Should I sign a builder's contract before I have approval?

No. The Rules & Regulations address this directly: property owners are cautioned against signing contracts or making commitments before receiving plan approval from the Architectural Committee.

The reason is straightforward. Approval is not automatic, and it is based on specific things — harmony of external design and location in relation to surrounding structures and the topography of the site. Plans can come back needing changes. If you have already signed with a builder, ordered materials, or paid a deposit, those changes cost you money.

The same logic applies to the Township side. A zoning compliance permit and a building permit are both required before work begins, and the Township can refuse an application — in writing, with the reason given.

A sensible order of operations:

1. Read the deed restrictions that apply to your lot
2. Talk to the office and the Architectural Committee early, before the design is finalised
3. Get written Architectural Committee approval
4. Get the Township zoning compliance permit and Clare County building permit
5. Then sign contracts and schedule work

The Rules & Regulations make the same point about the front end of the process — no lot owner should commence planning a new structure or changing an existing one before consulting the applicable deed restrictions.

Contractors who work regularly at Lake of the Pines usually know the process. Contractors who do not may assume a Township permit is all that is needed. Either way, the responsibility for having approval sits with you as the property owner, not with your builder.

*Source: Rules & Regulations (7/12/2025), Building Plans.*