Home Building Tip for the Week of December 13

What would you like for Christmas? How about a new home designed exactly how you would like. Start with our Home Building Specifications plan to view ideas and concepts that you would use to design your home. Who knows, you might have your 2010 Christmas in your new home.

find ideas: view our home specification plan | download FREE the spec plan

Assembling a Home Construction Specification Plan

A Fresh Approach to Outfitting Your Lawn

First impressions of a home are often made by just how well the front lawn looks. A million dollar home can lose its sheen if the lawn is burnt, filled with crab grass, or patchy. Trees, poorly placed shrubbery, and misuse of yard ornamentation can also make your estate (or simple abode) look less appealing.

Saving Your Landscape Project For Last

Many new homeowners rightly save their major landscaping project until after they move in and rightly so: you have other things to take care of first. Besides, when it comes to your lawn you want to be on site when the landscape contractors appear. What better way to do that then when you're actually living in your home and able to direct the project?

Points to Consider When Landscaping

Today's homeowners are much more in tune with the environmental impact that their landscaping projects have on their property and the surrounding area. When working with a landscape contractor or doing the job yourself consider these points when developing your master plan:

How Much Grass Do You Want To Maintain? Seeding, fertilization, maintenance, and watering can take up a lot of your time and use up valuable resources. In some areas of the country, local drought conditions will dictate what you can or cannot do, therefore consider creating a landscaped area that requires less water and incorporates superior seepage. Smart use of an in-ground irrigation system can keep your lawn green longer and help you monitor water usage.

Planting Trees And Incorporating Existing Vegetation. If your lot wasn't clear cut when your home was built, then you probably have some mature trees and bushes already present. Trim back dead branches and survey the property to create a nice balance of sun and shade. Plant additional trees well away from your home if desired, select those types of trees which are native to your area, disease and drought resistant, and offer the least amount of maintenance. Apply these same points to shrubbery too.

Making Room For Gardens. Sunny areas adjoining your house make for perfect gardens. However, if you are considering vegetable gardening, you'll want to move these gardens well away from your home. Flowers and small bushes look appealing next to your home, but tomatoes, corn, cucumbers, and other vegetables do not and they need the maximum amount of sun.

Your Outdoor Living Area. If you plan on spending a lot of time outdoors, then having an area for relaxation and entertainment is a must. Consider brick pavers or concrete slabs as places to put your outdoor furniture. Even if your home has a deck, you may want a separate area where you can be closer to the lawn, flowers, etc.

Some homeowners are opting to simply pave over their properties to limit their outdoor maintenance tasks. While this may be an option for some, drainage is a real problem as run off must exit the property, perhaps flooding a nearby neighbor's parcel.

If you are planning to do the landscaping project yourself, you are in good company. The largest outdoor living stores regularly run free seminars for their customers, a great way to learn how to map out your landscaping master plan and save money in the landscape design and implementation process.

2008/02/26

Assembling a Home Construction Specification Plan

Garage and Pathways

Not many people who are building a new home take into consideration the eventual resale value of their property. Likely, you're planning to spend many years enjoying your new home, possibly staying in it well past the years when your children have grown and left home.

Of course, our plans are often subject to change as a job transfer, different housing needs or changes in family status can weigh in. Almost suddenly, your home is on the market and you're looking to obtain top dollar for it.

To ensure the best resale value for your home, two areas of consideration include your pathways and your garage. Both can play an important role in providing enhancing a buyer's first impression of your home as well as deliver plenty of satisfaction for you right now.

The Garage -- No matter whether you choose a two or three car garage, you'll want to make sure that this area of your home is used properly. Assuming that the garage will house your vehicles, the remaining room can be used for storage, particularly for bikes, lawn equipment, a workbench, and more. You'll get great use from this space while potential buyers will see usable "living" space.

The Pathways -- Will you choose asphalt or concrete for your driveway? How about stone or brick? The look of your driveway can make all of the difference for your home with some materials providing many years of rock solid durability. Materials for your driveway can be used for the front and side paths as well as a rear patio area.

Finally, with your garage you can add value to the home by choosing special garage doors which improve your home's appearance. Distinctive wooden carriage doors with either a swing, fold or slide look are popular and add to the character of your home.

2008/02/19

Assembling a Home Construction Specification Plan

Other Home Amenities

What is it that makes a house, truly a home? Some would say the people who live there. Others would include the neighborhood where it is located, while some may say it is a bit of both with the owner's personal touches included.

Now that your home's major construction projects are completed, what sort of amenities did you have built into your home's construction? Most popular with homeowners today are the following:

Entranceway -- The first impression anyone has when entering a home is what they see is your entranceway. A unique door knocker, custom door with arch or radial top, door chimes, trim and light fixtures can go a long way to giving your home a unique, inviting look.

Foyer -- Once inside your home, presenting an elegant or refined look can be achieved in the foyer. A sweeping staircase to the second floor, a special window, french doors leading to the living quarters, or a chandelier are some of the attractive options for this part of the house.

Fireplaces -- Even in a warmer climate, a fireplace can make for a nice touch particularly on cold mornings or when the weather is especially damp. No need to mess with wood anymore as gas units are all the rage and offer a minimum amount of maintenance. Consider a wood or gas stove as an optional way to provide heat, a special look for a den, living room or family area.

