Our Process

Anyone can build a house. We build homes.

Our process ensures an ultra-custom result that perfectly reflects your vision and meets your functional, budgetary, and lifestyle wants and needs.

What do we mean by ultra-custom?

Ultra-custom refers to the way your home reflects you in its details, aesthetic, layout, and design. The perfect custom home isn’t necessarily flashy or designed for luxury. The perfect custom home reflects the owner’s style, personality, and lifestyle. Whether it’s a quaint log cabin in the woods, a castle-like estate in the rolling countryside, or a sprawling one-story ranch house, Carrington Homes exists to help our clients bring their dream home to life.

As part of our commitment to providing the ultimate in customization, our selection process involves more than simply selecting a color palette from a pre-determined menu or shopping from a limited selection of tiles, cabinetry, or siding in our design center. Our in-house design team goes above and beyond to identify and source unique finishes, textures, colors, and features that match your vision and fit your budget. Our top priority is delivering an ultra-custom, personalized process that captures you in every aspect of your home. Nothing is off the table when you partner with Carrington Homes!

Building a luxury custom home is an exciting journey, but it can come with many moving parts and important decisions. At Carrington Homes, we’ve streamlined this process into distinct stages that ensure a smooth and rewarding experience. We like to think of it as “dating” before “getting married”—you get to know us and how we work before fully committing. Our process includes the Preliminary Design , Pre-Construction Planning, Construction Agreement, and the Active Warranty Period, all designed to guide you from the initial consultation through long-term support.

5 stages to the Home Building Success

Initial Meeting – Complimentary Consultation

The journey begins with a complimentary consultation. During this meeting, we’ll get to know each other by discussing your vision, location, style, budget, and timeline. We’ll provide an overview of who Carrington Homes is, what the building process will look like, and how we can support you every step of the way. Our goal is that, by the end of the meeting, you’ll feel confident in choosing Carrington Homes as your partner. From here, we move on to the fun part—Preliminary Design!

Preliminary Design

Carrington Homes collaborates with some of the most successful architects and designers in Indianapolis, including Stephen Goldberg, Emily Handke, and Gary Nance. If you choose an outside designer, we seamlessly partner with them to achieve your dream home. However, if you don’t have plans yet, our in-house architectural designer, Grady McEntire—who has over 30 years of experience—will work with you to bring your vision to life. Grady will capture your ideas in just one meeting, resulting in a unique design, a site plan, and a preliminary budget tailored to your goals. Once everything looks good, we’ll proceed to the next stage: Pre-Construction Planning.

Pre-Construction Planning

Now, your vision begins to take shape. During this stage, we create detailed construction documents, 3D renderings, and civil engineering drawings necessary for permits. We also strongly recommend involving a landscape architect to account for both current and future outdoor needs. While plans are being developed, you’ll visit key showrooms with our selections coordinator to make choices for cabinets, countertops, flooring, appliances, and home automation. These meetings allow us to get a clearer picture of your preferences, ensuring more accurate pricing and minimizing potential cost overruns. Once finalized, we’re ready to sign the Construction Agreement and begin building your home.

Construction Agreement

With all plans in place, we begin construction. You’ll have access to CoConstruct, an online management system that tracks everything from client selections and change orders to scheduling and payments, ensuring complete transparency. Our team of experienced construction managers, along with our long-standing relationships with trusted suppliers and subcontractors, ensures the highest quality workmanship. Throughout the process, we believe that regular meetings and clear communication are the keys to delivering a successful build and ensuring client satisfaction.

Active Warranty Period

Once your home is complete, our relationship doesn’t end. For the first two years, Carrington Homes offers a comprehensive warranty on all major components of your home. This includes proactive service—such as changing furnace filters—and scheduled inspections to catch any potential issues before they become problems. We conduct four inspections over the two-year warranty period to ensure your home remains in top condition. Our proactive approach to maintenance helps extend the longevity of your home and provides you with peace of mind for years to come.