Podcast
Panelized Prefab Kit Home Building Show
Hosted by Landmark Home and Land Company · EN
Landmark Home and Land Company’s discussions regarding the conceptualization of your new home, architectural design, engineering, permitting processes and uses of panelized homes to control your budget, save money and build your new home.
10episodes
Episodes
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How to Get Buildable House Plans Unified Architecture Structure and Energy Design
6d ago00:26:18Tap to summarizeShow Notes:Most people assume that if they hire an architect and engineer, the plans they get will “just work.” This episode explains why that’s often not true — and how Landmark avoids the trap of unbuildable, disjointed plans by handling architecture, structural engineering, energy codes, and site planning as one unified process. Steve walks through real-world examples where independently created drawings clash: roof framing that won’t accommodate required insulation, beams that block plumbing and HVAC runs, flat‑land stock plans dropped onto steep sites, and window schedules that don’t match actual rough openings or energy‑code needs. He shows how Landmark’s integrated design approach aligns everything — structure, energy performance, grading, setbacks, and aesthetics — before you ever break ground, significantly reducing on‑site “to be determined” surprises, change orders, budget creep, and schedule headaches. You’ll also hear why Landmark’s guaranteed pricing, custom‑at‑no‑penalty floor plans, and owner‑builder‑friendly panelized system give you a clear, buildable set of plans and a predictable path from permits to a finished home that actually matches your lifestyle and your lot. Transcript: Steve Tuma: And what I find when I talk to customers is they don’t believe that you can pay someone to get a set of plans that isn’t buildable. And sometimes those unbuildable plans even get approved by building departments. Interviewer: Hello everyone, and welcome to Episode 84 of the Panelized Prefab Kit Home Building Show. With me today, as he always is, is the President and Founder of Landmark Home and Land Company, a company which has been helping people build their new homes where they want, exactly as they want, nationwide and around the globe since 1993 — Mr. Steve Tuma. Steve, how are you, man? Steve Tuma: It’s a great day. I guess I always say that. Interviewer: It is always a great day. Steve Tuma: You know, we’ve got new projects, different projects, working on delivering homes — and you know, it’s just cool when a family gets a new home. They send pictures — “Look at this, look at what happened the first day.” You know, a couple days — we’re half framed. It’s an amazing time and, you know, we’re lucky we’re able to help customers build their new homes. Interviewer: It’s always good to make people happy, I would think. Steve Tuma: That’s what the game’s about. That’s what it is. Interviewer: So today I thought we would talk about the total shebang when it comes to panelized home building. And I’m talking from design to delivery and the entire building of a panelized home from start‑to‑finish project. Are you up for that? Steve Tuma: Yeah. It’s a lot to cover, so we’ll probably have to condense a few points here, but get to the major overview of how we can help. Interviewer: Right. Well let’s start with something fairly basic. How does Landmark Home & Land Company help with a seamless and unified design and build process — not fragmented building? Steve Tuma: Well, what’s interesting about that is not a lot of people understand what that is. Because we’ve had customers — they’ll go get an architect, they’ll go get another structural engineer, they’ll get an energy‑calc person, and then they’ll be like, “Steve, I turned these plans in and I didn’t get permits.” I’m like, “Well, because they weren’t done right.” And they say, “Well, it was an architect,” or, “It was an engineer.” It’s like, well that’s great, but you’ve got to put this together to make sure that everything matches up for your building site: The home The structural components The architectural components The energy efficiency Green codes, if they apply And then other concerns that come along in building And that’s what we’re able to do — have a unified plan set so that they’re complete and thorough and make sense for a building department to understand. And then our plans aren’t just for the building department — they’re also meant for the actual building phases. I’ve had people say, “Hey, I got a set of plans that’s meant for permits.” I’m like, “Well, sorry — is your intent just to get permits, or is your intent to also build a house?” You know, it doesn’t make sense just to get permits just to get them. So I think that sometimes there’s different methods that people work. But at Landmark Home and Land Company, we work to make sure that the plans are unified. What people may not understand is — let’s just take a roof of a home: a part of a home that’s made with a beam and a rafter, architecturally, for a certain look. A customer may want a 12‑inch fascia just to give a certain look to the house. The structural engineer may say, “Hey, you only need 2x8s or 2x10s for the rafters.” So right there — let’s just go with 2×10. There’s a 2×10 structurally, a 2×12 architecturally. But maybe you’re in an area that needs more insulation and you need 16 inches of space. So if you have: The architectural design The structural design The energy calculations …all done independently, and no one works together, you might end up with everyone doing their work — but it doesn’t match. So if the structural person says, “Hey, let’s put a 2×10 roof rafter up,” and then you need 16 inches for your insulation, you have a problem. So the structure doesn’t match up. That’s the point I’m getting at: we work to look to make sure that the details are all put together and match throughout the design. Now, I took a fairly simple example there in roof insulation on a beam‑and‑rafter type of roof system, but there’s a lot of other situations where that aligns with: Grading plans Structural engineering Electrical engineering Plumbing issues Green‑code issues …and a lot more. And also, sometimes just the customer’s concern on what they want the house to look like. So being able to wrap all those together so it makes sense is there. What’s interesting to me is a lot of people say, “Oh, Steve, the changes on site…” And I’m like, well, to me a “change” is if someone goes through and says, “Hey, I want something different than planned.” But if there’s a change on site because something wasn’t designed right, the designers didn’t design it right. So you don’t want to work in a system where it’s inherently set up to have changes on site. You don’t want to deal with: All the change orders The costs The headache The schedule changes It’s just stressful. So it’s better to work to have a full set of plans that are completely designed up front. And we do our best to make sure that: The site‑plan details match the architectural The structural The energy codes The green codes The grading plan or any terrain issues that are there So it’s a lot of details. And that’s how we work with people to avoid the on‑site changes. It’s a lot of work, but it’s what we do as our project, and why we’re able to give a set price, give someone a set of plans that’s good for permits and building. And then when they’re assembling the home package, everything goes together as planned. We’ve seen a lot of plans where, you know, there’s some details there — to someone that doesn’t understand it, it might seem to be complete, but in reality they’re not complete. For some reason, a lot of designers think that a lot of stuff gets worked out on site. I don’t understand that, because the nature of their job is to design it so it goes together right. So it takes us, you know, a little extra effort to make sure we have all the components for a proper design. Again, that might sound a little weird to people — to say, “But I paid my architect or I paid my engineer; shouldn’t they do that?” It’s like, well, they ...
