Separate custom homes, plans and renovations
Drake describes plans with customizable specifications; Dynasty offers customer-lot and builder-lot routes; Zenith’s current website focuses on remodeling. Black Birch’s FAQ distinguishes renovation design from renovation construction. Identify the service you need before requesting comparable proposals.
Make the comparison specific
Ask each company to price the same project brief and mark exclusions clearly. A new-home inventory price, a land-and-home package and a construction-only estimate should not be treated as interchangeable.
For renovations, request a process for documenting existing conditions and addressing discoveries. For new construction, ask how surveys, grading, utility connections and site access are handled.
| Compare | Request in writing |
|---|---|
| Design scope | Plan ownership, revisions and design fees |
| Property | Lot inclusion and site assumptions |
| Allowances | Amounts, selection deadlines and markups |
| Approvals | Permit applicant and inspection responsibilities |
| Change orders | Written price and schedule effect before work |
| Handover | Completion criteria, warranty and final documents |
Use a project proposal instead of an unsupported range
The initial directory research does not establish a reliable Des Moines cost range for equivalent homes. Ask for a dated proposal and a clear explanation of what could change the price.
Des Moines’ plan checklist and West Des Moines’ project-specific permit resources can help clarify the drawing and approval scope. Confirm current requirements with the responsible office.
Give every company the same starting information
Prepare a brief containing the actual property, desired rooms, size assumptions, finish priorities and any drawings. Say whether you already own the lot and whether the price should include design. If you are still evaluating land, ask what must be known before the company can provide a meaningful construction proposal.
For a remodel, describe which rooms or building systems are intended to remain. For a plan-based new home, identify the exact plan and the requested changes. A builder’s advertised inventory and a new commission can reflect different design decisions and construction stages.
Ask how the quoted amount can change
Request a clear explanation of the pricing method and the items that remain allowances or estimates. Identify which selections must be made before the total can be firm and how substitutions, delays or newly discovered work affect it. Avoid comparing a fixed scope with a preliminary concept as if both were equally complete.
Keep a written selection schedule. Ask how changes are approved and when you will receive the cost and schedule effect. If several parties are involved, establish whether the builder, designer or owner is responsible for keeping the current drawings and specifications aligned.
Compare exclusions before choosing a total
Discuss the cost and coordination of surveys, engineering, permits, utility work, landscaping and other items outside the main building scope. Record any separate contract the owner will need. The purpose is to locate gaps between proposals, not to assume every project needs the same consultants or approvals.
Ask each finalist to explain the largest differences from the other scope you are considering. A useful comparison ends with the same project definition, clear responsibilities and remaining unknowns. A broad market average cannot resolve those differences for the actual parcel.
Sources & dates
- Drake plans and homes · checked 2026-10-28
- Dynasty building routes · checked 2026-10-28
- Zenith remodeling scope · checked 2026-10-28
- Black Birch service FAQ · checked 2026-10-28
- Des Moines plan checklist · checked 2026-10-28
- West Des Moines residential permits · checked 2026-10-28
Questions or factual corrections: send a sourced correction.