overlooked items are landscaping, fencing, and furnishings.
In addition, a custom home requires having some maintenance items on hand. For many first-time homebuyers, these can be a surprise. Ladders, garden hoses, lawnmowers, and other tools for your home’s daily maintenance and upkeep come with a price tag.
Once you’ve built your beautiful new dream home, you’ll want to decorate it with furnishings that compliment the space and match the finishing touches in your home. Furniture and other home decor can be an added expense.
Landscaping around your custom home may also cost more money than you might expect. Many buyers have an idea of what the exterior of their home will look like but forget to budget for a sprinkler system, sod, plants, trees, and bushes, and outdoor furniture.
Our Dennis Miller Homes design team can work with you to create an allowance for every aspect of your new home, including interior design and landscaping.
Although building a custom home doesn't include a straightforward price tag, working with the right builder will allow you to comfortably stay within your predetermined budget. Let Dennis Miller Homes be your constant throughout the custom home building process.
At Dennis Miller Homes we offer complete cost clarity to our clients. In the beginning stages of building your custom home, we will draft a long-hand bid that includes approximate project costs.
Then, you can shop around using the allowances that we decided on together. We will provide complete transparency, so you know where every penny is going towards your new custom home's cost.
Trust our home builders to ensure your dream home fits your budget.
Build your dream home in St. George, Utah, by contacting Dennis Miller Homes today.
Building a dream home takes a lot of work. Building one in St. George, Utah, requires the expert hands of a custom home builder. Right now, southern Utah is one of the leading places to build a new home.
The current housing market is expanding at an alarming rate, with buyers coming to St. George from all over the country. If you are looking into what is available, now is a great time to make your dreams come true with a custom home builder.
Custom homes are exactly what the name implies— custom. Custom home builders bring your dream home to life. Unlike tract or spec builders, who only have the capacity to allow a few personalized touches in a home's design, custom builders have the experience and options available to fulfill your every wish.
Everything from the location of your new home to the type of floor plan you use is up to you. Your southern Utah builder will work closely with you to take the vision you have in your head and translate it into a real-life masterpiece.
You can partner with a builder at any time during the beginning stages of the process before selecting a lot or after you hired an architect or designer. Then, once you purchase a lot, your builder and designer can work together to design plans that fit the lot and achieve your project goals.
While choosing the right custom home builder is an important step in the home building process, it can also feel like a daunting one. The experienced team at Dennis Miller Homes put together a guide to ensure that whichever decision you make is the right one.
Follow these steps to choose your St. George custom home builder confidently.
The first step to finding a home builder is by creating a list of potential builders. You can start your search by...
Once you have a list of prospective home builders, you can start narrowing down your options by reading client testimonials and reviews posted online. Reviews can give you a clearer understanding of how a home builder operates.
As you read, assess every review, whether it is good or bad. You can also contact any reviewers who left their information. Ask them about their experience and whether they would use the builder again.
Working off of your previous list, begin to reach out to custom home builders. You can start by submitting forms on the builder's website, contact page or placing a phone call directly.
In your first initial conversation, test the waters. Begin to understand how the builder communicates with their clients. Do they seem friendly? Do they have experience constructing the type of home you envision building?
It would help if you also asked about their current availability. Do they have a schedule opening that fits your timeline? How long does their typical home-building process take? If your timelines don't align, ask them for outside references that might. Or, if the builder seems to fit your criteria, arrange a time to meet face-to-face. We recommend meeting with two or three builders before settling on your top choice.
The first meeting with your future custom home builder in St. George is crucial. It will set the tone for your entire experience. Since the custom home building is a more intimate process, it will require extensive collaboration between you and your builder. You need to assess your compatibility with each candidate to determine which option is your best choice.
Remember— you can never ask a home builder too many questions. Communicate what you need and ask them for thorough answers. Get as many specifics as possible. Never hesitate to ask for further clarification. What seems insignificant might end up being an important detail to inform your final decision.
You can also ask prospective builders about their experience, whether by looking at their luxury home project gallery or visiting their recently built homes in person. As you look at previous builds, look at the quality of the work. Inspect the trim, carpeting, architectural features, and more.
Then, ask the builder for additional references and contact information. These references will provide honest insights to help you make your final choice.
In our How to Choose a Custom Home Builder blog post, we highlighted a few other questions you can ask previous clients when you contact them, including:
The most successful course for a St. George buyer building a custom home is to choose the builder you will be working with and work closely with them to acquire a lot and create a design to build their dream home. Luckily, after following all these steps, your final choice should have the experience, references, and compatibility you need to move forward with confidence.