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Panelized Home Kits Explained: Delivery Timeline, What’s Included, and How They Differ from Modular
May 700:28:50Tap to summarizeShow Notes:Thinking about a panelized kit home but not quite sure what you actually get, how it’s delivered, or how it differs from modular and prefab? This episode walks through the practical basics. Steve explains typical delivery timelines (about 4–5 weeks after permits and plans are done), how Landmark can stage multiple deliveries for tight sites, rural locations, and even islands, and what’s included on the truck: the complete wood structure—sill plates, floor system, sheathed wall panels with framed openings, roof trusses, roof sheathing, sub‑fascia, and connectors—ready for your local crew to assemble. He contrasts that with what you don’t get (roofing, windows, mechanicals, finishes) and why Landmark’s biggest value isn’t just lumber, but the full design stack behind it: architectural plans, structural engineering, energy calcs, and site‑specific layouts that align with zoning, setbacks, and permit requirements. You’ll also hear how “standard” floor plans are just starting points that Landmark can fully customize—even down to unusual details like floor‑to‑ceiling closet doors—and how panelized construction fundamentally differs from modular and HUD‑code prefab, while still giving owner‑builders control over their project, budget, and labor. Transcript: Steve Tuma: And that’s the advantage — our customers are owner‑builders, so they’re able to act as a general contractor or do a lot of the work themselves. We have had a lot of customers where their families are in the trades and they literally build the whole house. Interviewer: Howdy everybody, and welcome to Episode 83 of the Panelized Prefab Kit Home Building Show. With me today, as he always tends to be, is the President and Founder of Landmark Home and Land Company — a company which has been helping people build their new homes where they want, exactly as they want, nationwide and around the globe since 1993 — Mr. Steve Tuma. Steve, how’s it going, buddy? Steve Tuma: It’s a great day. You know, it always seems to be a great day when we’re helping people build homes — especially in springtime right now, the weather is pretty beautiful. It’s a good time to build a home. Interviewer: Yeah, you know, a lot of people get going in spring to start the projects in fall — the actual design and details and get it going through permitting so that when it is springtime, they’re ready to go. Steve Tuma: Yeah. Interviewer: So I thought today we would go back to something we’ve been doing over the last few episodes, and that’s get down to some of the basics of panelized homebuilding. And some of these questions — I know, Steve, you’re very patient — but sometimes I have to come up with these questions that are so basic they seem a little… a little juvenile. It’s important. You know, I know I’m not the only one that’s asking these questions. So let’s start off with: how long does it take from the time you get your design done to have a home, kit home, delivered to your build site? Steve Tuma: Well, we can basically get it delivered in four to five weeks from when a customer says, “Hey, put it in production.” Now, generally we put it in production after the plans are done and permits are issued. Then we say it’s four to five weeks. But what’s amazing about it is customers always ask us how quickly they can get it done — and we can do it a lot quicker than they expect. But the reality is, is they have to get the foundation and prepare the site. So most of our customers ask us to hold it back. But we’ve got very fast delivery. We have controlled delivery, so we can get it there the day that they need it and make sure everything works out. So the direct answer to your question is: four to five weeks we can have it on their site, ready to go — and that’s if they want it that fast, as long as their foundation’s in. Because what we want to do is make sure that they have their foundation done, the foundation crew’s left, and our panels show up, they unload them, and then start building the home. It’s good just to keep the project going. You don’t want stuff sitting around. Interviewer: Yeah. Is there ever a time where people, like, you know, split their load — like have you deliver part of it at one time? Steve Tuma: It happens a lot. Yeah, it happens a lot. And that’s the thing — some customers want everything at once, you know, floor system, walls, and roof trusses. And if it’s a smaller home, generally that’s how we deliver it. But there are some more complex homes, or homes with challenging building sites, or just bigger homes, where they say, “Hey, let’s get the floor system in, then the first‑floor walls, the second‑floor floor system, second‑floor walls, and roof trusses.” So we can work with customers to make sure it makes sense, because sometimes it’s scheduling, and a lot of times it’s space on the site. You know, if you’re doing a bigger home on a smaller lot, sometimes there just isn’t space to have all the materials laying around. So that’s a great question actually, because it’s in the coordination of doing this — making it easy for the framing crews, and methodical, and a pre‑planned setup — where we’re able to do it. We have a unique one — I guess it’s not too unique — but a family’s building in a very rural area, where it’s basically a two‑lane highway, and their driveway is literally a dirt road off this driveway. You know, so it’s not like there’s a bunch of intersections or anything. So what we’re doing is working with them to get a certain type of truck that can get off the highway quickly and traverse through their 900‑foot, winding‑through‑the‑woods, dirt‑road driveway. So we’ve worked with customers on that just to make sure it’s taken care of. We’ve even done homes to islands. Interviewer: Oh wow, that’s cool. Steve Tuma: Yeah. So I guess your simple question, I get to complicate it by saying, “Hey, if it’s on an island, if they’ve got a unique building situation, if there’s restricted space to take the delivery and hold materials, we can work with customers to get that taken care of.” And that’s part of why working with Landmark Home & Land Company is very important — because we’re not just sending a panel saying, “Good luck, hope it works.” We’re looking at the project of what makes sense for what you need — what makes sense for you, for your house, the building department, the contractor, the building site. So it’s pretty interesting. Interviewer: Hmm. Well I guess that… that was a great question, but look at all the answers. But the interesting thing about it is all those conditions we’re talking about — some customer has it. They’re either in a remote area, there’s a limited lot size. Other times, there’s a huge amount of space — they have people building on 30, 40 acres and they could take the materials and put them down, and then everything’s there when they need it. The key to it is we can deliver when they need it, in a situation that’s advantageous for them to build their home. That’s pretty cool. Steve Tuma: Yeah, that was a lot of answers in one question — but it’s always good. Interviewer: Kill some birds here. What — I know this is another super simple question, but — and I know it’s going to deviate depending on the floor plan and the design and whatever — but what actually comes when that flatbed truck comes into your build site? What comes in that Landmark home kit? Steve Tuma: Well, that’s interesting. There’s two answers to that, because there’s what we deliver on the truck — but then something I’d preface it with is what we do to make sure what we deliver on the truck, the panels, are done right. So the actual truck delivery is basically the complete wood structure: From sill seal, sill plate Floor system Any beams a floor system would need And our floor systems could be dimensional wood — like 2x10s, 2x12s. We can also do engineered I‑joists, and we can also do engineered open‑web floor trusses. We supply the floor sheathing, which is typically a 3/4‑inch tongue‑and‑groove OSB, but we can ...
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How to Build Your Own Home: Owner‑Builder Costs, Control and Real Equity Explained
Apr 2300:30:08Tap to summarizeShow Notes:What does it really mean to be an “owner‑builder,” and how does that translate into real equity and savings on a new home? In this episode, Steve breaks down the owner‑builder model Landmark is built around: you act as the general contractor (and optionally do some hands‑on work), while Landmark handles the heavy lifting on design, structural engineering, energy codes, and a guaranteed‑price panelized framing package. He explains how serious, well‑designed plans empower owner‑builders to control quality, budget, and schedule—and why relying on a cousin’s sketch or cheap internet plans usually leads to missing structure, duct runs, insulation space, and endless change orders. You’ll learn how eliminating a general contractor’s 20–30% markup, negotiating your own materials and subs, and avoiding constant mid‑build changes can instantly create tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars in equity, plus additional long‑term interest savings. Steve also compares Landmark’s one‑price, full‑service design and materials approach to the open‑ended costs of hiring separate architects, engineers, and lumberyards, and he shares how the company navigates lumber price swings, tariffs, and “never‑ending crises” by staying lean, efficient, and focused on one thing: helping owner‑builders get the exact custom home they want, in any state, at a controlled cost. Transcript: Steve Tuma: If someone goes and gets an architect, a structural engineer, all these different people and put it together, the costs are just high — and it’s still not controlled. Interviewer: Hello everyone, and welcome to Episode 82 of the Panelized Prefab Kit Home Building Show. With me today, as he usually is, is the President and Founder of Landmark Home and Land Company — a company which has been helping people build their new homes where they want, exactly as they want, in all 50 states and around the globe since 1993 — Mr. Steve Tuma. Steve, how’s it going, buddy? Steve Tuma: It’s a great day, another great day. You know, it’s interesting you say “all 50 states” — isn’t that amazing? We help people build houses in any state in the United States: California, New York, Florida, Colorado, Arizona, all these places. But even within those states, there’s variations. Rarely, but occasionally, there’s cities at or below sea level. There’s the highest populated city of Leadville, Colorado. There’s the beach communities all along California. There’s the Northeast — those beautiful little towns, picturesque towns. And we’ve literally worked in pretty much every condition — in mountain ranges, on waterfront, beach areas, lake areas, Midwestern situations, on the sides of hills, on the sides of mountains, earthquake zones, high snow loads, high wind zones. So it’s pretty incredible, the voyage this has been, to be able to completely support an owner‑builder in building their own home — no matter where they want to build. Interviewer: Yeah. It’s a lot of fun. Steve Tuma: Yeah. I mean, it seems like you like your work. Interviewer: Steve? Steve Tuma: Well, it’s pretty energizing when someone calls up and says, “Hey, I want to build this big house here in Carmel, California,” or, “Hey, I want to do something in Orlando or outside of Chicago or New York,” or whatever it is. So it’s not necessarily just the designing of the home — it’s what’s happening to the family or people that are building. They’re newly married, they’re starting a new life, you know — retirement home, helping the kids get a house, helping mom and dad get a house, building an ADU for income, building a duplex for income, an investment situation. So it’s kind of neat. It’s not just like, “Hey, let’s just get a house.” It’s a transformation of what really happens in people’s lives and how taking the time to make sure that the house is built right, designed right, works within their budget — of how much we can help them achieve their goal as an owner‑builder. It’s an incredible situation. I think we’ve been doing it almost 33 years — since 1993. It’s