What to Expect When You Build a Home with Pratt Home Builders

Building a new home should feel exciting- not overwhelming.

At Pratt Home Builders, we believe our buyers deserve to understand exactly what goes into building their home long before move-in day. That’s why we recently invited our Realtor partners to experience our Work Boots & BBQ event, an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of homes under construction at Farms at Creekside.

Walking through each stage of construction helped demonstrate something we’ve believed for nearly three decades:

Quality isn’t something you notice at closing. It’s built into every step along the way.

Whether you’re building your first home or your forever home, here’s exactly what you can expect when you build with Pratt Home Builders.

Step 1: Building Starts with a Strong Foundation

Line drawing of "The New Haven" house design by Pratt Home Builders in Chattanooga, TN, featuring a two-story layout with a garage.

Every great home begins below the surface.

Before concrete is ever poured, our team carefully prepares the homesite through grading, drainage planning, and site preparation designed for long-term performance.

Once the foundation begins, we install:

Reinforced stem walls
Moisture protection and vapor barriers
Proper drainage systems
Multiple quality inspections before moving forward

Unlike builders who simply build to minimum code, Pratt focuses on building homes designed to perform for decades.

The Pratt Difference

We believe quality starts before the first wall is framed.

Step 2: Framing the Home

Couple embraces in front of a home under construction with a Sold sign for Pratt Home Builders in Chattanooga TN.

Once the foundation is complete, your home truly begins to take shape.

This stage includes:

Structural wall framing
Engineered roof systems
HVAC planning
Plumbing rough-ins
Electrical rough-ins
Energy-efficient insulation planning

Every Pratt floor plan has been intentionally designed in-house and solely focused around how families actually live.

Large gathering spaces.

Private owner’s suites.

Functional drop zones.

Flexible bonus rooms.

Every square foot has purpose.

Step 3: The Details Behind the Walls

Before drywall is installed, your home undergoes another series of inspections.

Although homeowners rarely see what’s inside the walls after move-in, this is one of the most important phases of construction.

Pratt includes premium building materials that provide long-term durability and peace of mind.

Some of the products we proudly build with include:

Advantech® Subflooring

Unlike standard OSB flooring, Advantech resists moisture during construction, reduces squeaks over time, and creates a stronger floor system.

James Hardie® Siding

Known throughout the industry for exceptional durability, Hardie siding resists weather, moisture, pests, and fading while maintaining beautiful curb appeal for years.

High-Performance Insulation
Proper insulation helps improve energy efficiency, homeowner comfort, and lower monthly utility costs.

Because many of these features become hidden once drywall is complete, most buyers never realize the difference they make.

At Pratt, we believe they’re some of the most important investments we can make.

Step 4: Bringing Your Home to Life

Modern gray house with a two-car garage and a tidy lawn, built by Pratt Home Builders in Chattanooga TN. Blue sky and neighboring homes visible.

Elegant dining room with white wainscoting, wooden floor, and large windows. Designed by Pratt Home Builders in Chattanooga TN.

Now comes the exciting part.

Once construction is complete, your home begins receiving the finishes that reflect your personal style.

Depending on your stage in the building process, you may have opportunities to personalize selections through the Pratt Design Studio.

Many Pratt homes include premium features that other builders often consider upgrades, including:

Granite or quartz countertops
Luxury flooring
Crown molding
High ceilings
Ceiling fans
Delta® premium plumbing fixtures
Quality cabinetry
Spacious open-concept floor plans

It’s one of the reasons homeowners often say a Pratt home feels different the moment they walk inside.

Step 5: Your Home Is Ready for Move-In

Before closing, every Pratt home goes through extensive quality inspections and walkthroughs.

Our goal isn’t simply to hand over the keys.

Our goal is to make sure you feel completely confident in your new home.

Throughout construction, our team communicates with buyers every step of the way so there are no surprises.

From contract to closing, we’re committed to making the experience as enjoyable as the finished home itself.

Why Homebuyers Choose Pratt Home Builders

For more than 27 years, Pratt Home Builders has helped thousands of families build homes throughout the greater Chattanooga area.

As a locally owned builder, we understand the neighborhoods, schools, and communities that make East Tennessee such a special place to call home.

