Process
Our Approach to Custom Homes
The Falcon Framework is our six-step process that we’ve methodically developed over the last 25 years with the single goal of helping our clients navigate the journey of drafting, designing, and constructing a forever home that they truly love.
1. Meet & Greet
This in-person meeting is held at our office to learn about you and your goals. We’ll share what we do — and don’t do — and how we approach each project.
We discuss the pros and cons of buying existing, building new, current build costs, timelines, and financing to help you decide if building a custom home is the best option for you.
2. The Concept Phase
If we both feel great about working together, the next step is what we call the Concept Phase. For an upfront fee, we’ll create your plans from scratch with our Architectural Designer and Design Director.
We start with a time-tested interview process to best understand your needs and goals. We’ll review lot selection, potential obstacles, your style, and your budget. This is where our 25 years of expertise (and mistakes) are leveraged to best guide our clients through the process.
3. Comprehensive Estimate
Once we clearly understand your needs, have walked your lot, and created the house plans and 3D model for your review and approval, we then put together an accurate estimate that reflects your wishes and priorities.
This process is broken into stages, as experience has shown how critical it is to have the right information at the right time. We want to avoid spending weeks of your and our time only to present a design and estimate that ultimately does not meet your needs.
Sometimes, this involves tough conversations early on and rigorous prioritizing, but that’s much better than getting to a roadblock later and needing to start over with a new or different floor plan.
4. Contract Packet
If all is a go after presenting the estimate, we assemble the final plans and review exactly what your price includes in the clearest terms possible. Only when we’re 100% comfortable and excited to proceed do we sign a contract and proceed with the construction phase.
5. Construction
Once the contract has been signed, a significant amount of work goes on behind the scenes on our end to begin scheduling, finalizing shop drawings, ordering certain items, and completing other items like lot surveys, appraisals, permitting, and so on.
We also use online project management software that lets you stay up to date with the project, manage job files and photos, and keep a detailed record of the complete build. This information can be easily referenced at any point in the future.
6. Home Delivery & Warranty
We give a thorough home orientation by starting with a blue tape walk-through and then a tutorial on the mechanical systems and the maintenance required as you settle into your new home.
We’ll schedule a 90-day walk-through to confirm your satisfaction and address anything that might need our attention. We provide a 10-year structural and one-year craftsmanship warranty to ensure your home is worth your investment now and for future generations.
Testimonials
THEY DELIVER WHAT THEY PROMISE
Jon & Jamie Coon
Having our home built by the Wirtanen Custom Homes (now known as Falcon Alaska) was an amazing process. From the very start to the final finishing touches, the building process was a pleasant, engaging, and enjoyable experience. Steven and Arliss were great at developing a vision for the project and executing on the details.
Not only are the Wirtanens enjoyable to work with as people, they use user friendly computer software to help their clients visualize the finished product and provide constant status updates throughout the project. The “custom” detail of our house speaks volumes for the craftsmanship that Wirtanen Custom Homes creates. We would recommend anybody who’s considering building a custom home to work with Wirtanen Custom Homes. A quality, locally based Alaskan company, they deliver what they promise and do fantastic work.
WE MADE THE RIGHT DECISION
Steve Roushar
After spending several years and countless hours looking for a larger home with some acreage for a reasonable price my wife and I decided we would be better off keeping our home and adding on. There are a lot of horror stories of contractors in Alaska and we did not want to be another customer with an unsatisfactory impression through the building process and end up spending money to have regrets. So we wanted to make sure that the contractor we hired was honest, ethical and had the knowledge and experience to complete this large addition.
Everyone kept telling us to check out Wirtanen Homes. Fortunately, one of my friends had contracted with Wirtanen so we went and looked at his project. We were surprised and impressed with the workmanship and quality work that Wirtanen had done at his home. When we were confident that the addition was exactly what we wanted, they started the project almost immediately. Wirtanen crews were exemplary. Our questions and any concerns were always answered timely. In a short few weeks we had the addition we had envisioned and it was grander than we had hope for. We would not hesitate to use Wirtanen Homes in the future and have and will continue to recommend them to all of our friends and family.
QUALITY, ATTENTION TO DETAIL & PROFESSIONALISM
Zach & Becky Bell
We are so happy that we went with Wirtanen Custom Homes . Going into building we had a floor concept that we already had in mind. Knowing that, we knew we didn’t want to go with a contractor that did not specialize in custom homes.
Before deciding to go with Wirtanen Custom Homes we also spoke with a couple of other independent contractors. Although we were impressed with their quality of building we did not want to worry about the hassle of taking out a building loan ourselves. With Wirtanen Custom Homes being able to carry the construction loan, it was one less step of the building process that we didn’t have to worry about. Also, we felt that Wirtanen Custom Homes was the only contractor that we met with that really stayed true to our original design without trying to push floor plans that they had built in the past.