pretty amazing. Interviewer: Yeah, I think you guys have it down by now. Steve Tuma: Pretty good, I think. Interviewer: You know, today I thought we’d talk about the — we always talk about owner‑builders. What is the whole — what’s behind that phrase, “owner‑builder”? Let’s talk about the owner‑builder model and how exactly that work is laid out by Landmark Home & Land Company. Steve Tuma: Well, what’s interesting about that is our customers are owner‑builders. So that means the person that is likely to live in the home is also the general contractor or the subcontractor. So an owner‑builder is pretty much making sure that they’re building the house the way they want it, to stick to their schedule, to stick to their budget. A lot of people also do it because they want to know what’s going in their home — they want to make sure it’s done right. They want to make sure the quality’s there, the design elements and other features are put together. So that’s generally what an owner‑builder will be — but it can span various degrees. Someone could literally be involved in every step of building the home — excavating, the foundation, framing the home, and continuing on. Or an owner‑builder can also be someone that manages the subcontractors that are building their home. So a lot of people do it to control the quality. Sometimes it’s just a dream. We have a lot of people that are like, “When I was 12, I always wanted to build my home. Now I’m capable of doing it.” Some people do it for financial reasons — to save the money or get a nicer home for the same money. Other times, just affordability seems to be the big word that’s flying around now — homes are expensive. And if someone can save a considerable amount of money by building their own home, why not? So our model kind of helps them get the biggest, one of the hardest components — designing the home, make sure it’s structurally sound, make sure it’s energy‑efficient, make sure it fits on the lot, and then supply the framing process. As a one‑stop shop, we’re able to take care of a big component so that they can control their project. So they’ll tell us how they want the house — where they want walls, what the general look, what the garage is like, what the kitchen is like — and we’ll design the complete home with them. So they understand it, they know our costs up front, and then they can go through and execute the building of the home with our excellent set of plans. Because with our great set of plans, they can talk to a knowledgeable contractor and get an accurate estimate. Without accurate plans, it’s garbage in, garbage out. So if you give someone a bad set of plans — something you hand‑sketch, something you swipe off the internet — the details probably aren’t there. So you’re not going to get as accurate a cost. But also, with a real set of plans, people are going to know you’re serious — you’ve put some effort into making sure the house is designed right. So with our model, we help them understand the project, help them work to get the plan set that they need for easy permitting process and then also building. And then we deliver the panelized home package, which then is the complete wood structure that they can assemble — get a local contractor, or assemble themselves on site — and then get subcontractors to go through. It’s a tremendous money savings. Interviewer: How often do people come to you and say, “Well, I’d have you design it, but my cousin Dave took architecture in junior high, so I’m going to have him do it”? Steve Tuma: You know what — usually that happens where they’re like, they’ll come to us with that. And… everyone’s got their capabilities, everyone’s proud of what they do. But the reality of needing us to do a professional design — we’re not just drawing a cute picture so someone could say, “Hey, look at this.” We’re making sure it works for energy efficiency. We’re making sure it works for structural concerns. We’re making sure it fits the architectural needs that you need. If there’s ...
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Owner‑Builder Construction Loans: How to Finance Building Your Own Home
Apr 1700:27:30Tap to summarizeShow Notes:Thinking about building your own home but intimidated by the financing? This episode explains how construction loans for owner‑builders really work, what banks and credit unions look for, and how Landmark’s detailed plans and support can make lenders far more comfortable with your project. Steve walks through common funding paths (cash, proceeds from a sale, pay‑as‑you‑go builds, bridge loans, USDA rural loans, local banks and credit unions) and then breaks down typical construction loan structures: draws paid out in stages, interest charged only on money actually disbursed, and how these convert into a long‑term mortgage. He emphasizes that the biggest differentiator in getting approved is not the panelized system itself but how organized you are—coming in with a complete, accurate plan set and realistic budget instead of half‑baked sketches or generic internet plans. Having clear, detailed house plans helps everyone involved understand the scope of the project. You’ll learn how clear plans help appraisers assign better values, how banks evaluate down payments (including land equity), what pre‑qualification and pre‑approval really mean, and why owner‑builders often walk away with significant equity and long‑term interest savings when they “have their ducks in a row” and treat financing as a strategic part of their build, not an afterthought. Transcript: Steve Tuma: And when an appraiser sees a clear and accurate set of plans, they know what’s being appraised, so they can be more specific and likely give a better value. Interviewer: Welcome everybody to Episode 81 of the Panelized Prefab Kit Home Building Show. With me, as he usually is, is the President and Founder of Landmark Home and Land Company, a company which has been helping people build their new homes where they want, exactly as they want, nationwide and around the globe since 1993 — Mr. Steve Tuma. Steve, how you doing, man? Steve Tuma: Good, good. We’ve got a different one today, different topic. We’ve talked about a lot — design, the panelization, building departments, the efficiencies of building a precision‑built panelized home. But we’re talking money, financing today. Interviewer: Finally. I’ve been dreading bringing this up because it’s like so many people today, it’s like money is a big thing. But I thought, well, maybe this is the perfect time. So I thought we’d chat about — before building a new home — what’s the financing process for a build project? I mean, financing, as I said, scares a lot of owner‑builders away before they even start. So today I’d like to go through how construction loans work, what lenders look for when they’re funding a panelized home build project, and how, as with anything, good preparation helps a lot. In short, what sort of things are lenders looking for when making a decision on whether or not to even give out a loan on a panelized home build? Steve Tuma: Well, here’s the interesting thing. Some people pay cash — they borrow money from their retirement funds, have a rich uncle, win the lottery, whatever it may be. Or, a lot of people, they sell a home and they have the proceeds to build their next home. So there’s a variety of different ways that people get the money to build their own home. We’ve also had a lot of people that just build it with what they have. So they’ll say, “Hey, this year I’m going to do the foundation, get the framing up. Next year I’m going to finish the inside.” And maybe it’ll take them nine months, a year, a year and a half, two or three years — but then at the end of it they’ve got a home without a mortgage. It might take a little longer, depending on the individual family’s financing needs or financing picture, but there are different options. So not everyone chooses to go through financing routes if they have different avenues. But if they do go through financing — the typical bank situation — generally I’ve found that they tell me that they’ve gotten their better deals with smaller local banks. They’re just more in touch with the community, what’s going on in a community, and their charters, I believe, are just more set up to take care of people. The USDA also has some loans for rural properties that are more advantageous for people in rural areas, to make sure people live in rural areas — because sometimes big banks don’t always work with that. And then there’s also credit unions. A lot of customers use credit unions. They just seem to offer different flexibilities. And what customers tell me, and from what I’ve experienced, is they just get better deals as well. It’s kind of interesting. So it’s kind of in the viewpoint of the bank. Some people say, “Well, I talked to my bank — they don’t do owner‑builder loans.” Well, maybe for your financial position they aren’t, but it’s always worth asking. There are banks that customers are able to get owner‑builder loans. And basically what it is — some banks are just concerned, “Is the person going to finish?” There’s, in my opinion, a fictitious idea that an owner‑builder isn’t motivated to build their home. I think that’s weird because owner‑builders are building their home for their own family, their own personal gain, and it’s something that they choose to do. But what’s interesting, what we’ve seen, is sometimes banks will be a little skittish if a customer is not organized. Interviewer: Oh, right. Yeah. Steve Tuma: So that’s where it is. When they see our set of plans — all the different details, the thought processes, the budget that a customer can put together with our plans — they think, “They’re serious.” Because sometimes what happens — owner‑builders will try to save money in the wrong place. They’ll be like, “Well, I’m not going to get a real set of plans. I’m just going to get a copy of this incomplete set of plans from the internet, turn it in. And then, if they give me financing, then I’m going to get a real set of plans.” Well, that just shows that it’s not thought out. The details aren’t there. In order to have an accurate budget, you need to have a complete and accurate set of plans. And that’s where we’re able to help them — so that when they apply for the loan, there’s a complete set of plans with the details they need, so that a bank can then review the plans and say, “Hey, we know what’s being built, therefore we can get an appraisal to see how it works.” And when an appraiser sees a clear and accurate set of plans, they know what’s being appraised, so they can be more specific and likely give a better value. And then the bank will also look at the plans to review your budget. So someone could go through and say — you know, the bank might have different ways of calculating what they believe a foundation should cost, or what drywall should cost, or whatever it may be — to go through and verify that it’s a sensible thing. Sometimes where people are a little skittish around financing is it’s like the bank’s looking at you in a sense of passing judgment — “Does it work?” Well, if you’re organized, you know what you’re doing, you have a well‑thought‑out plan, and you’re being realistic — that’s the type of customer a bank does want. What they don’t want is someone saying, “Well, you know, Uncle Joe’s going to show up and work for free, and this guy’s going to show up over here, and this guy’s going to help me.” It just doesn’t make sense. So what they want is someone that’s really thought it through. And customers are successful in getting loans. Of course there’s typical loan things like your credit score, job histories, things like that — where the bank is just looking to make sure that they have, you know, someone that’s in the right position. No one wants to set someone up for failure, including a bank. Now, I will agree that sometimes banks are a little funny to work with. Sometimes they ask for the same documents over, or they need this, or they need that, or they need deeper information — and maybe what the person up front is telling you compared to the underwriters, the story’s a little bit different. But that’s the nature of the bank, and people just need to see that, “Hey, the bank’s wanting to make sure that they have a good loan so that a customer has the right financing to prop...
