Your first conversation does not need to solve the entire project. It should help you understand where you are, what information is missing, and what to do next.
“What should we learn about the property first?”
Share what you know about the land, including access, available records, and utility information. Ask which unanswered questions could affect the home’s placement, scope, or next steps.
“What does this scope include?”
Ask for the relationship between the plans, specifications, site assumptions, and price. Follow up on anything described as an allowance or something you will handle separately.
“What decisions will I need to make, and when?”
Ask which choices matter early and which can wait. A decision calendar can help you focus on the next meaningful choice instead of trying to select everything at once.
“How will we communicate and record changes?”
Ask who your point of contact will be, how updates are shared, and how questions or changes get documented. Agreeing on the process is easier before there is an urgent decision to make.
“What could affect the schedule?”
Ask about dependencies such as site evaluations, approvals, selections, weather, and material availability. Find out how schedule changes are communicated. Treat a broad roadmap as a conversation starter, not a promise about your specific project.
“What should I do after this conversation?”
Leave with a short list: the next action, who owns it, the information needed, and when you will reconnect. A useful next step is a better outcome than a long list of unexplained terminology.
Bring your priorities and your unknowns. The point is to get clearer, not to prove you already know the answers.
Start a conversation with Mark about your location, your land situation, and your biggest question.