When you build with Pratt, you’re choosing:

Local ownership and accountability
Thoughtfully designed floor plans
Exceptional included features
Premium building materials
Personalized design selections
Trusted trade partners
Transparent communication
Dedicated customer care before, during, and after closing

It’s what we proudly call The Pratt Difference. Read more here.

Frequently Asked Questions

Blue and gray house exterior with white-trimmed windows and decorative gables, built by Pratt Home Builders in Chattanooga TN.

How long does it take to build a new home with Pratt Home Builders?

While every home is unique, construction timelines vary depending on the floor plan, homesite, weather, and personalization selections. Your New Home Consultant will provide an estimated timeline and keep you informed throughout the process. In general, you can expect 6-9 months from foundation to final walkthrough.

What materials does Pratt Home Builders use?

Pratt homes feature premium products selected for durability and long-term performance, including Advantech® subflooring, James Hardie® siding, Delta® plumbing fixtures, quality cabinetry, granite or quartz countertops, and energy-efficient construction practices.

Can I personalize my new home?

Yes. Depending on your stage of construction, you’ll have opportunities to personalize finishes, colors, flooring, countertops, cabinetry, and other design selections through the 3,000 sq ft Pratt Design Studio.

Why choose a new construction home instead of resale?

A new Pratt home offers modern floor plans, energy-efficient construction, lower maintenance, a warranty, current building standards, personalization opportunities, and the peace of mind that comes with a brand-new home.

Experience The Pratt Difference

Building a home is one of life’s biggest milestones.

Our goal is to make every step enjoyable, transparent, and exciting.

Whether you’re ready to build semi-custom from the ground up or explore one of our move-in ready homes throughout Chattanooga, Ooltewah, Apison, Hixson, Cleveland, Signal Mountain, Lookout Mountain, Soddy-Daisy, or North Georgia, our team is here to help you every step of the way.

Explore our available homes or schedule a visit today and experience The Pratt Difference for yourself. Call us at (423) 757-7687 or Contact Us Here.

What to Expect When You Build a Home with Pratt Home Buildersgmwebservices2026-07-20T20:26:26+00:00

Stop Thinking Trendy and Start Thinking Timeless

Timeless design has staying power- it was not meant to be temporary.

When designing a space that’s geared toward trends, odds are it will already be outdated once the project is finished. My job is to share a few tips and tricks that will save you from hating your trendy home in 3 years.

Think “Classic.”

When designing your home, the best route to go is “classic.” Have you ever entered a space and just thought, “Wow, this is beautiful”? Most of the time that occurs when the space is classic and elegant, rather than decorated from the trend of the year. To achieve this classic style, you may want to draw inspiration from Greek Architecture: Moldings, columns, stripes or bold solid colors.

Your timeless home will play upon these details. Also, incorporate natural resources and fibers such as woods, stones, brick. Mixing materials and colors is what brings interest in.

Think Color.

Neutrals are key to a timeless design. They set a perfect backdrop for art and furniture, without overdoing it. Beiges, grays, and soft blues have a strong presence in timeless homes, often accented by crisp, bright whites of moldings in ceilings, arches, and doorways. But not all timeless homes are painted in neutrals. You can try classic colors such as black, navy blues, and dark greens that are often complemented by these neutrals. My word of advice: When in doubt, aim for simplicity, maturity, and elegance.

Think Accents.

If you can’t get over a particular trendy accent, however, use it! After all, this is your home and you’re going to have to love it. But with that being said, trendy patterned furniture may be a risky move. Accents are much more suitable to design with, for they are easily replaceable as trends change. It’s all about balance.

Stop Thinking Trendy and Start Thinking Timelessgmwebservices2025-11-25T13:29:51+00:00

Positioning Yourself for the Best-Possible Home-Buying Process

In real estate, one of most frequently used and important terms in the business is “time is of the essence.” Often, we think of this adage as it pertains to the exchange of contracts, but starting the clock ahead of time for your entire process will generally pay off substantially, both in regards to your sanity, finances and overall satisfaction with the process. Timeliness is one of the most important aspects of the new home purchase for many customers is when and how to optimize the sale of your current home, make maximum profit, and minimize the stress of how to time the process for less time between the sale of your old home and the purchase of your new construction home. Even if you don’t plan to purchase for a year or more, planning and preparing to address the following items will help create the best possible scenario for your new home purchase.