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How Panelized Homes Are Built: Step‑by‑Step from Design to Delivery
Apr 1000:32:35Tap to summarizeShow Notes:Ever wondered what actually happens from the moment you call Landmark to the day your panelized home is standing on your foundation? This episode walks through the full panelized kit home process step by step: the first call where Steve clarifies your location, codes, budget, lifestyle, and home type; the purchase agreement with a guaranteed package price; and the behind‑the‑scenes design work where architectural plans, structural engineering, and energy calculations are all coordinated to create a buildable plan set, not just a pretty drawing. Steve explains how wall panels, floor systems, and roof trusses are precision‑built in a controlled factory environment, labeled, bundled, and delivered by semi to your site on a schedule that fits your crew and access constraints (even for tight historic streets, steep mountain roads, or islands). He then follows the on‑site sequence—from unloading with a forklift and assembling labeled panels per the detailed assembly drawings, to inspections, drying in, mechanicals, insulation, and finishes—showing how Landmark’s upfront “homework” dramatically reduces changes, confusion, waste, and delays compared to conventional stick‑building, while still giving owner‑builders a fully custom home. Transcript: Steve Tuma: And that’s what I call doing the homework up front. We’re designing it, making sure it’s right for the customer’s needs and sensibility of building it. Interviewer: Hello everyone, and welcome to Episode 80 of the Panelized Prefab Kit Home Building Show. With me as usual is the President and Founder of Landmark Home and Land Company, a company which has been helping people build their new homes where they want, exactly as they want, nationwide and around the globe since 1993, Mr. Steve Tuma. Steve, how’s it going, buddy? Steve Tuma: It’s a great day again. It’s always a good day to talk about panelized homes and how we can help people. Interviewer: It’s always a great day. It’s always sunny and happy. When is there not a good day to talk about building homes? Steve Tuma: Exactly. Today’s a better one though. Interviewer: The past few episodes of the podcast we’ve talked a lot about concepts and the basics of panelized home building, and I thought we’d continue that today by having you dig deeper and take us step by step through the process of just how a panelized home is built and constructed. And of course, no one on the planet is better qualified to take us on that journey than Steve Tuma. Are you good with that? Steve Tuma: Yeah. It’s a lot of detail, so we’ll probably give a quick overview, and then as customers call in or work with us on getting plans going and the whole process, we can get into the finer details. But yeah, definitely — this is one with a lot of information. Interviewer: Excellent. So I thought we’d do this as a, like I said, journey‑type thing. Imagine that me — I’m a customer, and I’ve decided to work with Landmark. I give you guys a call and say, “Okay, let’s do this.” So walk us through this. What happens during that initial call? Steve Tuma: Well, that initial call is pretty interesting because initially we’ll talk generalities of: “Hey, where are you building?” “What are you building?” “What type of house? Do you have an idea?” “When do you want to start?” “Is there a budget range you’re trying to stay within?” “Are there features of the home? What kind of home is it? Is it a weekend home, your second home, your third home? Is it your main home, retirement home?” So those are the general ideas that we’ll discuss, to kind of fine‑tune the process and bring the details together so that we can get a grasp on what’s exactly going on with what the customer wants to do. And then we can sort out the best way to help them. It’s also, “Where are they building?” Because if you go build a house in Iowa, the codes and details are generally different than if you do something in like Florida, or New York, or California, or Texas, or any of the other states. So we like to get an understanding of what it is so we can fine‑tune how we can best support and help a customer develop their project and move the project along. So that’s basically what we do. And then from there, we get into discussions on their timeline — when they want to start, what type of foundation, types of windows, types of roofing systems. Do they have different ideas for heating and cooling, and all those details. At some point they’ll say, “Hey Steve, let’s start. Let’s do this.” So we have a simple purchase agreement — kind of outlines the cost. Oh, by the way, we give a guaranteed cost for the house package. So that’s pretty cool. People can rely on that for: The plans The structural design Energy calculations Whatever details they need for the building department Then we put the package together for them so they’ll have the plans to submit for permits. And after the permits are issued, we then put the home package into actual production. So that’s it. Now, as far as how this all starts — there’s the actual production of the panelized home package, and then there’s also the, “How do you actually build the house?” So the actual construction of the panelized home package is done in our production facilities, where basically what we’re doing is creating a more efficient process of stick‑building. Okay, so it’s not a modular unit where two halves come out or four different pieces come out to make a unit. It’s more like an efficient stick‑building process. So they’ll make the wall panels in a production facility so that every panel is pre‑made — so basically, when assembling a home package, they’re putting wall panel one up, wall panel two up, wall panel three, going around. Instead of conventional stick‑building where they’re getting the wood, cutting it, measuring it, putting all the details, making a wall there and then assembling it. So it’s a better‑controlled atmosphere, building it off‑site. And what that allows us to do is also have the assembly on‑site considerably quicker. Some people say it’s half the time, maybe even a little bit quicker. The roof system is built with roof trusses, like conventional stick‑built roof trusses, and then we supply the materials for any floor systems, the roof sheathing, sub‑fascia, bracing materials and other details. We’re basically supplying the complete wood structure of a home. Again, the key to it is that it’s a more efficient method of stick‑building, so we can go through and do truly custom design. We’re not limited by the production facilities like in modulars, where they have to go down a production line and the units have to be rectangular within certain specifications. We can go through and do a truly custom home. Whether it’s something of a more simple design — like the typical American ranch home — or something where someone wants to get into a late‑1800s Victorian, or you want to get into mid‑century modern homes, prairie‑style designs, very modern designs — we can work with all those designs to go through and completely architecturally and structurally design the home package so it’s easy to assemble on site. This is the point that I’m not sure customers completely understand — the amount of work it takes to properly design a home for any stick‑building or our panelized system: To make sure that beams are the right size Make sure that beams fit in places Make sure the ceiling heights are right Make sure wall heights are right Make sure shear‑wall engineering concerns are taken care of Make sure load paths are right A lot of people think there’s this magic button where plans just magically appear. No — we’re actually going through to make sure the house will go together. That allows for quicker assembly on site. Your stick framer is not out there deciding what a house will look like. The reason I say that is people don’t always understand that not all plans are the same. So someone could have a set of plans that looks good, but the details aren’t there. We’ve actually had plans wh...
