FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

We are “boutique by design.” Unlike high-volume builders, we intentionally limit our annual project load to ensure every client receives our undivided attention. This approach allows our principals to visit job sites daily, ensuring that no detail is overlooked and that your experience remains personal, professional, and entirely stress-free.

See some of our Home Builder Reviews in Charleston SC.

Our foundation is built on six key pillars: Integrity, Quality Craftsmanship, a Client-Centric Approach, Teamwork, Transparent Communication, and Community Engagement. We take the time to deeply understand your vision before a single brick is laid, ensuring the final result reflects your unique lifestyle.

Find out About Us here.

Yes. In addition to being a fully licensed, bonded, and insured residential builder in South Carolina, Stono Construction is EPA Lead-Safe Certified. We are also a locally awarded, 5-star rated builder, having received the prestigious PRISM Award and the Carolopolis Award for excellence in the Charleston construction industry.

Learn Why a Lead-Certified Contractor is Non-Negotiable.

Currently, we only work in downtown Charleston, Mount Pleasant inside of 526, West Ashley inside of 526, James Island, Johns Island, and Wadmalaw Island.

Check out these comprehensive guides to the neighborhoods we build in:

Building in the Lowcountry Part I

Building in the Lowcountry Part II

No. While we love creating custom “Build On Your Lot” homes, we are equally passionate about major renovations, high-end home additions, and complex restorations that require expert multi-trade coordination.

Learn more about Maximizing Your Home’s Potential with Additions in Charleston here.

Absolutely. We are experts at “Build On Your Lot” projects. We handle the entire journey—from clearing the land and site preparation to the final walkthrough—so you can focus on the excitement of your new home.

Find 12 Design Trends for a “Build on Your Lot” Home in Charleston, SC here.

Yes. While your architect navigates the initial design aesthetics, Stono manages the complex physical execution required for historic Charleston structures. We have deep experience in the “hands-on” hurdles unique to centuries-old Lowcountry buildings, including structural leveling of sagging floor joists, sourcing period-accurate reclaimed materials, and carefully retrofitting modern systems into restrictive historic footprints.

Read 5 Steps to a Perfect Downtown Charleston Renovation

No. We focus primarily on complex, large-scale projects—such as whole-home overhauls or significant additions—where our detailed project management and team of skilled craftsmen can provide the most value.

Explore our major Home Remodeling services.

Building in the Lowcountry requires a “flood-smart” strategy. While your architect will address many of these issues in the initial plans (such as Base Flood Elevation), Stono Construction is highly experienced in executing these builds. We specialize in elevated foundations and proactive mitigation strategies to ensure your home is resilient, compliant, and prepared for the unique coastal landscape.

Learn more about Charleston Flood Zone Considerations.

We prioritize materials that are beautiful but durable enough to withstand Charleston’s humidity, salt air, and high winds. We often recommend fiber-cement, composite, and durable wood siding for rot resistance, metal roofing for longevity, and impact-rated windows to protect against storms and UV heat gain.

Read about Designing for the Charleston Climate here.

Absolutely. While the level of efficiency is often driven by the homeowner’s goals, we provide extensive expertise in high-performance building science. We focus on creating a tight building envelope through advanced insulation, sealing the thermal envelope, installing high-efficiency HVAC systems tailored for the Lowcountry, and utilizing high-performance windows and doors.

Yes. We can build high-end outdoor environments that serve as an architectural extension of your home. We focus on significant structural projects such as custom pool houses, Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs), detached guest cottages, and expansive outdoor “great rooms” featuring integrated kitchens, masonry fireplaces, hardscapes, or aquatic enhancements including pools.

Check out the Home Addition Process here.

You are a full partner. We utilize a collaborative approach where you participate in every step, from initial consultation to final material selections, ensuring you feel confident in every decision made.

Learn more about Transparency and Trust: 5 Homebuilding Questions Answered Honestly

At Stono, communication is never outsourced. You will have a one-to-one point of contact directly with our principals. We believe a luxury building experience requires direct access to the decision-makers. Every request and timeline update is managed personally by the owners to ensure your vision is executed with precision.

Read 10 Reasons to Build Your Home with Stono Construction.

Not necessarily. Having existing plans is a great starting point for our conversation. However, if you are still in the vision stage, we can introduce you to our curated network of trusted Lowcountry architects and designers. Sometimes, this approach can ensure a more seamless transition into the construction phase.

What Makes One Builder Different from Another?

The timeline is influenced by several factors, including design complexity, project size, the permitting process, current material lead times and owner decisions. Typically, new home builds take 10-12 months, while large additions / remodels typically take 6-8 months. Every project is different so we use a variety of proven project management tools to keep your project on schedule and minimize delays from change orders.

Learn more about The Homebuilding Process here.

We generate our estimates using all available inputs, including the architectural plans, structural engineering, interior design specifications, regulatory and neighborhood considerations, home owner inputs, detailed material quantity takeoffs, vendor pricing estimates, and vetted subcontractor quotes.

This is a question we get a lot, and it is a tough one, for custom homes and for remodels and additions. Every construction project has completely different aspects, such as the lot it sits on, the level of complexity of the architectural plans/design, the amount of landscape/hardscape, and the types of selections that our clients make. We would be happy to discuss what we think a rough price might be if you would like to set up a time to talk and provide us with some basic information.

