Articles Related to 'A Home Builders Opinion'

Here are 10 steps for hiring and working with a contractor

This is the year you're going all out. You're going to build a deck, add a porch, erect a gazebo or lay a patio. You've done the research. It's well within your capability and you're looking forward to the satisfaction of creating a structure of beauty. Or not. Yes -- you'd like to proceed with an outdoor structure, but for you, it isn't a do-it-yourself project. How can you find the right person to do it for you? Here are 10 tips for hiring and working with a contractor. 1. Plan your project carefully. Clip pictures, make sketches, write a description. This will help you accurately convey to the contractor what you want the finished product to be. 2. Make a list of contractors. Ask your neighbors or friends for the names of reputable tradesmen. Contact material suppliers --

Published On: 4/29/2005

Filled under: A Home Builders Opinion, Homebuilding Activity, Home Builders

1998 Views

Deal with the Consequences

Its funny how one little decision can have such an impact on your home, and the costs of building it. I think a lot of people don't really think about what other things will need to be changed by simply choosing a different sink, faucet or doorknobs than usual. For example, I'll use my own experience to illustrate my point here. In my case I don't regret making the choices I did as that is what I wanted in my home... but this is something to think about if you are making a choice that may or may not be really that important to you. I chose to use square vessel sinks in my master bath. Vessel sinks are basically like a bowl that sits on top of the countertop. When using vessel sinks, you either need a faucet that will come up high enough from the counter to clear the sink, a facuet

Published On: 4/6/2005

Filled under: A Home Builders Opinion

1327 Views

Spec Homes

One of our readers posted the following: “I am interested in building spec homes in Arizona. I have many questions regarding the spec home industry and have had a difficult time obtaining useful information. Plenty of info on fixers, foreclosures, investment property and such but with regard to building spec homes and the financing, planning construction and selling there just isn't much out there.” I don't consider myself an expert on spec building, but I have built over 200 homes. Out of the 200 homes I would say 120 of them have been spec homes. I enjoy building spec homes because it is much easier and can be more profitable. However, it can be risky. The best thing to do is start with a good floor plan and build it in a good area. The

Published On: 4/2/2005

Filled under: A Home Builders Opinion

4653 Views

So How Much Will This Home Plan Cost to Build?

Since so many variables make up the cost per square foot, such as lumber prices, location, amenities chosen, time of year, etc., there is no "standard" cost per square foot. You can get an idea by calling several contractors in your area. However, be aware that their bids probably don't include the cost for building permits, impact fees and construction loans. Be sure to ask them to give you estimates for these items too. When comparing bids, homeowners should be sure they are comparing "apples to apples." For example, prices will vary tremendously if one builder is quoting an estimate for a kitchen with hickory cabinets and ceramic tile and the other is quoting cherry cabinetry and oak flooring. Consumers should also be wary if the contractor is submitting an

Published On: 2/27/2005

Filled under: A Home Builders Opinion, Homebuilding Activity, Cost to Build

1416 Views

Glazing

We recently built a nice home where the homeowners chose to have us put in a lot of tongue and groove pine. On top of that, they wanted pine doors. Well, I was a little nervous, because this was a very high priced home. I thought the pine would probably make it look cheap. However, my painter did put a glazing over all of the wood and then did a clear coat of varnish over that. To say the least, I was very impressed with the results. In fact, much of the pine was near their knotty-alder cabinets. The glazing on the pine made it look just like the alder. Glazing has become very popular on cabinets, but don't be afraid to try it on other things also. Happy home plan

Published On: 2/26/2005

Filled under: A Home Builders Opinion

1107 Views

Lock in your lumber prices

My lumber salesman at Stock Building Supply called me on Thursday to warn me of upcoming price increases. This is good insider information that a good sales rep should let you know. We do enough business with Stock Building Supply that they will lock in the lumber prices on certain homes we have coming up. This little tip will probably save me 10k, or more, in the next month alone. I know a lot of you who look at home plans on www.theplancollection.com are trying to build your own homes. I would suggest that you get to know a lumber salesperson and let them know what you are planning. If you hurry and find a home plan you like, I would get it to several lumber companies and have them do a take-off. That is where they will determine how much lumber

Published On: 2/26/2005

Filled under: Housing Market, A Home Builders Opinion

1911 Views

Dealing with subcontractors

I know many of you who are looking at our house plans are probably wanting to general contract your own home. I have written several articles on why not to do that, but some of you will do it anyway. For those of you who like that kind of stress, let me give you a few hints when it comes to working with subcontractors. NEVER pay any sub-contractor up front money. When the job is finished, DO NOT just accept the sub-contractors word "I'm finished" INSPECT IT (twice) to make sure it is finished, and then pay them. VERY IMPORTANT: Require ALL Sub-contractors to sign a Mechanic Lien Release (or lien waiver) form, showing that you have paid them in full. Your local title company probably has a pre-written form.Find the right sub-contractor. How? -NEVER hire a relative, even