Dennis Miller Homes is a premier home builder in St. George, Utah, with over 35 years of experience. We offer buyers the red carpet experience, from architectural design to the final walk-through. Our team is committed to quality work and an exceptional home-building process. Together, we can create a southern Utah home that is functional, affordable, and luxurious.
As a family-owned and business, we care about our clients. We are passionate and dedicated to creating amazing experiences. When you move in, you can expect to be excited about your home yet sad that the home-building experience is over.
Choose Dennis Miller Homes to ensure that you and your custom home matter. Trust us to deliver home-building services designed to meet your needs. Contact us to schedule a consultation.
Right now, people are moving to St. George and surrounding areas at a rapid pace. The current real estate market is booming with many buyers and a low inventory of homes. Many buyers place bids on homes that aren’t quite what they had in mind but make plans to renovate. Others bid on their dream home, only to lose out to a more qualified buyer. Although the current housing market conditions can be frustrating, they can also motivate you to consider purchasing a lot and hiring a custom home builder to create the home that fits your lifestyle.
Building your dream home in St. George, Utah is an exciting prospect. Before building a custom home, you might curate inspiration boards, drive through neighborhoods to find potential lots, and daydream about open floor plans and beautiful interiors that cater to the lifestyle you want to live.
Working with a custom home builder not only ensures a beautiful end product but a memorable home building experience. You will handpick every detail of your new home, putting together the pieces of the puzzle that creates a space that is entirely your own.
Selecting the right custom home builder is an essential step in the home-building process. Custom home builders provide the tools, techniques, and experience that a home buyer needs to build their dream home. From lot selection to design to construction, custom home builders are involved in every phase of the home building process. To ensure that every square foot looks like you envision, you and your selected custom home builder must communicate effectively, share budget restrictions, and set realistic deadlines. An experienced custom home builder will be proactive and reactive to your needs throughout the home build.
To help you decide whether building a custom home is the right choice for you, Dennis Miller Homes curated the top benefits of working with our St. George home builders.
Unlike buying a pre-built home or working with other home builders that have little leeway in design styles, custom home builders offer total customization. Your options are endless and restricted only by your budget, your vision, building codes, and the lot’s parameters.
Your custom home builder in St. George will help you design a home down to the last nail. Do you like marble countertops or granite? Would you prefer a two-story home or a rambler? Will you build a casita on the side of your home for added square footage or keep everything connected in one space?
Together, you and your St. George home builder will choose the layout, exterior features, flooring, window treatments, lighting, and more. You can draw upon your builder’s experience in interior design and architecture to create a cohesive and pleasing layout that matches your aesthetic.
As Southern Utah's premier home builder for over 35 years, Dennis Miller Homes offers southern Utah homeowners a unique and personal experience with endless options and opportunities. Our team understands that the difference is in the details. It's our promise and commitment to deliver an exceptional custom home with an exceptional customer experience.
Since you have endless options when working with a custom home builder, you also get to choose where you build. You can select a lot from the curated list provided by your custom home builder, one you already own, or a lot that you find with your real estate agent.
Part of the Dennis Miller Homes process includes planning your land purchase and applying for required permits. Early on in the process, we will analyze your lot (or a future lot) and present you with the opportunities available.
As we go over your lot options, we will discuss your wants, needs, and dislikes as well as the square footage it will take for your family to live comfortably.
When you build a custom home, you are involved in all aspects of decision-making. Instead of buying a home with an old layout or a prefab home with a semi-custom design, a custom home gives you the control you need to maximize the functionality of your new space.
From open-concept living to individualized details, whichever home plan you design will focus on features that best fit your lifestyle and needs. It is your home-- why not be in charge of what you create?
As your St. George home builder, we will listen to your goals, hopes, and dreams while ensuring functionality. Do you need a large living room for entertaining but don't want to lose out in other areas? Let's design it. Our team will get creative to give you the dream home you want while ensuring the design works perfectly for you and your family. Whatever choices you make, Dennis Miller Homes will be on your side to make it happen.
Many people believe that building a custom home will drain their budget, which isn't necessarily true. Unlike other home types with fixed price tags, custom builds come with a custom budget. You decide what you spend your money on and how much is spent.
