When working with a custom home builder, you have a chance to create the house of your dreams. There are so many major details you've probably already
When building a new home it can be hard to know which design upgrades to go with. Here are tips for choosing builder upgrades worth getting.
When building a custom home, make sure everything is exactly the way you want it. Here is a helpful checklist to follow when making this endeavor.
Hello! So, I have a sister and sister-in-law building homes and so I have been brought back to the home building process as we’ve looked at plans and lighting and flooring and paint colors! I have kept a list of things that I wish we had done differently or things I wish we would have considered and I hope it helps if you are building, re-modeling, finishing a space. First, I need to say without reserve that I *love* our home. It is perfect for our family. I try to give thanks whenever I can for the blessing of living where we do in with such incredible neighbors and beautiful mountains in our backyard. In all of our moves, from apartments to rentals to fixer uppers, I have come to know that you can make any house into a home because of the people and attitudes inside of it. So, I hope this comes in the spirit of giving pointers to a sister or a good friend, not with dissatisfaction or ungratitude. I think I’ve mentioned before that we weren’t planning on building! But we fell in love with a lot and area and it just turned out that way. There are many lessons that you can only learn by building. So… if you can build a practice house and then build your final house!! Haha. Here we go: * Floor Plan: take the time to get your floor plan right. Anything you change after you submit final plans to the builder will cost you much more money in change orders. * Invest now in features that would be difficult to change later: heating/cooling systems, insulation, cabinets, flooring, tile etc. Things like light fixtures, paint, closet systems, and furniture aren’t hard to change or upgrade later. * If you have an upstairs or downstairs use a high quality insulation so you don’t hear every step upstairs (especially on hardwoods)! We invested in using the Roxul Soundproof Insulation between our upstairs floor and the basement ceiling and it would also be good for rooms that are next to a bathroom. * I would have gone with lighter floors! (^^ too dark!) Ours show everything and scratch easily– I would go lighter (like the color of dirt!) with some variation. * We would have done separate HVAC for upstairs and the basement so that each could have their own thermostat and controls. The basement stays much cooler than the rest of the house and it would make much more sense to give it more heat in the winter and not as much as the rest of the house in the summer. * 9 ft ceilings in the basement and 10 ft ceilings upstairs can make the whole house seem bigger and more open. * Laundry room! Near the kitchen or near the bedrooms? I like mine by the kitchen because it is right where I work so I can switch loads and then my kids take them to their rooms to fold and put away (well…that is what is supposed to happen, right?) but I have friends that swear by having it by the upstairs (or downstairs bedrooms). I bring my laundry out to the kitchen table to fold with the TV on or while kids are practicing or doing homework so a big laundry room that I can fold all the clothes in doesn’t make sense for me. A trend right now is to do a stackable washer and dryer in the master closet and the plumbing isn’t that much more expensive – it may be something to consider. I do love a hanging rod, a sink to rinse, a counter to put laundry on, and cabinets to store laundry detergent, etc. in * Outlet and light switch placement! ^^ Here is an example where I ruined a perfect good wall with light switches – I could have just had them go on the the other side of the wall in the mudroom. Places to consider putting outlets: -on top of the fireplace mantel – think lighted Christmas garland. - by the top or bottom of stair railings (also for lighted Christmas garland) - the front porch – for Christmas decor or lights. - on the outside eaves for Christmas lights so you don’t have cords hanging down. - inside of cabinets with glass doors and a few in the built ins – this is mostly for our Christmas village. - a light switch by the master bed so you don’t have to get out of bed to turn off lights. - on the back patio for hanging patio lights and plugging in power washers, heaters, etc. - double outlets where girls get ready – hairdryers, straightener, curling irons, etc. - night lights along stairs for kids that get up at night - if you have a Roomba – where do you want it to dock? - in the pantry for small appliances - on the side of the kitchen island - where do you want your charging station for phones? In the mudroom, a cabinet, or in your room if you have kids turn in devices at night. * Kitchen: I wish we would have done soft close cabinets! I know I can switch the hinges out, but I wish I would have done it in the first place. Also, you should know that white cabinets will yellow if they are exposed to sun. I would have gotten window coverings or shades (on the outside or inside) right away for where the sun hits my cabinets – can you see how the top drawer is more yellow than the bottom? Or, talk to your cabinet maker about non-yellowing paint options. Other favorite features in my kitchen are here. I had much more to say on this than I was anticipating! To read more tips click here for Part #2 and click here for Part #3 What would be your #1 advice for building a home?
Are you thinking about building a new house in the next year or so? Learn my best tips for building a new house so you can avoid costly mistakes & do-overs.
I am super excited to share my covered and open deck reveal on the blog today. It has been a long process; however, it was definitely worth the wait.
A list of regrets we have from our first time new home construction experience. Helpful info if you want to build a new home with a builder near you.
Get ideas for items and features to be included in your home build collected and organized by rooms, like specialty outlets and a safe room.
Read the 10 Steps for Planning Your New Build by Maria Killam. Building a new home means you'll be making many decisions. Are you ready? Read More Now!
Keep these 5 things in mind when building a custom home! Discussing our new construction process, helpful ideas when building a custom home, & challenges.
Sharing the high end house building ideas I didn't do! Grab these brilliant ideas for your new consturction home so you don't have regrets.
Ask a home builder these 9 crucial questions before signing a contract with them. Choosing the wrong builder can make the construction process a nightmare.
What we've learned as owner-builders to save money. Tips to help you design, plan, and build your own home while saving thousands of dollars in the process.