Published On: 2/26/2005

Filled under: Homebuilding Activity, A Home Builders Opinion, Home Builders

1131 Views

Installling Doors in Your New Home

Having built a few homes, I have learned that there are certain things that really need to be done right. One of those things, is having your doors installed correctly. If you are in the middle of building or remodeling, I would suggest that you make sure the doors are installed correctly. How can you tell? First, check the reveal around the door. The reveal is the distance between the door itself and the jamb. The reveal is usually around 1/8”. The reveal should be consistant all the way around the door. Second, make sure the door is level. You'll want to check it in the door opening and on the surface of the door. There is more to installing a door than I have mentioned here. The reason I bring it up is that if the door is not hung properly, it may have an effect on the Door Knob

Published On: 1/6/2005

Filled under: A Home Builders Opinion

1270 Views

Getting ready for the new year!

Well, I hope everyone had a great Christmas and is looking forward to a great new year. As the new year starts, so does a lot of construction projects. If you're looking to start building this spring, I'd suggest getting your home plan right away so that you can obtain bids and get everything in order as soon as possible. As the year begins, subcontractors get busier and

Published On: 12/28/2004

Filled under: A Home Builders Opinion

901 Views

How to get your the most out of your brick

With the price of brickwork, make sure you get exactly what you want. One thing that can really make a difference is to use a different color of brick mortar. For instance, if your stucco color is a tan color, consider using a tan colored Type S mortar. Since a large portion of the visible area of any masonry veneer wall is the mortar joint, spend a little extra time getting just the right color combination. Be aware that the colored mortar is a little bit more expensive, but I have found that most masons will give you a good deal on it, because they like to show off their work. Laying brick is not a very fun job, so masons usually jump at the chance to do something out of the ordinary. The cost should be very minimal and well worth it. You

Published On: 12/8/2004

Filled under: Curb Appeal, Color Schemes, A Home Builders Opinion, Exterior Materials

1319 Views

Keep your foot in the door.

I have been working with our framing contractor this week trying to get things finished up at the house we are building. It's a fun process building a home and seeing everything come together, but I think its important to keep tabs on whats going on. Sometimes, someone elses interpretation of how things should be determines the outcome of a homeplan, rather than the intentions of the home owner or designer. Fortunately, we've been working with a pretty good framing contractor that is happy to build things as we want them, yet makes suggestions on things that will and won't work. Maybe one of these days I'll post a picture of the home. Its been a struggle getting the roof completed as the truss company built a girder truss incorrectly, so they had to come back out and replace it. Then

Published On: 12/8/2004

Filled under: Homebuilding Activity, A Home Builders Opinion

1007 Views

Selling Spec Homes

About 70% of my home building business consists of spec homes. A spec home is simply a home that is built without a buyer. It is more risky to build a home that isn't pre-sold, but it sure is easier, quicker and generally turns out nicer. Most of the risks can be minimized by choosing a good floor plan and making sure it is built in a good location. However, sometimes a home can sit for a while before it sells. When that happens, there are a few things I do to get rid of it. I rarely sell a house before it is completed and cleaned up. I think it is odd that so many builders get a house most of the way done, but then they don't get it cleaned up and presentable. Cleanliness sells! Another method that really helps is to buy a few pieces

Published On: 11/23/2004

Filled under: A Home Builders Opinion

2165 Views

Tips for locating a good/reasonable engineer

Many people who look for home plans on www.theplancollection.com are being their own general contractor. As a general contractor, I realize that some people just like torture and punishment. For those people I know that one of your first hurdles will be finding a good/reasonable engineer. Most building inspectors will require that your home plan be engineered to meet your local seismic requirements etc. However, not all engineers are the same. Some charge a lot more money than others, and some charge less, but over engineer your plan. When they over do that, the cost to accommodate the engineering, can far out weigh the engineering fees. So how can you find out who the good engineers are? Well, there are a few places to find

Published On: 11/23/2004

Filled under: A Home Builders Opinion, Engineering House Plans

1055 Views

Having a Security Blanket (Home Equity)

