Our Process
PRE-BUILD
We guide you through the entire design-build process. We can help you find land and coordinate with banks and realtors to help you get the site you desire. Once you have the location, we will help you create a custom design for your building in Coastal Georgia, South Carolina and across the U.S. with Star Building Systems. Already have plans for the building of your dreams? Dewitt Tilton Group will bring them to life! We will help with the selection of all building materials, systems, and finishes to suit your vision and goals.
We will help you with the permit process by working closely with governments and building officials ensuring compliance with all codes. We will act as your advocate and attend Planning Commission on your behalf.
We will sit with you and review your budget and goals with you to get your project started out on the right foot with plans to suit your vision and goals. All within your set budget.
DURING CONSTRUCTION
Dewitt Tilton Group handles your construction with precision project management to ensure that you stay on schedule and on budget. We will have ongoing meetings with appropriate officials and site inspectors while maintaining momentum with regular site visits and supervision and coordination of all contractors and tradespeople.
We handle everything for your building from the ground up
-
Demolition
-
Site Preparation
-
Construction
-
Landscaping
-
Park lot or Structures
FINISHING UP
When the project nears completion, we walk you through the building to create a punch list of details. We take pride in the fact that punch lists are shorter than many other builders. We go above and beyond for our client in the walkthrough even walking the electrical plan to ensure all plug and switches are completely customized for you! We also help you obtain your Certificate of Occupancy and ensure compliance with all local, national, and state laws and codes. All of this with you as the focus!
AFTER COMPLETION
We will do more than just help you cut the ribbon on your project - we walk you through to show you how to operate everything and establish regular maintenance of key systems, such as HVAC and irrigation systems. We also track warranties on your behalf and provide service after the sale. We are always one call away! Once you are a Dewitt Tilton client, you are always a client, and we will be here to help at any point in the future.
Origin of Our Logo
If you have ever found yourself in Savannah, Georgia's Emmet Park, overlooking the Savannah River near the end of East Bay Street, you likely remember seeing The Old Harbor Light. There’s a good chance that you may have mistaken it for a very tall and ornate street lamp, rather than the beacon that began welcoming vessels into Savannah’s harbor more than 160 years ago. Its rich history and symbolism inspired the iconic logo for the Dewitt Tilton Group.
When Dewitt Tilton Group principals Andrew Dewitt and Chris Tilton were building the concept for their commercial construction business, they knew that they wanted to create a brand that embodies their commitment to excellence while paying homage to their deep Savannah roots.
The History of the Light
In 1856, $2,000 was appropriated for the United States Lighthouse Board to begin construction on what was then known as the Savannah Rear Range Light. It was erected to act as a navigational aid to vessels passing over the scuttled hulls of six ships that were intentionally sunk in the river channel during the Revolutionary War while the British occupied the city.
It should be noted, as Chris Tilton related, that the project was finished on time and under budget for $1,969.12 in 1858. Its 25 foot cast-iron ornamental shaft is painted a dark, almost black shade, often referred to as “Charleston Green.” The light was taken down for restoration in 1999 and relit on January 11, 2001. Still standing sentinel today, the light illuminates the small grassy park between Bay and River Streets.
How the Logo Came to Be
From the inception of the Dewitt Tilton Group, its founding partners knew that their focus would be crafting a process that guides every step of their clients’ needs while exceeding expectations from start to finish. Chris explains, “We sell a process, and our process is that we’ll help you from day one through the time we hand the keys over to you.” When searching for the perfect logo to embody their vision and capture their mission, Andrew and Chris sought input from long-time friends, business owners, attorneys and other prominent native Savannahians. One local lawyer friend asked what they wanted their image to convey. Upon hearing the response, “We want to be the shining light of Savannah,” that friend suggested that they research the Savannah Harbor Light and that’s what they did. As fate would have it, that beacon light turned out to be the perfect image for their brand. Chris contacted a local marketing firm to set the wheels in motion for their one-of-a-kind logo design. Their graphic artist spent time at the actual light to originally sketch by hand with pencil and paper, which is a rarity in the current world of digital graphic design. Her original sketch capturing the essence of the Old Harbor Light was a home run for the partners and they continue to use it as the centerpiece of their logo.
Final Logo
Many Layers of Symbolism
Beyond the obvious “guiding light” imagery it conjures, the choice to use the Old Harbor Light as their logo has an even deeper meaning for the Dewitt Tilton Group. Their guiding principles are to finish the job on time, at or under budget, and doing things “the right way.” Both Andrew Dewitt and Chris Tilton had instilled in their character the values that come with graduating from Benedictine Military School: hard work, honesty, integrity and fairness. The BEACON for commercial construction in Savannah and the South Carolina Lowcountry is CLEARLY the Dewitt Tilton Group.