We’re proud to be recognized as a Certified Master Builder by the Idaho Certified Master Builder program, but for us, building a great home is just part of the journey. What really matters is earning your trust and making the home-building process as smooth, transparent, and enjoyable as possible. At the end of the day, it’s not just about the house—it’s about your experience getting there.
Whether you have a custom design in mind or want to start with one of our award-winning floor plans, we’re here to bring your vision to life with top-notch craftsmanship. You can tweak one of our designs with semi-custom options to fit your style, or if you’re looking for something move-in ready, we’ve got beautifully designed homes waiting for you. No matter which route you take, you can count on us to build with care, quality, and attention to every detail.
We believe your home should fit your lifestyle, and we’re here to make that happen. Our floor plans are flexible, and some tweaks are easier than others. Moving interior walls, adjusting cabinets, or shifting doors and windows? No problem. But if you’re looking to change the overall footprint or make major structural modifications, that’s when we transition into a fully custom home, which takes a bit more time in the design and build process. To keep everything running smoothly, it’s best to chat about any changes right from the start.
Right from the start, we’ll provide you with our ‘Builder Standard Features’—a list of materials, finishes, and fixtures we’ve carefully chosen for the best mix of quality and value. This covers everything from flooring and cabinets to appliances, insulation, and even how many garage door remotes you’ll get.
If you want to make changes, no problem! Any upgrades or adjustments go through our online system as a change order, where you can review and decide what works best for you. Most items are broken down by trade, so it’s easy to see exactly what’s included.
The key to a smooth and successful home build is good communication, and at Gardner Homes, we make sure you’re always in the loop. We keep the conversation going with regular check-ins to update you on progress, discuss any potential delays, and go over what’s coming up next.
To make things even easier, we use BuilderTrend—an industry-leading project management tool. It tracks all the important milestones and deadlines, keeps all your design selections in one place, and even lets you see progress photos and videos along the way. That way, you’re always up to date and never left wondering what’s happening with your new home!
Gardner Homes uses the standard Realtor contracts with a short addendum modifying a few contract terms. It is a fixed-price contract, where we agree to complete the project for a set price upfront, barring any changes you request. Any initial estimates or quotes are confirmed; providing you with the total cost upfront makes it easier to budget and secure financing.
Some buyers have experience with a cost-plus contract, where they bear the burden of all cost changes. While that provides more insight as to the nuts and bolts of it all (i.e. copies of the bids), it puts all the risk on the homeowner, and we have found most buyers don’t actually want that side effect. If you still feel this is better, we have done it on occasion.
Our in-house designer works closely with you to review standard features and to assist with every design decision – all in our Gardner Homes Design Center. You’ll have help every step of the way. There are also many opportunities for regular site visits with our Project Manager and Designer to monitor the progress of your home and answer any questions along the way.
Building a new home usually takes around 9 to 12 months, but the exact timeline can depend on things like weather, permits, and material availability. While we do our best to keep everything on track and updated every step of the way!
We have been doing this a long time and safety is our top priority. There are certain hazards on the jobsite that many are just not aware of. Plenty of nails to step on, tripping hazards, and the classic wet paint and wet concrete situations you see on TV. We are happy to take you through the home whenever you like, but we do require a builder representative to be there with you. Despite public opinion and habits to the contrary, even if a jobsite is not fenced, it is technically trespassing to enter a jobsite uninvited as it is private property. Thanks for understanding. It really is an issue of safety. It also helps with proper lines of communication to walk through the home together.
We have no hidden fees. Even your closing costs should be estimated to you by your lender. (Use one of ours if you want a great experience!) The only changes you will receive after the initial written contract will be changes to the baseline specifications that you request, and these are presented to you upfront so you can decide whether to proceed or not.