I recently had a discussion with a man I am building a new home for. With the money he is putting towards his down payment, combined with the good price I gave him, he will have over 20% equity in his new home. I suggested setting up a home equity line of credit. If he closes on the Home Equa-Line at the same time as his long term, it will cost him nothing extra. If he chooses not to take any money out, he will just have a $40 a year fee. This is according to a loan officer at M&T Mortgage www.mandtbank.com I told him it is important to get it set up, in the event something were to happen to him or his job, he would have a nice safety net. If he were to wait to get it set up, and something happens, he may not have the kind of credit he does

Published On: 11/13/2004

Filled under: Home Equity, A Home Builders Opinion

825 Views

The Future of Home Building is Looking Bright

All of the economic indicators and most of the recent articles I have read seem to paint a positive picture when it comes to building new homes. Lumber prices are coming down in a dramatic fashion and the higher price of gas was factored in two years ago. The bright spot about our economy has been the homebuilding industry. However, the costs have been escalating dramatically over the past few years. Nevertheless, the demand for new homes has been constant. Interest rates have been in the basement for a long time now. As the economy continues to heat up, the interest rates will be raised. The economy is gradually getting better, which means the rates shouldn't jump up all of a sudden. Everything looks favorable for building a new

Published On: 11/11/2004

Filled under: Housing Market, A Home Builders Opinion

1065 Views

House Plans - during construction

Ever wonder why house plans are sold in sets of 5, 8 or 12? Extra sets are expecially nice as construction begins and you need them to get bids from various subcontractors quickly. They are also nice to have during construction because your home plans will be put through adverse weather conditions, as well as exposure to concrete, mud, and heavy paperweights (framing nailers and whatnot) to keep them from blowing away. Some people like to get one set of houoseplans laminated to leave on the job. This is a great idea, and will keep the plans ledgible during construction. Laminating is fairly cheap and can be done at your local copy shop. Now, all you have to do is keep the subs from walking off with the house plans so that your other subcontractors can use them during

Published On: 11/5/2004

Filled under: House Plans, A Home Builders Opinion

943 Views

Lumber Prices are Declining

Finally, the price of lumber is coming down. For instance, about three years ago, the price of OSB or wafer wood used to cost $6 a sheet. Last year the price shot up to nearly $20 a sheet. However, my latest quotes show that the price at Home Depot was $10.50 a sheet. However, some of the other lumber stores are still trying to make a few extra dollars by charging $13.50 a sheet. Always get current bids, because lumber is a commodity that changes daily. Good luck and happy home plan

Published On: 10/31/2004

Filled under: A Home Builders Opinion, Housing Market

1750 Views

Was the Remodel Worth it?

Many people are asking me, “Now that you are done remodeling, do you think it was worth it?” Well, our house is very comfortable now and we enjoy it. However, the costs are nearly double than what I anticipated. The reason they are double is because when we put new things against the old things, we just ripped out the old and put went new. I probably should have just started over with a new home. New homes just appreciate in value so much quicker than an older home. When I say old, I mean like 10 years old. That doesn't sound old, but in 'house years' it really is. The reason is, fashion changes so quickly. The value of most homes increases dramatically in the first ten years, but after that it levels off. All in all,

Published On: 10/30/2004

Filled under: Remodeling, A Home Builders Opinion

814 Views

Building Inspectors- Your friend or enemy.

Funny how some people -when given resposibility- feel it necessary to exert their power excessively to prove a point. Why is that? Do they think it makes you any more willing to do what you can to accomodate them? Recently a local municipality has gotten a new building inspector. This has happened a few times in the past many years I've been involved in construction. Some inspectors ease into it, others feel like they have to be a hardnose about every little thing in the book whether or not circumstances require other solutions that are perfectly acceptable. There is a difference between doing your job, and just being a jerk. Sometimes, circumstances are such that you just need to analyze the situation and not necessarily let things go, but be nice about it. Stopping construction because

Published On: 8/26/2004

Filled under: Building Inspectors, A Home Builders Opinion, Homebuilding Activity

876 Views

Spending too much time in home improvement stores

Because we are currently remodeling, I have spent a lot of time in home improvement stores searching for products and price checking. I am surprised by the limited selection these massive stores have. These stores are gigantic but still don't have much selection. They also don't cater to the contractors like the smaller lumberyards do. My theory about why they don't have much selection is because they cater to the homeowner who is fixing or remodeling their older home. Honestly, there is not much selection on common items like baseboards and trim. The selection consists of the same designs that my parents put in their home 25 years ago. I guess people still buy it by the truck loads because when they remodel, they want to match the older moldings

Published On: 8/10/2004

Filled under: Remodeling, A Home Builders Opinion, Saving Money

928 Views