For any project where the owners will not be living in the home, there should be a builders risk policy in place to ensure that the home is protected during any number of covered perils. If you plan to live in the home, a similar policy may still be needed, but likely in the form of an endorsement on your main homeowner policy. For example, a hurricane, or a fire. In the case of remodeling jobs, if a property owner attempts to keep in place their current insurance, and fails to notify their carrier about the type of work being done, they are at risk of having incorrect coverage and may face denied claims. The property owner should also ensure that they have proper liability coverage for the situation. Owner-procured builders risk does not cover liability for the builder and it’s subcontractors, which they provide. Stono Construction carries it’s own liability coverage, as does all of its subcontractors.

Stono Construction maintains a commercial general liability policy, as well as a commercial umbrella, commercial auto coverage, and workers compensation.  All of our subcontractors carry similar coverages to ensure that each of our clients have a full line of defense against most perils. It is critical to ensure that your builder is not only insuring themselves, but also that they have a process in place to ensure that their subcontractors have these coverages.

Yes. We regularly work with clients who choose to finance their construction projects using mortgage construction financing, usually in the form of a “construction-to-permanent” loan. Construction loans are not all created equal, but all of them require some sort of pre-established draw schedule, and pre-draw inspections. We find that the smaller banks are a better route for these, and that the larger national or international banks tend to have so much red tape and disconnection from the local market, that it causes a lot of delays and unnecessary hassle for everybody involved.

All of our projects are managed directly by a principal of the company. We don’t use project managers. This ensures that things go smoothly on many fronts.

From initial bid to final invoice, we use a schedule of values that is consistent throughout. It has about 30 different items on it and each is loosely related around a specific trade. We require an initial deposit, and after that, we use progress draw invoicing, whereby each draw request is based on actual progress completed. You won’t be invoiced for anything not completed yet, except for a handful of instances where we must make a downpayment to certain vendors.

We use a formal but simple contract addendum for change orders. It tracks how the total price will change as a result of the changes, and if any time needs to be added to the construction schedule. We will not do any work that is not expressly approved by you. We keep our invoicing for change orders separate from your main contract draw invoices.

In our estimates, we provide a detailed list of specific items that will be allowances, and we do not try to hide those amounts within other items on our schedule of values. We base these allowances on a range of information, including your stated preferences, real estimates that we may already have, market information, and our own experience with similar past clients. We make sure that you are aware of every allowance and that you understand what is included or excluded in each. Throughout the job, we track the actual spending as well as the estimated spending by updating it as we receive new estimates. We provide a report at every draw interval, and any time upon request, so that you always have a better estimation of how you will end up at the end of the job, and so you can see more clearly how your choices will affect your final spend. At the end of the job, we calculate all allowance items and either invoice or issue a credit for anything over or under. We do actually have clients that spend less and we end up refunding the difference at job end.

We always recommend that clients consider it, but it’s not a requirement. On large projects, it is extremely helpful to have another set of eyes on the selections and choices you make for your dream home. All interior designers are not created equal. Some have full-blown storefronts and a retail license, while others are really just acting as a helpful “coach” along your journey.

No. Unfortunately, we are not set up to build modular homes at this time.

Most jobs that we do are large projects and we need to maintain the management of all aspects of the work to ensure things go smoothly, on time, and on budget. There are some exceptions. Please contact us to inquire.

Generally speaking, we buy all the products for the project. The job will run more smoothly and there will be fewer returns and mis-ordered items. There are circumstances where our vendors cannot source certain specialty items, and we handle those on a case by case basis.

We provide you with a detailed timeline well in advance for when you need to make every selection. The usual flow is for you to visit with each of our preferred vendors at their showrooms at your convenience. They will work on estimates for you, and in some cases drawings. Once you approve, we will purchase those items. We review all of these to ensure they will work correctly.

It depends on the job, and what phase the job is in, but we generally recommend that you stop by or connect with us at least weekly. We will also schedule certain in-person visits at specific phases to ensure decisions are made without holding up the work.

Yes. Many of our clients have been and are from out of town.

Yes. We have plenty of experience navigating even the most strict HOAs.

Yes, although there are some exceptions. Please contact us to inquire.

All building lots are not created equal for sure. If you are looking to build on your lot, we have a great resource that you can see here.

The 50% rule, more formally known as the substantial improvement rule, is a building and zoning department’s interpretation and adoption of certain guidelines set forth by FEMA that are designed to mitigate potential flooding of residential homes, and to help neighborhood flood ratings. It says that if you improve your home and the cost exceeds 50% of the value of the home’s structure value, not including the lot, then you will be required to bring the entire home up to current building codes. This includes ensuring your first finished floor is above the design flood elevation, which is usually two feet above the base flood elevation. Most municipalities use a rolling period of 5 years, meaning that they will add to the work valuation any work permitted on record in the last five years. On older homes, exceeding the rule can result in very significant additional expense.

It depends. Some jurisdictions require it and some don’t. For example, Charleston County does enforce it even if not in a flood zone. Mount Pleasant, City of Charleston, and other nearby jurisdictions typically do not enforce it, unless it’s in a flood zone.