Do a search and you'll find lots of threads regarding Schumacher homes.

I have but some do not state where they are. I just need to know about Greensboro. Thank you.

Not sure if you are still looking...I am having a GREAT experience with the Greensboro NC Schumacher. That being said, it's a lot of work and sometimes emotional when building a house...regardless of who you do it with.

1. You will know very clearly what all of the home construction features will cost you. This takes a lot longer than I ever imagined, frustrating at times, but in the end I found the detailed itemization very comforting and did not receive this from any of the other three builders we sought bids from. Some people call this itemization "nickel and diming", however I found it to be very clear and easy to understand. I also realize that they are a business and this itemization is their way of ensuring a fair price for their product. I am a "Type A" personality and thrive on the detail. If an upgrade was not in my budget, I didn't do it (unfortunately I couldn't do 100% metal roof). The base price is a VERY VERY basic home. Plan to budget an additional 40-60% ABOVE the published online price depending on your style. We did stone counter tops everywhere, board and batten, metal accents on porch roofs, upgraded to black windows, added a slate covered porch, added a basement, true divided lite front doors, Marsh custom cabinets (included a custom paint color in master), custom master bath , solid wood floors, etc...

2. You have the backing of a large firm. This can be a pro and a con, but I have found it more advantageous to have a builder with lots of experience building houses, and a large drafting/engineering/architectural/building team with lots of experience. It seems to me that Schumacher has a tight cost accounting system that allows them to be very cost effective, and able to call on their vendors to "get things done". However, sometimes the bureaucracy and amount of time to get an answer on something is longer than I would like.

3. "Allowance Items". This is no different with any building contract. Allowance items are a nerve racking line item. I had to fire my original builder (NOT Schumacher) for a $37,000 overage on grading with no prior communication or notice!!! Get as many items in the contract as firm bids as possible. This will require work, reasearch and time on your part...but that's true for any builder. Some items are just not able to be firm bids and no builder will do so, i.e. grading. That being said, do your homework for the options and upgrades and features you desire. Schumacher was very good about taking my requested upgrades and providing fair firm bids. For instance, I have my heart set on Birch Barnwood solid wood flooring from Whickam. Because I already knew the cost of the flooring, I was confortable with their bid which of added the cost of installation. Don't get me wrong, it's a ton of money but it wasn't any more than any other builder would be charging.

4. Stay on top of the project, and be a kind person!!!! There are many things that aren't a big deal to fix if they are caught early. We have had several. Some were simply preferences on my part. Some were serious changes that needed to be addressed. Some items were just "wrong" or "missed in drafting". They could have played hardball and said it wasn't in the contract, but instead I found them to be very amenable if they were simple changes, and very fair if major changes. Don't expect "freebies" or upgrades, but if the location of the framing for a door needs to be changed to be more centered, if you "catch" it while the framers are still there, AND YOU HAVE BEEN A KIND PERSON, you are likely to find them happy to help. I have tried to treat the tradesmen with respect, even getting to know them a little, and provide simple things like sodas and an area to relax on their breaks. It goes a long way. Be on the same team, not adversarial. I am enjoying the journey for sure.

Well...I have rambled on. I would be happy to discuss further if you wish. Let me know if I can help!! Best wishes!!

Basement going in...

Board and batten on garage front...

View of house from mountain road

Hi Johns Creek, Thank you for all the information you have provided, how much do Schumacher homes cost for unfinished basement ?

Manjula Arudappa, guaranteed what he may have paid in 2019 is not even in the same zip code as today.

We paid around $50 per square foot for the unfinished basement with 9 foot ceilings. It is constructed with preformed Superior Walls. It is perfectly dry and has exceeded our expectations. It is so comfortable that we are going to finish a section into a wine/bourbon cellar. We paid an extra $800 to have the stairwell fully finished with oak treads, drywall, paint...I thought that was an amazing bargain! We could never have done that ourselves let alone for that price. I would definitely recommend finishing the basement staircase/stairwell; it also allows you to have a “normal” door instead of the fire rated door as access to the first floor living space (the fire rated door goes at the bottom of the stairs). So now the door accessing the first floor can look just like all your other doors.

We are thrilled with our home and feel incredibly blessed.

I built the Vinemont (model is in Charlotte) and chose the farmhouse style exterior. I just looked at the current base price and it is up 10%+ since I built (over two years ago). As I mentioned above, my upgrades and changes added 60%+ to base... this is where the itemization and detail work comes into play. We did not go over budget/contract by one nickel. I actually got a check back because a couple allowance items came in under budget (concrete, slate porches). I keep scratching my head reading some of the awful experiences others have had.

Thank you for the detailed information! we are looking for unfinished basement, brick exterio, 10 ft ceiling in first floor , quartz countertops and few other upgrades, looks like it will get us out of budget.

10 foot ceilings are most definitely worth it!! I remember being pleasantly surprised about the cost. I think it was a couple thousand extra dollars, but soooooo much impact!! Not a budget buster in the whole scheme but one of the big decisions you can never change down the road.

Johns creek, i have few more questions, can I email them to you?

Sure! tope6110@Verizon.net

A few specifics to my experience that I think were/are impactful:

1. Personal Builder. The personal builder assigned by Schumacher is key. My personal builder changed very early on. He was new to Schumacher. I’ll be honest... it concerned me a little to have someone “new” to Schumacher, but the contract was already signed and the digging had already started! He had just “retired” from his own construction firm and had recent/proper builder licenses. Based on other people’s experiences it actually sounds like it was a blessing! I think it’ll be key for you to be confident that the personal builder assigned to your project is someone you can trust, is competent and you can rely on. You need a “partner” in your project.
2. References. See if you can get current and past customers as references, ideally with the same personal builder you will be assigned and at different stages. Ask to be able to visit job sites.
3. You cannot base your decision solely on my feedback, anymore than you should base it solely on other’s negative experiences. That being said, this is one of the biggest decisions you’ll make. There are many ways to get to your end goal. Only you can evaluate each option.
4. Be involved. Get everything detailed out ahead of signing. Be prepared to spend a lot of time on your project. You know better than anyone what your “vision” is and hope much you are willing to spend for it. I can’t tell you how many times after talking with the trades on my project that they would say “OH!!! I see your vision now!!” Or I would show them pictures (from Houzz of course haha) and it instantly brought recognition. Here’s a simple detail: I wanted all of my flooring to go in first and then cabinets would sit on top of the flooring. Sounds simple, right? Not really because it turns scheduling of trades almost upside down! And then you have all the trades walking all over your new floors. But, it worked!! I had dozens of “hmmmm, we’ve never done it that way before” requests.

what models can basements be added?

What models can basements be added?