– First, check with your lender for a more up-to-date financial snapshot as it pertains to the purchase of the home, especially if your financial situation has changed since the purchase of your current home. Pratt Home Builders will require your current home be under contract to move forward on a new build. If you’re building from the ground up, consider how to best prepare for the 10% deposit – whether that’s starting to save more, transferring funds, or selling your home sooner rather than later.

– Next, research comps in your area to see how quickly homes are selling. If your home is in similar condition and in a similar price point to other homes selling in, for example, a 45 day window, you can in most cases plan on similar results. If your home is unique in style, needs updates, or has a layout that limits the potential customer base, be mindful that it could take longer to sell.

– Lastly, the more you can make updates to make your old home look like new construction home, the more easily you’re likely to sell it – and for more potential profit. Use lighter paint colors like whites and grays, pale blues or greens in bathrooms. Update hardware on cabinets to trend-friendly finishes and styles. Take down most personal photos and belongings so your prospective buyers can envision their family in your home. If your budget allows for it, consider hiring a stager or stylist to bring furniture and décor that looks updated and fresh! You may be surprised at just how much of an extra profit you’ll be able to yield on your old home – which is more to spend on that new construction home of your dreams!
If you have any other questions, never hesitate to ask us!

Positioning Yourself for the Best-Possible Home-Buying Processgmwebservices2025-11-25T13:30:26+00:00

Money Matters: Why It’s Important to be Pre-qualified Before Starting Your Home Search

*This blog is part of a series about financing as it pertains to purchasing new construction homes. Check back monthly to learn great tips for improving credit, choosing financing options, and to meet our preferred lenders as they explore these topics.

Have you ever watched an episode of one those HGTV shows where the agent takes his or her hopeful buyers on a tour of a stunning home where the location is perfect, the floor plan is exactly what they had in mind, and every single detail seems too good to be true? Then, the agent reveals the asking price, which is twice what they can afford. It’s a cruel real estate reality check, but makes a good point. Getting pre-qualified prior to beginning a home search, especially in today’s rapidly-changing market, is vital.

Fortunately, a great residential lender can help make your home-buying dreams achievable. As the adage goes, “Start where you are, use what you have, do what you can.” Beginning the process of obtaining a pre-qualification letter will help set realistic expectations for your home-buying goals, not only in terms of price, but down payment, interest rate, and timeline. Even if you aren’t able to get pre-qualified immediately, most lenders will act as a financial coach, and provide tips on how to improve your credit and make your home buying dreams a reality.

Check out this interview with Smart Bank Vice President and Residential Lender, Karen Flores, to learn more about pre-qualification.

Brittany, Pratt Home Builders: Why is it important to get pre-qualified before you begin your home search?

Karen Flores, Smart Bank: Many borrowers have little or no idea of how the mortgage process works. Getting a pre-qualification review of their credit profile lets borrowers know if now is the right time for them to look for a home or if there are items they need to address, such as erroneous items on their credit report. Pre-qualifications also give them information about how much of a house they can or want to afford based on their current salaries and their available down payment funds. There is no sense in looking at a home that is beyond the income limit or that requires more money than what is currently available.

Brittany, Pratt Home Builders: With the Chattanooga market and the intense competition, especially in obtaining a new home, why would you encourage customers to talk to a lender first?

Karen Flores, Smart Bank: We are all aware that today’s market is seller driven–low inventories mean buyers have to act quickly when acceptable homes become available. Even if the borrower has not identified a specific property, having a pre-qualification letter will allow them to act more quickly in submitting an offer. If the initial offer is presented with a pre-qualification letter, the seller has more assurance that they are signing a valid contract, and that the buyers’ credit has been reviewed and is acceptable. Knowing the level of affordability also tells the buyer whether or not they can increase the price if the seller gets a higher offer.

Brittany, Pratt Home Builders: What insights can a lending professional offer?

