Our Process
Our Custom Home Building Process
Most construction problems start before a single wall goes up. We built our entire business around solving them before they start.
The way most contractors work sets you up to be surprised.
A contractor meets you, looks at your space, and hands you a number. It might take a few days. Maybe a week. But it arrives — confident, round, and built on assumptions neither of you have actually discussed.
That number is designed to win the job.
It is not designed to prepare you for the project.
The scope is vague. The selections are placeholders. The site conditions are assumed. The schedule is optimistic. And the moment something doesn't match the assumption — and it always does — the number changes. The change order arrives. The budget climbs. And by then, you've already committed.
Three Peak does not work that way.
Before we price anything, we understand it. Before we build anything, we plan it. Before you sign a construction agreement, you will know exactly what you're getting, what it costs, and when it happens.
That is what our process is built to deliver.
How we work. Every time.
Seven steps. Clear entry points. You decide whether to continue at each one.
Step 1
The Initial Conversation
Complimentary · ~30 minutes
It starts with a conversation, not a contract. You reach out, we listen. We want to understand what you're thinking about building or transforming, your rough timeline, your budget range, and anything we should know upfront — an existing architect relationship, HOA constraints, a specific lot you're evaluating.
This call is free and obligation-free. We're not trying to close a deal on the first call. We're figuring out whether we're the right fit for each other. If we are, we schedule the walk-through.
Step 2
The Complimentary Walk-Through
Complimentary · On-site · 30–60 minutes
We come to you. Your GC walks the space in person — whether it's a raw lot, an existing home, or a project already in motion. We look at layout, structure, access, slope, feasibility, and your goals. We use professional measuring software to scan the dimensions of the space and ask the questions that shape what this project actually is.
At the end of the visit, we give you an honest budget range — grounded in real local costs, built on what we heard and what we saw. Not a number designed to win the job. A number designed to tell you the truth.
If that range feels workable, we move into the Paid Planning Phase. If it doesn't, you've lost nothing but an hour.
Step 3
The Paid Planning Phase: Design + Selections
Paid engagement begins · Work Authorization signed · 1–4 weeks depending on complexity
This is where the project gets real.
You sign a Work Authorization — not a construction contract, just the agreement to enter planning — and we begin. You meet with our design team to establish the design character of the project: the aesthetic direction, the material palette, the feel of the finished space.
Then we work through every selection together: flooring, paint, trim, fixtures, appliances, cabinetry, tile, hardware, lighting. Every decision that will eventually appear on a line item gets made here — before anyone touches a wall.
This is not a mood board session. It is a structured decision-making process with a real output: the Design Bible — a comprehensive document that captures every finish selection, every material specification, and every design decision for the project.
No floating selections. No "we'll figure it out during construction." By the end of this phase, the project has a defined visual identity and a complete selection set.
Step 4
The Paid Planning Phase: Architecture, Engineering, and the Detailed Project Plan
Still within the Paid Planning Phase · Running in parallel with Step 3
While design and selections are being finalized, we are working in parallel with architects and engineers to build the technical backbone of the project.
This is where the Detailed Project Plan is produced.
The Detailed Project Plan is not a summary or an estimate. It is a complete construction document that includes every item we will bill you for — down to the doorknobs. It includes:
- Complete scope of work — every item defined and documented, no gray areas
- Line-item pricing — every billable item priced out, not allowances or ranges, the actual number
- Full selection documentation — every finish, fixture, material, and appliance specified
- Construction schedule with milestones — the full build sequence mapped out, tied to the draw schedule
- Architectural and engineering documents — drawings, structural calculations, and permit-ready documentation
- The Design Bible — the complete visual and material reference for the project
- Draw schedule — every payment milestone defined upfront
When you see the Detailed Project Plan, you are not looking at an estimate. You are looking at exactly what will be built, exactly when, and exactly what it costs.
Step 5
The Decision Point
You decide · No obligation to build
At the end of the Paid Planning Phase, you have two options — and both of them are good.
Option A: You build with Three Peak. You sign the construction agreement and put down a 10% deposit. The Paid Planning costs are credited in full toward your total project amount. You move into construction with a team that already knows your project inside and out, a plan built to be built, and a payment structure designed to protect you.
Option B: You don't build with Three Peak. You pay for our time. You leave with the Detailed Project Plan, the full Design Bible, and every document produced during planning. These belong to you. A different contractor can build from them. Your architect can work from them. You are not starting over — you are starting informed.
Either way, you made your decision with real information. Not a number built on assumptions.
Step 6
Permitting, Pre-Construction, and Active Management
Milestone-based draws · Dedicated project manager · Transparent billing
Once the construction agreement is signed, our team handles the permitting groundwork while mobilizing for the build:
- Submitting plans to the relevant jurisdiction — Park City Municipal, Summit County, Wasatch County, Heber Municipal, Kamas Municipal, Francis Municipal, Salt Lake County, Salt Lake Municipal, Sandy Municipal, South Jordan Municipal, Draper Municipal, Utah County, Pleasant Grove Municipal, Provo Municipal, Orem Municipal, or Eagle Mountain Municipal
- Navigating HOA Design Review Committee submissions where applicable
- Coordinating geotechnical requirements in soil ordinance zones
- Securing excavation permits and utility locates
- Scheduling subcontractors and ordering long-lead materials
Permitting environments vary significantly across our service area — Park City Municipal is one of the more demanding in Utah, while Summit County, Wasatch County, and the various Salt Lake and Utah County municipalities each have their own review timelines and requirements. We know the process, the reviewers, and the realistic timelines for each — and we build all of that into your schedule from day one.