Fortunately, the home building market offers various products with a wide price range to select from. Communicate with your custom home builder to discuss where you want to spend your money and where you want to save. For example, you can minimize spending on lighting and window treatments to cover the costs of a luxury kitchen.
Dennis Miller Homes is committed to full transparency and doing our part to help you stay on budget. We bid your project "long-hand" so there are no surprises during construction. We help you navigate your budget by presenting you with several options in your price range and keep you in line when you choose to splurge to help you stay aware of how much you are spending.
When selecting a home builder, it's vital not only to find one that can capture your vision and execute it with exceptional craftsmanship but to provide the ultimate building experience. The home building process can be challenging, but having a builder that cares will go a long way. Choose a custom home builder that cares about building relationships.
Your custom home builder is there to help you create your dream home. If you feel that you are compromising on anything, work with your builder to get it right. Having open communication will ensure that every stage of the home building process goes flawlessly.
At Dennis Miller Homes, we keep our lines of communication open and honest. Doing so will build trust between our team and you. Together, we can create a rewarding home building experience.
Call us old-fashioned, but we still believe in the fundamental qualities of any good business: honesty, communication, and genuine care. Having maintained the integrity of a family name for more than 35 years, we take the stress and frustration out of the home building equation. As the leading St. George custom home builder, Dennis Miller Homes is dedicated to you and your home every step of the way!
Let us put our experience and knowledge to the test as we bring your dream home to life! Every client has different needs, and we are equipped and ready to meet yours by creating a home designed just for you.
Schedule a consultation to get started building your new home.
People across the country are choosing the gorgeous locale of southern Utah to build their new custom home, and it’s easy to see why. Drive through scenic St. George, Utah, and you will quickly discover why the city is one of the fastest growing metro areas in the United States. With the juxtaposition of soaring red cliffs against the clear blue skies and pleasant weather year-round, this once sleepy retirement community has grown into a cultural mecca with plenty of outdoor amenities, fine restaurants, and entertainment venues.
St. George is frequently ranked as one of the most secure places to live, is one of the best small cities for careers, and was voted among the Best Places to Live in the United States by CNN. If St. George is your dream destination and it’s your goal to custom-build your new home, there are many Southern Utah home builders to choose from.
While there are some great home builders out there who can bring your dream home to life, some won't meet the mark. How do you choose the right home builder for you? To help narrow down your choices, Dennis Miller Homes has compiled a list of tips and questions to ask your prospective home builder.
A great home builder cares about your vision. Unlike buying a pre-built home, custom builds provide the absolute freedom to create the home you want. This customization process requires transparent communication between both parties. If you can't communicate your vision to your chosen builder clearly, then the entire home building process will be a struggle.
Look for a home builder who meets your standards and who communicates well. Do you feel confident in their ability to get the job done? Not only that, do they have a proven track record of satisfying their client base? They should provide a clear, well-written contract that outlines their deliverables, testimonies from happy clients, and a portfolio of homes they have built. Once you have vetted your home builder choices through those lenses, it’s time to take a deeper dive into your narrowed list.
Since the custom home building process is more extensive than other home construction projects, you will need to ask your prospective builder questions to understand their capabilities. They should provide clear answers to any questions you may have.
Remember — you can never ask too many questions. Building a custom home is likely the biggest investment you can make, so you must be continuously informed. Communicate what you need and expect thorough answers.
Here are a few questions that our team at Dennis Miller Homes suggests that you ask any home builder you approach:
Use these questions as the foundation of an open dialogue that ensures you choose the best custom builder to construct your St. George home.
In the age of online research, it is up to you to do your due diligence in researching your home builder. You can get a clear idea of how a builder handles the home building process by reading client testimonials posted online. Before meeting with a southern Utah home builder, scan their online reviews.
Reviews are a great way to get a sense of how a home builder operates. Consider every review, including the good and the bad. Bad reviews aren’t necessarily a deal breaker. Carefully read the review to see how the company handled their response.
Did they openly respond to the accusations or offer solutions? Assess their response to determine whether you feel comfortable trusting them with your new build. You can also bring up the review to the builder to ask how they rectified the situation.
Also, ask your prospective builder for a list of references. Contact these references to understand a builder's strengths and weaknesses. A few questions you can ask these references include:
These conversations, along with the online reviews, will give you a better idea of whether you should trust the builder to build your new dream home.
As you begin building your custom home, don't be afraid to communicate your concerns. Your custom home builder is there to help you create a home that ticks all the right boxes. If you feel that you are compromising on anything, bring it up with your builder sooner rather than later.
