Cornerstone Design and Build - Excellence in Small Footprint Homes

Home prices out of sight? Rent through the roof? Investor seeking value?

Surprise! A Top-Quality and Affordable Builder that I Love!

Not to be a grouch or anything, but my readers know that in the past I haven’t always been that thrilled about working with some of my builder partners, even though they were my customers. Let’s just say that I have had a few “run-in’s” in the past.

That all changed recently when I had an unexpectedly on-time, on-budget, highly professional experience with a couple of small footprint investment homes that I developed and sold in Florida. The experience was so good that I have to write about it, and I am not even getting paid to say it. That’s how happy I am!

My “fantastic experience” was with Cornerstone Tiny Homes, in Longwood, Florida, a company with over 30 years of building experience. They are a licensed Florida Contractor and their small footprint homes are Florida Building Code Compliant. Founders & Owners are Brett and Kim Hiltbrand.

Cornerstone builds with strict attention to every detail, including the budget. I don’t know about you, but for the record I have built several personal homes and I have never finished on the original budget or finished within the projected timeframe. Cornerstone built both of my investment homes on time, and not a single dime more than the original contract! That’s a first for me!

Cornerstone Small Footprint Homes:

This family owned and operated builder constructs many different small footprint homes to meet every need. Their current offerings are 360, 432, 504, 1,036 and 1051 sq. ft. - with up to 3 bedrooms. All you need is a buildable lot to put them on and their price ranges can fit almost any budget….even mine.

Below are Cornerstone’s Newest Home Designs:

The Bradford Floor Plan The Abby Floor Plan

Investors take note:

Over the years, Cornerstone has built and placed their products not only as single-family homes, but also as rental investments, ADU’s and even commercial. They are adept at working with all investor needs and can adapt to most any design, material and construction requirements. The construction is modular, so there is more flexibility and quality control than traditional on-site construction methods. It’s faster too in my experience.

My investment strategy:

I had Cornerstone build 2 Denali XL 432 sq. ft. one-bedroom homes on engineered foundations for me. This choice fit the target market where I already owned two lots near Cocoa, Florida. My strategy was to site develop the lots, have Cornerstone build and deliver the homes, then crane them onto the engineered foundations, hook up the utilities, get a Certificate of Occupancy… and presto! … plant the For Sale sign!

Below are my Denali XL investment homes and you can check these out on Cornerstone’s site: https://cornerstonetinyhomes.com/foundation-home/

How I worked with Cornerstone:

Kim, Brett and the crew were happy to help guide me through the process and here is a partial list of things to think about prior to outreach about a small footprint home on your lot.

Is there a HOA? If yes, is there a minimum square footage requirement or other restrictions?
Contact building and zoning officials with jurisdiction over the lot.
- Does the lot have a minimum sq. footage requirement for a building permit?
- Is there an impact fee for the lot?
- What are the front, side and rear set back requirements for the lot?
- Are there any environmental concerns like wet areas that might present a problem?
- Is the property served by a city, county or private water system? If yes, what is the hookup fee? If no, then a private well may be needed.
- Is there a sewer system to connect to? What is the fee to tap in? If not, then a septic contractor can help with septic design and installation costs.
- Will a concrete driveway and/or apron be required? Will a culvert at the road be needed?
- Is there a 20’ wide clear space to deliver a modular home on a semi tractor trailer? Are there low hanging overhead power lines?

Fast? Easy? Simple?

For the most part, nothing in real estate is fast, easy, or simple, but I will say that my experience with Cornerstone was as close to that as I have ever experienced in my 30 years in the business. After all, how many times have I actually had homes finished on time and on budget by a professional and conscientious team that always follows through and stands behind their work?

Whether a prospective homeowner, investor looking for an office, or someone looking for an ADU, my opinion is that Cornerstone would be a great choice to reach out to.

Check them out here: Home - Cornerstone (cornerstonetinyhomes.com)

Contact me at: ldr@landdevelopmentrealities.com