Our team can answer any questions you may have that are not listed in the main categories, which are grouped for your convenience into Project Scope and Management, Build and Timing, Pricing and Warranty.
Our builders are working on projects in a number of different states. LCS specializes in building homes outside of the major cities. These may be primary or recreational homes.
Many are located on more challenging sites where less experienced builders can have problems with pricing and constructing more complex homes as well as sourcing quality building materials.
Wherever you are looking to build, contact us to see how we can help you.
The cost of building ranges depending on your project. Your design complexity, size, quality of finishing, and property characteristics all impact the total project cost.
We have built custom homes and cabins from $400,000 all the way to multi-million dollar luxury residences.
The first step in our process is the same. We have a look at the different factors involved in your project so we can assess the impact that they will have on your budget. Once we have this information we use a value engineering process to help you create a home design that meets your needs. A detailed construction quote can then be finalized. Our quotes include all the work you need to complete your project.
We provide fixed-price contracts combined with realistic allowances for items like site preparation that are difficult to estimate prior to breaking ground. This gives you much greater price certainty at the start of your project and avoids the costly overages common in the construction industry.
The time to build your home varies depending on the size and scope of your project. For our turn-key projects, our build time averages 7-10 months after receiving your building permit.
The length taken in the design process will depend on the amount of customization you want. Permit times also need to be considered depending on where you are building but typically take between 1-3 months, with some regions taking longer.
Once we understand the specifics of your project, we can help give you a more realistic timeline.
As soon as construction starts you can see progress against the projected timetable in real-time via our shared project management software.
When you’re ready to get started, we’ll be there to help you.
Yes, our services include home design, permitting, site preparation, site services, foundations, framing, utilities/mechanical systems, insulation & drywall, and interior finishing.
Our most popular service offering is our Modified Turn-Key contract which includes everything needed to get your home ready for interior finishing.
Our most popular service offering is our Full Turn-Key contract which includes everything you need to build your home.
A Senior Project Manager will work with you to determine the scope of work and finalize contract details. They will also coordinate the activities of the local project manager, make sure materials and resources are available when needed, schedule trades, arrange inspections and ensure our high-quality standards are met.
On-site construction work is organized by the site supervisor who reports to the Senior Project Manager. These local site supervisors only use trusted trades who take pride in their work. They are familiar with best practices and construction techniques and have built many Linwood Homes in the past.
The design process is managed by Linwood’s Senior Project Advisors. Our PAs work alongside you to create your new home design and help make sure it can be built within your budget.
Once your home design is complete, your Project Advisor will get you a construction quote and work through any further changes you may want. Your PA is responsible for your project through the design and selection of materials stage. A Senior LCS Project Manager and a local site supervisor will be in charge of the actual build process.
We know that construction can be a difficult field to navigate, particularly as most people have never built before. Linwood Construction Services makes building into an easily understood streamlined process for you. Our Project Management Team helps you with key decision-making and takes the complexity out of construction so that your home can be built as fast as possible, on budget.
Our team has over 150 years of custom construction experience. We have worked on a range of different projects from simple recreational homes to luxury estates. We have seen and dealt with all the problems that come with custom construction.
LCS delivers a higher quality product for a couple of reasons. The first is using the same approach as used when Linwood is creating any custom Design + Material Package. Linwood is able to source the best quality lumber and materials and then organize them in the factory to get a faster build on-site. The use of premium materials gives your home a better exterior look, high-quality interior finishing, with less waste.
The quality of construction is managed jointly between our Project Managers and our trades. Unlike a one-off build, our trades have to maintain a high-quality standard to continue working for us. This gives us much greater control over the quality of workmanship of our projects.
LCS uses a unique level of fixed price certainty in our contracts along with realistic allowances to give you the best possible price and maximum cost certainty to take the risk out of your build.
The two most common areas that lead to unexpected cost increases are when builders either miss items in their quote or deliberately do not include all the line items needed to complete your project. The danger of relying on unrealistically low bids and simplistic cost-plus contracts is that you will ultimately end up paying the difference. Few builders are willing or able to make good on their errors.
You can trust LCS to deliver on our promises. Our reputation is our greatest asset. We know that building a new home is one of the biggest investments you will ever make and we make sure it is safe, secure, and protected.
Our Project Advisors are happy to evaluate your site when you are getting close to starting the building process.
During an initial site visit, we’ll review your lot to help create a site-specific design, as well as outline what work is involved in getting your site ready to build.
We utilize proprietary software called LandDNA that helps identify the relevant site work and estimate the costs associated to get ready to build what you want on your site.
While your design is in the permitting process, our Project Managers take over to get your site serviced and ready for construction.
Building a home often takes longer than people expect. If you are planning on building within the next two years, you should start planning your project right away. The more time you give yourself the more control you have.
The design and permitting process often takes longer than the actual construction. Get your construction permit as soon as possible. If you have a permit, you can choose when to begin construction. Without one, you have no control over timing.
When you are ready, get in touch with us and we will help get your project going!
