From Site-Selection to Move-In: Building a Beautiful, Custom Home
Jan 12, 2026
Building a custom home in the beautiful Glenn Meadows neighborhood isn’t just a dull construction project, it’s a life-changing experience! Tucked into the rolling countryside of Franklin County, Glenn Meadows is designed for people who want to live in a peaceful setting while having easy access to shopping, entertainment, and more. With three award-winning local builders teaming up to create unique properties, residents are guaranteed a custom-built home that reflects their dreams.
From site selection to move-in, building a home in Glenn Meadows is a one-of-a-kind experience filled with clear steps through an amazing partnership with a luxury home builder.
Step 1: Pick the Perfect Homesite and Fall in Love!
Your home-building journey starts with the land. Glenn Meadows is intentionally planned as an exclusive, custom-home neighborhood with no endless rows of identical homes. The neighborhood offers countryside serenity, larger homesites, and a focus on personalization. Each home is unique, inside and out. Pick the perfect lot by considering:
The Sun! Do you want bright morning light in the kitchen or big sunsets on the back porch? Your homesite’s orientation to the path of the sun matters!
Balancing Privacy & Views: Will you want a lot edged with woods or do you prefer an open-meadow look? How close do you want to be to the center of your new neighborhood?
Outdoor Living Potential: Homesites in Glenn Meadows have room for a pool, a garden, a detached garage, and more. Whether you plan to add an outdoor feature at the time of building or down the road, choose a lot that compliments your outdoor living plans.
Topography: Slight slopes on a lot may be ideal if you’re hoping for a walk-out basement or an elevated rear deck.
Utilities & Home Placement: Your agent (and builder team) will help determine septic placement, the distance your home should be from the road, and research any architectural guidelines.
Step 2: Choose Your Partner:
Once you’ve found that perfect homesite, you’ll choose which of Glenn Meadows’ three seasoned builders will bring your vision to life. This may not be easy as each offers its own flavor of craftsmanship and shares a commitment to quality, innovation, and client care. Let’s get to know them:
Ken Harvey Homes is known across North Carolina for thoughtfully crafted floor plans, elegant brick and stone exteriors, and upgraded finishes that feel both fresh and timeless. Their homes emphasize modern living with open layouts, chef’s kitchens, generous storage, and have endless details found in trim, built-ins, statement lighting and more.
ICG Homes leans into quality, integrity, and transparency as their core values. They’re known for innovative designs, intricate details, and an emphasis on energy-efficient, well-built homes that stand the test of time. ICG Homes offers creative floor plans, gorgeous millwork, and loads of opportunities to customize. The team also focuses on providing a relaxed building experience, perfect for those building their first custom home.
Wilks Builders has been crafting upscale custom homes in the area for decades with a portfolio that ranges from classic traditional to clean, contemporary designs. An emphasis on client experience encourages a long-term partnership. With sophisticated floor plans and a high level of customization, Wilks Builders brings a design-plus-detail combination that is incredibly appealing.
As a new homebuyer prepping to build, you will likely start your partnership by meeting with each of the Glenn Meadows’ builders to see whose style, process, and personality feels right for you.
Step 3: Dreaming and Designing Your Custom Home!
With your builder selected, the design process begins! This multi-phase process will include:
A Discovery Meeting: Here you will discuss budget, lifestyle, must-haves, and wish-list items such as number of bedrooms, main-level living, multigenerational needs, home offices, pet spaces, hobby rooms, and more.
Floor Plan Selection or Design: Some buyers start with a proven floorplan from their builder’s portfolio and then customize it to fit specific needs. Each of Glenn Meadows’ builders has a wide range of thoughtfully designed floorplans that can be adapted easily. Alternatively, some buyers prefer to start from scratch, pair with a design team, and create a plan completely unique to their home.
