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There has been a lot of talk lately about how and when to re-open in the wake of COVID-19. Since Construction was deemed “Essential”, PMHI has stayed open, working hard for our customers and helping them accomplish their goal of building their own home. We are here for you and ready to do what it takes to make your dream home a reality.

There are some key things to remember, not only as the economy re-opens, but also as we consider the effects of COVID-19 on our economy and the way we do business.

1. Plan Lead Times. Because of the economic instability, there are a handful of projects that have been cancelled by those who no longer see building their own home as a feasible option. Because we have maintained our workforce, this means that lead times for drawing plans have not increased. If you are ready to move forward with your project, now is a great time to get started with the process of drawing plans, especially when re-opening happens and business starts moving again.

2. Plan Check Times and Inspections. While the process of creating plans has remained smooth, the process of getting Plan Checks and Inspections has not. Most counties have sent their employees to work remotely, and some have furloughed part of their workforce. This has meant that the time to get Plan Checks has been extended. Sometimes this effect has been slight, sometimes it is more pronounced. Inspections are a similar story. Because of social distancing guidelines and differing orders in different counties, getting a site inspection has either been drawn out or altogether impossible. Please plan for these delays when you are scheduling out your building timeline.

3. Financing. We have heard from many of our customers that it has become more difficult to get construction loans. A recent Forbes article noted that lenders have tightened up requirements in response to the erratic global market. This has caused two significant effects. First, owner-builder loans (without a General Contractor) have become incredibly difficult to obtain. With the uncertainty in the economy, lenders are not willing to take on the risks of a construction loan, which is traditionally the riskiest type of real estate loan. This means that you are much more likely to be approved for a loan if you have a General Contractor working on your house. This leads us to the second effect of the current economy, which is tighter requirements even for loans involving a General Contractor. In short, with less money to loan, lenders are taking steps to reduce their risk, which means a more difficult process for you to get a loan.

If you have any questions or concerns about your project, please reach out to us. We would be more than happy to answer your questions and to help you move forward with building your dream home.