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Build vs Buy a House: Which Is Better for Your Budget and Lifestyle?
Apr 200:22:36Tap to summarizeShow Notes:Choosing the right land is just as important as choosing the right house design, and in this episode we break down how to evaluate a building site before you fall in love with the view or the school district. We explain how two “similar” lots can have totally different realities once you factor in buried utilities, old foundations, wetlands, soil problems, steep slopes, floodplains, zoning setbacks, and the true cost of bringing in water, sewer, and power. You’ll learn why Landmark insists on checking that a house actually fits the lot and matches its conditions, how low‑priced land can hide expensive construction challenges, how special foundations, geotechnical reports, and flood‑elevation requirements affect design and budget, and how proper site planning also ties into disaster resistance (hurricanes, earthquakes, high winds, snow loads). Throughout, we will show you how Landmark helps owner‑builders go from “we own this land” to “we understand exactly how to use it,” acting as the engine that connects site conditions, permits, structure, and custom design into a buildable, budget‑aware plan. Of course, if you need help evaluating your land, we can assist with your site plan review to ensure your design fits the property. Transcript: Steve Tuma: Now, our partnership with customers — it goes deep. We work a lot together, talk to a lot of them every single day. We get to know each other like family and work together. So there’s no sense in, you know, quote, “blowing smoke” to get a sale. Interviewer: Hello everybody, and welcome to Episode 79 of the Panelized Prefab Kit Home Building Show. With me, as usual, is the President and Founder of Landmark Home and Land Company, a company which has been helping people build their new homes where they want, exactly as they want, nationwide and around the globe since 1993 — Mr. Steve Tuma. Steve, what’s going on, my friend? Steve Tuma: Just another day helping people build houses. It’s actually really the design process and helping them get everything set up to build, which is where we really help our customers. They don’t always realize that up front, but that’s really where it comes into play — the support of building a house. Interviewer: I know you work hard, but I can’t imagine having a better job than yours if it’s what you’re into — and you seem to be into building houses a lot. Steve Tuma: Well, it’s kind of amazing. We get a lot of thank‑you notes or people leaving positive reviews for us and different things. But once, I got a construction‑paper — you know when you were little kids, the teacher would give you construction paper and you’d cut out a little bear or a car or something and make your own little piece of art? This lady’s children put it together and said, “Thank you for helping my mom build us a house.” Interviewer: That’s great. Steve Tuma: And I was like, “Wow.” I still have it. To see the impact of a new home that a family designed, understood, knows why they’re doing it — working the budgets, the trials and tribulations of just getting the project going — to see the end result and how they look back and how it’s affected a family is incredible. And then not just the first house. Some families go through — we have one brother and a cousin, I think we’re in 19 houses with them. I have other people that become investors and put rental units up. It’s amazing to see what happens. Interviewer: That’s got to be a lot of fun. You know, for this edition of the podcast, I wanted to dive into another one of our comparison topics and give you a chance to explain the pros and cons of different types of homebuilding and different types of houses in general. So if you’re good to go, let’s get into that. Steve Tuma: Yeah, yeah. This is going to be an interesting one. Let’s talk about it. Let’s see where it goes. Interviewer: Yeah. Let’s talk about the differences between building your own house and buying a structure already built. You run into this a lot: “I could buy a new house or an old house, or I could build one.” Give us the background and pros and cons on both of those options. Steve Tuma: Well, it’s pretty interesting because what I’ve found is, some people just buy existing and some people just want to build new. So there might be a variety of pros and cons, but what I’ve found is: generally, people that want to build, want to build. The idea of buying a home — the theory is that you can just move into it. But generally, an existing home needs some type of work, whatever type of work it is, or you’re taking a home that’s there — you can’t adjust it or make it to exactly what it is. So the chances of you finding the exact home that’s absolutely perfect for you is probably pretty limited. And you also don’t know the condition of it, as well as how it’s been maintained. If it’s an older home, it might need some help — but chances are, mechanicals, insulation, windows, or other things just aren’t as efficient as a new home, which is going to have the better details for it. So I would say a lot of people go through and build because they know what they want. Sometimes it’s a life’s personal challenge — they’ve been wanting to do it since they were a kid. Other times it’s a financial decision, because the affordability of homes — it’s a big thing in the news now; things are expensive. So if someone can do some of the work themselves, coordinate it, they can save a lot of money, get some equity in the house. And if they’re financing, what people don’t realize is the savings of $100,000 or $200,000 or $300,000 on a house, compared to adding to your mortgage — what that compounds out to. I don’t have the exact calculation, but if you save $100,000 on your mortgage — if it’s $100,000 less by building your home than buying an existing — over the course of a mortgage that might save you a quarter of a million dollars. So it’s not just the “get the house you want” — that it’s energy efficient. It’s also a financial move. And there’s also the flip side: sometimes people build a bigger, nicer home with the same money than if they went through buying existing. But that’s the key as to why people build — they know what they want, and they want to do it. And a lot of times people say, “Hey, when I build it, I know how it’s getting built. I know that it’s being built right. There aren’t shortcuts. I can check it myself. I can make sure it’s specified right.” So I would say a lot of it — some people just lean one way or the other. But the people that want to build — it’s in them. It’s been something they’ve been thinking about. There’s a personal pride. They enjoy it. And a lot of it — it gets people into homes that otherwise they wouldn’t be able to financially afford. We have some people that save the money — they sell a house, it’s retirement funds, it’s rich uncles, it’s loans. Other people say, “Hey, I’ve got enough to get it dried in. I’ll do that this year. Next year I’ll do the inside.” And some people might say, “Oh, that’s a lot of work.” It’s like, “Yeah — for two years, to not have a mortgage, that’s pretty cool.” So there’s a lot of motivations as to why people build a home. Some of it, like I say, is the quality. Some of it is they get the house they want. And a lot of it is the financial position they’re in — that they’re able to put it together. I’ve only had two people say, “Hey, if it goes over a million or two, I don’t worry about it.” Most people, whether it’s a $200,000 home, $500,000, $700,000, $1.5 million, $3 million, whatever it is — they’re watching their money. So the guy building a $2 million home is watching the money just as much as a person with a $200,000 home. And that’s what we’re able to do — give them a set and guaranteed cost for our portion of the project, so that they have better control and understanding of the project that goes into it. Also, if someone’s buying a home, you don’t know what you’re getting. A lot of people say, “Oh, I’ll buy and renovate.” And yeah, that’s great — you do...
