FAQs
(THE BUILD PROCESS Is HALFWAY DOWN)
Home construction prices continue to rise. We all want to spend our money in an effective way. We give you an alternative way to build that is proven by tradition. Our solid exterior limestone walls are built with heavy, quality cuts of limestone. Since Texas offers a plethora of limestone, our costs remain more stable. Homes by Texas Limestone combine old and new methods of construction science to build “like they used to back in the day” – tried and true.
How much will it cost me?
Home construction prices continue to rise. We give you an alternative way to build that is proven by tradition. Our solid exterior limestone walls are built with heavy, quality cuts of limestone. Since Texas offers a plethora of limestone, our costs are guaranteed to remain stable.
So, how do I build a stone home?
We use an alternative traditional home building method...
We do not take the easy way out with wood. Instead, our walls have a solid, mass limestone exterior.
Traditionally...
Stone homes were made of coarse of rocks that were fit together like a puzzle to make a monolithic wall.
BACK IN THE DAY, COST AND MATERIALS WERE MINIMUM...
Acquiring knowledge to make a blueprint and laboring until completion were the only steps needed to build a structure. In short, if one had some rocks, a hammer, a sting line, a good eye, and a strong back, a house would get built.
NOWADAYS, CONSTRUCTION HAS SO MANY LAYERS... AND ADDED COSTS.
Special tools, equipment, and materials often try to mimic what nature already does
We build like this...
Building a house is when many pieces come together to make an idea become a physical creation. Like many nineteenth century buildings in Fredericksburg and throughout the Texas Hill Country, we build integrated stone walls similar to the early construction ideas of the late 1800s and early 1900s.
Why should I build with stone?
STONE IS HARD…AND HARD TO BEAT!
Stone is fireproof, water-durable, bug-proof, sound-proof, rot-proof, and acts as thermal insulation.
Okay, I'm in. What else should I know?
Finishing is the hardest part.... And most expensive!
Finishes cost as much as the shell and structure of a build. This includes painting just to make the structure "presentable." You wouldn't usually want a house with just studs, yet we can have that with stone. Studs are structural. The stone is structural and beautiful. It seems smart to save time and money...
Save on Framing and Finishes.
Down to the stones...
The natural beauty of stones cut out the need for exterior paints and extra finishes.
... Beauty and Structure.
Save time, money, and materials by building solid limestone walls.
We build custom homes, working on a fixed contract or cost-plus. Ultimately, costs depend on your vision: plans, site, and personal budget.
Here's the nitty-gritty details...
Per square foot, you can expect to spend approximately:
- $280+sqft for a complete home
- $128-200 sqft for house shell - dried in (windows doors roof, ready for you to finish out inside)
- Can do just the rock shell itself as well. We specialize in the stacking of the stone/ chipping and mortar.
- ** We build by the plans and scope, these are averages of past projects
Disclaimer: These estimated costs can vary based on soil samples, engineering needs, final plans, and finishes. These numbers do not constitute a final quote.
What's included:
- Engineering, and soil geology tests
- Quality metal roof (r-panel, standing-seam, etc.)
- ~18″ perimeter solid stone walls
- Foam insulation, blow in, attic fan etc.
- Vinyl double pane windows
- High efficiency HVAC system
- Bronze historical marker
- Much more
BUILDING SERVICES
Client Preparation:
Once you have decided to build your home, we recommend that you do some preliminary planning for your project before meeting:
- Create a list of "must-haves" for your building project
- Create a "wish-list" of items that you might want to see in your project if you budget allows
- Establish a budget range for each project
- Ask yourself: When would you be ready to start your project?
- Creating a "scrapbook" of design ideas for your project.
Consultation Meeting [click to schedule]:
- TX Limestone Homes will set up a time to meet you at your house
- We will do a walk through your desired construction site while discussing your project
- We will discuss design solutions and discuss your project budget range
- We will discuss the process and next steps
- We will give you a preliminary budget range of costs for your project
- We will discuss our design retainer with you
Design Retainer Agreement [click here to see our agreement]:
- The Design Retainer is simply a document that specifies the scope of your project and the design fee.
- The implementation of this agreement allows us to take conceptual ideas and translate them into preliminary design sketches, budgetary costs, and a project timeline.
- When the construction contract is signed, this design fee will be credited to the construction costs of your project.
- We charge an $10k retainer minimum to start, or select your size on our design plans tab to start design process. This will save your spot on our building calendar, and start designing your forever stone home.
Design Meetings (click to schedule):
- After retaining our services, we schedule a time to meet with you again at your home to fine tune your needs, finalize design ideas and solutions, and talk about material selections.
- At this time, we will field measure your building site.
- We recommend that both spouses, if applicable, be present at the design meeting. This allows our Architectural Designers to draw out ideas or concerns from all involved parties to streamline the design process.
Drawings and Cost Proposal:
- Using the information from the field measure, we will lay out your future home using our computer-aided drafting program. After this step is completed, we are able to use your existing plan to create proposed floor plans and interior or exterior elevations for your home.
- With this new design, we are able to more accurately estimate your project costs and construction timeline. Once these steps are completed, we will set up a meeting to present the design, costs, and timeline. Our fees are attached. [Click to review our fees].
Construction Contract (click to view):
- With your approval of the drawings and costs, we will draft a construction contract for you to review and sign. After your contract is signed, we will finalize your construction drawings and create construction specifications. We are now ready to start the construction phase.
Construction:
- We advise owners of what permits obtain. Your Project Manager will make frequent site visits to make sure that all construction is carefully executed per the drawings and specifications. Throughout the construction process, we believe that there must be open communication between you and our staff. If, at any time, you have a question or concern, you will be able to easily get in touch with your project manager and will receive an answer quickly.
Project Completion and Final Walk-through:
- After the building process is complete, we will ask you to complete a survey with us. We will explore the positives and negatives of your experience. By doing this, we can continue to better serve our clients.
- At this meeting, we will also discuss maintenance items, explain the function of certain products, and go over your warranty.
