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We strive to be a valued and ongoing resource for our clients and all those considering building a custom home. You’ll find our blogs to be educational, informational and extremely helpful to you as you consider building a custom home.
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How long will this take?
Builders hear this question a lot. The answer, as with most such questions, is “It depends.” But on what?
People who haven’t built before often have an unrealistic concept of how long it can take to plan, budget, and build a home. Many variables can affect the timetable. Three that stand out are design, permitting, and site work.
Design. A stock plan the builder has previously built will take less time than a fully custom home,
Why the Time to Build Is NOW
New homes won’t be any more affordable in a year or two.
Potential homebuyers who are waiting for costs to come down before building might want to reconsider. The fact is that the past year’s rise in new home prices will most likely continue. While higher interest rates and a weak dollar could play a role, the biggest factors will likely be the most basic ones of supply and demand.
Simply put, the homebuilding industry predicts buyers will demand as many as 1.5 million new homes next year
Develop your Building Team
Historically and traditionally, people have been conditioned to follow a certain, linear path to building a new home. That is, hire an architect or designer to create the plans, select a builder and then maybe bring in a stylist or interior designer to apply the finishing touches.
But the reality is that this step-by-step approach to getting a new house is not only outdated, but can be risky in terms of cost and quality. A better approach is to form your project team from the outset. Doing so fosters a cooperative rather than combative or competitive working environment that produces more satisfying results. It’s also a dynamic that’s more likely to ensure you’ll get what you want in a new home at the price you can afford.
The New Home Office
Life and work styles are evolving. Make sure the home office is up to date.
It’s not news that home offices have become mainstream. According to a recent Forbes study, one in five Americans work from home, and that number continues to rise. Technology has made working from home efficient and convenient. The home office now appears in homes of every type, size, style and price range.
Building Peace and Quiet
When considering building a new home, the focus typically revolves around floor plan, home energy performance or updated finishes. While these considerations are important, they omit a key element to quality of life: peace and quiet.
This may mean blocking out unwanted environmental noise like traffic or indoor noise pollution like the dishwasher, Monday Night Football or a gathering of neighborhood teens.
Shedding Light on Window Options
It wasn’t that long ago that a window was a window … was a window. Basically, a hole in the wall fitted with a wood-framed pane of glass that allowed a view to the outside and provided a little bit of daylight into a house.
Over the past 25 years, windows have changed dramatically. Not only are they far more energy-efficient than their predecessors,
Practical Green
Green building is certainly a hot topic these days. For builders striving to reduce the environmental footprints of the homes they build, the process encompasses a wide range of materials, products and systems.
But does building green really mean anything to you as a homebuyer? You may recognize and perhaps even appreciate seeing the Energy Star label on windows and appliances,