The Custom Home Planning Checklist: What Quebec Homeowners Need Before They Build

Project Objectives — Define What You Are Actually Building and Why

Before you speak to a single professional, get clear on what you want to build and why this project matters. Vague objectives lead to vague briefs, which lead to expensive revisions later.

• Write down the primary purpose of the home — primary residence, multigenerational living, future resale, rental income, or a combination
• List your non-negotiables (the things that must be in the finished home, no exceptions)
• List your wish-list items (desirable but flexible)
• Clarify the timeline driving the project — is there a hard deadline, or is the schedule open?
• Discuss and align these priorities among all decision-makers before engaging any professionals

A shared, written set of objectives becomes the reference point for every design decision and budget trade-off that follows. Without it, every conversation with your team starts from scratch.

Site and Property Information — Know the Land Before You Commit

The site shapes everything: what can be designed, what will be approved, and what the project will cost. Evaluating a property properly before committing is one of the most valuable investments of time in the entire process.

• Confirm legal ownership and lot boundaries — obtain a current certificate of location if one is not recent
• Identify zoning classification and any restrictions on use, height, setbacks, or lot coverage
• Assess site servicing — is the lot serviced by municipal water and sewer, or will it require a well and septic system?
• Note slope, drainage patterns, and soil conditions that may affect foundation type and excavation costs
• Identify any easements, rights-of-way, or encumbrances registered on the title
• Consider access — construction vehicles need to get in and out; this affects phasing and cost
• Ask about any environmental conditions or flood zone designations relevant to the property

A site that looks straightforward on paper can carry hidden costs or constraints. Know what you are buying before you are committed to it.

Early Budget Organization — Realistic Cost Thinking Before Design Starts

The budget conversation is uncomfortable for many homeowners, but it is more forgiving to have it early than to have it after a full set of drawings has been produced. A preliminary budget is not a firm number — it is a framework for making decisions.

• Establish a realistic all-in budget, not just a construction number — land, design fees, permits, landscaping, furnishings, financing costs, and contingency all belong in the total
• Separate your “committed” funds from those that are conditional on financing, property sales, or other events
• Define a contingency reserve — unexpected conditions are a normal part of construction, not an exception
• Identify which items you are willing to trade off against others, and which are fixed
• Avoid working backward from a construction cost number alone — get preliminary professional input before locking a number as your ceiling

Cost per square foot figures circulated informally vary widely and depend heavily on specification level, site conditions, and current market factors. Use them as rough orientation only, not as planning inputs.

Professional Team Planning — Who You Need and in What Order

A custom home project involves multiple professionals, and the sequence in which you engage them matters. Bringing in the wrong person first — or skipping a role entirely — creates gaps that show up later as problems.

• Determine whether you need an architect, a designer, or a design-build firm — these roles have different responsibilities and licensing implications
• Understand which professionals are required by law for your project type (design drawings, structural, civil, etc.) — verify applicable requirements rather than assuming
• Plan for a land surveyor if a current survey is not available
• Consider who will represent your interests as owner throughout the project — this is a distinct function from design or construction
• Confirm that every professional you engage carries appropriate liability insurance and holds the qualifications required for your project
• Establish how the professionals on your team will communicate with each other, and who coordinates between them

Gaps in team structure tend to surface at the worst possible time — during construction, when everyone is pressed and changes are expensive.

Design Decisions — Key Decisions in the Design Phase

The design phase is where the project takes shape on paper. The decisions made here determine what gets built, what it will cost, and how it will perform over time.

• Define the program clearly before design begins: room list, approximate sizes, functional relationships, accessibility needs
• Decide on the general architectural approach and exterior materials early — these affect structural requirements and cost
• Establish energy performance expectations and any mechanical preferences (heating systems, ventilation, etc.) before the drawings are finalized
• Identify any long-lead items — custom windows, specialty materials, specific appliances — that may need to be specified early to avoid construction delays
• Review all drawings carefully before approving them for tender or permit — changes after this point cost more at every stage
• Confirm that the design as drawn can be built within your budget before it goes to permit or tender

Design is the moment of maximum flexibility. Changes made on paper are inexpensive. The same changes made during construction are not.

Documentation — What Needs to Be in Writing and Why

A custom home project generates a significant amount of documentation. Keeping that documentation organized and current protects you throughout the project and at handover.

