Upstate NY Custom Home Building Blog

You’re ready for something that’s entirely yours. Building a new home is an exciting journey, especially in the beautiful Greater Rochester area. At Gerber Homes, we understand that embarking on this journey involves many questions, particularly regarding the timeline. How long will it take? What steps are involved? As a trusted custom home builder with over 40 years of experience, we’re here to guide you through every phase of the home-building process and the associated timeline for each step.

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Imagine waking up each morning to the serene view of water gently brushing against a lush shoreline, the sun casting its early rays over tranquil waters, and the peaceful solitude only a lakefront property can offer. Building a custom home in the Finger Lakes region is about creating a personal retreat and a lasting legacy. Whether it’s a summer getaway or a full-time residence, planning and knowledge can turn this dream into a splendid reality. Gerber is here to use our insight as expert home-builders to guide you through the essential considerations—from navigating local regulations to choosing sustainable building practices— to ensure you have all the information you need to plan your lakefront custom home or cottage.

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One of the most important parts of the home-building process is selecting the right floor plan for your new home. Finding the perfect floor plan can be a little more complicated than it sounds. Not everyone looks at floor plans in the same way. As builders, we look at a floor plan and visualize what needs to happen in each area of the home to create the end product—your dream home. However, homeowners have a completely different perspective when reviewing floor plans. They’re not thinking of boards and drywall and wiring—they’re thinking about finished rooms. That’s not always easy when you’re staring at black lines on white paper. How do you choose a floor plan for a new house? We're so glad you asked!

Humans love to have choices! Just take a look at the cereal aisle in the grocery store. That same affinity for options holds true when it’s time to build a home in the greater Rochester area. That’s one reason we offer so many different choices of floor plans. If you glance through our plans you'll find just about every type of floor plan on the market. Colonial homes, first-floor master homes, patio homes, ranch-style homes, Cape homes, and even homes that offer in-law layouts. There is truly something for every need and style in our catalog.

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Building your dream home is an exhilarating journey, filled with opportunities to express your taste and create a space that perfectly aligns with your lifestyle. However, the path to a custom-built home is laden with important decisions and potential pitfalls. Gerber is here to put our expertise to use to call out common mistakes that can occur during the home-building process and how to avoid them, ensuring that your journey to a custom home is as smooth and enjoyable as the destination.

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The availability of prime building spots is one of the many advantages of living in the Greater Rochester/Finger Lakes Area. Whether you want a smaller suburban plot close to stores and highways or a sprawling, multi-acre spread deep in the woods, you’re bound to find the perfect lot. Buying undeveloped land is a little more complicated than purchasing an existing home or a house in a new home community and involves a few extra steps, Gerber's extensive experience in partnering with homeowners for site selection services equips us to walk you through the details of evaluating raw land for development.

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