OUR PROCESS

It starts with a conversation. On the first phone call we learn the basics: where you want to build, whether you have land or plans yet, the size and style you have in mind, and your rough timeline and budget. This call is short and there is no pressure on either side. It is simply a way to find out whether we are a good fit for each other.

If it feels right, we meet in person. This is the deeper dive. We go through your plans or sketches, talk through the rooms and features that matter most to you, and get honest about budget and timing. If you are coming to us without finished plans, this is where we talk about design and how to get there.

The last step in this stage is a site visit. We walk your lot together, or a lot you are considering, and look at the things that shape a build: slope and drainage, access for equipment, where the house sits for views and sun, and what sitework the property will need. What we learn here goes directly into your budget, so there are no surprises later.

Before anything is signed, you will know exactly what you are building and what it will cost. We finalize the plans with you and your architect or designer, making sure every page reflects the home you described to us and the site you are building on.

From those plans we build a detailed budget. It is itemized, not a lump sum, so you can see where every dollar goes. Where a selection has not been made yet, such as tile, lighting, or plumbing fixtures, the budget carries an allowance: a set amount for that category that you can spend up to, or over, as you choose. We set allowances to match the level of finish you expect, not to make the number look smaller.

A word about accuracy. As you talk to builders, you will likely see estimates that come in lower than ours. In our experience, the lower the number, the less of the real cost it tends to include, and the difference shows up later as overages. Getting the numbers right at the start is the part of this process Benjamin cares about most. Our estimates are built from current pricing and real conversations with our trades, so the figure you sign is the figure you can plan around.

For some projects we also offer a cost-plus arrangement, where you pay the actual cost of labor and materials plus a set builder's fee. Every invoice is visible to you from start to finish, so there is complete transparency in what your home costs. We will talk through whether a fixed-price or cost-plus contract is the better fit for your build.

Once the plans and budget are approved, we sign the contract and collect the down payment. From here, the project is officially yours.

This is the quiet stretch before the first shovel, and it is where a smooth build is set up. Most of the work here happens on our side.

Your client portal. We set you up in Buildertrend, the project management platform we run every build on. From this point forward you can log in any time to see project updates.

Permits and approvals. We handle the permit applications with the county and, if you are building in a community such as The Cliffs, the architectural review submissions. Timing here depends on the jurisdiction, and we will tell you up front what to expect for your lot.

Builder's risk insurance. We put the policy in place that protects the home while it is under construction.

Optional Design Meeting. Some clients arrive with a clear vision and a designer already in place. Others know the feeling they want but not how to get there. If you are somewhere in between, Norma, Benjamin's wife and partner in Reini Homes, offers an optional design meeting before selections begin. What she offers is a starting point: suggestions on the basics such as finish levels, fixture styles, and a color direction, and a sense of how the pieces fit together from room to room, so you walk into your selections with a few decisions already made and a clearer idea of what you like. Clients who want a full design service are welcome to bring their own designer, and we work alongside them.

Now it has become real. Site work and grading come first, then the foundation, framing, and roof. Once the house is dried in, the mechanical trades move through plumbing, electrical, and HVAC. Insulation and drywall follow, and then the finish work, which is the long final stretch where the home takes on its character: trim, cabinetry, tile, flooring, paint, and fixtures.

Direct Communication. Throughout the build you work directly with Benjamin, the owner, and Dexter, our project manager. Benjamin oversees every home we build and is your point of contact for the big decisions. Dexter runs the day-to-day on site, keeps the schedule moving, and is the one you will hear from most often as the house goes up. Both of them know every detail of your project, so whoever you reach, you get an answer rather than a promise to go find one.

Regular updates. You will hear from us on a consistent schedule, not only when something comes up. Progress photos and schedule updates post to your portal regularly. We will also walk the site with you as needed. If you want to be there more often, you are welcome on site any time with a quick heads-up.

Selections. As the build moves along, we schedule your remaining selections with our trade partners, so you are choosing tile with the tile setter and lighting with the electrician in the room. The selections schedule in your portal tells you what is coming and when it is due, so decisions stay ahead of the work.

Change orders. You will have ideas along the way; nearly everyone does. When you want to add or change something after the contract, we price it, you approve it in writing through the portal, and only then does the work happen. The cost and any schedule impact are clear before you say yes.

Draws. Payments on a custom home are made in stages, called draws, tied to completed work rather than to the calendar. Each draw request comes with a clear accounting of what was finished, and your portal shows where the budget stands at all times.

As the finishing work wraps up, we walk the entire home with you, room by room, and build a punch list together: the paint touch-up, the door that needs adjusting, the small things that separate finished from done. Our crew works through that list before you move in, not after.

We coordinate the final inspections and the certificate of occupancy, deliver thorough cleaning, and hand you the keys along with your warranties, manuals, and a walkthrough of how your home's systems work.

Our relationship does not end at move-in. Homes settle, seasons change, and questions come up in the first year. We stand behind our work, and Benjamin remains your point of contact after you are living in the home.

If you are considering a custom home in Greenville, Travelers Rest, Landrum, or on Lake Keowee, the first step is a phone call. Tell us about your land, your plans, and what you want to come home to, and we will tell you honestly whether we are the right builder for it.