Building your dream home can turn into a nightmare where budgets and emotions are concerned.  Your new home is not simply a structure, but an extension of your personality and lifestyle.  Following a few simple guidelines can keep the budget and worry in check.

1. Make up your mind.  Before choosing a builder, picking out paint colors or mentally arranging your furniture, decide what you are looking for in a house.  Determine what features are “must-haves” and which are “nice to haves” and find a floor plan that most closely matches the way you like to live.  Change orders, which involve changing the floor plan during construction, are costly. 
2. Choose a reputable builder.  Going the cheap route while choosing a builder can cost you more money in the future.  Just as a chain is only as good as its weakest link, the builder is only as good as his subcontractors and materials.  Find a builder who is a member of the NAHB, and check references.  Do not be reticent about asking questions, driving past homes the builder has completed or is currently building, and asking clients if they are happy with the results.  Check the Better Business Bureau and Rip Off Report websites.
3. Location, location, location.  Find land that is good for your home.  Clearing rocks or trees and leveling land can quickly add to the cost of building your home.  Check into costs such as property taxes, building permits, HOA fees and consider them while making your budget.  If you have already bought your lot, make sure you include any charges to install meters.   These expenses can vary greatly from one area to the next.
4. Building Materials.  Ask your builder at which stage of construction materials must be purchased, and if unused materials can be returned for credit.  Decide what you want in a home as far as materials for cabinets, counter tops and flooring.  While it is acceptable to choose less expensive materials for some items that are easily replaced, such as light fixtures.  However, if you want higher-end materials for your kitchen, try to work it into your budget.  Tearing out tile floors, laminate countertops, or composite wood cabinets in the future can be more expensive than getting what you want from the start.
5. Think about being your own General Contractor.  Hiring yourself can save you around 15% of the costs, but this comes with a great deal of risk.  If you do not have a background in home construction, obtaining the funding, sub-contractors and materials can turn into a life-consuming job.  When you hire a builder, it is his job to stay on time and within budget.  Carefully consider the potential savings versus the time and stress involved.

Click Here to find Your Dream Home!

Best wishes in the building of your new home!

More homeowners are bucking the trend of having a manicured lawn in favor of more natural and ecologically friendly landscaping methods – naturescaping and xeriscaping.  When building a home, look at the footprint of your houseplan and talk to your builder about incorporating one or both of these methods.  Both methods focus on using drought-resistant plants that require less water, fertilizer, and care.

Naturescaping involves using native plants that are allowed to go to seed and self-sow.  As they are native, they will not require extensive watering after the first year, and fertilization should be unnecessary. 

The xeriscaping method uses drought-resistant plants that are not necessarily native to a region.  This can include succulents, ornamental grasses, and rock gardens. 

New homes of any architectural style can be complemented by xeriscaping or naturescaping.  A rock garden and succulents can pair with a modern or contemporary home, while native wildflowers add a touch of color to a craftsman-style house plan.

Homeowners who can’t resist the look of a lush, green lawn can still lessen the impact by choosing a drought-resistant grass or using pockets of naturescaping or xeriscaping in extended flower beds or rock garden features.

View our most popular plans here!

Best wishes in the building of your new house!

When you’re building that dream home, granite is one of the most beautiful and popular upgrades in kitchens and bathrooms.  Recent reports indicate that certain granite products used in homes can emit radon gas, the second-leading cause of lung cancer in humans.  Some experts have even recommended that lung cancer patients, pregnant women, and small children limit exposure to granite.

Studies indicate that the vast majority of granite is safe, with the most risk occurring in exotic, highly striated varieties from Namibia and Brazil.  Take into consideration your floorplan and how much granite would be used for your countertops.  Limited physical contact with granite and a well-ventilated home greatly reduce the dangers of exposure to radon.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, there are no regulations in place to test granite from any source, and there is no test that accurately measures the amount for radiation coming from granite in the home.  Checking radon levels in the entire home can easily be accomplished with a kit purchased from a home improvement store. 

Nonetheless, Granite remains a very popular and versatile product for families of all sizes and age.

Best wishes in the building of your new home!

As more people get ready to retire, they are finding that downsizing their home does not mean downgrading.  Many small house plans offer the amenities retirees have become accustomed to.

The type of home you choose for your retirement will depend on your type of retirement.  Home plans with two master suites allow guests to visit and maintain a sense of privacy.  For the semi-retired, a home office will allow greater freedom to work around your schedule and telecommute.   House plans featuring Universal Design standards will ensure that your home remains accessible and convenient for years to come, possibly allowing you to remain in your home longer instead of residing in an assisted living community.

Retirees have never had more choices when it comes to where to live.  Retirement in urban areas is becoming more popular due to higher gas prices and a desire to be close to cultural attractions and medical care.  Choosing a small house plan affords the homeowner the opportunity to take advantage of a small or irregular lot that has been overlooked by a larger builder. 

A recent “Top Places for Retirees” survey listed such diverse cities as Houston, Phoenix, Washington DC, and Indianapolis.  Each city offers its own recreation options, cultural attractions, and climate to suit the way you want to spend your newfound freedom.

Hope everyone’s doing well today…  We receive many calls each day looking for a reference for a good home builder to use in a particular local area of the United States.  As such, you spoke and we listened..

We’ve put together a brand new article about “How to find reliable home builders and contractors” for you new home project, and you can view the article online right now at:

http://www.homedesigncentral.com/blog/finding-reliable-home-contractors/

If we can help in any way, please let us know…. Thanks..

Best wishes in the building of your new home!

Jill

We just added another article to the “Resources” section of HomeDesignCentral.com . This article explains the some of the current floor plan design trends that customers just like you, are requesting and building into their new homes..

When you’re looking for your next house plan, its always a good idea to look at what’s currently popular in home design and floorplan layouts.  If you have any questions about one of the designs you see on the site, please let us know….

You can view the article here:

http://www.homedesigncentral.com/blog/floor-plans-design-trends/

Best wishes in the building of your new home!

Jill