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Buying Land to Build a House: Red Flags, Site Issues and What to Check First
Mar 2600:24:33Tap to summarizeShow Notes:Choosing the right land is just as important as choosing the right house design, and in this episode we break down how to evaluate a building site before you fall in love with the view or the school district. We explain how two “similar” lots can have totally different realities once you factor in buried utilities, old foundations, wetlands, soil problems, steep slopes, floodplains, zoning setbacks, and the true cost of bringing in water, sewer, and power. You’ll learn why Landmark insists on checking that a house actually fits the lot and matches its conditions, how low‑priced land can hide expensive construction challenges, how special foundations, geotechnical reports, and flood‑elevation requirements affect design and budget, and how proper site planning also ties into disaster resistance (hurricanes, earthquakes, high winds, snow loads). Throughout, we will show you how Landmark helps owner‑builders go from “we own this land” to “we understand exactly how to use it,” acting as the engine that connects site conditions, permits, structure, and custom design into a buildable, budget‑aware plan. Of course, if you need help evaluating your land, we can assist with your site plan review to ensure your design fits the property. Transcript: Steve Tuma: Generally, customers are excited — “Hey, let me get my plans.” And I’m saying, “Hey, that’s important. Let’s make sure the house fits on the land. Let’s make sure things work.” Interviewer: Hello everyone, and welcome to Episode 78 of the Panelized Prefab Kit Home Building Show. With me again today is the President and Founder of Landmark Home and Land Company, a company which has been helping people build their new homes where they want, exactly as they want, nationwide and around the globe since 1993, Mr. Steve Tuma. Steve, what’s shaking, amigo? Steve Tuma: It’s another great day. You know, it’s funny — you say “what’s shaking,” and we’re going to talk about land today. That could be stuff with earthquakes and earthquake engineering, but it’s a good day. It was a really interesting week. A lot of customers getting very detailed into their home plans — specifics of exactly how they want the house. You know, nothing standard: “I want my kitchen like this, I want my hallway like this,” and it was pretty interesting. And you know, some land things — I think we’re going to talk about land a little today. Interviewer: That’s what I want to talk about. Not so much about the actual building process, which is usually what we’re talking about, but an aspect of building that we don’t get enough time with, I don’t think — and that’s the land itself. Are you good with that? Steve Tuma: Yeah, yeah. This is a really interesting topic that a lot of people don’t really get into the details of. They say, “Hey, it’s close, it’s in the right school district, or it’s got a view.” But, you know, within that there’s a lot of stuff to check out. Interviewer: Well, you’re always interesting, so I don’t see why today would be any different. But to start with, give us some insight into the obvious questions a new homeowner‑builder might have — things like, well, how best to choose land to build a house on in the first place. Let’s start there. Steve Tuma: Well, generally people look at a community or neighborhood, or land with certain features. You know, if they’re doing a retirement home in the Rockies or the Sierras, they might want a certain view or certain trees or certain access — or certain access to leisure sports. But then, you know, a lot of the concern is just: “Hey, where do I want to be?” So if it’s a newlywed family, a couple starting a family, they might be like, “Hey, I want to make sure we’re close to work or we’re close to good school systems.” If it’s someone retiring, it might be like, “Hey, I want to take advantage of fishing,” or whatever it may be. Other people building in cities might have different concerns on what’s there. So the customer generally is always looking at, “Hey, where’s the land that I like — for the convenience, lifestyle, close to work, whatever it is.” What I think some of the details that we need to review are: what’s kind of the hidden features of the land? What are the “uh‑oh” moments? Or, hey, what are things we should look at in land that can determine… Because sometimes you could have two pieces of land that appear to be the same — a flat piece of land here and, across town, there’s another flat piece of land. It’s convenient to school, it’s convenient to work. But are there details of that land that make it harder to build on? And those are the things that I think people don’t think about or don’t understand, or they can’t get accurate information. So that’s the stuff that’s there: Are utilities available? When someone says, “Yeah, utilities are available,” does that mean they’re half a mile away and you have to bring them in? Or does that mean it’s an easy connection at the front of your lot? Soil conditions — we have people that are working on infill lots in cities and they’ll come up with stuff and say, “Hey, the city gave me a lot for a dollar. They’re going to let me rebuild.” And then I always say, “Hey, that’s really cool — but what was there before? Did someone tear a house down? There’s a foundation there you don’t know about. Is there a gas line? Is there an old oil tank if you’re in the Northeast? Are there utilities there? What’s buried in the ground?” Because if you’re going to a city that’s 100 and some years old and you find a lot that’s never been built on, chances are something happened to it. Interviewer: That one dollar can turn into a nightmare. Steve Tuma: Well, that’s the thing that I’m saying. So this isn’t to scare people — it’s just to give them an understanding of, “Hey, the school district’s important, close to work’s important, close to family and any other things in life are important,” but also: what’s in there? And what are the soil conditions in any lot? Is it something where there are water‑table issues? Is it something where there are expansive soils? Different things like that. Also the terrain — if you’re building your retirement home in the Colorado Rockies and you want a beautiful view, you’re likely to be on a sloped piece of land or close to it, or something that isn’t exactly flat. So it’s one of these things where you’ve got to look at the cost of building and the challenges of building on the side of a hill or a mountain versus flat land. So there’s a lot to look at. Now, here’s the thing — I don’t want to scare people. I want people to understand, “Hey, you should build a house where you want to,” but we should have a discussion of what’s going on. And another one that’s been popping up lately a lot are floodplains. Right now we’ve got a couple of houses where people are building in areas where the family has been forever and there’s never been a flood — but then they find out that FEMA’s labeled it with a floodplain. And suddenly it changes your foundation or access to the lot. So these are all things that could be checked out. Some people might say, “Oh, that’s a lot.” It’s a lot because they’re not familiar with it. But when we work with someone, we can go through, explain the process, let them know where to go check things out, and then we can design a home that makes sense. So the bottom point of this is: there’s land that’s a very good value. Sometimes you have to see if you’re just lucky to get a deal, or if there’s a reason why the land costs less. Because sometimes land costs less because it’s harder to build. So they discount the land to make up for it. Now that’s not necessarily the worst thing — you just have to understand it. It’s like any other risk in life. You just have to understand what’s there. Oh, I forgot — zoning and setbacks. Does your house fit on the land? If you have a lot that’s 50 feet wide but your house is 49 feet wide, most communities won’t allow that. So we’d have to figure out a different ho...
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How to Avoid Costly Mistakes When Designing and Building a New Home
Mar 1900:29:16Tap to summarizeShow Notes:Thinking about building your first home as an owner‑builder and worried about making expensive mistakes? This episode walks through the most common traps first‑timers fall into and how to avoid them with smart planning. Steve explains that most “mistakes” are really just lack of upfront thinking: not understanding soil and septic realities, misjudging slopes, ignoring flood zones, assuming utilities are cheap and close, or choosing complex rooflines, too many corners, and tall ceilings that quietly drive costs way up. He shows how a complete, well‑thought‑out plan set forces you to decide on things like heating system, window types, electrical layout and deck size before you build, which prevents change orders, delays, and budget blowouts later. You’ll hear why picking the right partners (engineers, surveyors, subs, material suppliers) matters more than chasing the cheapest bid, how to approach permits when zoning, building, planning, public works and HOAs all have different requirements, and how Landmark helps owner‑builders identify site‑specific issues like geotechnical needs and base flood elevations early so the home is designed right for the land from day one. into a confident, funded, line‑item budget. Transcript: Steve Tuma: So in a sense, what could be considered a mistake is really lack of planning or understanding. You minimize those mistakes by thinking things through. Interviewer: Hi everyone, and welcome to Episode 77 of the Panelized Prefab Kit Home Building Show. With me today, as expected, is the President and Founder of Landmark Home and Land Company — the company which has been helping people build their new homes where they want, exactly as they want, nationwide and around the globe since 1993 — Mr. Steve Tuma. Steve, how are you doing, sir? Steve Tuma: Doing great. Again, another great homebuilding day. Interviewer: That’s good. Steve Tuma: Yeah, and another one expected tomorrow. Interviewer: I thought we’d do a slight curveball here and talk about first‑time homeowner‑builders and the mistakes that they make — and exactly how Landmark can kind of help them get past those mistakes. And I would imagine that’s usually people who have done a lot of work toward their house before they give you guys a call — but maybe afterwards, after they’ve talked to you. What are some of the first‑time homeowner‑builder mistakes that people make? Steve Tuma: Well, fortunately, we’re able to catch them before they really happen. One thing that we do is we spend a lot of time making sure that our plans are drawn right. So we avoid the issues and minimize mistakes — or just things where you go, “Uh oh” — by making sure that the house is planned properly. Not just the floor plan and the bathrooms and stuff, but: The look of the house The roof design The foundation design How it sits on the actual property they’re building on Driveways and other concerns like that Because what this does — by talking about it up front — is it leads you to a point where you think about it. So in a sense, what could be considered a mistake is really lack of planning or understanding. So if we work up front to say: “Hey, what kind of a heating system?” “Are you going to go mini‑split?” “Are you going to have a wood burner in there?” “Are you going to have a conventional HVAC?” “Are you going to have heat pumps?” It leads people to think about it. So when you think about the different items, you can then go through and plan it into the home properly. And since our main thrust is to have a complete and accurate set of plans, you minimize those mistakes by: Thinking things through Understanding the ground condition Understanding