Structural Choices: Here, you will decide on the specifics of your home’s features. Would you like a two or three car garage? Will you trade an extra bedroom for a spacious bonus room? How about a screened porch, sunroom, or both? Will your kitchen include a scullery? What will a spa-like primary suite include?
Exterior Style: Now, it’s time to nail down those elevation details: brick, stone, siding combinations, rooflines, porches, and architectural accents. This phase is all about creating a breath-taking first impression!
Step 4: Selections, Contracts, and Approvals:
This step is all about putting that icing on the cake as you head to your builder’s design studio! ICG Homes, Ken Harvey Homes, and Wilks Builders all emphasize personalization, so the output of the design studios is what ensures Glenn Meadows really shines! You will now select:
Cabinets and countertops
Flooring and tile
Plumbing and lighting fixtures
Interior trim and doors
Paint colors and hardware
As you complete those selections, you will also finalize your construction contract and coordinate with your lender on a construction-to-permanent loan or other financing option. Your builder team and lender will walk you through draws, timelines, and what to expect during construction. Your design plans will also go through any necessary architectural review and local permitting. Behind the scenes, your builder will be coordinating site engineering, utilities, and scheduling so everything is teed up once those permits are in hand.
Step 5: Groundbreaking and Construction Milestones!
Now the fun really begins as you can see your dreams start to take shape.
Site Prep & Foundation begins as your builder clears and grades your lot, stakes your home’s location, and pours the foundation. This phase sets the tone for drainage, driveway location, and outdoor living.
Framing takes place as walls go up and roof trusses are set allowing you to walk through the structure and fully experience room sizes and sight lines. Many buyers also schedule a framing walk-through to confirm outlet locations and map out built-ins.
Mechanical Rough-ins: Electrical, plumbing, and HVAC systems will be installed, followed by inspections. You will also confirm items like extra outlets, Christmas-light circuits, EV charging, or smart-home pre-wiring.
Insulation, Drywall, & Trim will make your home finally feel “real.” Once drywall is up, trim carpenters will install crown molding, wainscoting, beams, built-ins, and all the details that ICG Homes, Ken Harvey Homes, and Wilks Builders are known for.
Interior Finishes: Floors, tile, cabinets, countertops, and fixtures will arrive as your home transitions from a construction site to a magazine-worthy space!
Throughout construction, your builder will give you regular updates and schedule walk-throughs so that you always know what’s happening next.
Step 6: Final Inspections, Orientation, and Closing:
As your home nears completion, your builder will schedule final inspections with the county and any required third-party inspectors. Once approvals are in, it’s time for:
Blue-tape Walk-through: You and your builder do a detailed home tour noting any last-minute touch-ups.
Homeowner Orientation: You’ll learn how to operate systems like your HVAC, smart thermostats, gas logs, irrigation, and any special features unique to your home.
Warranty Overview: Each of Glenn Meadows’ builders offers a warranty program; they’ll explain what’s covered and how to request service.
Closing! The final step has arrived as you sign the final paperwork, fund your loan, and receive the keys to your custom-built home!
Step 7: Move-in and Fall in Love once more!
Move-in day at Glenn Meadows is more than simply unloading a truck; it’s the moment your new construction home finally becomes yours. Settle in and enjoy!
Get back to your daily routines while appreciating each decision you made along the way, like that extra main-level suite, scullery, or oversized rear porch.
You will likely see your builder in the neighborhood as they work on additional homes. Be sure to offer a wave or stop by to ask any questions you have as you get to know your home.
Register your new appliances, review your warranty information, and schedule any follow-up visits the builder has included.
While plenty of neighborhoods offer new construction, Glenn Meadows offers a unique and special place to bring dreams to life. The peaceful setting and large lots are perfect for true outdoor living, and each builder brings one-of-a-kind styles and processes to their craftsmanship and innovation.
Are you excited to build a home that reflects your lifestyle from the ground up? Reach out to the team at Glenn Meadows to begin your journey from site selection to move-in!