The Process

A better way to build a custom home.

A custom home is one of the biggest things you'll ever build. Our job is to carry the process, nourish your vision, and bring it to life — without ever losing what makes it yours.

See how it works
How we work

Your vision leads. Our experience gets it built right.

Every Sunrise home follows the same considered path — whether we're building new or rejuvenating an existing home — but every step shapes itself around you: your style, your budget, your lot, your life. Here's what building with us actually looks like, from the first conversation to long after move-in.

01

The first conversation

We start by understanding you — how you want to live, the style you're drawn to, your timeline, and the budget that's real for you. No pressure, no pitch. Just a clear, honest read on what you want to build and how we'd get there together.

Your visionLifestyleBudget & timeline
02

Land & site

Already have a lot, or still looking? We help you choose well — reading what a parcel can truly become and what it will cost to build there, across Central Oregon's communities, golf and resort properties, ranch land, and unique sites. The right site is the foundation of the right home.

Lot & land selectionSite feasibilityCommunities & acreage
03

Design & your team

Bring your own architect and designer, or let us connect you with the right ones — either way, we collaborate seamlessly. Modern, mountain, ranch, traditional, transitional: we build the home that's yours, and we protect that design from drawing to finished room.

Your designer or oursAny styleArchitectural execution
04

The estimate, in plain numbers

Every part of your project is broken into line-item costs you see before we begin — and adjust as we go, based on what matters most to you. No black box, no surprises. You make the spending choices, with the full picture in front of you.

Line-item pricingYou decideOpen budget tracking
05

Selections that are guided, not guessed

Sunrise brings interior design, lighting design, and finish coordination into the custom home process early. Through Sunrise Interiors and our in-house team, clients have access to designers who understand how tile, flooring, hardware, lighting, furnishings, and architectural details need to work together — not just look good on their own. Whether you want full design guidance or already have your own designer, we help keep the palette organized, the decisions aligned, and the details connected to the way the home is being built. The Source Library keeps selections, finishes, and key details in one clear place along the way.

Sunrise InteriorsInterior + lighting designSource Library
06

The build

This is where experience shows. Chris is on the job site personally, the team solves problems instead of passing them along, and you stay informed at every step — through our project management app and live job-site cameras, whether you're across town or across the country.

Hands-on managementProject management appLive job-site cameras
07

Walk-through & move-in

We walk the finished home together, detail by detail, until it's right. Then we hand you the keys to a home that matches the picture you started with — and often exceeds it.

Final walk-throughPunch & qualityMove-in
08

The Key — for years after

Move-in isn't the end of the relationship. The Key is your private client hub for plans, updates, warranty information, care guidance, and the details of your home — long after move-in.

Warranty & careYour plansLong-term relationship
⚷ Enter The Key
Why it feels different

The process is as distinctive as the home.

"In this industry, the easy answer is 'no, we can't do that.' Most builders would rather not push the envelope. We see getting to 'yes' as the job."
— Chris Christianson, Founder & Builder

Hands-on, personally

The owner is on your job site — not a layer of managers between you and your home. We listen. We communicate. We do.

Built around you

Your style, your budget, your lot lead. We guide with 26 years of experience, but the vision stays yours.

Clear the whole way

Line-item costs, live cameras, and the app mean you always know exactly where your home — and your budget — stand.

Good questions

A few things clients ask early.

Do I have to use your designer?

No. Sunrise Interiors, our sister interior design and selections studio, is there if you'd like design help and makes selections easy — but we work with clients' own designers and architects all the time. It's whatever fits you.

Can you build in my style?

Yes. We've built modern, mountain, ranch, lodge, traditional, and transitional homes. The look should always be yours; our job is to execute it beautifully.

What if I'm building from out of the area?

Many of our clients build from elsewhere. Live job-site cameras and our project management app keep you connected to every update, decision, and milestone in real time.

How do you handle budget?

With line-item estimates you see before we start and can adjust as we go. You make the spending choices with the full picture in front of you.

What happens after move-in?

The relationship continues through The Key — your private client hub for plans, updates, warranty, and care, backed by the team that built your home.

Begin

Ready to start the conversation?

Tell us about your vision, your lot, and the way you want to live. We'll guide the rest.

Begin your home See our work