• Maintain a project file with copies of all signed contracts, proposals, and change orders
• Keep a log of all verbal commitments that affect scope, schedule, or cost — follow up significant conversations in writing
• Document decisions made during design with dates and the parties involved
• Retain all permit applications, approvals, and inspection records
• Store warranty documents and product specifications for every major system installed in the home
• At handover, obtain as-built drawings and maintenance documentation for all mechanical systems

Good documentation is not bureaucracy — it is your primary tool for resolving disputes, processing insurance claims, and understanding your own home after the project closes.

Approvals and Permits — General Considerations

Permit and approval requirements for residential construction in Quebec are set at the municipal level and may involve multiple bodies depending on the project location and scope. The following reflects general considerations only — verify specific requirements with the relevant authorities for your project.

• Identify the municipal authority responsible for building permits in your project location
• Confirm which professional stamp(s) are required on drawings for permit submission in your municipality
• Determine whether the lot or project triggers any additional review processes (heritage zones, agricultural land, flood zone overlays, or other designations)
• Plan for permit timing in your project schedule — approvals take time, and starting construction before permits are issued creates legal and insurance exposure
• Confirm the inspection regime for your project: what inspections are required, by whom, and at what stages

Do not begin construction before required permits are issued. Permit requirements, timelines, and fees vary by municipality — consult your professional team and the relevant authorities directly.

Tendering and Contractor Evaluation — How to Approach Selection

Selecting a general contractor or construction manager is one of the most consequential decisions of the project. Price is a factor, but it is rarely the only factor that matters.

• Prepare a complete tender package — drawings, specifications, scope exclusions, and contract form — before soliciting prices
• Obtain prices from at least two to three qualified contractors, not just one
• Review each tender for scope coverage — a low price that excludes key items is not a saving
• Request and verify references for projects of comparable type and scale
• Confirm that the contractor carries appropriate liability insurance and holds any required licenses
• Understand the contract form being proposed — your obligations, the contractor's obligations, how changes are priced, and how disputes are handled
• Clarify payment terms and holdback provisions before signing — understand what the law requires and what the contract says

A well-prepared tender process produces better prices and a clearer understanding of what you are actually buying.

Construction Readiness — What “Ready to Build” Actually Means

Being ready to build means more than having a permit in hand. Before breaking ground, a number of organizational and practical conditions should be in place.

• Confirm financing is in place and draw conditions are understood
• Verify that all required permits are issued and posted on site
• Confirm the site is accessible and any required temporary services (power, water, fencing) are arranged
• Ensure your contract with the general contractor is fully executed before work begins
• Establish a communication protocol — who is your primary point of contact on site, how often will you receive updates, and how will issues be escalated to you
• Clarify the process for approving change orders — do not allow verbal changes to scope or cost without a written record

Starting construction before these conditions are met introduces problems that are avoidable.

Change-Management Preparation — Preparing for the Unexpected

Change during construction is normal. What determines whether a change becomes a problem is how it is handled — not whether it occurs.

• Establish a clear written process for initiating, pricing, approving, and documenting changes before construction begins
• Require written change orders for every change in scope, cost, or schedule — no exceptions
• Understand how your contract defines a change versus a contract item already included
• Maintain your contingency reserve for genuine surprises, not for changes of mind
• Track cumulative change order costs against your overall budget in real time
• Keep a log of all open items and decisions still pending — do not allow them to pile up unresolved

Construction projects where changes are managed in writing, in real time, close out more cleanly and with fewer disputes than those where changes are tracked loosely or not at all.

How ARKC Supports Each Phase

Working through a checklist gives you a clearer picture of what is ahead. But knowing what to do and having someone in your corner who can coordinate it are different things.

Groupe ARKC's Owner's Representative service provides owner-side planning, coordination, and decision support across the phases described in this guide. The role is distinct from the architect, the contractor, and the designer — its mandate is to organize information, track decisions and milestones, and give the homeowner a clear, consistent point of contact throughout the project. Services and authority are defined in a written agreement for each engagement.

For homeowners who are earlier in the process — still working through site selection, budget framing, or team structure — ARKC offers two planning resources built around the same approach:

Both resources reflect the same philosophy: an informed owner is a better owner, and a better-prepared project is a better project.

Frequently Asked Questions