Owning a vacation home is about creating memories, not managing a remodeling project from miles away. But when your home needs an upgrade, how do you ensure the work gets done without the stress of being there in person?
At Custom Built, we specialize in the full-service design-build experience, managing your project from concept to completion - whether you’re 10 minutes away or 10 hours away.
With virtual consultations, real-time progress tracking, and a dedicated project manager, we make it easy to transform your vacation home. Here’s how we make the experience seamless:
- Clear Communication
- Project Management & Coordination
- Strategic Scheduling for Vacation Homes
- Proactive Problem Solving & Quality Assurance
A Streamlined Experience—No Matter Where You Are
When you work with Custom Built, you’re hiring an expert who has been around for 15+ years. We have changed and honed our process to make it clear, simple, and easy to understand for every Michigander, from permanent residents to vacation homeowners.
We take care of your project from start to finish with great work and clear communication. We make remodeling your vacation home easy and stress-free, so you can focus on making memories.
Vacation Home Locations We Service
We specialize in vacation home remodeling in the Greater Lansing and Boyne City areas. Whether you have a lakefront property, cabin, or seasonal getaway, we provide quality work and smooth coordination for your project.
Remodeling Your Home While You're on Vacation
Many homeowners take advantage of their time away to have their primary home remodeled. Our process allows you to enjoy your vacation while we handle every detail of your project, including potential issues.
For example, if a drywaller inadequately installs materials in your home, we will locate the issue and call them back immediately to resolve it.
We understand that you’re trusting us with your home and investment. Through project management updates, scheduled video check-ins, and detailed updates, you’ll stay informed without having to be on-site.
When you return, you’ll walk into a beautifully updated home—without the disruption of an active construction zone.
1. Clear Communication
Effective communication is at the core of every successful remodeling project, whether you're local or managing from afar. That’s why our Dream, Design, Build process includes structured updates and clear next steps at every phase:
- Dream: Virtual consultations allow us to explore your vision, discuss ideas, and address space challenges—ensuring we align on your goals before moving forward.
- Design: 3D renderings and digital plans give you a clear picture of your future space, making it easier to refine details and make confident decisions.
- Build: Our project tracking keeps you in the loop with daily updates, schedules, and progress photos/videos. Homeowners can enable notifications for real-time insights. Need to see something up close? We offer video calls and live updates to provide instant answers.
We also believe in clear futures—setting expectations at every stage, so you always know what’s next. This means defining upcoming milestones, outlining responsibilities, and proactively addressing potential challenges. With this approach, we ensure that there is always a verified next step, never leaving one meeting without the next one scheduled.
Whether it’s understanding the timeline for material selections or knowing when major construction phases will happen, our goal is to eliminate uncertainty. Clear futures keep your project running smoothly, reduce stress, and ensure a seamless experience from start to finish.
2. Project Management & Coordination
Vacation homeowners need a team they can trust to handle every aspect of the project. Our process is designed to ensure that work continues smoothly without requiring your presence.
- One Dedicated Point of Contact:
- Your remodeling journey should feel streamlined, which is why your Project Development Advisor serves as your one constant point of contact from start to finish. They handle communication, track progress, and ensure every detail aligns with your vision. Whether you have questions about timelines, materials, or next steps, your Advisor is always available to provide clarity and guidance.
- Supporting them is your Field Supervisor, who oversees the hands-on execution of your project. While the Field Supervisor manages the day-to-day construction details on-site, your Advisor keeps you informed, coordinates all moving parts, and ensures your experience is smooth. This structured approach means you’ll never be left wondering who to contact—your Advisor is your direct line to answers, updates, and solutions at every phase.
- Property Access & Security: We use lockboxes or key codes to access your home safely. This allows us to take measurements, complete work, and document progress without disrupting your schedule.
- Material Selection Made Easy: Can’t visit a showroom? We’ll send material samples or help you locate a showroom near you for a hands-on experience.
- Delivery & Installation Oversight: We handle every detail, from inspecting deliveries to managing trade partners. This ensures quality and accuracy throughout the process.
3. Strategic Scheduling for Vacation Homes
Many homeowners reach out in the fall, hoping to have their vacation home ready for summer. However, successful project timing depends on more than just the season—it requires careful scheduling based on material availability, our current project queue, and coordination with you to ensure minimal disruption to your time at home.
How We Schedule Your Project:
- "Last-In" Material Scheduling: We base our construction timeline on the availability of the longest lead-time materials—like custom cabinetry, specialty windows, or unique finishes. This ensures that when we start, we have everything needed to avoid delays.
