Our Country Homes Buyer FAQ: Custom Building, Build-on-Your-Lot and What to Verify in DFW

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Our Country Homes, also known as OCH, is a family-owned custom and semi-custom homebuilder headquartered in Hurst, Texas, that builds across Dallas-Fort Worth from Aledo in the west to Rockwall in the east and north to Celina. It builds in communities, on acreage and through a Build On Your Own Lot program, and offers in-house mortgage services. Because a custom build puts far more decisions and far more documents in front of the buyer than a production home, this page focuses on what to understand and verify before and during an OCH build. It is written by an independent buyer's agent, not by the builder, and was updated in September 2026.

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By Nitin Gupta, CRS, GRI, CLHMS, ABR, REALTOR® and Broker Associate with Competitive Edge Realty, who represents buyers purchasing from Our Country Homes and other DFW builders. Nitin Gupta and Competitive Edge Realty are not affiliated with Our Country Homes.

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About the builder

Who is Our Country Homes?

Our Country Homes describes itself as a family-owned builder with three generations in the business, offering custom and semi-custom homes across North Texas. It is headquartered on West Harwood Road in Hurst and builds with an in-house team that includes plan designers and interior designers. The company describes its family's experience in real estate and construction as spanning more than forty years; the current business entity dates to 2008.

Is OCH the same company?

Yes. The builder uses the short name OCH, and its custom program has been marketed as OCH Custom. Business records also list alternate entity names, which is common for builders and worth knowing when you read contracts or search public records.

Where does Our Country Homes build?

OCH describes a service area running from Aledo in the west to Rockwall in the east and as far north as Celina, with much of its activity on the western and northern side of the metroplex, including Tarrant, Parker and Wise counties. It has built in lake communities such as The Resort at Eagle Mountain Lake and markets available lots in its own communities. Availability changes, so confirm current lots and communities before planning a visit.

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Custom, semi-custom and building on your own lot

What is the difference between custom and semi-custom?

A semi-custom home starts from the builder's existing floor plans and lets you modify layout and selections within limits. A fully custom home is designed around your requirements, often from a blank page. Both mean many more decisions than a production home: the plan, the structural details, and a long list of selections, each with a cost and a deadline. Before signing, ask which of those decisions are fixed in the contract price and which are allowances.

What is an allowance, and why does it matter?

An allowance is a budget amount included in the contract for a category, such as flooring, lighting or cabinetry, before the actual selections are made. If your selections cost more than the allowance, you pay the difference. Allowances set too low make a contract price look lower than the finished home will be. Ask for every allowance in writing and compare them against what you actually plan to choose.

Can OCH build on land I already own?

Yes. OCH offers a Build On Your Own Lot program. That route gives you control over location and lot size, but it moves responsibilities onto the land itself, so the lot needs its own due diligence before a plan is chosen.

What should I check about my land before building?

• A current survey showing boundaries, easements and any encroachments.

• Utility availability and cost to connect: water or a well, sewer or an on-site septic system, electricity and gas.

• Deed restrictions and any homeowners association rules that limit size, materials, setbacks or outbuildings.

• Which authority issues permits and inspects construction, since land in a city, its extraterritorial jurisdiction or unincorporated county can follow different rules.

• Soil conditions, because foundation design in North Texas depends heavily on the soil.

• Driveway access, grading and drainage.

The Kindred Homes buyer FAQ covers the build-on-your-lot process from another builder's perspective.

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Documents to see before and during construction

What should I ask to see before construction starts?

On any custom or build-on-your-lot home, ask to see the engineered foundation plan for your specific lot, the construction plans as submitted, and the building permit once it is issued. These are standard documents, and seeing them before work begins confirms the home is being built to an engineered design and with the approvals the jurisdiction requires. Keep copies with your closing documents.

How are payments and financing structured on a custom build?

Custom and build-on-your-lot homes are often financed with a construction loan or a construction-to-permanent loan that funds in stages as work progresses. Confirm how the builder's payment schedule lines up with the lender's draw schedule, and what inspection or sign-off releases each draw. OCH offers in-house mortgage services; you are generally free to choose your own lender, and if the lender is affiliated with the builder you should receive a written disclosure of that affiliation. Compare terms from more than one construction lender.

How should I handle changes during construction?

Put every change in writing as a signed change order that states the cost and any effect on the completion date, before the work is done. Verbal agreements on a custom build are one of the most common sources of disputes at the end.

How should I research a builder's track record?

Read reviews across several platforms rather than one, look for patterns rather than single experiences, and ask the builder for recent buyers you can speak with. Ask how the builder handles warranty requests and how long they typically take. This applies to every builder, and it matters most on custom work, where the result depends heavily on the specific team.

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Before your first visit

Do I need a real estate agent to buy from Our Country Homes?

No, you can buy directly. The builder's sales staff represent the builder, and its mortgage services are affiliated with it. A buyer's agent is the one party working only for you: reviewing the contract and allowances, verifying the lot and district facts, comparing financing, and following the build through the final walkthrough.

When should I involve my agent?

Before your first visit to an OCH model or community. Builders commonly have registration policies that tie agent recognition to the buyer's first visit, and a buyer who tours alone first may find an agent introduced later is not recognized.

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Lot, school district and special districts

Which school district and county serve an OCH home?

It depends on the specific address. On the western and northern edges of the metroplex, communities and acreage often sit near county lines and can be served by smaller or rural school districts. Confirm the county with the appraisal district and the district and campuses with the school district before signing.

Is there a MUD or PID on the property?

Confirm it for the specific lot through the county appraisal district's list of taxing units and the tax certificate. The MUD versus PID explainer covers the difference.

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Inspection and warranty

Should I get independent inspections on a custom home?

Yes, at more stages than on a production home. The most useful are the foundation before the pour, pre-drywall when framing, plumbing and electrical are visible, and before the final walkthrough, with a further inspection before the first-year workmanship coverage ends. On a lot outside city limits, where inspection authority may be a county with fewer inspections, independent inspections matter even more. Agree the inspection schedule with the builder in writing before construction starts.

What does the warranty cover?

Coverage, exclusions and claim procedures are set by the warranty document in your contract. Read it before signing, not at closing, calendar the deadlines, and submit every request in writing.

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Talk before you build

Considering an OCH home, or building on land you own? Call before your first visit or before choosing a plan. The conversation covers the lot, the contract and allowances, construction financing, and how representation works with the builder. Call 469-269-6541 or get in touch. See also the builder contracts guide and the DFW new construction guide.