Frequently Asked Questions/About Us

How long have you been in business?

Dwyer Custom Homes was founded in 2005, but Michael Dwyer has been in the construction industry for over 12 years.

Are your prices competitive?

Of course! We send all of our jobs out for individual bid, before we provide you with the estimate cost of building your home. We have build relationships with our proven suppliers and vendors over the years. What this means to you, is that you get the benefit of all the savings we receive with builders discounts. In addition, as a small business with personal on-the-job supervision, we operate more efficiently and are able to cut the high costs of overhead and superintendents and material waste on your job.
You must remember, though, you can build the same home for less if you use inferior materials and products. If quality of your home is not important and your goal is solely to build cheaply, your builder will need to use cheap vendors and products. Some of these are easy to differentiate, such as the finishes on your home, but others, such as framing and foundation work are not. So, if you compare one of our quality homes with an inferior one, you may well find that ours costs more per square foot. But, if you compare apples to apples and oranges to oranges, you will find that you can not get a better deal than what we have to offer.

What differentiates Dwyer Custom Homes from other custom home builders in your area?

The difference between Dwyer Custom Homes and our competitors is that we are a true custom builder who takes pride in our integrity and in our work. In addition, we are a very small company and will never compromise quality or service by building more than we can handle, at any given time. In an era with potentially unlimited selection options, we try not restict our buyers to have to settle on something they are not 100% satisfied with. We will make every effort to find the best solution to any need a buyer may have. Whether your home is a smaller patio home or a multi-million dollar estate, we build each home using the same quality materials, subcontractors, architectural design and construction methods. Every home is designed and built according to the specifications, budgets, tastes and lifestyle of each client. Our creativity and passion is second to none and our goal is complete customer satisfaction.

What is "standard" in your homes and what are considered "upgrades"?

There are many things that we install in our homes that are considered "upgrades" with other builder's. We customize each home from concept to move-in with the features and specifications requested by each owner. Michael will make suggestions and provide each buyer with options from the latest in ideas and technology. A complete "spec" list will also be reviewed with the homeowner and with Michael at the very beginning of the project.

What about the "hidden" costs?

Before we can provide you with a bid for your home, we must go through an extensive computerized estimation process. We are completely upfront about our costs, charges, and allowances & we provide you with a list of allowances as well. Our goal is to make sure that you are well informed to make the financial decisions on your new home and are not surprised at any stage of this process. If there are design or finishing changes made after the initial bid is accepted, we will discuss them thoroughly with you and make sure to come up with the most cost-efficient solution. We will always strive to conduct ourselves honestly, fairly, and with integrity. After all, our reputation depends on it. We will not hide costs from you as it is important for you to know all that we do.

Can I design my own house from scratch?

Yes, absolutely! We are happy to guide each of our clients through the design process with award-winning designers with whom we are affiliated, to ensure that all goals are achieved and expectations met.

How willing are you to accommodate our particular needs and interests?

We are very willing; that's the central theme of our philosophy at Dwyer Custom Homes. Our goal is to satisfy each & every client to the very best of our ability. We will work closely with each of our clients to completely understand and implement their dreams and ideas.

We are on a budget and don't think we can afford a luxury home, but we still want a quality home. Can we still have a CUSTOM home or do we just need to buy a production home?

It is a myth that custom homes are more expensive than production homes. Be careful when you are looking at the price of a home. Most builders give you a really low price on a home to get you to sign, but they neglect to tell you that it does not include all of the things you see in the model until after you begin building. At Dwyer Custom Homes, we ask what is important to you before we price the home so that you get a true and actual bid of what you want from the start. Many times, after a client has added everything they wanted to a production home, the cost of a custom built home with Dwyer Custom Homes was actually lower per square foot than the production home. By the time you pay for the upgrades with production builders, you will often spend more to have a home like everyone else's rather than having a custom home built better and exactly the way you want it.
So, we at Dwyer Custom Homes will be happy to work with you so that you can still have a quality custom home and a piece of mind that your home is being built correctly. If you want a quality custom home, come see us. Part of our flexibility is in being able to find creative solutions to people's unique circumstances. There are lots of little tricks one can use to cut back on cost without sacrificing value and quality. That's what we're here to help you do!

I would prefer to build a custom home, be we can't wait a year or longer to move in.

No need to wait a year! A Dwyer Custom Home less than 5,000 square feet will take about six and a half months to build. Larger homes, up to 10,000 square feet, usually take about eight to nine months to build.

I have never experienced the building process with a custom home. What should I expect and what are the steps in building a true custom home?

Dwyer Custom Homes is affiliated with many different designers, mortgage providers and title company experts who will work together to effortlessly build our clients' dreams. As your builder, it is my job to make sure that throughout the process, things are happening as they should. There are a few simple steps, as follows:

Each client will first meet with Michael Dwyer to discuss and determine the specifications, pricing and goals for each new home.
Once we have a conceptual overview, Michael assists each client through the design process with one of our affiliated designers. Throughout this phase, specifications are continuously examined and modified with careful consideration to meeting budgets and specific client needs or design features.
Once plans are completed (usually 6-8 weeks), a construction agreement is finalized, complete with detailed specifications, blueprints and pricing.
We follow each client's preferred course of financing and may refer them, if requested, to finance professionals we have interviewed and feel have our clients best interests at heart.
Once financing is complete (usually 2 to 4 weeks) and the interim construction loan closes, the interior design and construction begins.
Following a detailed schedule of decision milestones, each client will meet with Michael to finalize all aspects of construction design including floor plug locations, plumbing fixtures, light fixtures, flooring selections, cabinet designs, countertop choices, fireplace mantle details, backsplash layouts, wall textures, paint colors, molding schedules, brick/mortar/stone combinations, and more!
Michael will then work hand in hand with his contractors and each client to ensure that design specifications and goals are met and client's expectations are exceeded during the actual construction of the home.

Who do I call if I have a question or problem during construction?

You can always call Michael Dwyer directly on his cell number, as he is almost always on it. Because Michael will be personally supervising each aspect of the construction of your home on a daily basis, he is always well informed about the job site and issues that may arise. He is very happy to address any questions, concerns, or issues pertaining to the construction of your home. That is the personal touch you get with choosing Dwyer Custom Homes to build your home.

How do you set up your scheduled meetings with your clients during construction?

Usually, we will have a weekly meeting with our clients during the construction process to answer questions, discuss progress, and address any issues that were encountered during the week. We are very flexible, however, and can be reached on the cell phone at any time between these meetings. In the case of need, we can meet with our clients upon request at almost any given time. This is one of the advantages of having a builder who is personally involved with every aspect of construction on a daily basis.

Who do I call if I have a question or problem after the construction is completed?

You can still call Michael Dwyer directly on his cell phone number. Just because you move into your home, it doesn't mean that your relationship with Dwyer Custom Homes is over. Michael is very happy to address any questions, concerns or issues of his clients, even after they move into their new home. Michael believes in building long lasting relationships with his clients, even be-friending most.