Part 5- How To Have A Successful Custom Home Building Experience

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Part 5- How To Have A Successful Custom Home Building Experience?

5. Minimize Homeowner Stress. 

What if the Owners could just sit back and enjoy watching their dream home become a reality knowing how much their home is going to cost and not run around making last minute decisions?

Tom, the Builder called and said, I need to select all my appliances today so they can be ordered or our home will be delayed for a month? You can just imagine the stress the Owner is feeling in this instance. Building a Custom Home doesn’t have to be this way.

Instead, while your home plans are being designed the Owner works with the Interior Designer and makes all the decisions before you even sign the contract for construction. There is a preliminary meeting with the Builder’s Interior Designer to understand what type of finishes you would like included in your home. The Designer goes off to visit all the Builder’s suppliers, returns with samples, then provides a room by room presentation of everything that you would like to have included in your home. Tile, carpet, cabinets, appliances, counter tops, paint colors, ceiling treatments etc. Everything to make a house a home and what they cost. Perhaps, this may take 2-3 meetings to get everything just right but it sure beats running all over town for weeks and weeks trying to remember what you selected at the flooring company 2 months ago. All the appointments are displayed at one time so you know just what each room in going to look like when it’s finished. The Builder can include these items in the final contract pricing. If the total exceeds your budget, adjustments can be made before construction commences.

Now that you know what your home is going to look like room by room and how much it’s going to cost to make your dream a reality, its time to sit back and watch the dream materialize. This is the fun part of building. All the tough issues are behind you, relax and enjoy.

Have an awesome day!

Mike

Part 4 What Is Required To Have A Successful Custom Home building Experienc

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Part 4 What Is Required To Have A Successful Custom Home building Experience

4. On time and within the budget requirements.

On Time Delivery starts with the Building Contract (How quickly can the builder construct my new home). The building time-frame (8-12 months) is written into most construction documents. The clock starts ticking (homeowners ask, when can I move into my home) the day the Building Permit is issued. Of course, a large number of activities have to take place between the issuing of the permit and when the keys are handed to the Owners.

Weekly Status Reports sent to the Owners as well as main team members (Realtor, Interior Designer, Architect, Owners and Builder) so everyone is kept up to date with the project. The status report covers:

• Reaffirm the homes completion date.

• What was accomplished this week?

• What items have been started but not yet completed?

• What activities are scheduled for next week?

• Items needed from the Owners to keep the project on schedule.

• Attach a photo from live web camera for each work day.

A status report cuts down on the finger pointing. The key team members know what’s happening with the project and what they may be doing to hold things up. If the project is falling behind everyone is aware and steps can be taken to speed things up.

Attaching a photo from each day documents the progress on the home and provides a visual record.

Building Within The Budget Requirements- takes discipline and careful planning. 

• Signing a fixed price contract (When building a home, cost plus or fixed price contract) is the first requirement. 

• Owners make all their selections (How to save money when building a home) prior to the commencement of construction. With this approach, there are no “allowances” in the contract to exceed. 

• The only way to exceed the budget (Change Orders, is my Builder ripping me off) is with a signed change order. Each C.O. also states how much the building time-frame is to be extended due to the change.

Have an awesome day!

Mike

What Is The Home Energy Rating System (HERS)?

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VIDEO // Windows, Doors, Skylights, Insulation And Air Sealing

Home Energy Rating System (HERS) Explained

 

 

HERS is a tool for comparing and certifying houses based on energy use.

Major energy certifications and green rating systems have used the HERS index for energy certification for years.

Now, HERS scores are working their way into building codes. 2015's IECC adds an Energy Rating Index (ERI) compliance path, and builders can choose their own methods for achieving the HERS score specified for their climate zone, which is between 52 and 55.

HERS is a good resale tool for homeowners because it compares homes for affordability. It is now recognized by the appraisal institute for calculating home value, so it can help your customers make better decisions about energy improvements in the course of remodeling their home.