When construction begins, you have a dedicated project manager whose job is to keep your build on schedule, on budget, and above standard. You are never left wondering where your project stands. We communicate proactively, not reactively.
Every payment after your 10% deposit is tied to a milestone. When a defined phase of work is complete, a draw is issued. You review it. You pay it. Work continues. You are never significantly ahead of us, and we are never significantly ahead of you. The money follows the work — not the calendar.
Step 7
The Final Walkthrough
We are not done until you are
When construction is complete, we conduct a thorough final walkthrough — room by room, system by system — to confirm that every detail meets the standard we committed to at the start.
If anything isn't right, we make it right. Before you move in.
We review finishes, fixtures, and cabinetry; mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems; exterior elements; and any punch list items from the final inspection. When you sign off, it means the project is genuinely complete — not "close enough."
The planning phase is where most projects are won or lost.
The Paid Planning Phase is the part of our process that separates us from the way most contractors work — and it is the single biggest reason our clients have a different experience.
Most contractors skip it entirely. They hand you a number built on assumptions and hope the gaps close during construction. The gaps don't close. They become change orders.
We invest real time in understanding your project before we price it. Typically, the Paid Planning Phase represents 4–12% of total project cost — closer to 4% for a focused remodel, closer to 12% for a ground-up custom home with full architectural and engineering coordination. We discuss the planning fee at the end of the complimentary walk-through, before you sign anything.
If you move forward with construction, that investment is credited in full toward your construction agreement. You do not pay for planning twice.
If you don't move forward with Three Peak, you pay for the time spent and keep everything produced — the Detailed Project Plan, the Design Bible, all architectural and engineering documents. They are yours to use with any contractor.
Ninety percent of our business comes from repeat clients and direct referrals.
That doesn't happen by accident. It happens because we do what we say we'll do — and we say it clearly, before the work begins. We'd rather earn a client for twenty years than win a project on a low bid.
Two very different ways to start a project.
The Typical Contractor Experience
- Walk-through and rough notes
- Estimate arrives days later, built on assumptions
- Selections unresolved at contract signing
- Large upfront deposit requested
- Scope shifts as details surface mid-build
- Change orders arrive during construction
- Homeowner carries the uncertainty
- Final price looks nothing like the original number
The Three Peak Experience
- Complimentary walk-through with your GC, professional dimension scan
- Honest budget range delivered at the end of the visit
- Work Authorization signed to enter Paid Planning
- Every selection made before construction begins — captured in the Design Bible
- Detailed Project Plan produced before a single dollar of construction is spent
- Line-item pricing down to the doorknobs
- 10% deposit only — not 40–50%
- Milestone draws tied to completed work
- Final price matches the plan
Questions we hear often.
Typically 4–12% of total project cost depending on scope and complexity. A focused kitchen or bathroom remodel sits toward the lower end. A ground-up custom home with full architectural and engineering coordination sits toward the higher end. We discuss the exact fee at the end of the complimentary walk-through — before you sign anything.
Yes, in full. The planning investment is credited against your construction agreement. You do not pay for planning twice.
The document you sign to enter the Paid Planning Phase. It defines the scope of the planning engagement, the fee, the timeline, and the deliverables. It is not a construction contract — you are not committing to a build when you sign it.
You pay for the time spent, and you keep everything produced — the Detailed Project Plan, the Design Bible, and all architectural and engineering documents. They belong to you. You can take them to a different contractor or use them with us later.
The Design Bible is the complete selection and specification document produced during the design phase of planning. It captures every finish, fixture, material, appliance, and design decision for the project. Nothing floats. Nothing gets "figured out during construction."
Instead of large upfront payments, you fund the project in phases tied to completed work. After your 10% deposit, every subsequent payment is issued when a defined milestone is finished and verified. You review the draw before you pay it. You are never significantly ahead of us, and we are never significantly ahead of you.
One to four weeks depending on project complexity. A focused remodel can move through planning in about a week. A ground-up custom home with full architectural and engineering coordination takes longer. We establish the timeline at the start of the engagement.
Yes, and we prefer it. We collaborate with design teams throughout planning and construction. If you don't have an architect yet, we can recommend firms we've built with successfully across Utah's Wasatch region.
Yes. The Paid Planning Phase applies to both new construction and significant remodels. The components vary — a remodel has different architectural and engineering needs than a ground-up build — but the structure is the same: understand the project fully before pricing it, and price it before building it.
The walk-through is free. The planning is not. That's the point.
The complimentary walk-through is where we look at your project together, give you a real budget range, and decide whether it makes sense to go deeper. No obligation. No sales pressure.
If it does make sense, the Paid Planning Phase is where the real work begins — and where your project gets the foundation it deserves.
Tell us about your project. We'll follow up within one business day.
Or email us directly: nate@threepeakconstruction.com