Everything that happens between the first conversation and the day you move in. Honestly.
Most builders describe a process. We document ours — including the parts most builders would rather you not ask about.
The process isn't what separates us.
The standard is.
Every builder has a process. Most of them look similar on paper — design, permits, foundation, framing, finish-out, keys. What varies is what happens when something goes wrong inside that process. And something always goes wrong. The question is whether you find out when it happens, or after it's been covered up. Our process is documented below — including the uncomfortable parts. Select your market to see how it applies to your build.
Demolition & Site Preparation
For demolish-and-rebuild projects, the existing structure comes down first. Utilities are properly disconnected and documented. The lot is cleared, graded, and prepared for foundation work. This phase moves faster than most people expect — and doing it right sets up everything that follows.
The First Draft
If you have a lot and a basic vision, we draw a preliminary floor plan — free, no obligation. Sized and shaped for your specific lot, your setbacks, your life. We iterate until you say "that's it." Most clients who reach that moment don't need to think about which builder they're using.
City Approval Process
Alamo Heights and Terrell Hills have municipal permitting requirements and architectural review processes. We've been through this. We know what the city expects, what triggers additional review, and how to move through approvals efficiently without cutting corners on what they're actually checking. We handle this — you don't need to.
The Contract
Fixed-price. Signed architectural plans. Detailed specifications document. Once you sign, that is the price for the home we've agreed to build. If we find a spring during foundation work, that cost is on us. If materials cost more after you sign, that's our problem. No escalation clauses. No allowances that shift risk back to you. One number — and it doesn't move unless you change the scope via signed change order.
The Pre-Construction Conversation
Before we break ground, Carter sits down with every client and says this: things will go wrong on your job site. Every single time. Wrong materials will show up. Something will get built incorrectly. This is expected and unavoidable — it happens on every build, for every builder. The difference is what happens next. These are our problems to solve, not yours. We tell you this upfront so that when it happens, you're watching us handle it rather than wondering what it means.
Sound like the right way to build?
The conversation with Carter is free, and it's not a sales pitch. Tell him what you're thinking about building and he'll tell you what he'd need to know to put a number on it.
The Invisible Work
Foundation. Framing. Mechanical rough-in. Insulation. The parts that get closed up before anyone sees them again. We vacuum every wall cavity before drywall goes up. We use a third-party TREC-licensed inspector who we've worked with for decades — not because we're required to, but because we want eyes on the work that answer only to the standard. Nothing gets closed up until it's right.
Finish-Out
The part most people focus on — and we bring the same precision here that we bring to everything behind the walls. If the grout gap is 1/4 inch when the specifications say 1/8 inch, we demolish and reinstall. Every selection in the specifications document is the standard we hold ourselves to. Not a guideline. The standard.
The Walk-Through
Before you move in, Carter walks every inch of the home personally. Not a superintendent. Not a project manager. Carter. A punch list is made. Everything on it gets resolved before closing. Then we hand you the keys.
After You Move In
Ten-year structural warranty. Texas requires six. Carter's direct line doesn't change after closing — the relationship doesn't end at the key handover. If something isn't right, you call the same person who built it.
The Land Tour (Optional, but recommended)
If you're still looking at land, Carter will tour it with you at no charge. He'll tell you what he sees as a builder — lot conditions, grading, septic siting opportunities, setback considerations, HOA constraints, rock. Most clients who take him up on this say they wish they'd done it on the previous lots they looked at.
The First Draft
If you have land and a basic vision, we draw a preliminary floor plan — free, no obligation. Designed for your specific lot, your specific life. We iterate until it's right. Most clients who see their First Draft stop talking to other builders. We're not worried about you keeping the drawing.
HOA or County Approval
Most Hill Country communities have HOA architectural review processes. Some areas use county permitting. We've navigated both — Vintage Oaks, Serenity Oaks, Mystic Shores, and dozens of others. We know what the ARBs want and how to get approvals without redesigning the home partway through the process.
The Contract
Fixed-price. One number. If we hit rock or an underground spring during foundation, that's on us. If lumber prices spike after you sign, that's our problem. No escalation clauses. The only way you spend more than what you agreed to is if you decide to, via signed change order.
The Pre-Construction Conversation
Before we break ground, Carter tells you that something will go wrong. It always does. And it's always our problem, not yours. We say this so that when it happens, you're watching us handle it — not wondering what it means or whether you should be worried.
Sound like the right way to build?
The conversation with Carter is free, and it's not a sales pitch. Tell him what you're thinking about building and he'll tell you what he'd need to know to put a number on it.
Foundation & Site Work
Hill Country soil — caliche, clay, limestone shelf — behaves differently than city soil, and it behaves differently from lot to lot. Our foundation approach accounts for your specific site conditions. Septic system siting happens here too, coordinated with house placement, drainfield location, and setback requirements. Getting this right at the beginning prevents expensive corrections later.
The Invisible Work
Framing. Mechanical rough-in. Building envelope — insulation, windows, air sealing. In Hill Country summers, the envelope is what determines whether your energy bills are manageable year-round. We build the envelope correctly, not to code minimum. Third-party TREC-licensed inspection before drywall. Nothing sealed up until it's right.
Finish-Out & Walk-Through
Every selection in the specifications document is the standard we hold ourselves to. Carter walks the home before closing — personally. Everything that isn't right gets fixed before you move in. Then keys.
Ten-Year Structural Warranty
Texas requires six. On a Hill Country home — where the soil moves, the weather tests, and you may not be there full-time — the difference matters more than it does in the city. We provide ten years because we're confident in the invisible work.
Ready to start the conversation?
Whether you have land or are still looking, the right next step is the same — a conversation with Carter. No sales pitch. Just an honest discussion about what you want to build and whether Hearthside is the right fit.