The simple answer would be: divide the cost of the home by the total number of square feet. However the simple answer is not always the most informative answer. R.J. Mayer believes that in order to provide a legitimate square foot price, several steps must be first taken. An initial visit to the home site and several meetings with clients to discuss desired floor plans, front elevations, and finishes must occur. Drawings of the home must be completed by one of our talented architects, and specifications written. At this point the plans and specifications will be distributed to our subcontractors for pricing. Finally, after all this information is gathered and analyzed, a "price per square foot" may be given to you. By developing the cost of the home in this manner this will help to insure that there are no major surprises later.

There will most likely be three or four visits with R.J. Mayer prior to the plans being drawn, and perhaps four or five visits with the architect. The entire process should take no longer than two to four months.

The length of time for construction depends on the complexity of the home. Although some have taken longer, most homes take no longer than six to ten months to produce.

Often, it is most cost effective to select your home site first. A physical location is beneficial in that it allows the builder, architect, and civil engineer to design your home to the contours of the site. It also enables the architect to take advantage of the views and strategically place windows in the home for both light and privacy during the design phase of the project.

It may seem a little unnerving to start your home with a blank piece of paper, but that paper will soon reflect, in two dimension, all of your dreams for your new home. R.J. Mayer and his staff will spend countless hours with you writing a program that will include the many features that will make your home distinctively yours. This is a highly effective design method because the finished product has no extraneous, unused spaces - only those spaces that fulfill your needs. We encourage you to start a notebook of distinctive home features you come across in magazines and books; details to help us determine your style and what excites you. We will incorporate these ideas and details to create a home that will satisfy your desires.

R.J. Mayer has developed subdivisions and has built homes in the city of St. Louis, West County and South County. Homes have been built in subdivisions such as: Forest Hills Country Club; Cheshire Farm; Ladue Farm Estates; Bradford Woods; Fall Ridge; Chateau Chura; Laumeier Park Estates; Parkview Terrace; Wild Horse Spring Farm; Wild Horse Ridge; Deerfield; Pacland Place; Anton Place; Barrington Place; Rigdemoore Place; and Crystal Tree Corners. A significant number of homes on private estates and in fill home sites have also been produced. The recent scarcity of building sites and the value in older homes has brought on the concept of "tear downs". Clients have purchased properties in very desirable areas of metropolitan St. Louis and have contracted with R.J. Mayer to tear down the existing structure, and build new homes for them.

Yes, R.J. Mayer will be happy to assist in finding a site on which a new home may be built. The firm receives a constant stream of available properties from real estate brokers and sales people that is updated regularly.

Producing custom homes is the main thrust of our business, however we also have been involved in the construction of room additions, renovations, fire damage restorations, and work in historic homes and neighborhoods.