- Current Project Lineup: Your project is scheduled based on what’s currently in progress. We manage overlapping timelines efficiently so that once your home is in production, we can keep things moving smoothly.
- Collaborative Scheduling: We work closely with you to plan construction during the off-season so you don’t have to deal with disruptions when you want to enjoy your home.
The Best Time to Remodel Your Vacation Home
- Winter Remodels for Summer Use: Many homeowners choose to remodel in the winter to have their home ready by peak season. This eliminates the stress of DIY projects and ensures everything is complete before you arrive.
- Off-Season Construction: If you don’t live in your home full-time, remodeling in the off-season allows us to complete work while you’re away—so you return to a fully updated space.
By planning ahead and scheduling smartly, we help you maximize your time in your vacation home without sacrificing quality or convenience.
4. Proactive Problem Solving & Quality Assurance
Remodeling is a complex process, especially for large-scale or custom projects. Having a dedicated Field Supervisor ensures that every phase of construction is executed with precision, quality, and efficiency. Their role is to manage the project onsite, oversee quality control, and act as the key connection between planning and execution.
The Field Supervisor’s Critical Role
- Proactive Oversight & Quality Control
- Your Field Supervisor reviews every aspect of your remodel, from framing to finishes.
- They conduct multiple checkpoints to ensure construction aligns with the design plan, preventing costly mistakes or rework.
- Real-Time Issue Resolution
- Unexpected challenges happen, but we solve them fast. If something comes up, your Field Supervisor assesses the situation immediately and communicates solutions.
- Using video calls, photos, and real-time updates, they keep you informed without disrupting progress.
- Daily Site Management
- Your project needs an expert who understands construction—someone who not only coordinates work but also inspects it for accuracy and quality.
- They ensure that subcontractors follow the plan correctly, keeping the build process smooth and efficient.
- Property Protection & Cleanliness
- Every day, your Field Supervisor ensures dust containment, debris removal, and workspace cleanliness to protect your home.
- We use protective barriers, HEPA filtration, and daily clean-ups to keep your space livable during the project.
- Final Walkthrough & Inspections
- Before final payment, the Field Supervisor performs a detailed walkthrough to confirm every detail meets your expectations.
- This can be done in person or virtually, ensuring that all work is complete and up to our high standards.
For complex home remodels, having an experienced Field Supervisor is the difference between a chaotic project and a well-executed transformation. With a team that deeply understands construction, you can trust that every detail of your remodel is carefully managed and reviewed.
5 Remodeling Projects to Upgrade Your Vacation Home
Whether you’re looking to update a single room or completely transform your vacation home, we offer a range of remodeling services to enhance comfort, functionality, and style. Some of the most popular projects include:
- Kitchen Upgrades: Modernize your vacation home’s kitchen with new cabinetry, countertops, and appliances to create a space perfect for hosting and entertaining.
- Bathroom Renovations: Refresh outdated bathrooms with new tile, fixtures, and layouts that maximize space and relaxation.
- Deck & Outdoor Living Spaces: Expand your outdoor enjoyment with a new deck, patio, or screened-in porch, creating the perfect spot for summer gatherings.
- Basement Finishing: Turn an unfinished or underutilized basement into a guest suite, entertainment area, or additional living space.
- Whole-Home Remodeling: Give your vacation home a full refresh with new flooring, lighting, layouts, and finishes that enhance its beauty and usability.
No matter the project, our team ensures a smooth and efficient process so your vacation home is ready for you to enjoy.
Next Steps to Remodeling Your Vacation Home with Custom Built
Remodeling your vacation home—or your primary home while you’re away—should be stress-free. With Custom Built, you get clear communication, expert craftsmanship, and a seamless process from start to finish.
Our team handles every detail, so you can focus on enjoying your home. Ready to plan your remodel? Contact us today to get started!
Now that you know more about how our team works with vacation homeowners, let’s explore what the first step of the Custom Built Proven Process looks like with your build, the projects that can increase the resale value of your home, and how much an outdoor living space costs in Northern Michigan:
- What is a Discovery Call with Custom Built? - This article details what your first call with Custom Built looks like as you start planning your remodel.
- 5 Remodeling Projects That Can Increase Resale Value - A high-level overview of the various remodeling projects that will increase your home’s resale value, curb appeal, and return on investment.
- How Much Does an Outdoor Living Space Cost in Northern Michigan? - Ready to make new memories in your outdoor living space? Learn more about how much it’ll cost to revitalize your sanctuary.
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