Situated just south of Kalamazoo, Portage is a great city in Southwestern Michigan. It offers plenty of access to nature, as well as a quick drive to Lake Michigan. This makes Portage an absolutely wonderful place to live.
If you are considering building a house in Portage, the award-winning builders at Snowden Builders can help you build the home of your dreams. Portage is an ideal location to build, with lots available in more wooded areas, on the water, and in town. With great public schools, a strong local economy, and an abundance of parks and nature trails, Portage is the perfect place to call home.
Based in Western Michigan, Snowden Builders has constructed luxury custom homes for homeowners throughout the region. We take a client-centered approach to home building, forming a true partnership with our clients so that we can build a house that exceeds your expectations. Reach out to our team to learn more about how we can help you design and build your Portage custom home.
Why Choose Snowden Builders?
For three generations (and nearly 30 years), Snowden Builders has worked with some of the top designers and craftsmen in Michigan to build premium custom homes. We put our clients first, making sure that they are getting exactly what they want out of their home build – and that the process is as stress-free as possible. With a focus on quality materials and the finest craftsmanship, we strive to maintain our reputation as one of the best custom home builders in Western Michigan.
Unparalleled Craftsmanship
When you invest in a luxury custom home, you want to make sure that your house is built right. Every Snowden home is built using the highest quality materials available on your budget. The idiom, “you get what you pay for” absolutely rings true in construction, and we take great care to build your home with materials built to last.
We also build our houses with the finest craftsmanship, using a combination of time-honored building standards as well as newer technologies that can make construction even better. We only work with a small and trusted group of contractors. In fact, we have worked with some of our contractors for more than 25 years. We never take shortcuts, which means that each of our homes is built to last for generations.
A Collaborative Approach
They say that teamwork makes the dream work. While it might be a cliche line, it is also true. Whether in your family, in sports, or in building a house, working together makes everything so much better. We take a collaborative, team-style approach to home building for each and every project.
It starts with our very first meeting, where we will ask you a lot of questions. Our goal here is to get to know you. We firmly believe that who you are as a person or a family should be reflected in your custom house. While the details (like the number of bedrooms) are important, we want to learn more about you and your lifestyle so that we can design and build a better house for you.
We also take the time to get the details right. There are many decisions to be made when you are building a custom home. We want to make sure that you are happy with each aspect of your build. Getting to know you also means that we learn your personality and decision-making style. Whether you want us to back off and let you do your thing or to offer you a more limited range of choices, we will guide and give you the time and space to design your dream home.
A Client-Centered Experience
We build custom homes, and believe that the customized approach extends to our relationship with homeowners. Our clients become part of our family. Building a custom house can be an intense process, filled with many decisions, trips to suppliers, and detail work. Because we will be working together for close to a year, it’s important to us that we have a relationship with our clients.
We offer open lines of communication and an unwavering commitment to customer service. If you have a question, just ask us! We are always happy to help and offer advice and guidance. Building a custom home can be stressful, but our goal is to make the process as straightforward as possible.
We may not be the only custom home builder in the Portage area, but we’d love an opportunity to show you what sets us apart from other builders. If you’re thinking about building a custom home in Portage, we invite you to schedule a free consultation with us to discuss your project in detail.
Building a Custom Home in Portage
For some people, building a custom home is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. For others, it isn’t their first rodeo. Whatever the case may be, Snowden Builders takes a bit of a different approach to home building. You become part of the Snowden team when you build a house with us, which makes the process a lot more collaborative and leads to far better results when it comes to your home.
Initial Consultation
Each custom home build begins with a consultation. This is where we learn more about you and what exactly you want when it comes to your Portage custom home. We will ask a lot of questions to learn more about you and why you want to build a custom house. The goal here is to help us provide better advice based on our decades of experience in the field, such as suggesting features that you might not have thought of before, but would be a great addition to your home.
Each consultation is unique, but we may ask questions like:
- Why do you want to build a house in Portage? Do you work in the area? Will you need a space for a home office?
- What do you like to do? Are you big into the outdoors? Do you like to entertain and host guests?
- What is your idea of the perfect location for a house? In a neighborhood close to other people? On the water? In the woods? Do you have a property picked out for this build, or do you need some help?
We will also answer any of your questions during this consultation. Whether you want to know more about the costs and timeline or why you should hire our company, we are happy to chat. We can also provide a more detailed breakdown of the process and what to expect at each stage of design and construction.
Property Inspection
If you choose to work with Snowden Builders, the next step is to inspect your property. This gives us a better idea of the terrain and the work that may be necessary to prep it for construction. It also allows us to provide better advice on things that will work for your location. If you haven’t purchased land yet, we can help you with that as well.
Home Design
Next, we will start the design process with you. This is another area where collaboration is key. We work with some of the best architects and interior designers in Southwestern Michigan. Together, we can bounce ideas off of each other and brainstorm until we have come up with a fantastic plan for your new house. If you need some home design inspiration, you can also check out portfolios of our work.
Contract Review
Once the design is finalized, we can provide a cost estimate and draft a contract. You should review the contract carefully for material terms, projected completion date, and estimated costs and payment schedule. Of course, as with any construction project, both the cost and the timeline may change due to factors that are outside of our control. We will always keep you updated about any delays, increased expenses, or other changes.
