Prevent surprises and delays by getting answers from the top.
There are lots of things homeowners can do to keep their building project running smoothly. Number one is making timely product choices, but another key step is to direct all change requests and questions, no matter how small, to the builder or the builder’s representative (usually the project superintendent).
As a professional builder, our company takes pride in creating high-quality homes. So we’d like our homebuyers to understand the difference between a well-built home and something less. What do we mean by “quality”? It’s not a mystery—construction quality is easy to see when you know what to look for.
The right materials on the outside of your house can both distinguish it and add to its value.
The exterior finish is a home’s first impression, a greeting to neighbors and visitors, and a mark of the homeowner’s taste and style.
You can get more for your money by not starting with that question
Whether it’s a $7 million custom home or a $70,000 kitchen remodel, no one wants to pay more than they have to. So it’s no surprise that the first question many people have for their architect, interior designer or builder is about cost.
Installed costs vary greatly from product to product, but the builder can help manage them
Cost control is top-of-mind for anyone building a custom home these days. That includes keeping final product costs as close to the estimate as possible.
Change orders have always led to budget increases and schedule delays, and it’s not getting any better.
With inflation showing up in the news and at the grocery store, some homeowners are asking what they can do to keep construction costs from escalating.
Most people are familiar with allowances—a way to let homeowners create firm budgets for items that haven’t been specified at the time of contract signing. For instance, if the homeowners and kitchen designer concluded that $30,000 would support the quality of cabinets they wanted, then when it was time for the final choice they just had to stay within that budget.
There are codes and there are standards. A great home requires both.
There was a TV commercial for kosher hot dogs that first aired in the 1970s. With a surprised and disappointed Uncle Sam as background, the narrator described how government authorities allowed the company to use ingredients like artificial colorings and non-meat fillers.
In the future, you can tell friends and family what things were like during the Great Supply Crunch.
If you’re contemplating a new custom home, you’re no doubt aware of rising costs for lumber and other building materials. That problem has gotten plenty of media coverage. But price isn’t the only challenge. There’s another issue that, while it gets more attention from the business media than from the popular press, is giving headaches to builders and homeowners alike.
The essential skill of value engineering
Lumber continues to be THE big issue in home building. As we write this in May 2021, costs for framing lumber and plywood are three times what they were a year ago. That’s right—they’ve tripled. It’s insane.