Congratulations! You're about to embark on the "American Dream" and build your new home. Don't let the process become a nightmare! Consider these helpful tips before starting and you'll have a more enjoyable experience.

• Financing
  Make an initial stop at your lending institution to become pre-approved for a home loan and discover what your lending limits will be. Once you have this information it will be easier to determine the size of home you will be able to build. A Taylor Home can qualify for a regular construction, mortgage, and VA or FHA loan. Please consult your lending professional to find out which type of home loan best suits your needs. Your Taylor Homes representative can assist you with some aspects, such as providing bank packages to secure your loan.
• Land
  If you do not own property to build on, now is the time to begin looking. Whether you already own your land or are looking to purchase, these are some things to consider:
  • Availability of utilities
    Can you get access to local utilities such as water, electric, gas and phone service? If so, what is necessary to get those utilities to the actual home site and are there any costs associated with doing so? If a well must be dug, get bids to assess the cost.
  • Soil Percolation Testing
    A percolation test (or perc test) must be done to determine if your site is suitable for a septic system if sewer is not available. In some instances it may be possible for the property owner to complete this test, but your local Health Department representative must witness the test. You may feel more comfortable in hiring a private contractor to perform this test for you. Please consult your local Health Department for information regarding testing procedures.
  • Clearing the land
    If your site is wooded or overgrown with brush, you will need to clear an area for your home. A Taylor Home requires a clear path of 16 ft. wide and 15 ? ft. tall for the transporter to deliver your home to the foundation. In addition to this, there must be a clear area next to the foundation; measuring 20 ft. wide that runs the entire length of the home and extends an additional 25 ft. on one end. This area is used for unloading the home from the transporter and is only necessary on one side of the foundation.
• Permits & Code Requirements
  A visit to your local building department at your City Hall or Courthouse should enlighten you as to what permits are required when making improvements on your property (such as building a new home!) Your local building inspector will also be able to inform you about any building codes that may be unique to your area. A Taylor Home is built to the 2001 International Residential Codes, as well as the 1999 National Electric Codes. In most instances this will satisfy code requirements for your area. It is the customer's responsibility to inform Taylor Homes of any additional building codes that must be met.
• Foundation or Basement
  Once you decide on what size of a home you will be building, you can begin getting bids for the foundation or basement. A Taylor Home can be set on either a crawlspace foundation or basement, but not a slab foundation. We can provide you with a generic foundation or basement print which is marked "for bid only" to help your contractor understand the specifications. Once your home is ordered, Taylor Homes will provide you with a foundation or basement print that is specifically for your home.
• Additional Structures
  You will want to receive bids for other structures that you would like to add to complement your Taylor Home. Porches, decks and garages are not built at the Taylor Homes facility, but can be constructed on-site to add value and curb appeal to your new home. Our factory direct outlets can provide information and pricing for these types of structures. If you are not within the service area of one of these outlets, you will need to contact a local sub-contractor to provide this information for you.
• Utility Hook-up
  When your new Taylor Home is delivered and set up, you will need to procure the services of a plumber and electrician to connect the water and electricity from your outside utility lines to the home itself. It is necessary for these utilities to be operational before the drywall can be completed.
• HVAC
  Taylor Homes is offering a more energy efficient system of heating and cooling that can be installed at the factory as an option. The system is a mini-duct heating and cooling system called the Unico System and it can be installed in the attic area of your home. For pricing and more information please contact your Taylor Homes representative.
  Taylor Homes does not include a heating and air conditioning system as a standard feature. It is not possible to install the ductwork necessary for conventional systems at the factory due to transportation. Please contact a local heating and cooling expert to receive pricing for HVAC for your new home.
• The Finishing Touch
  Your Taylor Home will arrive ready to be completed on-site. The drywall is hung on the walls and ceilings, but the mud, tape, texturing and painting must be done on-site to avoid stress cracks during transportation. After the drywall is completed, the interior trim can be installed, the carpet can be laid and the interior doors can be hung. If you order your home from one of our factory direct outlets, the price for this finish work is included in the base price of the home. If you should not be within the service area of one of these outlets, you will need to arrange to complete this yourself or hire sub-contractors.
  If your home is a Cape Cod style house, the upstairs will need to be completed on-site by others. What this means is that the upstairs is an open loft-type area. The electrical and plumbing will be stubbed up to the second floor and ready for your plumber or electrician to connect to your chosen locations. If you fall within the service area of our factory direct outlets, they can complete the upstairs for you for an additional charge. Otherwise, you will need to hire a sub-contractor to complete the work you cannot do yourself.
• Driveways and Landscaping
  Don't forget to get bids to complete your driveway, sidewalks and landscaping when budgeting for your new home.