Have questions?  We have answers!

Buying a new home is the largest investment most of us will ever make. Building a custom home can be a particular challenge since it involves interaction with a creative team consisting of builders, architects, designers and suppliers.

Although the process can be time-consuming, the end result is well worth the effort, because unlike a production-built home, every aspect of your new Benchmark custom home will be personally tailored to you — to your needs and your lifestyle!

You’ll need to do considerable homework to make certain the experience is as rewarding and stress-free as possible. To help you with this process, we’ve put together some commonly asked questions and answers about custom homes and the building process.

What is a custom builder?

Generally speaking, a custom builder builds on your lot, builds one-of-a-kind homes from unique plans or from a selection of exclusive stock plans, builds 25 or fewer homes per year and builds only high-end, single-family homes.

Where does Benchmark build?

Benchmark Homes builds in select locations throughout the greater Jacksonville, Florida area, with special emphasis on some of the city's most exclusive communities.  These include the Palencia community near St. Augustine, Sawgrass, Queen's Harbour, Pablo Creek Reserve, Marsh Landing, Ponte Vedra, and throughout the beach and intracoastal area.

What does a Benchmark Home cost?

The price of a Benchmark Home depends upon a variety of factors, including lot costs, square footage, features and finishes used.  These are custom luxury homes, and as such, you the customer ultimately decide which features you wish to incorporate.  Contact us for more detailed information.

Can I build on my own lot?

Yes, you can.  Although Benchmark Homes owns construction-ready lots in a variety of premium locations throughout the region, we can certainly build your home on your own lot, provided it is located within our area of operations.  We approach each home as a unique work of art, and we strive to use careful planning, home placement and landscaping to maximize and enhance your lot's natural surroundings.

Once construction begins, what is my role?

While your custom home is under construction, you can play a key role in making sure the job goes smoothly. Here are a few of the things you can do to make sure your home is completed to your satisfaction:

• Make product selections on schedule
  You’ll have a timetable for selecting products and finishes for your home. Many products can hold up the project if they aren’t delivered at a certain time during the construction process. Although the selection timetable may seem aggressive, all subcontractors rely on knowing your selections well in advance for planning purposes.
   
• Stay within your budget
  Try to avoid after-the-fact changes and expensive substitutions. One seemingly minor change can sometimes lead to a domino effect, causing greater expenses than expected.
   
• Visits to the job site
  When you visit your home during the construction process, be sure to write down any questions or concerns you might have and discuss the matter directly with the builder. At Benchmark, you will always have direct access to the owners of the company anytime you have a concern. Subcontractors working at the job site never have all the information the builder does, and may give you an incomplete or inaccurate answer. When visiting the job site, remember to use common sense safety habits, as you will be entering an active construction zone.
   
• Maintain realistic expectations
  During initial meetings, we will set out a tentative timeline for your home, and explain some of the variables that we are likely to encounter. Although we try to make allowances for almost anything that can happen during the entire process of building your home, there are some things we can’t control — the weather, late deliveries, delayed governmental approvals and other factors. When unexpected delays such as these come up, remember that we are as eager to complete your home as you are to move into it. Your schedule will be continually updated, and we will always keep you informed.