Unless you have purchased a fully serviced lot, you will need to carry out a variety of site improvement work. This may include land clearance, building access roads to your home location, installation of services such as water, power, and sewage as well as excavation for foundations and landscaping.
The cost of undertaking this work can be substantial and will depend on the nature of your property as well as the result you want to achieve. This will need to be factored into your project budget.
LCS uses the proprietary LandDNA system to help you evaluate the scope and cost of necessary site improvement work. With this information in hand, we can then assist you to make the best value-engineered decisions to move your project forward.
Site improvement work is best carried out before you commence construction. LCS can undertake this work for you or you can decide to organize this independently with the various trades involved.
LCS offers you a great deal of flexibility in the level of involvement you can have in building your new home.
Personal involvement in foundation work and the framing of the house is not a good idea. This work is specialized and best carried out by different teams of expert trades. Third-party involvement is often counterproductive and negates the ability to provide fixed pricing.
With this in mind, we have developed three popular construction options that you can choose from, Structure to Lock-up, Modified Turn-Key, and Full Turn-key.
Many customers like to be involved in the interior finishing stage of their project. The best choice for you will depend on the time you have available and your level of expertise.
Many customers already have their own design concept or have purchased plans from a design company or architect. We are happy to work with these plans as the starting point for your project.
Your project advisor will check that your plans are buildable on your site and can be used for construction pricing and to obtain permits.
If necessary, we have a skilled team of in-house design professionals who can help you make any changes you may wish to make as you get further into the details of your project.
Alternatively, we can help you create a unique design of your own or choose one from one of our large design library.
LCS is a full-service builder and we will obtain permits on your behalf unless you already have these in hand. We will also make sure you are enrolled in the BC Home Warranty Program.
The permit approval process often requires work by licensed professionals. It is important to make sure they work together to eliminate delays in obtaining approvals.
LCS has access to all the resources required to get you in a position to start building your home as quickly as possible.
However, you should allow at least 8 weeks or more, depending on the local municipality, to process your permit application.
Alternatively, we can help you create a unique design of your own or choose one from one of our large design library.
Yes, our services include home design, permitting, site preparation, site services, foundations, framing, utilities/mechanical systems, insulation & drywall, and interior finishing.
It takes a lot of different skill sets to move a project forward from start to finish. Some of these skills can only be provided by independent licensed professionals, such as surveyors and engineers. In addition to our own teams of skilled contractors, LCS has full access to all the external resources needed on a timely basis. This is due to the fact that we are a preferred customer due to our large number of annual builds.
Once you’re happy with the scope of your project and enter into a contract with LCS you will work with a dedicated project manager. They will schedule and organize all the trades needed to complete your project.
Our most popular service offering is our Full Turn-Key contract.
Assistance with upfront planning is a very important part of your LCS experience. We help you understand what’s involved in your project and the impact of the decisions you will need to make to get the best finished result.
It is much more effective to make changes to your concept before you start work and this can save a lot of time and expense later on. Our process starts by making sure you have the right design for your property and can locate it in the most advantageous possible position on the site.
The next step is to select the materials that give you the look and feel you want. Once you have finalized the details of your design we are able to give you a realistic, detailed quote. Working drawings can then be prepared for permit approvals so site work can begin.
A project advisor will come and look at your site as part of a basic feasibility study once we have a better understanding of what you want to build.
We use the proprietary LandDNA system to assess the potential of your property and determine what opportunities and limitations exist.
Once you have determined that LCS is the right choice for you, one of our project managers who specialize in building in your local area will undertake a full site visit with you to discuss the construction details involved in your project.
LCS offers both home design and interior design services, if required, for the convenience of our customers.
Our project advisors will first work with you to make sure that you have a home design that meets your requirements and can be built on your property.
Some of our customers have their own home designs and plans while others prefer to use our in-house design team to help them create their dream home.
LCS also has an interior design service for those who want help in choosing the theme and materials needed to finish the home.
Your Project Advisor is responsible for your project through the design and selection of materials stages, while an LCS Project Manager is in charge of the build process.
Many customers already have their own design concept or have purchased plans from a design company or architect. We are happy to work with these plans as the starting point for your project.
Your project advisor will check that your plans are buildable on your site and can be used for construction pricing and to obtain permits.
If necessary, we have a skilled team of in-house design professionals who can help you make any changes you may wish to make as you get further into the details of your project.
Alternatively, we can help you create a unique design of your own or choose one from one of our large design library.
LCS is a full-service builder and we will obtain permits on your behalf unless you already have these in hand.
The permit approval process often requires work by licensed professionals. It is important to make sure they work together to eliminate delays in obtaining approvals.
LCS has access to all the resources required to get you in a position to start building your home as quickly as possible.
However, you should allow at least 8 weeks or more, depending on the local municipality, to process your permit application.
Building often takes longer than people expect. If you are planning on building within the next two years, you should get ready to build as soon as possible. The more upfront planning time you give yourself, the more ability you have to complete your project at a time of your choosing.
