How to Build a Custom Home with Skaha Hills

Thinking about a custom home in Penticton? This quick guide shows how Skaha Hills and Greyback Construction take you from lot selection and base plan to design choices, permits, build, and move-in. Use it as your step-by-step blueprint to create an energy-efficient Okanagan home with confidence.

When it comes to energy-efficient new home construction, the best examples of modern architecture, custom finishes, breathtaking mountain views, and more, Skaha Hills is so happy to work with Greyback Construction on offering the #1 residential Penticton real estate development.  

What makes building at Skaha Hills different from a typical custom build?

A master-planned community like Skaha Hills has the advantage of curated lots, view-oriented plans, guided selections, and, above all, a single, coordinated team. We essentially take all of the hard work and put it together into one convenient package, making this process as seamless and pain-free as possible. 

We have a selection of pre-designed, energy-efficient builds with the added benefit of custom finishes or upgrades, turning your home into an extension of you. Our five custom homes are called Equus, Ferus, Nisa, Tarpan, and Tobiano. While different, each one includes beautiful, wide open spaces that take full advantage of the lake and mountain views. With an open-concept floorplan, your new home is a blend of comfort and convenience, with major spaces just steps away from one another.

Thanks to an abundance of community amenities and the award-winning energy efficiency in our homes, you get lower running costs with sleek, modern architecture with a distinctive Okanagan style. Life at Skaha Hills is the best of all worlds.

Who builds our home, and what does the high-level timeline look like?

As far as home builders go, Greyback Construction Ltd. is one of the oldest and largest family-led construction firms in BC’s interior. Founded in 1983, it is now in its fourth generation, carrying forward a family tradition of craftsmanship and community commitment. 

In terms of timeline, buyers first get to consider the five standard custom homes, choosing between different layouts that have been pre-approved and do not need a new building permit application, making the build much smoother. On average, it takes about ten to twelve months from the time residents complete their purchase agreement until walkthrough and occupancy. The timeline may be adjusted based on the number of other homes on the construction queue, or the level of customizations chosen, but not by much longer. 

The important thing to note is that since these buildings are pre-approved, you will not have to submit your own permits or go through the hoops of other custom home builds. Skaha Hills and Greyback have already expedited the process. 

How do I choose my lot and base plan at Skaha Hills?

Picture this: you’re looking up modern architecture homes for sale that include energy efficient builds, a master-planned community, and custom finishings. Relocating to the South Okanagan has always been your dream, and you just discovered Skaha Hills can make it happen.

Once you click “register” on our website, we promptly get in touch with you to discuss the process and what best serves your needs in terms of a single-family home or rancher-style condo. Curt Jansen, our Vice President of Development and the Sales and Marketing Manager, will set up a meeting either in-person or virtually to go over the process. In the meantime, he’ll send you information about our community ahead of your meeting, giving you a clear idea of what life at Skaha Hills is really about.  

The next step is reviewing the site plan. With five different layout options, you’ll get the best fit for your life, whether it’s outdoor living, peak sun exposure, multiple bedrooms, a rec room, etc. You’ll get to go over renderings that outline how the lot, slope, view corridors, and run influence your future home so that every detail is to your liking. 

Next, you pick your lot or unit on our community map—which is always expanding as we bring more exciting roads and bigger plans to the area. Move closer to the main clubhouse and pool deck, or tuck yourself a bit more privately further up the mountainside for premium views and privacy. Whatever your lifestyle, Skaha Hills can deliver.

The last step is to view upgrade options, designer finishing touches, colour options, and appliances. It’s the “fun” part because it feels a bit like shopping for your dream abode.

What design selections and upgrades can I choose, and how does the process work?

Thanks to our designer-selected finishes, each Skaha Hills home comes with a touch of luxury. Home exterior and interiors are crafted with timelessness, durability, and beauty in mind, naturally setting you at ease the moment you walk in. With an emphasis on the natural beauty surrounding your home, our exterior touches blend into the landscape, providing elegant and high-quality touches you’ll appreciate for years to come. 

When it comes to hand-picked elements suited to your own unique style and tastes, you can customize a variety of features:

• Garage doors
• Windows, doors, and hardware
• Cabinets
• Countertops 
• Appliances 
• Flooring 
• Ensuite shower and backsplash tile 
• Plumbing fixtures 
• Lighting 

There are plenty of optional upgrades and customizable features available for every Skaha Hills home. When you sit down with our team, we will go over all of this, particularly the timeline and how we will align with your budget and needs. 

What permits, codes, and warranties should I know about in Penticton and B.C.?

Since all  five standard custom homes have already been pre-approved for building at Skaha Hills, you do not need to submit permits or codes. Greyback can begin building shortly after you sign your purchase agreement.

The BC Building Code that came into effect in 2024 also requires buildings to include seismic design, energy efficiency, accessibility, and radon mitigation systems. Thankfully, Greyback is already well aware of outfitting your homes for these changes, and any build at Skaha Hills is actually well above the National Building Code. In fact, we currently have the highest performance at Level 5 in the BC Energy Step Code ratings.

And when it comes to BC’s mandatory 2-5-10 home warranty for new homes licensed by home builders like Greyback, we have you covered. All builders are required to: provide coverage for any defect in material and labour in the first twelve months of your occupancy; two-year coverage is provided for any defects in mechanical and electrical delivery systems, exterior cladding, windows, and doors; a five-year building envelope warranty; and a ten-year structural defects warranty. 

In essence, your home warranty insurance provider guarantees any coverage for Greyback—though we are quite confident you will not need to use it. 

How energy-efficient are Skaha Hills homes, and what does that mean for monthly costs?

At Skaha Hills, we care deeply about the unique Okanagan environment. The wilderness is one of the best parts of living in British Columbia, and the beauty of this valley is what first drew us here. So to keep it clean and cared for, we designed our community to be eco-friendly and sustainable. 

We are proud to have created some of the most energy-efficient homes in all of Canada. Each of our builds includes multiple sustainable features that benefit the community at large and you as a homeowner, including low monthly energy costs forever.

Our energy-efficient home plans include the following features: 

• Energy efficient home appliances 
• Xeriscape gardening 
• Electronically controlled drip irrigation
• Superior insulation
• Large windows with plenty of natural sunlight
• 550 acres of exclusive hiking and biking trails in the neighbourhood
• Built-in solar EV charging stations
• Reduced carbon footprint builds

This is only the beginning when it comes to environmental protection. Life at Skaha Hills is all about the surrounding natural landscape, and there are plenty of ways you can further reduce costs and support green initiatives. 

Building a custom home with Skaha Hills is a breeze. We prioritize bringing your lifelong home ownership dreams to reality by clear, effective plans, ongoing communication, a seamless timeline, and customizable finishes. 
So book a design consultation with Skaha Hills and Greyback! Tour available lots, explore floor plans, discover our current phase , and get your personalized build timeline and pricing.