In this episode of WxTV, Jon Shaffer with PowerHouse Integrated Conservation Systems in Bozeman, Montana, explains the process for doing a HERS audit and entering the data into the REM/Rate software. He also shows us how to shave points off the spread.

The Basics:

The HERS index runs from 0 to 100. One hundred represents a house built to the 2003 IECC. Zero represents a net zero house—one that produces as much energy as it consumes. 

Most houses built to 2009 IECC are about a HERS 80. 

Steps in a HERS audit:

1. Measure the interior space.
2. Conduct a blower door test to calculate how much energy is wasted through air leaks.
3. Document insulation levels in floors, walls, ceilings, and ductwork.
4. Document window u-value and solar heat gain coefficient (SHGC).
5. Document door R-values and u-factors for glazed doors.
6. Document heating system efficiency.
7. Document water system efficiency.
8. Document appliance efficiency (dishwashers, refrigerators, clothes dryers, etc.).
9. Look at the lighting types.
10. Inspect insulation in the walls, floors, and ceiling with an infrared camera.

Measurements and test results are entered into a software called Rem/Rate to calculate the HERS score.

How to shave points from your HERS score:

1. Replace incandescent light bulbs with CFLs or LEDs. Good for 2-3 points! (Ed's note: Are incandescents even a thing anymore?)
2. Insulating the attic can reduce the HERS score 3-15 points, depending on how good it was to begin with.
3. Insulate a crawlspace: 2-3 points
4. Insulate a rim joist: 3-5 points
5. Air seal can lights: 3 points
6. Replace the furnace with a 95% efficient one: 5-15 points

Total possible points shaved: 18-44

HERS also accounts for renewable energy, so adding photovoltaics (PV) can shave your score even more. 

Other energy audits and certifications:

BPI Audit: A prescriptive report written by a trained home performance professional. Does not include a HERS score.

Energy Star: A checklist that a builder follows to construct an energy efficient home. Uses HERS score as the energy model for certification. Typical score: low 70s.

LEED for Homes: A green rating system that goes way beyond energy considerations, incorporating durability, water use, materials, and site into account. Uses HERS score as the energy model for certification. Typical score: 80 or below.

PHIUS (Passive House Institute US): Because of the strict airtightness requirements of Passive House, these homes typically score in the low 30's before adding renewable energy. 

 

—Thank you Montana Weatherization Center for doing such good work and sharing it with the crowd.

More Like This

• The Pen Test for Air-, Water- and Thermal-Tightness
• Air Sealing Details for a Net Zero Energy Home
• Haiku: Like Air Through Glass
• Case Study: Airtightness Strategies and Impacts for 1½-Story Homes 
• Video Treat: Finnish Axe Men Build A Traditional Log Cabin—Windows and All

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Part 3 What Is Required To Have A Successful Custom Home building Experience?

www.regalclassichomes.com

Part 3 What Is Required To Have A Successful Custom Home building Experience?

3. Timely Communication- few things are more frustrating to Owners than not hearing from their Builder timely. Sure, we are all busy but a returned phone call within 24 hours is quite reasonable. With all the technology available, cell phone, texting and email, there’s really no excuse. After all, the homes construction is moving along and if an item of concern is not addressed if may be covered up and missed.

After site meetings, information has to be distributed to all concerned quickly so it can be implemented without additional cost. Notes from all meetings to be distributed within 24 hours.

Have an awesome day!

Mike

Should I Install Marble In My Master Bath Shower?

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NORTHJERSEY.COM : COMMUNITY NEWS : HOME AND GARDENING

The Tile Oracle: Using marble tile in a bathroom

APRIL 21, 2012    LAST UPDATED: SATURDAY, APRIL 21, 2012, 2:03 AM

HOMESCAPE

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Q. Should we venture to use honed-marble tile when we renovate our bathroom? We will be tiling the bathroom floor plus the walls, floor and ceiling of a 3x5-foot, walk-in shower. We saw some beautiful, honed Carrara marble tiles recently. But I have read much advice not to use marble in showers or bathrooms because of the extensive upkeep required. Should we look for a porcelain alternative?

