Welcome to our website!

Riptide Builders began building luxury custom homes in south Brunswick County and Horry County, South Carolina in 2009. Starting as a pure custom home builder, we focused on giving our clients everything they wanted in a beautifully finished craft-built home. Fast forward and we bring that same experience (first-class materials, leading edge design, outstanding finish details, high-end standard features, exceptional quality) to every home we construct.

We continue to deliver the best value for the money with impeccably built homes featuring desirable floor plan layouts, expert craftsmanship and state of the art features. Riptide Builders has developed two unique build programs to suit every client's need--our Inventory Home Program is ideal for those looking for a quick move-in and no decision making stress while our Streamline Custom Home program allows clients a number of customization options built with the speed of an Inventory Home!

One of our core values is anticipating leading trends in new home construction and being the first to offer these to potential buyers in the Sunset Beach, North Carolina area. We were founded under the governing philosophy "to develop and to build innovative homes in prime locations which meet and exceed the needs of today's clients".

Our talented and dedicated team sets a standard for quality and customer service that is unmatched in the home building industry. By using quality materials and the latest construction techniques, our superior approach to residential new home construction has earned industry-wide respect, as well as an extraordinarily high referral rate from our satisfied clients.

We thank you for your interest and we hope you choose to be a part of the Riptide Builders Family.

Our Sales Center

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Located at 279 Clubhouse Road, Sunset Beach, NC


Our Design Center

Located at 790-6 Sunset Boulevard N, Sunset Beach, NC


We offer 2 build programs that can get you in the home of your dreams easier than you ever imagined! Click the button below to learn about our Inventory and Streamline Custom Build programs.

 

Living it up in the Carolinas.

We love building in the wonderful Coastal Carolina region where one can find a harmonious blend of sun, shopping, sandy beaches, top-tier restaurants, and parks that inspire the ultimate lifestyle. Focused on builds within Sunset Beach, NC this area boasts a moderate climate, spectacular ocean views, friendly outgoing spirited communities, and school districts that rank in the top 10%.

At Riptide Builders, we welcome Realtors and their clients to tour our model home (620 13A Eastwood Park Rd. Sunset Beach, NC), no matter if they are Carolina natives or new to this beautiful region.

As such, we adhere to strict guidelines to protect the interests of both our clients and our Realtor partners.

Click below to register a new client or re-register an existing client with Riptide Builders’ Sales Team.

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Offer to Purchase

This is the contract to purchase the home. At time of contract we secure your home site and lock in the price of the home.

Earnest Money

Riptide Builders does not accept Earnest Money.

Builder Deposit

This is your initial investment in the home. Builder Deposits are required at the signing of the Offer to Purchase. The minimum Builder Deposit is 5% of the purchase price. This is credited towards the purchase price at closing. Our deposits are non-refundable.

Financing

In order to go under contract with us, you will need to be pre-approved with a mortgage lender or provide Proof of Funds if proceeding with a cash purchase.

If you have a home to sell it should already be under contract in order to proceed with us. We do not accept contingencies.

Selections Meeting

Once you have signed the Offer to Purchase you will be contacted for your Selections Meeting.

In creating the best home buying experience possible, we have made the personalization process easy. With the ability to do selections in our convenient Sunset Beach Design Center, all your home options can be selected at once, i.e., paint colors, flooring, cabinetry and exterior options. You will find options that will complement your personal style and taste.

Our team will assist you with choosing all the personalization options for your home. And we go over our build process and sets expectations for the next ~175 days, who the key points of contact are, shows you how to access to your client web portal and reviews our site visitation policy.

Your selections are then submitted to the Architectural Review Committee (ARC) for your community, if applicable. This may add up to 60 days to your build schedule and is not a process Riptide controls.

Lot Orientation Walk (if applicable)

The first step in the build process begins with your Lot Orientation Walk. This meeting takes place at the build site with members of the Riptide Build and Sales team. Your build team representative will walk the property with you to point out the house box/placement, driveway location, property lines and trees tagged for removal by Riptide per the direction of architectural review board/committee of the subdivision in which the property is located. This orientation is a courtesy we provide for clients. Unfortunately since the HOA controls the land in most places we build, clients typically have no say so as to the changes or which trees are to be removed on the property.

Rough Walk (if applicable)

A rough walk or (pre-drywall walk) gives you an opportunity to see what is behind the walls before being covered with drywall. You and your Build Superintendent will walk the frame of your home and verify phone, cable jacks and placement of electrical outlets is as expected before we move on to the next stage. This will alleviate having to do any serious changes later which can be costly to you. The Rough Walk is a required meeting that occurs within a very limited time frame in which we stop construction. We ask for your cooperation and to please be prepared for this meeting. Your Superintendent will call you to schedule this appointment with you. 

First Walk

Your Sales Specialist will schedule this meeting with you. Since we have a lot to cover with you in a short time, we recommend that you make arrangements to come without your friends, children or pets for this important meeting. Your Build Superintendent will review the interior and exterior with you, going over the quality that was put into your Riptide Home. This is an appropriate time to note any cosmetic defects. Riptide photo documents anything more than cosmetic issues needing attention. It is normal to find some areas that are in need of paint touch up or minor adjustment. Your Build Superintendent will be prepared to mark cosmetic issues with colored tape. It is customary to have your Final Walk and Homeowner Orientations 2 to 7 days after this meeting.

Final Walk (Homeowner Orientation)

The Homeowner Orientation or Final Walk is the last step and takes place 2 to 7 business days after your First Walk. You will meet the team back at your home and review the outstanding items from the First Walk to make sure everything is in order. You then accept the home by electronically signing our Home Condition document. Your closing with the attorney usually takes place later that day or the next day. Your home is expected to be at 100% and ready for move in at this point. You will receive your keys along with our Welcome Home Book containing a welcome letter from our owners, the construction plans, your lot's plot plan, the Certificate of Occupancy, the Improvement Permit (if applicable), various material care sheets,  a copy of our warranty with claim instructions, a tradesmen contact list, utility information and the owner's association contact sheet.