We are greatly satisfied with the quality, attention to detail, and professionalism with Wirtanen Custom Homes. Their “standards” package already had built into it many features that other builders would consider as extras that we wanted incorporated into the house. Being a family with younger children, durability was a big priority to us. The quality of craftsmanship and product has certainly met our expectations.
I CAN’T SAY ENOUGH GOOD THINGS
Sean & Sue McGilvray
I can’t say enough good things about our experience with Wirtanen Homes building our dream home in Alaska. What I thought would be an overwhelming undertaking considering we were doing this from out of state was made so much easier by Wirtanen and their building process.
Everything went as explained, in order as they said and in a very transparent and organized manner. For us the real game changer was the ‘Builder Trend’ client site that they provide. It laid everything out front for your project for all of the building aspects and most importantly for us…..we saw a running total on the costs of the project as it progressed. There were no surprises and we were fully aware of any additional costs caused by upgrades that we chose because we had to sign them off before Wirtanen would go forward with these changes. Again, I don’t know how it could have gone any better thanks to the whole Wirtanen team that we dealt with including Steven, Arliss, Ryan our Project Manager and Karen at the front desk. It truly felt like we were treated like more than just another client!
EXCEPTIONAL TO WORK WITH
Bonnie Honkola & Larry Junker
We love our custom Wirtanen home. We had purchased our lot 25 years ago, and had a lifetime of dreams in folders and in our head as to what we wanted. Taking these many ideas, photos, thoughts to exactly what we wanted was not the easiest task! From conception to completion, Steven and his top notch crew were exceptional to work with. All aspects of the process were seamless. We had heard that building a custom home would be difficult & challenging, but Wirtanen brought a level of professionalism and understanding that made the process a pleasure.
As in all complex projects, there were a few things that needed to be tweaked after the keys were turned over and this is where Wirtanen shined. They listened to our concerns and made everything right. We would not hesitate to recommend Wirtanen to anyone interested in a custom home. Wirtanen earned our respect and admiration and we are so glad we chose them to build our dream home.
THE HOME IS AMAZING
John & Denise Evey
We highly recommend Wirtanen. My wife and I searched the market for a house that would accommodate my wife and kids along with an additional space for friends and family, to no avail. In our search, we walked through a ten year old Wirtanen home that seemed brand new…no creaks in the floors or stairs, and even temperatures throughout the home. The craftsmanship of this home led us to contact Wirtanen. From helping choose the land (walking properties and assessing the ground), through the complete design of the home, Wirtanen’s insight and know-how helped forge the house of our dreams. They kept us involved with every step of the build, and overcame every obstacle. If something didn’t look right to us or to them, they made it right. They also finished when they said they would. Furthermore, their up-to-date online scheduling let us know what and when our selections were due and relieved most of the stress you hear about amongst couples building a home. We’ve lived here a year now. The home is amazing. Our last place was almost half the size and cost more in heating and electric. Plus, we have a solid home that has zero cold spots in the winter and stayed amazingly cool during a very warm summer. My respect and appreciation for the Wirtanen clan knows no bounds. If you are in the market for a custom home, give Wirtanen a call.
THEIR CRAFTSMANSHIP IS EXCEPTIONAL
Chris & Jamie Popham
We highly recommend Wirtanen. My wife and I searched the market for a More happy clients! Wirtanen Inc. turned the overwhelming home building experience into a real pleasure for us. So many decisions go into a custom home.. Wirtanen laid these out in steps that kept stress levels to a minimum. Thanks to their patience and communication, as well as their technological approach to home building, our vision for the final product was delivered upon completely. On time, and at a price we feel was very reasonable. We can’t recommend them more highly as they are easy to work with, honest, and their craftsmanship is exceptional. It was a great experience that gave us exactly what we wanted, and we wouldn’t hesitate to do it again.
ENERGY EFFICIENT AND A JOY TO LIVE IN
William Wise
After talking to several builders and having three sets of plans drawn up we finally discovered Wirtanen Homes. Steven designed and built us a wonderful home that is also energy efficient and a joy to live in. In floor heat, triple pane windows and spray foam insulation were the focus from the start but adding in a geothermal heating system just rounded out the package. In the last year three of my coworkers have had houses built and they all complained about their builders not following through in one form or another and I have told anyone who would listen that if I were building again I would build with Steven Wirtanen, because Steven does what he says he will do, when he says he will do it. Even when it is not convenient for him.
I CONTINUALLY RECOMMEND THEM
The Hooks Family
After talking to several builders and having three sets of plans drawn up we finally discovered Wirtanen Homes. These guys are great to work with and I continually recommend them to any of our friends that are looking for a QUALITY builder. Their honesty and integrity made the whole experience wonderful!! Thanks guys!
