We go over the Virginia locality, contractor license, and site approvals
VA Construction Financing for Virginia Land and New Homes
A Virginia VA construction-to-permanent loan can finance a home site approved for the planned residence and the new construction through one closing before work begins. The county, city, or town controls local permits, while DPOR, the health district, utility providers, and the insurer may each have separate requirements.
Credit scores as low as 580 may qualify for our current Virginia program. The loan amount depends on your finances, available VA entitlement, the cost of the project, and the appraised value of the completed home.
- One closing for a Virginia construction project
- Current Virginia contractor, code, well, and septic guidance
- Virginia construction terms available now
- PBT Bancorp NMLS #257781
Speak with a VA loan specialist about your loan options.
Send your name, email, and phone. A VA loan specialist will call you back and point you in the right direction. No credit pull.
What should we help you check?
Thanks. We will call you back shortly.
Prefer not to wait? Call 800-697-4371 or text us at (800) 697-4371.
Why does PBT need the exact Virginia city or county?
The county, city, or town controls the building permits, plan review, trade permits, and inspections. That office also handles zoning, setbacks, land disturbance, driveway requirements, and the certificate of occupancy. A mailing address does not always identify the correct jurisdiction.
Before final pricing, we confirm the parcel number and ask the locality which code edition, flood map, erosion rules, utility standards, and submission documents apply to the exact site.
Qualify for the mortgage before the full build review
Qualify the mortgage before scheduling the Virginia land and builder review
Virginia localities control their own permits, and modular or manufactured components can add another layer to the review. We use the online application to pull the COE and confirm a realistic mortgage before working through those project details.
Which Virginia contractor license applies to the job?
License class
The contractor must hold the Class A, B, or C license required for the value of work it will undertake.
Classification and specialty
License classifications must cover the residential construction and any specialty work the company will perform.
Legal contracting party
The name and license in the DPOR record should match the entity signing the agreement, providing insurance, receiving draws, and issuing the warranty.
Our contractor and project review
Experience, references, financial capacity, insurance, the contract, schedule, and proposed project still need a separate PBT review because our current program does not allow an owner-builder.
What costs does PBT include in a Virginia construction budget?
We build the budget from the full cost of completing the home, including the items that may be missing from the builder’s base contract price.
- Land purchase or eligible payoff, with owned-land equity shown separately
- Survey, plans, structural or civil engineering, permits, fees, and inspections
- Clearing, grading, drainage, driveway, utilities, onsite sewage, private well, and foundation
- Signed building contract, labor, materials, allowances, overhead, and completion obligations
- Current 5% contingency and estimated construction-period interest
- Builder risk, permanent homeowners coverage, and flood or coastal coverage when required
- Appraisal, title updates, construction draws, final survey, and completion documents
- VA funding fee when applicable and every item you must pay separately
Move into the project review with real numbers
Want us to see whether the Virginia loan and build fit together?
Apply online before the full project call so we can review the mortgage qualification and the proposed home in the right order. We will tell you which financing, land, contractor, appraisal, budget, or jurisdiction items still need work.
What does the Virginia appraisal need to support?
The home as completed
The appraiser uses the parcel, plans, specifications, contract, and acceptable comparable sales to estimate finished value.
An unusual design
A barndominium or another uncommon layout needs adequate market support because even a well-built home needs enough comparable sales to support the finished value.
Factory-built construction
Modular or manufactured projects need the correct manufacturer, foundation, title treatment, state and local approvals, installation, transport, insurance, and dealer or builder documents.
Site conditions that can change the cost
Flood elevation, slope, access, and utility availability can change the budget. Septic, wells, easements, and environmental restrictions can also affect appraisal and future resale.
Which Virginia coastal and flood items can change financing?
Flood elevation and foundation
The locality and insurer may require elevation information, foundation changes, flood openings, or other details before the house is acceptable.
Wind and named-storm coverage
Carrier availability, deductibles, roof and opening requirements, and builder risk terms can change near the Chesapeake Bay and Atlantic coast.
Chesapeake Bay or wetlands limits
Resource-protection areas, buffers, wetlands, drainage, and land-disturbance rules can shrink the usable building area or require added engineering.
Construction access
A parcel may be buildable but still need an approved entrance, culvert, staging area, or utility crossing before the schedule is credible.
Use the locality and state agency records for the exact parcel
Which Virginia agencies confirm contractor and site requirements?
A builder proposal should show the price, plans, specifications, schedule, budget, permits, and insurance we will review.
VA financing
VA construction chapter
The federal construction guide explains underwriting, construction draws, completion, and conversion to the permanent loan.
Open VA guidance
Builder rule
VA Builder ID circular
VA Circular 26-25-1 explains the current federal treatment of Builder IDs.
Read the circular
VA contractor
DPOR contractor board
Confirm that the Virginia contractor’s license is active and its class and classification cover the planned work.
Check DPOR
VA code
Virginia building codes
Virginia’s code guide identifies the building-code edition that applies to the project.
Check the code
Factory-built
Virginia manufactured housing
State housing guidance explains the requirements for modular and manufactured homes in Virginia.
Open DHCD guidance
Onsite systems
VDH sewage and well forms
Private wells and onsite sewage systems require the site-specific review described by Virginia health guidance.
Open VDH forms
Construction guide
National one-time-close guide
Check current program limits, eligible costs, draw rules, and the permanent-payment start date.
Open the guide
Builder requirements
Builder documents and review
See what we review about the builder’s license, contract, insurance, schedule, and requests for construction funds.
Open the builder guide
Virginia VA construction loan questions
Does Virginia use one statewide building permit office?
The county, city, or town generally controls local plan review, permits, inspections, zoning, and occupancy approval. The exact address determines the correct jurisdiction from the parcel record.
Which DPOR contractor license applies to the project?
For a Virginia builder, we check the legal business name and current license status. The Class A, B, or C level and required classifications must cover the contract value and work.
Can Virginia land I already own be part of the transaction?
We can use land you already own after documenting the title, liens, payoff, acquisition history, survey, access, utilities, site approvals, and appraised value. The land value accepted by PBT may reduce how much you need to borrow or pay at closing, and we do not count it again as a construction cost.
Does a Virginia builder need a federal VA Builder ID?
VA Circular 26-25-1 removed that requirement, but the contractor still needs the appropriate Virginia DPOR license. We still need to approve the Virginia contractor and the specific build before closing.
Why do we check the septic system and well before you finalize the plans?
The proposed septic system and well must fit the site plan and the home’s bedroom count. If the approved locations or installation costs change, we update the plans, appraisal, permits, and budget before closing.
Can a Virginia modular or manufactured home be financed?
We can review a Virginia modular or manufactured home when the manufacturer, dealer or builder, transport, installation, permanent foundation, title, state and local approvals, appraisal, and insurance all qualify.
When do regular mortgage payments start?
Scheduled principal-and-interest payments start after the home is completed and the loan is modified. Approved construction interest is included in the project budget during the build.
How do the plans, budget, and completed value set a Virginia loan amount?
We review your finances and VA entitlement, then compare the building contract with the completed-home appraisal. From there, we can show you how the financing would cover the lot, site preparation, permits, and construction of the home.
Apply for a Virginia VA construction loan
Virginia one-time-close approval covers both your financing and the proposed home, so the secure application needs to come first. We pull your COE and use the application to calculate an estimated loan amount, cash needed, and total housing payment. If those figures fit, we review the land documents, builder credentials, construction agreement, architectural drawings, cost schedule, county approvals, and final value.
Last reviewed August 6, 2026.