the right foundation Understanding the right roofing system Understanding the right kitchen cabinets You minimize the risk of something not being thought out. So that’s what we always tell people. It’s kind of an education system of working together with people, where we can go through and bring topics up that people don’t think about. Because in general, when people are thinking about their house, it’s always the fun stuff: “Hey, what’s the kitchen going to look like?” “What’s the garage like? I want to put my hot rod in there.” “Hey, what are we doing in the family room?” Well, there are some things that are exciting, but maybe not as exciting as figuring out your family room or your rec room, but: “Hey, where do you want electric sockets?” “Do you want ceiling fans?” “How big do you want your deck?” Different things like that. So by going through the planning stages, and our support through there, I think it gets people where they think about it. I think owner‑builders in general are just naturally curious people that want to build their house. Part of doing it is just the life experience — and also learning about it and building the house that you want. That’s the key thing to it. And that’s the part that’s really, really important and valuable — taking the time to enjoy the process of properly designing a home. We’ve done some homes that are very simple that still need some thought. We’ve done some extremely complex homes where the level of thinking for the design or the features of it just get to be a little bit deeper. So I don’t necessarily want to say that there are big mistakes — it’s just lack of planning. Interviewer: Yeah, but you’re talking about one of the things you guys do at Landmark — you help a customer understand the overall project. And people can go into a project and think they understand the overall, but there’s really a lot that they don’t quite get yet. Steve Tuma: Right. And that’s the thing, because in general, if you go somewhere and say, “Hey, I need windows,” they’ll be like, “Well, we suggest this manufacturer, this model,” but you don’t necessarily know why. Is it: A cost thing? Availability? The salesman gets a bigger commission? What’s the reason? So it’s always good to have an understanding of what’s going on. Now, customers can get as deep as they choose, but we’re here if they need a little guidance on, “Hey, where do I start?” And by us having a good, well‑thought‑out set of plans, that’s the information that they need to then go to suppliers and get the accurate information so they can make a decision for themselves. It’s actually pretty cool. We work with all different types of customers. People can look at our reviews and see that there are excellent, A‑plus reviews of people saying that our level of support is exceptional. And I think that that’s just as important as the plans and the actual panelized home package. It’s a one‑stop shop. Interviewer: So I’m thinking back on what you just said, and it’s understanding the overall — but people aren’t going to understand that. I mean, are there any pitfalls that you want people to know about? When you first talk to somebody and you hear about what their ideas are, do you see pitfalls as well as the positives in everything? Steve Tuma: Yeah. And generally what I tell people — in my own projects, it’s kind of funny — the biggest “uh‑oh” moments have always had to do with something that touches dirt. Because just by walking on a piece of land, if it’s a situation where you have a septic, you can’t just say, “Hey, I’m going to put it here.” By chance it may go there, but generally you have to have a soils test done for the septic to see where it’ll be put. So someone could say, “Hey, I want my septic over here,” but for some reason the ground conditions might be different and it needs to be put over there. Different things like: where are the utilities? Just because someone tells you that the utilities are available doesn’t mean that they’re right in front of y...
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How Much Does It Cost to Build a House as an Owner‑Builder?
Mar 1200:25:15Tap to summarizeShow Notes:Thinking about building your own home and wondering what it will really cost? This episode shows you how to get an accurate owner‑builder budget without relying on unreliable “cost per square foot” charts, books, or AI guesses. Steve explains why the only numbers that matter come from real plans priced by real local contractors, and how a detailed, permit‑ready plan set lets subs give serious bids instead of guesses. You’ll learn the difference between hard costs (foundation, windows, roof, materials, labor) and soft costs (plans, engineering, permits), how Landmark’s one‑stop design and engineering package actually reduces change orders and surprises later, and where DIY work truly saves money versus where you’re better off hiring pros (especially for HVAC and other critical systems). Steve also breaks down how owner‑builders can realistically use their own skills plus Landmark’s detailed plans and support to manage subs, control costs, and avoid underestimating key items like windows, foundations, and code‑driven requirements such as egress and tempered glass — turning a vague “I want to build a house” into a confident, funded, line‑item budget. Transcript: Steve Tuma: You know, we’ve been doing this 32 years — almost 33 years. We’ve seen an amazing amount of things. But every once in a while, you get a curveball. The thing is, we have the resources to get you the answer of how it applies to your particular project on your building site. Interviewer: Hello everyone, and welcome to Episode 76 of the Panelized Prefab Kit Home Building Show. With me today, as he normally is, is the President and Founder of Landmark Home and Land Company, a company which has been helping people build their new homes where they want, exactly as they want, nationwide and around the globe since 1993 — Mr. Steve Tuma. Steve, how’s it going, pal? Steve Tuma: It’s going great again — another day of helping people figure out how to build houses. We’re getting more and more customers that are coming back and doing some duplexes or investment properties. Interviewer: Well that’s good. Steve Tuma: Yeah, which is cool. Some new customers, some that built with us years ago that are like, “Hey, it’s time to do an investment property.” It’s kind of cool. It’s similar in process, and then other times it’s a little different, depending on codes or where they’re building or site conditions. Interviewer: Return customers can never be bad. Steve Tuma: It’s always fun. It’s just kind of cool when you get a call out of nowhere and they say, “Hey Steve, remember me?” I’m like, “Yeah,” reminisce for a while on the houses, and move on to help them with their new projects. Interviewer: Better than you saying, “No, I have no idea who you are.” Steve Tuma: Yeah, no! Interviewer: I thought we’d talk today about a subject that’s on the minds of potential homeowner‑builders — and just about anybody these days, actually — and that’s the question of cost. The cost of living in general is so high these days, but for our purposes I thought we’d talk about the cost of building a home. Can we do that? Steve Tuma: Yeah. Well, it’s kind of interesting because a lot of people want to be an owner‑builder because of the savings. They can do some work so they don’t have to pay for someone else to do it. And then also, that savings — if they have a mortgage — saves considerably on their mortgage and the interest they pay over the life of the loan. But yeah, costs are varied. It’s a unique economy. There’s a lot of things going on. But there is still a great opportunity, because houses in general are appreciating and doing pretty well. So a lot of people will call up and say, “Hey, how much does it cost to build a house?” or, “How much does it cost to build this?” And there’s a lot of variety — or variables — in the elements of the cost: The land The improvements Water supply Sewage supply Any permitting fees Driveway, sidewalks The foundation And the actual home part as well So what we always suggest is that people work with us to get a real set of plans and go get estimates from local contractors and find out what the details are. I use the word real set of plans — complete, that we’ve drawn up — because sometimes people just want to sketch something on a napkin and bring it to a contractor and say, “Hey, how much is it for this?” And it’s kind of like garbage in, garbage out. If the guy’s got to guess for you, he’s probably going to guess high — or most likely just not take you seriously. Subcontractors don’t make money off of providing bids, especially when they sense that people are just pricing around to keep themselves busy and feel it out. Quality contractors are in limited supply. So you want to make sure when you go to a contractor you have: A real project A real set of plans Real details of what you intend to build Then you’ll actually get a number that’s more realistic — and probably more accurate — to help. So that cost — we tell people, get a set of plans and go get it quoted. We can always do rough targeting based on general square footage or details, but it’s always good to get a cost. One thing I want to caution people about is, some people go online and think that ChatGPT and all these other AI programs have every single answer in the world. They might have some answers, but the accuracy of it is not there. So I would not suggest using general books, some internet site that has general guidelines of costs. Things can vary significantly in: Location The actual building site The design of the home So it’s best to work with a contractor to get the actual costs. I’ve never seen a book be accurate in quoting costs. I’ve never seen an internet site that’s accurate. So we always suggest people get a real set of plans, get into it, be committed to the project, and let the subcontractors know that, “Hey, I’m doing this. I’ve got this project that’s going on at this specific address, and we intend to start and finish in a certain timeline,” and let them know that you’re financed or funded and move forward. You’ll find that the contractors are more responsive. So it starts with a set of plans. At that point you also know what you want, and it leads our customers to think it through. When you’re drawing the plans up it’s like: “How big of a window do you want here?” “How do you want your kitchen laid out?” “How big is your garage?” “What are you doing in the basement or bonus room area?” So you can actually give the subcontractors the information that they need to provide an accurate quote. I know that’s not the easy answer. Sometimes people want to have the easy button or the magic button on a computer to do that. But it is one of those things that it’s best to: Understand what you want in a home Have us draw it up on the plans Include the details in the plan so it’s accurate and clear And then you work on getting the estimates back — probably more accurate estimates and quicker response when they see that you’re actually doing something and not just asking for a bid out of curiosity. So you want to show that you’re organized, you know what you’re building, you have a timeline, you’re funded to do it, so that they can move forward. And that’s the best thing. I understand sometimes people say, “Hey, I have no place to start.” Well, that’s when they give us a call. We can work through things and kind of mold a little bit of a plan together so that a potential customer understands how to move forward. Interviewer: How early in that process can you actually put together an owner‑builder cost breakdown? Is it an itemized list, or how do you do that? Steve Tuma: Well, what we do is we work with the customer to get general ideas. So if someone said, “Hey, I want to build a house in Orlando. How much does it cost? What’s go...
