Building FAQ
Where can I look at your model homes?
To keep the prices low we do not have a vacant model home of every house plan this website has because that would cost over $50 million dollars with land. Because the demand is so high it’s rare we even build homes that are not already sold. You can tour through homes under construction at various stages of completion by filling out the contact us form.
We want to build, What’s the next step?
Use the contact us form or call and we’ll connect you to several construction loan banks, help to find your building lot, answer any questions you have and create a total house build estimate.
Do you build in my area?
Gast Homes builds in the whole state of Florida on scattered lots or inside sub-division developments. Complete the contact form and we can let you know what is happen in your area.
Will you build just the shell and let us take over?
Each home requires a building permit, to build the shell only and then someone else take over the work is not part of our business model. This is often followed up by but my (insert names here) is a contractor and he can take over. Yes, most contractors and some that even call themselves builders often are uncomfortable building the structural part of the homes shell, so they hire at high prices to build a shell for them. We do not do partial builds no matter who it is, our super strong exterior whole house system is our trade mark and we not give it away without completing it 100%.
Will you sell the house plans?
In market areas (outside of Florida) where we are not currently building, it is possible to sell the architecture drawings at a fee of $9.50 per total build sq ft. as a one time build only. If your state requires structural drawings also you would need to contact an engineer in that state.
How much money down to start building?
If your using a construction loan then all banks have a required minimum down payment investment. These often range from 5% to 30% and if you own the land its possible to use land value as your down payment. Our building company requires a minimum of 5% down or house plans cost and permits which ever is greater. To better understand the process review our “How To Building Guide“
How Long does it take to build?
Depending on where and what you build this could vary. In most cases the time between you signing a contract and the permits are completed can range from 45 to 60 days. Then the average time we need to build in is 6 to 9 months all depending on weather and the size of the home. See our “Building Guide” for more details.
Do you ever partner with investors?
Normally only on a larger scale. Because of our growth rate we find that leveraging investor’s money can be the right choice for large scale sub-division, townhouse and high rise condo development. These projects often start at several million dollars. Investor looking for smaller amounts often find that when they package one of our new construction houses on the right lot they can get the returns they are looking for.