The design-build process for a custom home: from first sketch to certificate of occupancy

What is design-build?

Design-build is a way to deliver a project where one company is responsible for both design and construction. The Design-Build Institute of America (DBIA) puts it this way: “Design-build is where one entity, the design-builder, enters into a single contract with the owner to provide both design and construction services.”

DBIA is a trade group that promotes design-build, so read its claims with that in mind. Its stated reasons owners choose the method include speed, cost efficiency from the designer and builder working together, and fewer changes and claims. Those are the group’s statements, not a promise about any one builder.

For a house, the idea is simple. You deal with one team from the first sketch through the final walkthrough. The design-build team shapes the design with the cost and the site in mind, since the people who price the home also help plan it.

Halo Homes does not use the term “design-build” on its published pages. It publishes a three-step process, covered below. It does not publish its contract structure. Ask the team how your contract would work.

How does design-build differ from design-bid-build?

The main difference is the contract. In design-build, one entity holds one contract for design and construction. DBIA says other delivery systems commonly use separate contracts for design and construction. That is the pattern in design-bid-build.

The last two rows describe how the methods are commonly set up. They are general, not a rule for every firm. Contracts vary, so read yours.

Ask any firm that offers a single contract these questions:

• Who prepares the drawings, and who answers for them?
• When will I see a price, and what does it assume?
• What happens if the price and the design do not match?
• Can I see a sample contract before I commit?

Pricing is a separate choice. A fixed-price contract sets one price for a defined scope. A cost-plus contract bills actual costs plus a fee. An allowance is a placeholder amount for items you have not chosen yet.

What happens in each step?

Halo Homes describes three steps: Visualize, Design and Build. These are Halo’s published words, copied from its site.

Visualize. “We carefully select prime locations and envision exceptional designs that harmonize with the surrounding environment. We envision homes that capture the essence of luxury living, maximizing space, and incorporating desirable features.”

Design. “Our expert team of architects and designers meticulously craft each home’s layout and finishes. We carefully consider every detail, from high-end materials to contemporary fixtures, to create homes that exude sophistication and style.”

Build. “With a focus on quality craftsmanship, we bring our designs to life. Our skilled construction team ensures that each home is built to the highest standards, paying attention to even the smallest of details. The result is a meticulously crafted, turnkey home that combines beauty, functionality, and luxurious living.”

The site does not say how long each step lasts, what it costs or who signs which document. It also does not say whether the Visualize step starts from a lot you own or a lot Halo selects. Ask about both.

In a general sense, a custom home project moves through the same stages whoever builds it:

1. Site and lot checks.
2. Design and pricing.
3. Plan review and permits.
4. Construction with inspections.
5. Final checks and move-in.

The sections below cover the steps you can verify on public pages. For more on Halo’s work, see custom home construction.

How long does a custom home take?

It takes as long as the lot, the design and the reviews allow, and no official source gives one number. Any figure a builder gives you is an estimate. Ask for it in writing, with the review steps listed.

Here are the factors the public record shows.

• Lot conditions. Flood zone, soil and trees can change the plan before design starts.
• Special reviews. Tampa has four local historic districts. New construction in them needs a Certificate of Appropriateness, per the City.
• Permit review. The City of Tampa runs the steps in order: application guide, fees, plan review, inspections and a ready-for-completion check.
• Elevation paperwork. In a flood hazard area, the City needs an elevation certificate with the permit application. Hillsborough County asks for three, and the last must be reviewed before a certificate of occupancy.
• Your own decisions. Late choices on finishes or layout can restart parts of the work. Ask how the builder handles that.

State law sets timing rules for contractors, too. If a contractor takes an initial payment above 10 percent of the contract price on residential work, Section 489.126 requires the contractor to apply for permits within 30 days and start work within 90 days after permits issue, unless an exception applies. That statute protects your deposit. It is not a build schedule.

What decisions come before permits?

Five lot decisions come first, since they shape the design. The guide on buying a lot to build in Tampa goes through them.

1. Flood zone and elevation. The City asks for an elevation certificate with the permit application in a FEMA special flood hazard area. See building in a flood zone in Tampa.
2. Zoning and setbacks. Your district sets yards, height and lot size. A setback is the minimum distance between a building and a lot line.
3. Historic review. If the lot sits in a local historic district, the design needs approval first.
4. Trees. The City requires a permit before pruning a tree 24 inches or greater in diameter at breast height.
5. Storm design. The code edition, wind rules and opening protection affect the plans.

A design team that checks these before drawing saves rework. This is where the design-build model can help, since the builder sees the site limits while the plans are still easy to change.

How do inspections and the certificate of occupancy fit in?

Inspections happen during construction, and the certificate of occupancy comes at the end. The City of Tampa’s new construction page lists the inspections that may be required for your project. It also lists a “Ready For Completion” step, which uses a Project Coordination Status Report to show open permits, open conditions, fees due and inspections due.

A certificate of occupancy is the document that lets you occupy the finished building. In a flood hazard area, elevation paperwork ties in. Hillsborough County says a “Finished Construction” elevation certificate must be received, reviewed and corrected, if necessary, before it issues a certificate. That is the County’s rule for unincorporated areas. Ask the City what its final steps require.

Near the end, you and the builder walk the house and write a punch list, a list of small items to fix. Get the list in writing. The guide on permits and inspections in Tampa covers the whole path.

What is a change order?

A change order is a written change to your contract after you sign it. It can change the scope, the price or the schedule. A change order should state all three, and both sides should sign it before the work starts.

Change orders are normal on custom homes, since owners refine choices as the house takes shape. They become a problem when they are verbal, unpriced or late. Ask these questions before you sign:

• How does the builder price a change?
• Who approves it, and how fast?
• Does a change move the completion date?
• How does an allowance overage get billed?

What is the next step?

Start with the lot and the questions above. Then ask any builder, Halo Homes included, to explain its contract, its schedule and how it handles changes.

To talk through your plan with Halo Homes, call (813) 956-1972 or contact the team.

Facts checked October 2026 against the sources listed on this page.