Forsyth, Dawson, and Lumpkin counties and nearby
Custom homes, built in the open.
You see every bid, every invoice, and every decision, from the first plan to the final walkthrough.
Never built a house before? That is normal. Here is how it works, step by step.
From idea to keys
Five steps, in the order they happen. Select any step to read more.
- Land and financingFind your land and talk with a lender about what you can borrow.
- PreconstructionAbout six to eight weeks. Plans, real prices from our trades, and a budget.
- Your loan closesYour lender reviews the budget, prepared in its format, and the construction loan closes.
- ConstructionOpen books. You see every invoice and approve every payment.
- Move inA final walkthrough, closeout, and the keys.
Your first questions, answered
Most people who want to build have never done it before. These are the questions almost everyone starts with.
Read the full guideWhere do I start?
With a conversation. Tell us about your project and bring whatever you have, even if it is only an idea. Amanda replies personally within 48 hours.
Do I need land first?
It helps to own it or have it under contract. Talk to us before you buy if you can, so we can help you see what the lot may add to the cost. That costs nothing.
How do I pay for it?
Usually with a construction loan that you hold. It pays for the house in stages as the work is done. We never mark up, finance, or hold your money.
What will it cost?
Real prices from real trades on your plans answer that, during preconstruction. Our own fees are published, and preconstruction starts at $6,500.
Who designs it?
Whether you have plans, a folder of inspiration, or nothing yet, there is a path. You do not need plans to start.
What does Daven handle, and what do I do?
We plan, buy, coordinate, supervise, document, and close out the build, building permits included. You hold the land and the loan, make your selections, and approve every payment and change.
Open books from day one.
Daven Residential is a small, owner-operated construction company. Charles Davenport is the licensed general contractor and runs the field. Amanda Davenport manages the plans, the budget, the subcontracts, the draws, and the paperwork. There is no layer between you and the people doing the work, which is the point.
Your land, your financing, your house.
You own the land and you hold the financing. Your construction loan pays for your house, and we never mark up, finance, or hold your money.
The books are open.
You see every subcontractor bid, every invoice, and every line of the budget. We charge a fee for planning and running the project, and we add no markup to any cost that passes through us.
You approve before we pay.
Invoices come to us, we review them against the budget and the work in place, and we send you a payment request for the exact approved amount. Nothing gets paid that you have not seen.
Changes are written down before they happen.
Nothing is added to your project without a written change order showing the cost and the schedule effect. Surprises at the end of a build are almost always the result of decisions nobody wrote down at the time.
Whether we are a fit
If most of this is true, a preconstruction agreement is the sensible next step. If some of it is not yet true, tell us anyway. Working out which piece is missing is usually a short conversation, and it costs nothing.
The projects that go well for everyone tend to share a few things.
- You control the land or have it under contract.
- Financing is approved or clearly obtainable.
- Your budget and the house you want are in the same range.
- Everyone who has to say yes is in the conversation.
- The schedule you have in mind is a real one.
The minimum fee applies to every project. On homes under roughly $460,000 it makes up a larger share of the cost, so smaller homes work best when the build is simple and quick. We will tell you early whether yours fits. We do not take small remodels.
Start a project
Tell us about your land, your financing, and the house you have in mind. Amanda reads every inquiry and replies personally.
Start a project