Our Process
Building a custom home is a year or more of your life. Here is what that year looks like with us: who you’ll work with, how decisions get made, and how you’ll always know where things stand.
See the steps
What it’s like to work with us
We keep our calendar small on purpose. That way the owners are involved in every home we build, and every client has our full attention.
Our process is written down, and it’s the same for every home.
You work with the owners.
Zac and April are your people from the first call to the final walkthrough.
You always know where things stand.
Your schedule, selections, documents and weekly updates live in one private client portal.
Nothing changes without you.
Every change is written up, priced and signed by you before the work happens.
How your home comes together
Six steps, from a first conversation to the day you get the keys.
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01
A first conversation
A relaxed call of about 30 minutes. You tell us what you’d like to build, where and when, and the budget you have in mind. We tell you how we work, and honestly whether we’re the right fit.
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02
Meet on site
We walk your lot together and look at what will shape the home: views, sun, slope, access and utilities. If you already have plans or an architect, we go through them with you.
Still looking for land? We’re glad to walk a lot with you before you buy.
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03
Design, your way
Bring your own architect and we join early, pricing the design as it develops so the numbers never surprise you at the end.
Or design with us. We lead the design with our design partner, so your home is shaped around your budget from the first sketch.
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04
Plan and price
Before anything is built, we turn the design into a detailed, line-by-line budget and a schedule, and we work through your selections together.
You see finishes and fixtures in your client portal with photos, specs and prices side by side, and approve each one with your signature.
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05
Build
Your schedule is in your portal from day one. Every week you get an update: photos, progress, what’s next and where the budget stands.
Changes are priced and signed before they happen, questions go straight to us, and invoices can be paid online.
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06
Move in
We walk the finished home together and show you how it works, from the mechanical systems to the care of each finish. You receive your homeowner’s manual, and questions after you move in come straight to the people who built your home.
Your client portal
Every client gets a private online portal. Open it on your phone or computer, any time.
Schedule
Every phase of the build, and anything we need from you, with dates.
Weekly updates
Photos and progress every week, so you can watch your home take shape from anywhere.
Selections
Finishes and fixtures with photos, specs and prices. Approve each with a signature; differences from your allowances are worked out for you.
Change orders
Each change, with its cost, sent for your approval before any work begins.
Documents
Your proposal, contract, plans, change orders and invoices in one place, with their full history.
Messages
Questions and answers stay with your project, and everyone involved is notified.
Invoices and payments
Clear invoices, payable online.
Our promises to you
Written into how we work, for every home we build.
An update every week.
From the first day of construction to the last: photos, progress and where the budget stands, in your portal, every week.
Nothing added without your signature.
Every change to your home or your budget comes to you as a written change order. Nothing is added until you sign it.
A manual for your home.
When you move in, you receive a homeowner’s manual: every paint color and finish, product manuals and warranties, how the systems work, and how to care for it all.
01What does a custom home with you cost?
It depends most on size, site, design and finish level, and no two homes are alike, so we don’t quote from a price per square foot. On our first call we’ll talk openly about the budget you have in mind and whether it fits what you want to build.
Before construction begins, we turn your design into a detailed, line-by-line budget, so you see the whole picture before we build.
02Do I need to own land already?
No. Many clients come to us with land; others are still looking. If you’re considering a lot, we’re glad to walk it with you before you buy and talk through what building there would involve.
03Can I bring my own architect or designer?
Yes. We’re happy to build from your architect’s plans, and we do our best work when we join early, so we can price the design as it develops. If you don’t have a designer yet, we can lead the design with our design partner.
04How long does it take?
Most custom homes take about 8 to 12 months to build once permits are issued. Design and permitting come first and usually take several months, depending on the design and the city or county. Your schedule lives in your client portal, and every weekly update shows where things stand.
05How will I know what’s happening during the build?
Every week of construction you get an update in your client portal: photos, progress, what’s next and where the budget stands. Your schedule, selections and documents are there any time, and you can message us from your phone.
06What if I want to change something during construction?
You can. We write up a change order that shows what changes and what it costs, and send it to you to review. Nothing changes, and nothing is added to your budget, until you sign it.
07How do selections work?
We work through them with you, and each selection appears in your client portal with photos, specs and prices side by side. You approve each one with your signature, and any difference from your allowance is calculated for you, so there are no surprises later.
08How many homes do you build at a time?
Only a few. We keep our calendar small on purpose, so that Zac is closely involved in every home and you always work directly with the owners.
09Where do you build?
In Vancouver and across Clark County, including Camas, Ridgefield, Battle Ground and Washougal.
10What happens after we move in?
Before you move in, we walk the home with you and show you how everything works. You receive a homeowner’s manual with every paint color and finish, product manuals and warranties, how the systems work and how to care for them. After that, questions come straight to us.
11Are you licensed and insured?
Yes. Sanctuary Builds is a licensed, bonded and insured Washington contractor (SANCTB*755OR) and a member of the Building Industry Association of Clark County and the National Association of Home Builders.