Closing

The final step has arrived. This appointment will be arranged by our Riptide's Transaction Coordinator. The closing of your home will be handled by our attorney, Colby Law Firm, PLLC at our Sunset Beach Sales Office.

At this stage, you will be taking title and ownership of the home. The attorney will explain and guide you through the paperwork. Depending on the type of loan you have secured, funds may be required at this appointment. Do not bring personal checks as they will not be accepted. Please be prepared with a cashier's check or certified funds. You can have the funds wired directly to the attorney as well.

That's it! Your are now the proud owner of an Riptide Home. We hope it will bring you as much joy as it has to us in helping you achieve the dream of home ownership.

The following is a general timeline for our building process.

The intention of this page is to assist buyers with the sequence of events when building your Riptide Home. While no Riptide build is typical, many of the building stages are similar from one build to another, so we have a pretty good idea of how long it will take to construct your unique Riptide Home.

In no way does this represent definitive dates. Typically, our homes take ~180 days from land clearing.

The Design/Planning phase typically takes ~30 days prior to securing the build permit depending on jurisdiction, community Architectural Review requirements and schedule.

Design/Planning (30 Pre-Build Days)

  1. Initial Meeting/Consultation/Price Overview

  2. Preliminary Agreement/Good Faith Deposit Terms

  3. Neighborhood/Lot Selection

  4. Builder Review for Lot

  5. Place Lot under Contract (If Applicable)

  6. Pre-Design Meeting/Review of Concepts/Pricing

  7. Design House Plans & Plot Plans

  8. Formulate Specs/Selections for Final Plan

  9. Prelim Survey Work for Tree walk

  10. Super to Complete Initial Tree Walk

  11. Complete Selections at Design Center

  12. Complete Lot Orientation/Tree Walk

  13. Complete Overview Prior to Contract

  14. Execute Contract

  15. Submit to ARC/HOA Committees for Approval

Permitting Process (Pre-Build Days)

  1. Install all Signage and Permit Boxes

  2. Determination of Septic/Sewer/Well/County Water

  3. Update All Septic/Well Permits (If Applicable)

  4. Pay All Sewer/Water Tap Fee’s (If Applicable)

  5. Submit For Building Permit

Build Days 1-45

  1. Clear Land

  2. Foundation Completion (Depending on foundation type, Monolithic Slab, Raised Slab, Crawl Space, Pilings) - Footings, Block Work, Fill Foundation, Plumbing and Electrical in Slab, Concrete Flat Work,

  3. Framing of House

Build Days 45-90

  1. Drying In of House – House Wrap/Roof Felt

  2. Window and Door installation

  3. Roofing Installation

  4. All Roughs Ins – HVAC, Plumbing, Electrical, Gas, Low Voltage (Security and Sound)

  5. Client Rough Walk

  6. Insulation Installation

  7. Drywall Installation and Completion

  8. Kitchen/Bath Cabinet Installation

  9. Trim and Doors Installation

  10. Siding Installation

  11. Stone or Brick Installation (Applicable Areas)

  12. Septic Installation/Sewer Installation

Build Days 90-130

  1. Granite Installation

  2. Painting of Interior of House

  3. Garage Door Installation

  4. Exterior Rails, Columns, Stick Work

  5. Tile all Baths Laundry and Applicable Areas

  6. Driveway Installation

  7. Trim Out’s – Completion of all HVAC, Plumbing, Electrical, Gas, Low voltage Systems

  8. Installation of Finish Flooring – Wood/Carpet

  9. Final Trim Labor Interior and Exterior

  10. Closet Shelving, Mirrors, Knobs

  11. Construction Clean

  12. Final Paint – Interior and Exterior

  13. Landscape Installation and Completion

Build Days 130-175

  1. Detailed Builder Punch out

  2. Certificate of Occupancy

  3. Final Touch Ups and Clean

  4. First Client Walk

  5. Client Punch Out Touch Ups

  6. Final Interior and Exterior Clean

  7. Final Client Walk

  8. Closing

What can I expect now that I have signed a contract?

Now that you have selected your floorplan, lot, and signed the Offer to Purchase your New Homes Specialist will provide you with electronic and hard copies of all your documents. It is your (or your Realtor's) responsibility to get the contract to your mortgage lender.

Please see Our Process page for a general sequence of events for all Riptide builds.

After we have moved in who do we contact with any questions about our home?

You should contact Riptide Builders Customer Care Department. There is a contact form on our website (www.riptidebuilders.com). If you're requesting Warranty Service please login in to your client web portal to submit your claim. Please see the Warranty page for step by step instructions.

How does the warranty process work?

Please reference our Warranty Page for details.

How do I set up my mailbox?

Many of our communities have private mailboxes. Most of these communities require new homeowners to contact the management company for that owner's association in order to get mailbox keys. The contact information for the owner's association will be in your Riptide Closing Book you received at the Final Walk.

Otherwise, visit the nearest Federal Post Office with your Closing Settlement Statement to be issued the keys to your community mailbox.

Do I get to meet my builder?

You will work with the Sales Team & a Build Superintendent throughout the Build.

Who do I contact if I have a question about my home while it is under construction?

You should post your question or concern in our client portal. A member of the team will respond to you within 24 hours. All clients receive logins for the client portal once the contract is signed.

Who do I contact after I close to remove a temporary meter from my yard?

You should post your question or concern in our client portal. A member of the team will respond to you within 24 hours.