Building Our Home From The Ground Up: Breaking Ground

We’ve officially crossed a major milestone in our home-building process – the construction loan has closed, the dirt work is done, and we’re moving forward with the underground plumbing. It’s been a whirlwind of paperwork, decisions, and hard work, but we’re thrilled to finally see our dream home start to take shape!

Closing on Our Construction Loan

As many of you know, securing financing for a custom home can be a complex and sometimes stressful process. We certainly faced our fair share of challenges, but we’re so grateful to be on the other side of it. The construction loan officially closed, and while the path to getting there wasn’t entirely smooth, we were fortunate to have an amazing team by our side.

A few last-minute road bumps popped up, but thanks to our incredible title company and mortgage broker, everything came together just in time. A special shoutout goes to Teri at Diligence Title, who went above and beyond to make sure nothing slipped through the cracks. We also want to thank Richard at Truist, our mortgage broker, for walking us through the loan process every step of the way. If you’re going through this process, having a knowledgeable and responsive team behind you is a game-changer.

Exciting Times: Dirt Prep & Breaking Ground

Now for the part we’ve really been looking forward to—breaking ground!

This phase is where the dream starts turning into something real. It all began with site prep, which included grading the land to ensure proper drainage and a level base for the foundation. Proper grading is critical in Florida, where managing water flow around the home is key to protecting the structure long-term.

Once the lot was prepped, we had the perimeter of the house staked by our surveyor. Staking involves marking the envelope of the house on the ground based on the approved plans. These reference points help ensure that everything is built in the correct location and to the correct dimensions. It’s one of those behind-the-scenes steps that is crucial for accuracy.

Next, we had form boards installed to outline the foundation. These boards are used by the concrete subcontractor to dig footers in the proper place and will be the defining edge of the poured slab when complete. From there, we move to underground plumbing.

Rough-In Plumbing: Laying the Groundwork

With the site prepped and layout established, the first major step was the underground rough-in plumbing. This phase involved placing all the underground pipes that will supply water and carry away waste for the kitchen, bathrooms, laundry room, and other key areas.

In Florida, plumbing is installed underneath the concrete slab and designed in this case to work with a septic tank and trench bed septic system. The plumbers are tasked with analyzing the full plan of the home and designing the system to flow properly. Before any underground plumbing begins, our team schedules a construction meeting to develop a plan for the septic system placement, well system placement, and any restraints that could affect our initial plan.

Many homeowners ask how the plumbing is placed in the proper position under the slab. The answer is LOTS of measuring!

One thoughtful design decision we made during this stage was to run separate water lines for the main home and the mother-in-law suite. This setup offers both convenience and peace of mind. If there’s ever an issue in one area, we won’t have to shut off water to the entire house. It’s a small upgrade that adds long-term functionality and flexibility.

Larger PVC pipes shown in pictures are for drain lines - Small CPVC lines shown are for water lines. Pressure gauge is to ensure system is properly glued at all joints and is water ready!

Electrical Planning: Floor Outlet

Alongside plumbing, we also began planning for electrical. One key decision we made was to include a floor outlet in the living room. It might seem like a small detail now, but it’s one we’re already thankful for. Having a convenient plug in the middle of the room means no running cords across walkways to power lamps or charge devices—it keeps everything clean, functional, and safe.

Because this outlet is located in the slab, the conduit for it had to be installed before the concrete is poured. It’s a great example of how thinking ahead pays off in a custom build.

Inspections Before the Slab

Before we could move forward with pouring the concrete, a couple of inspections were required by the local building department to ensure everything beneath the surface was done correctly. These included:

• Plumbing rough-in inspection to check pipe placement and code compliance

• Electrical sleeve inspection, if conduit runs under the slab

These inspections are critical checkpoints. Once the concrete is poured, you can’t go back and fix what’s underneath—so this step gives us confidence that we’re starting on a solid, well-executed plumbing system.

Looking Ahead: Ready for the Slab

With the dirt work complete, plumbing and electrical conduit in place, and inspections passed, we’re officially ready to dig footers and prep our slab! We’re beyond excited to see the next phase unfold and continue turning this vision into reality.

Thanks so much for following along with our journey. If you have any questions about the process or want to dive deeper into any part of the build, feel free to reach out.

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