What Happens First When Building a New Construction Home in Central Texas?

What Happens First When Building a New Construction Home in Central Texas?

If you’ve ever driven through a new construction community and wondered how an empty dirt lot eventually turns into someone’s home, there is A LOT that happens before you ever see those walls go up. And honestly, some of the most important parts of building a new home happen long before you get to the fun stuff like cabinets, countertops and paint colors.

That’s one of the reasons our Texas Oak Realty Group team decided to create a new construction video series. We’re taking you out to actual homesites around Central Texas and walking through the building process from the ground up, literally. We want to show you what you’re looking at, explain why it matters and hopefully make the whole new construction process feel a little less overwhelming.

For our first video, we went all the way back to the beginning: the lot, site preparation and those first steps toward the foundation.

WATCH NEW CONSTRUCTION VIDEO #1: New Home Construction: Episode 1

Before the Foundation: It All Starts With the Lot

Before concrete is poured or framing begins, the builder has to prepare the homesite. One of the things you’ll hear us talk about in the video is lot topography, which is basically just the shape and slope of the land. Is the lot fairly flat? Does it slope toward the front or back? How will the home sit on it? Where will water naturally move?

The builder also works from a plot plan, which shows how the home will be positioned on the property while taking things like property lines, easements, setbacks and the home’s footprint into consideration. None of this sounds nearly as exciting as walking through a beautiful model home, but these are things that can make a big difference once you’re actually living there.

Buyer Tip: Don’t Just Pick a Floor Plan. Look at the Lot!

This is something I talk about with my new construction buyers all the time. Two houses with the exact same floor plan can feel completely different depending on where and how they’re positioned. What’s behind you? How close is the home next door? Which direction does your backyard face? Is there an easement running through part of the yard? How does the lot slope?

It’s really easy to fall in love with a model home and immediately start thinking about which floor plan you want, but don’t forget to pay attention to the dirt underneath it too. The lot matters more than most buyers realize.

What Are Those Wooden Forms Around a New Construction Home?

Once the homesite has been prepared, you’ll start seeing the outline of the home take shape. Builders use forms to establish the perimeter and shape of the home’s foundation, and depending on the site and engineering requirements, you may also see additional fill brought in as the building pad is prepared.

This is usually the point where buyers can finally start visualizing where their house is actually going to sit. It’s also the point where almost everyone looks at it and thinks, There is NO WAY my whole house is going to fit in there.

I promise, this is normal! 

Everything looks tiny when you’re staring at an outline on the ground. Once the framing starts going up and the house has walls, height and actual rooms, your perception completely changes.

Why Is Foundation Preparation So Important in Central Texas?

The foundation is obviously a pretty important part of your home, and its design is based on engineering requirements for that particular house and homesite. Here in Central Texas, we also have areas with expansive clay soils, meaning the soil can expand and contract as moisture conditions change. That’s one of the reasons site preparation, engineering, grading and drainage are important considerations when building a home in this area.

Now, does that mean you need to become an expert on soil conditions or learn how to engineer a foundation before buying a new construction home? Absolutely not. But I do think buyers should understand the basics of what’s happening with their home and feel comfortable asking questions along the way. That’s really the whole point of this series.

What Is a Brick Ledge?

Here’s a fun construction term you can casually throw out the next time you’re walking your homesite and make it sound like you really know what you’re doing: brick ledge. 

A brick ledge is a portion of the foundation designed to provide support for exterior masonry, such as brick or stone. It’s one of those little details you could walk right past a hundred times and never realize what it was unless somebody pointed it out.

We actually show this in our first new construction video because that’s what we want these videos to do. We’re not just showing you a house being built. We want you to understand some of the things you’re seeing as your home moves through each stage of construction.

What Should Buyers Pay Attention to During Early Construction?

You definitely don’t need to know every construction term or understand every line on an engineering plan. There are professionals involved in the process for a reason. But I do think it’s helpful to understand the big picture and know what questions are worth asking.

For example, how is your home positioned on the lot? Where are your property lines and easements? What’s going behind and beside your home? How will the yard be graded? What construction stage comes next? When should inspections happen? When will you have walkthroughs?

You don’t have to know all the answers. You just need to know that these are questions worth asking.

The more you understand about what’s happening along the way, the more comfortable you’re likely to feel throughout the building process.

Do You Really Need a REALTOR® When Buying New Construction?

This is one I hear all the time, especially because when you walk into a model home, there’s already a friendly salesperson there ready to help you. And they absolutely can be a great resource when it comes to that builder and community.

But here’s the important distinction: the builder’s representative works for the builder. Their job and their duty are to represent the builder’s interests throughout the transaction.

So my question is… why wouldn’t you want someone on your side too?

Your REALTOR® is there to help you navigate the process and make sure you’re getting as close as possible to what you actually want in your new home. That can start before you ever choose a builder. We can help you compare communities, builders, floor plans, available homes and lots instead of looking at everything through the lens of just one builder.

Once you’ve decided where you’re building, your agent can help you understand builder incentives and financing options, keep track of important dates and milestones, ask questions when something doesn’t make sense and help you navigate the process all the way through your final walkthrough and closing. When you’re looking at a decision and wondering, Is this normal? Should I be asking about this? What are my options here? it’s really nice to have someone you can call who is there to help you look at it from your side.

And one of my biggest pieces of advice is this: talk to your REALTOR® before you start visiting model homes. Builder registration and REALTOR® participation policies can vary, so I would much rather have that conversation with you before your first visit than after you’ve already walked in and registered on your own.

Where Can You Find New Construction Homes in Central Texas?

One of the things I love about our market is that new construction isn’t limited to Austin. There are communities throughout Pflugerville, Round Rock, Georgetown, Leander, Liberty Hill, Hutto, Manor and other areas across Central Texas, and what’s available can vary quite a bit from one area and builder to another.

That’s also why I don’t recommend choosing a new construction home based solely on whoever is advertising the biggest incentive at the moment. A great interest rate or closing-cost incentive can absolutely be worth looking at, but it should be one piece of the decision. The goal is finding the right combination of home, lot, location, builder, financing and long-term fit for you.

Thinking About Building a New Home in Central Texas?

Whether you’re just starting to look at new construction homes or you’ve already been spending your weekends wandering through model homes, I’d love to help you navigate it.

I work with buyers throughout Austin and Central Texas to explore new construction options, compare communities and builders, understand available incentives and navigate the process from that very first model-home visit all the way to closing.

And if you’re like me and actually enjoy seeing what’s happening behind the walls, make sure you follow along with our Texas Oak Realty Group New Construction Series. We’re going step-by-step through the building process and showing you some of the things buyers don’t normally get to see.

This is only the beginning. We’ve got a lot more dirt, concrete, lumber and construction terms coming your way.

WATCH PART 1 OF OUR NEW CONSTRUCTION SERIES: New Home Construction: Episode 1

Ready to See What’s Being Built Around Central Texas?

Search New Construction and more at HomeSweetAustin.com

Or reach out to me and tell me what you’re looking for. I can help you narrow down the builders, communities and homes that make sense for your search.

Ashley Hesch, REALTOR®
Texas Oak Realty Group powered by LPT Realty
Austin & Central Texas