Depending on your location it may take longer to obtain all the necessary approvals and permits than to actually build the house. If variances or special approvals are needed due to the nature of your property, these can further delay the project. As LCS has built so many different houses on different types of property, we can help you navigate the approval process as fast as possible.
When you are ready, get in touch with us and we will advise you on the best way and the likely time it will take to be able to be ready to build.
Working with LCS is the fastest way to build your house!
This is because we have all the expertise and resources, both internal and external, to manage your project all the way through from start to finish.
To keep construction as efficient as possible and minimize downtime, we allocate resources as necessary from our large pool of skilled builders and trades.
As we are one of the few companies that are willing to fix our prices it is key that we keep moving projects ahead in a predictable manner and as fast as possible to avoid expensive delays.
LCS offers you a great deal of flexibility in the level of involvement you can have in building your new home.
Involvement in foundation work and the framing of the house, is not a good idea. This work is specialized and best carried out by different teams of expert trades. Third-party involvement is often counterproductive and negates the ability to provide fixed pricing.
With this in mind, we have developed three popular construction options that you can choose from, Structure to Lock-up, Completion to Drywall and Full Turn-key.
Some customers like to have major involvement in the construction of the home, others like to get involved in the interior finishing stage of their project. Many prefer minimal involvement.
The best choice for you will depend on your time available, level of expertise and requirements of your financial institution if applicable.
LCS is extremely competitive as we can combine the benefits of material buying power with skilled construction resources and experienced project managers. This means we can build faster and more cost-efficiently.
We are a preferred customer for many major manufacturers because of our size. This means, unlike many competitors, we can consistently source materials and components at fair prices that are in short supply or simply unavailable to small competitors.
The result is that we always offer highly attractive pricing to our customers. We do not take advantage of hot markets by price gouging and continue to offer great value to help grow our business.
Getting realistic quotes for competitive evaluation is not easy. Most builders give you a rough estimate that does not detail the actual work involved. Further, few if any builders, will offer fixed or guaranteed pricing for your specific project. Even if they do, how confident are you that they will be able to honor their pricing?
We believe that when you make a true competitive comparison of pricing that you will choose LCS. Simply put, we build better, faster, and at a lower price with less risk.
Most builders prefer to offer cost plus contracts. This places all the risk on the customer and offers a windfall profit to builders in times of increasing prices.
LCS is one of the few builders that will offer you major price protection by fixing the price of materials and labour for the key stages of construction.
We use realistic allowances, these cover the areas of work that cannot be fully estimated prior to starting the project.
Examples of these allowances include site improvement work and the cost of finishing the interior of the home.
Most banks will require the kind of cost certainty that LCS can offer if project financing is involved.
In any event, our ability to offer price protection helps safeguard the success of your project and offers you valuable peace of mind.
Our contracts are incredibly detailed and you should accept nothing less for your home.
You can always find someone who says that they can build at a lower price than their competitors but proving it is a whole other issue.
The big problem for customers is how to get a real comparison based on a properly detailed scope of work.
Builders often under-bid contracts. You want to make sure that your builder can and will still cover the difference in this case. Any contract is only as good as the party’s willingness and ability to honor it.
LCS is a long-established builder with an impeccable track record. Our contracts are backed up by our financial strength as one of the largest national custom home builders.
The bottom line is you can trust us to deliver on our contractual obligations.
Linwood Construction Services is a builder licensed by BC Housing Authority. We are certified and able to provide a New Home Warranty.
New home construction in BC requires a warranty. However, there are exceptions for Owner Builders. LCS can advise you if a warranty is necessary for your project.
The ability to offer a new home warranty requires certification and proven expertise supported by substantial financial guarantees. Our ability to meet these requirements provides our customers another reason to trust LCS to build their new dream home.
A major issue in pricing the cost of building a custom home is the lengthy time often involved between the initial planning stage and obtaining the permits required to begin construction. Another factor that can delay projects is the impact of adverse weather on target start dates.
Building a custom home by definition involves many different variables. These include design complexity, number of floors, type of materials used, decks, porches, attached garages, and quality of finishing. In addition, the nature of the property needs to be taken into consideration for building purposes.
The only way to get a realistic estimate to build a new home involves factoring in all these variables. There is also a problem in defining what is meant by building a home. Most homeowners are thinking of how much it costs to get from where they are to a finished result.
This includes provision of basic services, road access, and site improvement work required. A typical builder will likely not take this kind of work into consideration.
Most rough estimates only relate to living space but do not include all the significant square footage of other space such as decks, porches and garages. Smaller homes cost more per square foot than larger homes, ranchers cost more per square foot than two-storey homes.
For these reasons, it is only safe to use estimates that take into account all the work that is needed to complete the home. Starting to build without a proper scope of work backed up by firm quotes is a recipe for disaster.
Linwood Construction Services takes your project from design to completion.
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Our Washington Contractor’s License Number is LINWOCS773L8. Our Idaho contractor’s License Number is RCE-71161.
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