Services Utilities Room -- Many homes expand the idea of a laundry room to include other features such as the home's utility box. With online activity a crucial part of today's lifestyles, having a home wired accordingly is essential. A services utilities room can act as the nerve center for all of the home's electrical needs.

Many of the smaller projects not dependent on the home's construction schedule can be handled after you move in. Once you get a feel for your new residence, you'll be planning your next round of projects in short order!

2008/02/12

This article is part of our ongoing home construction specification plan series.

Home Lighting

Some of the final touches you will want to handle in your new home can wait until after you move in, but chances are that you'll want to have all of your lighting needs completed before then. Chandeliers need to be ordered and installed, track lighting put in its place, ceiling fans chosen and corresponding lighting selected, sconces, overhead lighting, even exterior lighting put in place. It is so much easier to do these jobs before the furniture arrives and the home is occupied.

Finding the right balance of lighting without padding your electric bill every month can be a challenge, but we've identified some ways you can light your home without burning your budget:

• Your kitchen is one of the central areas of your home, so plan on providing sufficient lighting for your guests. That big overheard light can cover the entire room, but you'll want to consider undercounter lighting for areas where you prepare food and provide separate lighting above the sink. If you have a food preparation island in the middle of your kitchen, you may find having track lighting over that area to be the best way to get light.

• Bathroom lighting typically includes one overhead light with a light over the shower/bath and sconces on either side of the vanity's mirror. Investigate the different types of lighting for your bathrooms by visiting a home decor center to mix and match your lighting with your bath's style.

• Family rooms and living rooms are great places to install ceiling fans with a light included. However, most of your lighting can come from floor and table lamps as well as strategically placed track lighting, particularly if book shelves or display items are featured.

• Your dining room needs just one type of light, a chandelier which can be as simple or ornate as your home decor tastes. For larger, darker dining rooms track lighting above a buffet or china closet can be an attractive option, even consider an elegant floor lamp to light the room when the chandelier is off.

• Bedrooms usually have one overhead light with many homeowners choosing a ceiling fan with a light placed directly over the bed. A dimmer switch and remote control pad are nice additions especially when you don't want to get out of bed to turn off lights or slow down the fan. Floor lamps and table lamps are a nice touches, allowing you to control the amount of lighting you want at any moment.

• Workshops, garages, utlility rooms, closests, attics and basements have their own special lighting needs from a simple wall fixture all the way to ballasts with fluorescent bulbs. Provide adequate lighting especially in those areas where you plan on spending the most time as well as enough lighting to safely help you and your family walk down hallways, move up and down stairways, and to find what you need in dark recesses.

• Outside lighting should provide both visual enhancement to your home and safety and security for you and your loved ones. Security lighting, if not already installed can be strategically placed around the home with driveway, walkway, and landscape lighting providing the right amount of illumination.

Finally, you can save on electricity by installing timers, dimmers, even room sensors that turn lights on and off as you move through the house. Select bulbs with the wattage you need and consider light emitting diode (LED) or compact fluorescent lightbulbs (CFL) as ways to use less energy while getting bulbs that will last much longer. Please note that the disposal of CFLs can be tricky as they do contain a highly toxic substance -- mercury.

2008/02/05

This article is part of our ongoing home construction specification plan series.

Home Construction Specification: Flooring

I admit it: I am partial to wood flooring. Although wall to wall carpeting is nice, there is something about a freshly polished oak floor that causes me to take notice. I've been in plenty of homes where I paid scant attention to the Berber carpeting, tiling, even stone flooring, but when it comes to wood, you got my attention!

Time to Select the Flooring

One of the last big projects with getting your new home ready for move-in is the flooring. Choices abound and you can design your home to include various options in different rooms. Let's take a look at some flooring projects certain to give your home a warm and inviting appeal.

Traditionally, when it comes to multi-storied homes, the "rule of thumb" regarding flooring was this:

• Hardwoods on the first floor;
• Carpeting on the upper floors; and
• Tiling in the kitchen and baths.

Let Your Personal Tastes Come Forth

Some homeowners in a bid to be unique and to express their personal tastes aren't always so predictable. A mix and match of hardwoods and carpeting can be found on the first floor with the living room carpeted and the dining room featuring darker woods, even reclaimed flooring.

In some homes the foyer is carpeted but the entranceway is hardwoods with a running carpet or area rug included.

Kitchens, Bathrooms Can Look Unique Too

There was a time when people experimented with putting carpet down in their kitchens, but that practice pretty much came to a halt when dishwashers leaked, sinks overflowed and food stains took over. Still, an indoor/outdoor type of carpeting could be useful especially in a home with lots of children running about.

Tiling remains appealing for its ease of placement as well as cost. Vinyl is a strong favorite as it is easy to clean and to less costly to replace. Both vinyl and tiling can look great in the bathrooms as can specialized stone.

Why Not Wood Upstairs?

What's to stop you from having wood floors upstairs? Noise, for one. If the insulation between the levels of your home isn't adequate, you'll soon tire of the noise above your head. Walk around any basement and you'll hear an unwelcome racket each time furniture is moved, people walk, or any other kind of activity is present.

If you choose upper level flooring, rugs on top of the floors can deaden the noise. Work with your builder to make sure that the insulation is adequate and that your choice of flooring is appropriate and discuss with an interior designer what types of area rugs would do the job while still looking nice.

With your flooring in place, you're about ready to move in. A few projects remain but the most difficult part is now behind you.

For more information about wood flooring, please read the following Fox report.

2008/01/29