New Haven Homes

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April 8 2021

Is the Customer Always Right?

The short answer is no, and here’s why that’s a good thing.

Some builders are what one might call ‘order takers.’ They do anything the homeowners want within the constraints of budget, timetable, and zoning or code regulations. That’s understandable: everyone wants happy customers and positive reviews.

But the best builders understand that an anything-you-want approach really doesn’t serve customers. We would go further and caution people to beware the builder who never pushes back.

March 9 2021

Is LVT Right for Your New Home?

New Haven Homes Custom Home Design

Custom homebuyers have asked what we think about this popular flooring. Here’s our answer.

We don’t often talk about products in this newsletter, but when lots of clients ask about a specific one, we like to offer our thoughts. That’s the case with luxury vinyl tile flooring, or LVT. We’re not the only ones getting questions: according to some articles we’ve read, LVT is one of the world’s fastest-growing floor coverings.

February 19 2021

Internet Reality Check

New Haven Homes Selecting a Builder, The Building Process

Avoid the most common mistakes when searching for ideas on the web

We all love the internet. It’s a bottomless source of ideas and inspiration for any project, and most people wouldn’t think of starting a new custom home before spending some serious time online. The internet is also a valuable resource for builders: it’s where we start our research into new products, technologies and construction methods.

February 3 2021

Reducing the Cost of Regulation

New Haven Homes The Building Process

Government rules take time, money and skill to navigate. That’s why you need a pro.

Did the budget for your new home come in higher than you expected? Part of the reason may be that the fixed costs of building anything have gone up.

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February 1 2021

What a Parade!

New Haven Homes Custom Home Design

Thanks to all of you who stopped by to visit our award-winning Parade Home during the recent Parade of Homes. I enjoyed chatting with the many friends, clients and new visitors who stopped by.

I owe a special thanks to our homeowners, Paul & Danita, who so kindly opened their home for all to enjoy.

February 1 2021

Hidden in Plain Sight

New Haven Homes Custom Home Design

Intelligent universal design fades into the background and makes everyone happier

Today’s biggest demographic trend poses a challenge and also presents an opportunity. That’s because more and more working-age people are asking for a home with space to accommodate senior parents with age-related mobility or physiological issues.

February 1 2021

A Touch of Drama

New Haven Homes Custom Home Design

Outdoor lighting is a real art, and the best result comes from planning ahead.

A beautiful custom home represents a huge investment of time, care and money. Someone who has decided to make that investment most likely wants the home to present its best face to the world. During the day, that face is the architecture and landscaping, but after dark, it’s largely determined by the outdoor lighting.

February 1 2021

How to Use Online Contractor Reviews

New Haven Homes Selecting a Builder

Trust? Maybe. Verify? Definitely.

A September 2011 Business Week article reported on a Texas home improvement contractor that hired a writer to post 200 positive reviews on sites like Yelp and Google. The story went on to cite other examples and estimated the percentage of fake online reviews at close to 30 percent.

Such articles have been multiplying, with a Google search for “can you trust online reviews?”

February 1 2021

Making Sense of Allowances

New Haven Homes The Building Process

For best results, narrow down the options up front

Allowances–that is, budgeting general costs for items before the specific items are chosen–are a fact of life on many projects. Some homeowners have trouble making decisions before work begins, most commonly for appliances, cabinets, floor coverings, and plumbing and electrical fixtures. In those cases, the builder can allocate a dollar amount to each category and let the homeowners choose specific products later.

February 1 2021

Is Voice Control for You?

New Haven Homes Sustainability

More and more home systems are adding voice control technology. Let’s look at the pros and cons.

The star of this year’s International Builder’s Show was a smart lady by the name of Alexa. As you know, she’s the personal digital assistant that lives inside Amazon’s Echo smart speaker, and we seemed to bump into her around every corner.