(Updated 5/26/2025)

Lakeshore Custom Homes has been one of Northern Michigan’s most trusted custom home builders for over 15 years, specializing in luxury homes and waterfront properties throughout the Benzie, Leelanau, and Traverse City area. But what exactly does a custom home builder do, and how do we guide you through this complex process?

Custom Home Builders Assist and Guide the Homeowner Through the Numerous Details That Go Into the Home Building Process

We are here to help you choose an appropriate building lot, answering questions and guiding you through the many options in materials, fixtures, finishes, and many other possibilities in creating your home. Our goal is to help guide you to the right decisions and to build your dream home on time and according to your budget.

Unlike production builders who construct similar homes in subdivisions, custom home builders create unique residences tailored to each client’s vision, lifestyle, and site requirements.

At Lakeshore Custom Homes, we serve as your advocate, project manager, and construction expert throughout this journey. Our role encompasses everything from initial site evaluation to handing you the keys to your completed dream home.

Pre-Construction Planning

Pre-construction planning is crucial for building your custom home. This phase shapes everything from initial concepts and blueprints to budget and material choices. Careful planning now helps prevent costly changes and delays later on.

Pre-construction planning is essential for a successful building project. Our comprehensive pre-construction services are designed to be a collaborative process. We include you in every step, from site analysis and design development to material selection guidance and detailed budget forecasting. We work closely with you to understand your vision, lifestyle needs, and budget constraints before any construction begins.

A Custom Home Builder Manages All Aspects of Building a New Home

Much like a conductor of a symphony, the builder coordinates and guides the efforts of everyone involved in the construction process. This includes the builder’s full-time employees as well as any sub-contractors.

Lakeshore Custom Homes will generally be responsible for obtaining all permits and working with building inspectors, other governing authorities, and the designer or architect. We are also responsible for managing inspections and approvals and ultimately obtaining your occupancy permit. Materials are delivered to the work site and inspected before they are used.

A builder must know how the Michigan Residential Building Code varies from county to county and by township. Lakeshore Custom Homes is experienced in working with officials from Benzie, Leelanau, and Grand Traverse Counties to obtain all the necessary permits and inspections.

Managing Finances

Another critical task is to manage the finances of the building project. This typically means preparing the contract with the homeowner, providing lien waivers, tracking costs, submitting payment requests for completed work to your bank, and making any necessary adjustments for any owner-requested change orders to the contract. We are also experienced working with most major lenders and can assist you with obtaining a construction loan.

Throughout the entire process, we emphasize communication and planning. This avoids costly delays and ensures that we complete your home on time and within budget.

See our Frequently Asked Questions page for more information about Lakeshore Custom Homes.
Please view our portfolio to see examples of some of the finest homes in Northern Michigan.

Are you ready to make your dream home a reality?
Contact us today to make an appointment to discuss your home-building plans. We’ll be with you every step of the way to guide you to the perfect home.