Process · 02 of 03

An Education,
Not a Signature.

The TIH orientation is a two-hour education in your home — not a checklist signature. A 5-page outline. Front to kitchen. Every system. Every warranty.

The Short Answer

The TIH orientation is approximately two hours for a 2,000 sq ft home, follows a 5-page outline, and is led by a TIH manager. It is an introduction to your home — the gas meter, the electrical meter, the water shutoffs, the roof, the warranties — not a checklist of remaining items.

"Mr. and Mrs. Buyer, I want to tell you today that we're done with your home. We are 100% done with your home. Today what we're going to do is introduce you to your brand new TIH home."

— Steve's opening line at every TIH orientation

The Route

Front to Kitchen

Same route every time. Same details every time. By the end, you understand every system in your home — and you've watched a fifty-year veteran show you how it all works together.

StartFront

02Right Side

03Back

04Left Side

05Basement

06Garage

EndKitchen

What You'll Learn

Five Beats to Expect

Per the actual 5-page orientation outline Steve uses. We don't publish the full document — out of respect for the years of work that went into it — but here are the beats every buyer experiences.

The Meters & Mains

Gas meter, electrical meter, water meter, water shutoffs, exterior bibs — every utility connection labeled and explained.

The Envelope

Roof function and warranty, cement siding (50-year wear warranty), foundation drain pipes, weatherproofing details.

The Systems

HVAC operation, filter access, breaker panel orientation, water heater settings, smart-home controls if applicable.

The Finishes

Cabinet hardware, appliance manuals, paint touch-up colors, flooring care — the day-to-day details of owning the home.

The Warranties

One-year workmanship warranty, manufacturer warranties on every appliance and system, who to call for what.

The Direct Line

Steve's mobile number is in your closing packet. The company that builds the home is the company that supports it.

The Full Outline

Every Step. In Order.

A TIH manager walks the same path with every buyer in the same order. Pick a stage from the left to jump to it, or scroll through to see the full orientation as it actually happens.

Outside · Standing Out Front

Front of Home Walkthrough.

Twelve items reviewed standing in front of the home before we walk around. Roof, siding, gutters, screens, exterior maintenance — one item at a time.

Roof — 30-year manufacturer warranty
Roof ventilation explained
Roof jacks & vents (plumbing, HVAC)
Siding — Hardy Plank, 50-year warranty
Shutters — vinyl/wood maintenance
Gutters — aluminum explained
Screens — fiberglass, removable, soap-and-water cleaning
Stone/Brick maintenance
Wood areas — maintenance
Paint type, mildew repaint cycle (3–5 years)
Concrete — cracking
Yard care — 1.5 to 3 hours water per week

Outside · Yard & Systems

Landscape & Exterior Systems.

Walking the perimeter. Everything outside the foundation — landscape, drainage, utilities, and the exterior of the HVAC system.

Landscape care — not warrantable
Seed-in-straw fescue / sod
Mow, edge, blow — no pine straw, no flowers
Water meter — cutoffs explained
Drains — foundation perimeter
Sewer cleanout — pop-offs
AC units — min. 13 SEER, 90% high-efficiency furnaces, disconnects
Hose bibs & doorbell

Garage

Garage Walkthrough.

A brief stop in the garage before we move inside the home.

Electrical — GFCIs
Concrete — cracking

Inside · Basement

Basement & Mechanical Room.

Where the systems live. Every shutoff and every panel before we touch a finish in the rest of the home.

Water heater — draining, pop-off line
Shutoffs for hose bibs
Electrical panel

Inside · Bedrooms First

Interior Walkthrough.

We start in the bedrooms and work outward. Every finish, every system, every warranty, every operating note.

Carpet — 7-year typical wear, vacuum schedule
Vinyl planks — no wax
Hardwoods — minimum water as needed
Paint — wall flat, trim semi-gloss
Vinyl shelving — 75 lbs/sq ft, no chin-ups
Showers and vanities — care, soft scrub
Fixtures — electric, max 60-watt bulbs
Plumbing — shutoffs, freeze procedures every winter
Insulation — how the home is insulated
Furnace — filter change monthly, bleach in pump box
AC registers, returns, supplies; T-stat split calibration
Heat — T-stat +/- 3 degrees, 60-degree differential

Inside · Kitchen Always Last

Kitchen Walkthrough.

The most-used room on the tour. Saved for last so we slow down on the details.

Appliances — paperwork in kitchen drawers
Electrical — plugs and switches
Cabinets and countertops — care guidance

Closing · Warranty Representative

Warranty & Paperwork.

The orientation closes here. The Homeowner Handbook makes everything we covered referenceable for the next decade of ownership.

Warranty review — what is and is not covered, with the Handbook
All paperwork reviewed and signed (Affidavit at re-walk if applicable)
Buyer re-walk scheduled with details reviewed
Any items noted during orientation completed before closing
Remaining items handled within 10 days after close
Re-walk reviews only items already listed — no new lists

Why It Matters

Almost Nobody Has Questions Afterward.

Our office administrator sees every closing from the buyer's seat. The observation: it's a mix of first-time buyers and previous owners walking into very different emotional states — some excited, some nervous — but every one of them "seems to be confident that they will be taken care of, no matter if they know what to expect or not in owning a new home." The orientation is a big part of why that confidence holds up.

TIH has never closed a custom home with more than ten items on the final punch list. The orientation is one of the three signature processes that makes that possible. The other two: the 18-stage build and the handbook & Bible closing.

Want the Full Experience?

The orientation is the moment most TIH buyers remember twenty years later. Build with us and you'll have one of your own.

Start Your Build

An Education,Not a Signature.