An all-marble shower requires a lot of maintenance, though the effect can be beautiful, as in this design in Carrara and Celest Blue marble, by Stone & Tile Emporium, Inc.

- Kevin Mitchell, Manhattan

A. Using marble in a bathroom is problematic because of the maintenance you have to put in to keep it as immaculate as it was when first installed. And there are porcelain imitators that will give you the look and feel you want from Carrara.

While I never recommend marble for countertops, you don’t have to rule it out for bathrooms. Deciding between a natural stone like marble and a manmade rendition can be like deciding between a real diamond and a piece of expensive costume jewelry that no one but an inspector at De Beers could spot as a fake.

I’m assuming from your question that your heart is longing for real marble. I don’t blame you - I’m Italian, I love it, too. So let me break down for you what to expect in each case.

Marble is formed by the recrystallization of limestone. Carrara is one of the densest marbles and has much less porosity than limestone. That’s why the Romans used Carrara in their bath houses and not the more porous marble, Travertine.

Carrara marble has a .10 percent water-absorption rate and will also absorb other liquids, especially the oily kind you might use when bathing. In the past, most quarries in Italy only shipped Carrara in one finish - polished. The polishing process gives the stone a natural seal that closes its pores and makes it much less apt to stain.

Italian quarries now ship Carrara in a honed finish. When honed, the marble undergoes a long sanding process, too, plus an extensive buffing that gives it a satin finish. This is extremely smooth but without the shine or reflection of a polished finish. Unlike polished marble, honed will hide scratches; however, the pores in the stone will remain open, so honed Carrara requires a lot more maintenance.

Both finishes should be treated with a water-based silicone sealant, which impregnates the surface and body to prevent staining. Since marble is a product of nature and "breathes," over time and with use the sealant will evaporate. The marble has to be resealed at least once a year in dry areas of a room and at least twice a year in showers. The sealant protects against oil-based soaps, hair dyes and other chemicals in toiletries. It will not prevent etching in the stone, or dulling caused by hard water, chemicals in the water or harsh cleaning products.

Since polished Carrara is much more likely to retain its life and luster than honed, and generally requires less maintenance, you might go that route, instead.

If all of the work and details in either case seem too demanding, look at porcelain alternatives. One note - while many porcelain companies can imitate the exact look and feeling of polished Carrara, they have not mastered honed quite as well.

I suggest choosing a porcelain Carrara imitator with a semi-gloss, which is in between a honed and a full polished look. You can pair this with honed or polished natural mosaic borders. You’ll still get a faux Carrara bathroom that doesn’t require endless pampering, with enough of the real thing to give you the satisfaction of having true marble, like the Romans.

Sometimes you just want the real thing, other times a fake will do. If you’re dead set on honed, but you’ve got better things to do than protect the tiles in your shower, I think a bit of both is the way to go.

Drainage Swales, What Are They And Do I Need One?

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Drainage swales- when you buy a lake front lot you want everyone located on that beautiful lake to have one. A swale is designed to hold water run off temporarily so contaminants are prevented from washing directly into that pristine lake. What kind of contaminants? Fertilizer, pesticides, oil, septic drain filed waste, gasoline, sediment etc. Frankly, they are really important to lake quality. You've heard the expression, "last ditch effort"? I'm not sure it applies to drainage swales but it should. When everything else goes wrong, the swale or ditch is the last chance to keep the lake from getting contaminated.

The size and height of the berm (hump) that holds back the water, is designed when the subdivision is developed or prior to a building permit being issued. The requirements are beyond the control of the Builder but he is responsible for it's construction. It has to be there before the final building inspection and Certificate of Occupancy is issued.

 

The problem with drainage swales, when they are on your property, they hold water after a hard rain. They are doing what they are designed to do. Sometimes, they hold just a little water and after a really hard rain, they may hold a great deal of water. This is where the trouble starts.