Karen Flores, Smart Bank: Many times buyers come into my office thinking they want one loan program when there are many times better options available to them. A lender’s job is to provide information to help the borrower decide the loan program that is best for them.

Brittany, Pratt Home Builders: Many people speculate on what they think they can afford based on coworkers or other people? Why is it not just about your salary?

Karen Flores, Smart Bank: Loan rates can differ depending on the program. Government loan rates are many times a little lower than conforming rates, but can have higher fees. A borrower’s credit score also plays a heavy part in determining the mortgage interest rate. The higher the score, usually the lower the interest rate. But the amount of down payment can also affect the rate as well as what action has taken place in the stock market the day the rate is locked in. Borrowers will talk amongst themselves about loan rates, but will not necessarily tell each other the whole story.

Brittany, Pratt Home Builders: What other factors can influence pre-qualification?

Karen Flores, Smart Bank: Applicants sometimes do not understand their income source or their true debt obligations per underwriting guidelines. Many self-employed borrowers only remember their gross earnings and not the net income after their accountant made allowable deductions. Also, the Ability to Repay rule requires that lenders count all possible responsibilities in a borrower’s debt load when making a credit decision. If a borrower owns real estate property with another person, we must usually count the taxes and insurance due in their debt ratio, even if the other person pays these annual amounts. When meeting with a lender, it is best to have as much information and documentation as possible for a valid pre-qualification.

*Please note: Karen says she refers to this letter as a “pre-qualification” letter. A pre-approval letter is a stronger assurance that the lender will provide financing for the loan request. Until a complete credit package and appraisal package is presented, lenders will usually not provide pre-approval letters. A pre-qualification letter usually just provides assurance that the borrower’s credit has been reviewed and is satisfactory.

Do you have other questions for Karen? Get in touch with her at 423-385-3069 or at
karen.flores@smartbank.com

Money Matters: Why It’s Important to be Pre-qualified Before Starting Your Home Searchgmwebservices2026-02-04T18:52:15+00:00

New Developments at Pratt Living

At Pratt Home Builders, new developments are our business. With over 1,200 homes built in 19 different communities around the greater Chattanooga area, our locally-owned business continues to grow. Not only do we have five new communities planned for 2018, but we also have some exciting new internal developments that have been under construction that we are excited to share as well!

Online
We’d love to welcome you to explore our new home on the Web – prattliving.com.

Redesigned to make searching for your new home easier and more enjoyable, we invite you to check out everything from new home plans and financing options, to our blog and videos. We’ve also updated all of our social media to @prattliving on all of your favorite platforms.

At Pratt Home Builders, we don’t just build homes – we build lifestyles and communities. Now, we are excited to build a community of home-design enthusiasts online. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for the latest updates about new and existing communities, helpful tips for buying and owning a home, and for fun things to do in this beautiful area we are blessed to call home. Check us out on Houzz and Pinterest, too, to see guest posts from our in-house designers and get inspiration for your new – or current – home, and see what’s inspiring our new designs!

Design Center
Speaking of design, we couldn’t be more excited about our remodeled design center off Dayton Boulevard! One of the most exhilarating things about building a new home is being able to select some of your favorite design elements to create a space that reflects you and your family!

Three design center meetings are included as part of The Pratt Process, so we couldn’t be more thrilled to have a newly updated space that showcases the latest trends in tile backsplashes, lighting designs, and flooring finishes. Whether you’re looking for inspiration that’s elegant and traditional, warm and rustic, or the clean and contemporary farmhouse look made popular by Chip and Johanna Gaines, our design center offers looks for a variety of style preferences. Drop by during our business hours to tour the center and to learn more about getting started on your dream home.

Communities
Our communities are the foundation of all that we do. Pratt Home Builders is honored to have the opportunity to build homes, dreams, and communities for Chattanooga-area residents. Nothing satisfies us more than happy home buyers! Our developments have evolved over time. From the pool and cabana at Creekside at Hampton Meadows in Ooltewah to the family camping area and hiking trails at GreyHawk Trails on Signal Mountain, to the baseball-inspired field and features at our up-and-coming Engel Park development in East Brainerd, we aspire to help our community residents “love where you live” in every regard. We hope you’ll follow our progress and stay in touch!

New for Late 2017 – 2018