The top 9 things I WISH I had known before building a house! This is helpful for anyone in the midst of, or thinking about, building!
What we've learned as owner-builders to save money. Tips to help you design, plan, and build your own home while saving thousands of dollars in the process.
So you decided its time to build a new home and the first step you need to think about is budgeting, you start adding up the costs for land, foundation, framing and the list goes on and all you can see is dollar signs everywhere. So you start wondering how you can save money when building a house. Building a house is not cheap, but with budgeting and knowing how to spend your money wisely, you can build your dream home. My parent recently moved into their new home, and they saved so much money building a home instead of buying a ready to move in-house. So this post I will tell you some tips, some of them from my dad( who is a builder) on how to save money when building a home. HOW TO SAVE MONEY WHEN BUILDING A HOUSE!!!
Where to Splurge / save when building a home. What spaces should you invest more in and which rooms can wait for their upgrades?
With so many new home upgrades to choose from, it can be hard to know where to start! These are our top picks for must-have builder upgrades.
Whether you're renovating an older home or building your dream home from scratch, here's a list of things I wish we included in our home when we built.
If you are in the process of building a new home, it can be stressful and intimidating. Here are ten things I'm so glad we changed about our original design
Are you building a new home or planning a major house renovation? In this post I’m going to discuss 7 things you should consider pre-wiring during construction.
It can be hard to stay on budget while you are building your own home. Here are some important things to consider.
The beauty of doing anything you’ve never done before in this day and age is ~ Google. Like seriously, how did we ever do anything before we could google how to do it?! I feel like all of us who graduated high school before the dawn of the internet deserve a special star on our diplomas. […]
Looking to add character to a new build property? Check out these 10 ideas, from unique doors to interesting lighting fixtures and bold colours.
When looking at new construction homes, here are three cheap things you should avoid: builder-grade cabinetry, tub/shower surrounds and hollow core doors.
This guide will help you find your perfect floor plan for your new house. Finding Your Perfect Floor Plan for Your New House
When doing work on your house, these are 10 important construction questions to ask yourself early on to avoid lots of problems and hassles later.
Thinking of building a house on a budget? Here are some ways to save money when building a new home, on a budget (but not guaranteed on schedule!).
Are you thinking about building a new house in the next year or so? Learn my best tips for building a new house so you can avoid costly mistakes & do-overs.
A list of Universal Design new home features you should consider BEFORE building or remodeling your house. Plus reasons to consider "aging in place" in the home of your dreams! I encourage you to give these Universal Design principles a lot of thought before building or remodeling your house!
We're about to get all down and dirty with numbers, baby. First off, before we get into the meat of this post I want you to know that I'm not an expert by any means.
My Idea Notebook goes everywhere that I go! It usually stays in the car, but I always have it handy should I need a measurement, a color, or a description for someone who's helping us make this home a reality -- such as a bank lender, blueprint designer, or cabinet installer. Or, if my friends & relatives have a question or make a suggestion on the fly, then I just grab the Idea Notebook and add it to my collection of great ideas.
5 tips for placing electrical outlets, switches, & lighting in your new home.
This guide will take you step-by-step through the complex process of learning what it will cost to build a house with downloadable guides for your use.
The top 9 things I WISH I had known before building a house! This is helpful for anyone in the midst of, or thinking about, building!
Allow me to walk you do an electrical walk-through of your new home and create a checklist of things to discuss with your electrician.
I’m pointing out seven (pretty hefty) unexpected expenses when building a house. Be sure to include these ‘hidden costs’ in your budget!
The construction process is in full swing and I love how fast everything is coming together. Progress is being made daily - just yesterday, our windows were installed! We are in the fun part of the design process where...
Can you afford to build your dream home. I have a list of things to consider when calculating the cost of building a house.
If you are thinking of building a new home, check out these tips first from homeowners who have been through the process first!
So you decided its time to build a new home and the first step you need to think about is budgeting, you start adding up the costs for land, foundation, framing and the list goes on and all you can see is dollar signs everywhere. So you start wondering how you can save money when building a house. Building a house is not cheap, but with budgeting and knowing how to spend your money wisely, you can build your dream home. My parent recently moved into their new home, and they saved so much money building a home instead of buying a ready to move in-house. So this post I will tell you some tips, some of them from my dad( who is a builder) on how to save money when building a home. HOW TO SAVE MONEY WHEN BUILDING A HOUSE!!!
It’s been a year since we moved into our new home and we love it! It may still be mostly…
If you think that using a natural building method, building tiny, or even using shipping containers will help you build on the cheap, you're only half right. Here's what you need to know before you build.
The beauty of doing anything you’ve never done before in this day and age is ~ Google. Like seriously, how did we ever do anything before we could google how to do it?! I feel like all of us who graduated high school before the dawn of the internet deserve a special star on our diplomas. […]
So you decided its time to build a new home and the first step you need to think about is budgeting, you start adding up the costs for land, foundation, framing and the list goes on and all you can see is dollar signs everywhere. So you start wondering how you can save money when building a house. Building a house is not cheap, but with budgeting and knowing how to spend your money wisely, you can build your dream home. My parent recently moved into their new home, and they saved so much money building a home instead of buying a ready to move in-house. So this post I will tell you some tips, some of them from my dad( who is a builder) on how to save money when building a home. HOW TO SAVE MONEY WHEN BUILDING A HOUSE!!!
Building a house or thinking about it? Here are the six big reasons you might blow your construction budget and what you can do to avoid it.