 

Homeowners start to forget about that beautiful lake and the pristine water quality when it looks like part of the lake in now in their backyard. Can't we lower the berm just a little, my neighbors swale is smaller than mine, cut a little trench over here, just put a drain in the bottom the swale and run a pipe into the lake? No, absolutely not! Frankly, I'm not going to do it and neither should the homeowner. Sure, some people do it and get away with it but it's the wrong thing to do. If you get caught, there are some hefty fines involved for altering the swale design.

 

Drainage swale below:

 

Have an awesome day!

 

Mike

 

Lake Front Property- Remodel- Windermere, Fl

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Lake Front- Notice the difference in the photos. Look very close at the before and after pic's. Do you notice the changes to this fabulous see the water front property? Notice the beautiful cypress trees and boat dock. Do you see it? No? Well, that's my point. Being a Builder is about making the Owner's dream a reality while at the same time being respectful to the environment and following the law. The reality, there is little difference in the before and after photos. Mission accomplished!

 

After Photo, Below:

 

Before Photo Below:

 

Have an awesome day!

 

Mike

Why Can’t Builders And Home Inspectors, Just Get Along?

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Why Can’t Builders And Home Inspectors, Just Get Along?

Frankly, most Custom Home Builders are insulted when they are building a $1,000,000 home and the homeowner hires a $300 home inspector to do a walk through prior to closing. You’ve been a State of Florida licensed contractor for over 30 years, only build a couple of homes per year and on-site supervising your homes every day. I get it, nobodies perfect and what harm can a second pair of eyes do?

It doesn’t happen often but when it does it’s a bitter pill. It’s almost like a vote of no confidence in the Builder’s abilities. What makes matters worse are some of the items the home inspector notes:

• No paint on the top of the door trim that can only be seen with a telescoping mirror.

• No paint behind the door hinges because the manufacturer warranty specifies that all surfaces on the door must be painted. Even though the manufacturer purposely creates warranty specifications that are impossible to fulfill like placing the doors in a continuous air conditioned environment when the home has just been drywalled and power wont be available for months.

• Scratch on window glass when you can find a scratch on any pane of glass if you look hard enough.

After all, it’s easier to find fault than it is to actually do the work. You can take 10 different Home Inspectors and each will come up with a different list.

I’m not writing this post to start a war with Home Inspectors, really I’m not. I understand the need for a Home Inspector in the new home market. If I were having a home built by a Production Builder I would definitely hire a Home Inspector. They put some unlicensed, young kid, right out of school in the field and make him responsible for 30 homes. The person holding the license is in the main office and never sees a home while it’s being constructed. How much loving care and supervision do you think your new home is going to receive? To make the situation even worse, production builders aren’t just constructing “Box Shaped” homes anymore they are trying to build complicated $1,000,000 homes too. A sure recipe for disaster that even has local County Building Inspectors concerned and they only inspect for minimum standards.

If a Production Builder was constructing my home, I would have a Home Inspector watching the details from the day they cleared the lot until the day I turned the key in the door and still be worried. After all, you can’t inspect quality into a home it has to be built into it by experienced craftsmen and not by the lowest bidder.

Realtors love Home Inspectors too as it provides a layer of liability protection if something goes  wrong with the home down the road. After all, it’s not my fault there is a quality issue because the home was inspected by a Certified Home Inspector. Frankly, it’s smart business to recommend a Home Inspector if you are a Realtor.

Quality Custom Home Builders are state licensed, attend continuing education classes and supervise their homes. They periodically, hire the toughest Home Inspector, Architect and Structural Engineer they can find to go over one of their new homes just to make sure they are on top of all the details.

The relationship between Custom Home Builder and Home Inspector doesn’t have to be adversarial it should be cooperative. We can both learn something from each other. Builders are incorporating all the latest technologies into new homes and Home Inspectors need to be aware of the latest trends. Builders on the other hand need feedback from Home Inspectors as to what they are seeing years down the road so Builders can incorporate new quality standards. Frankly, it’s a “win, win” for everyone.

Have an awesome day!

Mike