Final Decisions
If you are financing your construction, you can do so with the signed contract. Then we can start finalizing your design. You’ll sit down with our designers to choose all of the finishing touches, like paint color, tile, flooring, and lighting. While you are making these last decisions, we will obtain construction permits and order materials.
Construction
With all of the preliminary legwork done, we can finally break ground! Construction follows a specific schedule, going phase by phase until it is complete. It starts with clearing the land, pouring the foundation, and framing the house. At each step, we will get the necessary inspections and have you approve the work before we move to the next stage.
We can also schedule tours of the construction site for you whenever you would like to check up on progress. Just reach out to your project manager to arrange a tour. This way, you can see exactly what is happening with your house. You can also request changes if you aren’t quite sure about a certain design choice or finish.
Most custom homes are built within 7 to 9 months. This timeline can change based on factors such as the square footage of your house, the complexity of the design, bad weather, and difficulty getting materials. It can be challenging to learn of a delay, but these things are often outside of our control. We can promise that we will keep you updated so that you know exactly what to expect.
Final Walkthrough
When construction is complete, we will do a final walkthrough of the house with you. During this tour, if you notice anything that you’d like to be fixed or changed, we can add that to our punch list of items to complete. We will also show you how to maintain your house and work the different features.
Closing
The last step in the process is the closing. We will sign a lot of paperwork to officially transfer the legal title of your house to you. It will then be time for you to start enjoying your beautiful new Portage custom home!
About Portage
Located in Kalamazoo County, Portage is a mid-sized city of approximately 50,000 people. It was first settled in the early 1800s, but was not incorporated as a city until 1963. Before it was settled, the Pottawatomie Indians inhabited the region.
One of the more unique aspects of Portage’s history is its recognition as “Celery City.” In the 1800s, settlers discovered that the rich soil of Portage made a perfect growing environment for the vegetable. This made Portage one of the top producers of celery in the United States until the mid-1900s.
Portage’s transformation into a larger city began after World War II. The city’s history is still celebrated at the Celery Flats Interpretive Center and at Bicentennial Park. In fact, Portage is home to 31 registered historic properties.
Today, Portage is home to Pfizer’s largest manufacturing facility (which spans 1,300 acres). In fact, the initial doses of Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine were manufactured in Portage before being shipped across the country. Pfizer remains a major employer in Portage to this day.
There are plenty of things to do in and around Portage. It is home to the largest retail center in Southwest Michigan, the Crossroads Mall. There are plenty of great restaurants in Portage, including the Cove Lakeside Bistro, the Black Rock Bar & Grill, Latitude 42 Brewing Co., Fieldstone Grill, and The Rooster’s Call.
For nature lovers, there are plenty of parks in Portage to enjoy the outdoors. This includes the Celery Flats Historical Area (featuring an amphitheater, the Hayloft Theatre, and Stuart Manor), Betty Lee Ongley Nature Preserve, Bishop’s Bog Preserve, Schrier Park, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Park, Central Park, Eliason Nature Reserve, Oakland Drive Park, Harbors West Park, Haverhill Park, Lakeview Park, Millennium Park (featuring an ice rink), Liberty Park, Portage Creek Bicentennial Park, Lexington Green Park, Ramona Park, South Westnedge Park (including a dog park, baseball fields, and a skate park), Veterans Memorial Park, West Lake Nature Preserve, and Westfield Preserve. There is also a citywide trail system along with a bike share program to allow everyone to enjoy the beautiful scenery.
Portage is also close to Kalamazoo, which offers plenty of attractions. This includes the Kalamazoo Growlers Baseball, Air Zoo (an aerospace and science exploration center), and the Kalamazoo Wings Event Center. Kalamazoo also has great nightlife if you’d like a night on the town.
Portage covers over 35 square miles, almost 3 square miles of which is water. This includes Austin Lake, a lake in the southeast part of Portage, and West Lake. Given Portage’s size and topography, it is possible to build or purchase property along the water in Portage, or to choose a more rural setting.
Most students in Portage attend Portage Public School District Schools. This includes 12th Street Elementary, Amberly Elementary, Angling Road Elementary, Central Elementary, Haverhill Elementary, Lake Center Elementary, Moorsbridge Elementary, Woodland Elementary, Central Middle, North Middle, West Middle, Portage Central High, Portage Community High, and Portage Northern High School. However, given the size of the city, some students fall within the Comstock Public School District, the Vicksburg Community School District, or the Schoolcraft Community School District.
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Build a Luxury Portage Custom Home with Snowden Builders
Portage is a smaller city that has a lot to offer, including natural beauty and proximity to both Lake Michigan and Kalamazoo. It is a fantastic place to build a home, with plenty of options for building in town, on the water, or in a more rural location. We can work with you to help you build the custom home of your dreams in Portage.
Snowden Builders is committed to constructing the highest quality luxury custom homes in Western and Southwestern Michigan. We offer the finest craftsmanship, the highest quality materials, and top-notch customer service.
To schedule a free consultation with a member of our team about your Portage custom home, give us a call at 616-532-1800 or fill out our online contact form.