It’s important that you communicate your budget up front, for example. Let them know at what level you need to approve any expenditures over the project’s final estimate. Find out if you are your builder’s only client, or if the company has multiple projects in the works. Let your builder know if you plan to check on progress in-person, what communication and what rate of communication you expect, the best way to reach you and vice versa.
Finally, make sure you come to an agreement on the scope of the project. If you change your mind about a floor layout mid-way through the project, it may be too late to make significant changes without significant costs. Scope creep is a problem between clients and builders and having a discussion early on about how you will handle any changes to the final design is just as important as establishing your budget. Set expectations of deadlines and provide for small setbacks such as inclement weather.
Dennis Miller Homes is a trusted home builder offering the leading custom homes throughout St. George, Utah. Our family name has been synonymous with integrity for more than 35 years. We take pride in the quality of our work and strive to take stress and frustration out of the home building equation.
As a family-owned and business, we care about our clients. We are a passionate team dedicated to creating amazing experiences. When you move in, we want you to be excited about your home, yet sad that the home-building experience is over.
At Dennis Miller Homes, you and your custom home matter. Trust us to deliver home-building services designed to meet your needs. Contact us to schedule a consultation.
My wife and I are getting ready to move. When we try to formulate a strategy or even think about where to start, we feel overwhelmed. We have reached out to many friends and family to get their advice on the best way to approach the process. We received really good and practical advice that we are excited to implement. Because moving into a custom home in St. George home can sometimes be the hardest step in the entire process, I thought it would be a good idea to share the things we have learned.
The first piece of advice we received was to stick to small and medium-sized boxes. Intuitively, it would make sense to fit as many things in large-sized boxes to be efficient in the number of boxes used and the number of trips from the trailer into the house. However, for those doing the hauling, it’s much easier to move more small boxes with fewer things in them than fewer heavy boxes, even if it means more trips. Plus, when you organize the trailer, it’s much more convenient to have smaller boxes that you can twist and turn more than large boxes that take up a bunch of space.
This leads to our next point.
For the sake of organization, it is wise to keep your brand of boxes uniform. Whether you get boxes from Home Depot, Lowe’s, or somewhere else, do your best to have them all be from the same place. The different brands have slightly different sizing, making staking and organizing tricky. Keeping the boxes uniform will make stacking much more simple and sturdy.
It’s easy to underestimate the amount of items that you have stuffed in the nooks and crannies of your home. When you go to move into your new custom home, you’ll be amazed how quickly the trailer or moving truck will fill up. Whether you rent a moving vehicle, borrow from a friend, or use your own, make sure you play it safe and overestimate the capacity you’ll need to get all of your belongings from one destination to the other.
One of the hardest parts about moving is keeping all of your boxes straight and making sure they are put in the right rooms at your custom home. In the chaos of moving, and with many people asking, “Where does this one go?” it is easy to get flustered. Having a labeling strategy makes all of the difference
We recommend writing on the top of the boxes for your own personal reference. For example, “Sally’s Shoes” or “Billy’s Books”. However, don’t stop the labeling there. Those labels alone will surely have people asking you the question we mentioned above. Instead, we recommend getting colored tape that you slap on the sides of your boxes that are coordinated with each room in the house. Red goes in the kitchen, green goes in the master bedroom, and so forth. That way, you tell people the color code once, and everyone can help each other remember what color goes where.
Furthermore, putting the tape on the sides of the boxes will make it more visible for individuals taking the stacked boxes from the moving trailers.
In the moving process, it is easy for fragile items to be damaged or even destroyed. No one wants that to happen. Protective moving materials become essential. Plan a few weeks ahead by getting free newspapers from grocery stores every time you go. Newspaper is great for protecting dishes and stuffing in glasses. Price shop for bubble wrap. Bubble wrap is great for wrapping family portraits and timeless keepsakes. Also, make sure you have plenty of moving blankets to protect furniture from getting scuffs and scratches.
By Far, the best advice we received was to warm up by playing the classic game of Tetris. After all, getting all of those odd shapes to fit snugly into a moving truck is a talent in and of itself. What better way to practice packing than playing Tetris with family and friends?
As always, it’s important to remember to have fun. As stressful as moving can be, remember that the moving process is the culmination of your dreams of having a custom home coming to reality. Order some pizza, make up different contests for the movers, and create a memory. There is no better time to start making memories in your new home than move-in day.
