What to Expect: Dig Day Prep
Dig Day is one of the most exciting times in the construction process because it makes all the planning real. All the details, all the questions, all the decisions snap into focus as you break ground on your new home. But, let’s not get ahead of ourselves…the magic is in the planning. Let’s dig into what you need to do before you even think about breaking ground.
Prepare for Dig Day–the Official Start to Your New Build
If you’re preparing for Dig Day, then you have wrapped up your Pre-Construction meeting with your Design Consultant, locking in all your layout changes and custom design selections. Congratulations! You are moving closer to the milestone you have been dreaming about since day one: Dig Day.
Before the heavy machinery rolls onto your land, there is an important phase of behind-the-scenes preparation. While it can feel like a waiting game, this stage is packed with essential steps that lay the groundwork for a smooth build. Fortunately, you won’t have to navigate it alone. During this phase, you will work closely with your dedicated Production Administrator (PA), your teammate and guide every step of the way.
Your Guide Through Dig Day Planning: The Production Administrator
Because Wayne Homes builds on your lot, every property is completely unique. Your PA helps you decipher the distinct requirements of your specific land and local building jurisdiction.
Building on the information gathered during your lot inspection, your PA will help you create a personalized checklist. This roadmap outlines what needs to be done and when, keeping you organized and on track.
While you tackle your homeowner responsibilities, your PA is busy driving internal Wayne Homes processes forward behind the scenes:
- CAD Updates: Getting updated prints drawn by our CAD team based on your finalized Pre-Construction choices.
- Estimating & Purchasing: Moving your job to our Estimating team to price out necessary items, issue purchase orders, and schedule material deliveries for the right time during construction.
- Bank Processing: Facilitating the financial side by sending documents to your lender to kick off the loan closing process.
Homeowner Responsibilities
While your PA will handle many of the items on your checklist, there may be some things only the homeowner can tackle. Your PA will guide you through your specific property requirements, which may include organizing surveys (such as topographical, house placement, or stormwater management) and securing permits or utility accounts.
Depending on your land, you may need to set up or permit:
- Sewer or septic systems
- Water or well hookups
- Electric and gas accounts
- Driveway, Department of Transportation (DOT), floodplain, or zoning permits
Note: Wayne Homes will apply for the primary building permit on your behalf!
Navigating Land/Site Prep
Your PA will also advise you on when it is safe to begin physical work on your land. It is important that you do not start sitework or make changes to your lot until you have officially closed on your construction loan. Jumping the gun can cause costly delays with your bank at closing.
Once your loan is finalized, your PA will help you complete necessary site prep, which might include clearing trees, installing a culvert, or putting in a construction and access driveway.
Hurry Up and Wait!
We know that waiting for Dig Day to arrive is hard! But, rest assured, even though big changes aren’t happening on site, your dedicated team at Wayne Homes is constantly working in the background to get everything ready.
To ensure a seamless transition to the start of construction, a few final boxes must be checked.
Before we can dig, we need:
- Your construction loan closed (or cash account verified)
- Builders Risk and Personal Liability insurance in place
- All required permits approved
- Final prints from our CAD team
- Any necessary site prep completed
We know this phase can feel overwhelming with everything on your plate. Remember, your PA is right there beside you. Lean on them, ask questions, and share updates about your progress. You can also use the Wayne Homes App to easily communicate with your team, access the Homeowner Resource Guide, and review important documents like your contract. It is a powerful tool designed to keep everything you need right at your fingertips. Once these final pieces are marked off, we’re clear to roll in the heavy equipment and let the digging commence.
Stay tuned for our next What to Expect blog, where we will dive into Dig Day itself and walk through what happens when construction officially begins!
Do you have questions about site prep or about Wayne Homes in general? Don’t hold back…drop us a line! We’re here to help.
About Wayne Homes
Wayne Homes is a custom homebuilder in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and West Virginia (see all Model Home Centers). We offer more than 50 fully customizable floorplans and a team dedicated to providing the best experience in the home building industry. For more information, Ask Julie by Live Chat or call us at (866) 253-6807.
Disclaimer: The details of this blog are accurate as of the publish date, but are subject to change.
