Custom Home Building Process Featuring Chelsea Design | Build

We recently had a conversation with Joe and Larissa Fontana, owners of Chelsea Design | Build— asking them the common questions they get about the custom home building process in Charlotte, North Carolina. Check out our interview with them, below!

About Chelsea Design | Build

Joe and Larissa Fontana started Chelsea Design | Build, a boutique custom home builder in Charlotte, with a strong desire to bring joy to their clients through careful planning, clear communication, meticulous attention to detail, and a stunning custom home they’ll love for a lifetime. 

How do you work with your clients to guide them through the custom home building process?

At Chelsea Design | Build, we encourage our clients to have a crystal-clear vision. This documented plan becomes the guide for all decision-making throughout the custom home building process. Once the vision is in place, our in-house designer and co-founder, Larissa Fontana, works with our clients to choose all the design elements of the house before we break ground. This up-front work results in happier clients because they can visualize exactly what they’re getting and stick to their budget. 

What input do you need from your clients to have a successful outcome? 

We need our clients to do hard-thinking work during the planning phases of the custom home building process. This includes defining their vision and choosing their fixtures and finishes. When the planning phase is thorough and complete, the rest of the build goes much smoother. 

What are the steps in your custom home building process from inception to completion? 

1. Establish a Crystal-Clear Vision

As we mentioned, the very best custom home building processes start with a solid, well-documented vision for the project. We go beyond a simple list of must-haves and nice-to-haves, we help our clients document the nitty-gritty details that serve as direct inputs into the planning phase and help us create a concrete budget that we can stick to throughout the project.

2. Formulate a Plan

This is where Gray Houghland comes in. We take the documented vision and share that with the client’s architect. From blocking to concepting to working drawings, this phase is where the architect converts a client’s vision into their floorplan and illustrations of their home’s exterior. 

3. Choose Fixtures & Finishes

Not all builders have clients choose fixtures and finishes at this phase of the custom home building process, but Chelsea Design | Build believes these choices are key to reducing stress and decision-fatigue, as well as helping clients adhere to their budget and timeline. Chelsea Design | Build has an in-house designer to guide clients through the myriad of choices from cabinetry to flooring to lighting and beyond.

4. Go Vertical

This step of the custom home building process is, perhaps, the most exciting, but also where the waiting begins. At this phase in the project, clients get to see their dream come to life as we break ground, preparing the land for building, pouring the foundation, framing the home, and every detail that brings the plan to fruition.

5. Start Living The Dream

At this point, everything is done and it’s time for the clients to move into their dream home. 

What's your favorite part of working as a custom home builder?

The best part of working as a custom home builder for Joe and Larissa Fontana is creating a piece of art. Each project has its own unique requirements and there’s so much fun in the bespoke elements of each home. 

What inspires your work?

Our clients are the muse. We build relationships with them from the get-go because we believe that the more we get to know our clients, the better we understand them. Ultimately, we want their home to reflect who they are—their hopes, aspirations, and everything they envision for their life.