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Stick‑Built vs Modular vs Panelized Homes: Which Build Method Is Best?
Mar 500:29:39Tap to summarizeShow Notes:Thinking about stick‑built vs modular vs panelized for your new home? This episode breaks down the real‑world differences so you can choose a system that fits your budget, timeline, and long‑term goals. Steve explains how traditional stick‑building works, why modular homes are essentially mass‑produced “car‑like” products with stigma, financing, and customization limits, and how panelized construction combines the advantages of stick‑built quality with factory precision and faster on‑site assembly. You’ll hear why panelized systems are especially powerful for owner‑builders who want full control over design, features, and contractors, and how Landmark wraps design, engineering, energy codes, site planning, and guaranteed material pricing into a one‑stop, highly supported process. From clearing up myths about panelized (“you can’t change anything”) to showing how smart owner‑builders use this approach to gain major equity and even build multi‑million‑dollar homes, this episode is a practical guide to getting the house you really want instead of settling for a generic builder special. Transcript: Steve Tuma: Reality is you can go buy a 2×6 anywhere. Are you going to use it right? Is it going to be the right one? Is it going to be put into the right design? Is the end result of how you’re spending your money going to be in the house that you want? That’s the key element. Interviewer: Hello everybody, and welcome to Episode 75 of the Panelized Prefab Kit Home Building Show. With me today, as always, is the President and Founder of Landmark Home and Land Company, a company which has been helping people build their new homes where they want, exactly as they want, nationwide and around the globe since 1993. And that’d be Mr. Steve Tuma. Steve, can you believe this is our 75th episode of this podcast? Steve Tuma: Yeah, it’s pretty exciting. You know what’s interesting is we still have a lot to talk about. So we might have to get to 175 or 275, and then, you know, the market changes, building conditions change, customers get into more unique building situations or want different designs, so there’s always cool stuff to talk about. Interviewer: And Landmark’s always growing to meet those needs and desires of every new customer and old customer. Steve Tuma: Oh, definitely. Yeah, we’re here to help. We’ve had people come to us for all different types of designs: More simple, everyday American ranches Modern homes Mid‑century modern homes Very classic‑looking designs Or some just plain different — where customers come up with different floor plans or things for their particular lifestyle that make a lot of sense to them, and we’re able to put it together We have people that need airplane hangars in their house. Some people have car collections. Some people are really into cooking or entertaining, or hobbies, or home theater. So we’re able to work with them to get the house they want — or they’re building on a site that’s just unique, or a location that’s unique — so we’re able to help. It’s pretty amazing. Interviewer: And today I thought we’d get into specifics. In other words, it sounds simple, but some of the most basic questions are often the most important. So I thought we’d hit upon some real basics today. For instance, explain, if you will, the difference between — and we hear this terminology all the time — what is the difference between a stick‑built home and a modular home, and where does Landmark fall in that? Steve Tuma: Well, Landmark’s a panelized home. So I would say the three main building methods — there are always some obscure ones, you know, people doing it with compact dirt or hay bales or whatever — but that’s kind of out there. So the more typical ones are: Conventional stick‑built Modular And then our panelized homes Stick‑built is kind of the conventional thing where they just call it sticks — a framer would cut the materials properly, make a wall, put it in place, make another wall, put it in place, put the floor system down, stick‑build the roof system. Panelized is a more efficient method of stick‑building, and then along with Landmark’s design, it ties it together so it’s more uniform — where we can go through, do the design, engineering, and then actually manufacture the exact house that we designed. A huge advantage. Conventional stick‑building: typically there’s an architect or designer, and then there’s a separate contractor that has to interpret those plans and then work on different details to build it. So chances are, you know, conventional homes — especially older homes — were all stick‑built. It’s good, it’s kind of a standard. It uses materials that are generally available at any lumberyard, and you could have simple homes and you could have more complex homes. Modular is the one that’s kind of different from both of those. Modular is when you see the two halves going down the street. Now, some of those are HUD homes or modulars — they’re different, but they’re kind of the same for the purpose of this discussion. They’re made in modules. So if you had a ranch home, it might be two sections — 12 feet wide, 40 feet long, or whatever the dimensions end up. They’re more production line. It’s the concept of a car: you make it on a production line, you cookie‑cutter them, and you get them out. Typically very little ability to customize. There are the restrictions of the production line, the restrictions of delivery, and then there’s also the restrictions of some places that won’t allow you to build them, or they’re very restrictive about building them. And also modular has issues with stigmas, as well as some financing concerns. A lot of banks won’t finance them, or they’re considered to be a higher risk for some reason — probably resale because of the stigmas. So it might be a little harder to finance them, and it might cost more in the interest rates. So basically modular is more of a production‑line building where, say, 85% of the home is built off site. It’s standardized. Generally — I don’t know if they are anymore, if there really is a cost advantage. Some people say there is, or it’s not enough to really make a difference. But it is limited in what you get. Generally, those people that I’ve noticed that buy them — they want big space at some perceived lower cost, and they want it fast. Which to me is like, okay, so you move in three months quicker, and then you end up with a modular home instead of a stick‑built home, which has been considered to be a bigger investment — a stick‑built or a panelized. So stick — again, let me revisit the stick‑built versus panelized. Panelized is basically the stick‑build process, but we’re making it in a factory in a controlled condition. So things are square, things are put together properly, and then it’s brought out to the site for a quicker assembly. So if you took the exact same design of a stick‑built home and put one of our panelized homes next to it, very few people — if any — could tell the difference. And really, the difference is going to be where two wall panels come together — you have two studs. Stick‑builders do the same thing, but maybe they make a wall panel a little longer. We can control the cost. We can control the design. We can make sure that the design is exactly the way you want it to be. We can help with making it easier to get through building departments. We can guarantee our cost, and we can go through and get the details that you want in it. So if someone looks at panelized homes as being a custom stick‑built home — that’s exactly what it is. And with our service, we tie together the design, the engineering, the energy codes to make sure it’s clear that what you design is what gets built. And also, we can guarantee the cost, which I think is extremely important, because costs can vary — by season, by economic trends, by location — a lot of things. So the Landmark Panelized Home System gives our customer a lot more control and understanding of the project, and that’s what an owner‑builder needs. They need to understand and control their project. Interviewer: I mean, you pretty much gave all the pros and cons of all three of those building methods. ...
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