Gatehouse Home Builders & Roofing Contractors

How to choose a home builder that’s right for your needs

A builder isn’t just a contractor you call up at the last minute. Builders are an important partner – after all, buying land and building a house is a huge undertaking that should set you up for long-term comfort and happiness. With such a vital role in the project, your builder must be in complete sync with you to get the best outcome.

But where do you start? Let’s go over some steps to help you narrow the choice down until all your left with is your ideal building partner.

1. CHOOSE YOUR LAND FIRST

It’s easy to get excited about house designs and skip straight to this step, but hold on a moment and ensure you have your ideal lot first.

You see, land is such an important investment. It affects your quality of life, as well as your home’s future resale value. If your lot is in a safe, friendly community with local amenities, access to transport and even nearby employment hubs, you’ll find life more convenient and prospective future home buyers will be more interested in your property.

A good builder can help you select a house design that’s a good fit for any land shape or size. But, if you pick a house first, you might be restricted on what land it’ll fit on. Learn more about community estate lot sizes in the video below:

SATTERLEY BLOCK TYPES

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2. CREATE A LIST OF HOME BUILDERS

Not all builders are made equal. Many have a specialty, such as aesthetic style, building materials, and so forth. Some building companies also offer optional extras like finance, or deals for first-time buyers.

Research local builders and make a list of everyone who’s a good fit for your needs (more on this in point three below). Think about the size of house you want, your budget, and any other important extras, such as eco-friendly building materials, a certain level of energy efficiency, or a particular aesthetic.

• How to find good builders: First, visit your local developer display villages to find their preferred builders. Nothing beats seeing and feeling a home in person! If you want to do more research, jump on Google and search local companies to examine their offerings. Your friends and family members may also have recommendations.

Seek builder recommendations from friends, family or other professionals when creating your list.

3. WHITTLE DOWN THE LIST

The next step is to ask your builders good questions, to start shortlisting some companies. To start, ask these three:

1. Are they licensed? Unlicensed builders could cause problems down the track. If you want to confirm that they are registered, talk to the Housing Industry of Australia or Master Builders of Australia.
2. Are they insured, and does your home come with a warranty? At minimum you would want public liability insurance and home warranty insurance (in Victoria, this is known as domestic building insurance). Make sure you read the small print to ensure you know the terms and conditions.
3. How many homes have they built? More experienced builders will have extensive buying power and a greater industry knowledge, which could save you money.

Next, you can clarify whether your builder will meet the needs we briefly spoke about in point two. Some example questions to ask include:

1. Do they offer financial help?
2. How much customisation do they allow, and what costs are involved (if any)?
3. Is landscaping included?
4. Will the contract include provisional sums (estimates) or fixed costs?
5. Can they meet your preferred schedule?

A good question to ask your builder is whether their contract includes fixed costs or provisional sums.

4. LEARN MORE ABOUT EACH BUILDER (OPTIONAL, BUT RECOMMENDED)

If a builder is licensed, insured and meets your specs, you’re onto a winner. But remember – this house has to potentially support you for years, so it never hurts to do more research. Run through your shortlist and do these two things:

1. Check out display villages and chat to their reps: Again, you can learn a lot by walking around a display home or village and talking to the builder’s reps. You’ll see the final look, feel and quality, and get an idea as to what their company will be like to work with. This is also another chance to ask questions.
2. Look at reviews online: Most building companies will have reviews on Google and social media. These past customers could reveal hidden insights about the company you’re investigating. That said, you must always take online reviews with a grain of salt in case they are exaggerated or false. If in doubt, ask more questions.

5. COMPARE PRICES

Get a quote from each of your preferred builders and examine their prices. Look for inclusions and exclusions to triple check you’ll get what you’ve asked for. After that, examine what prices are fixed and which are estimates as provisional sums could end up costing more down the track.

• Note: Cheaper is not necessarily better. If one quote is significantly lower than the others, examine whether an error has been made, or a key design request omitted by mistake. It might be completely fine, but again, it doesn’t hurt to check or to ask questions.

CHOOSE SATTERLEY FOR YOUR LAND

When you are ready to take the first step on your land buying, home building journey, choose Satterley. We’ve developed beautiful master planned estates across Western Australia, Victoria and Queensland, taking home over 100 industry awards in the process. Comfort, convenience and value are at the heart of our communities, with developments built near existing and future transport links, amenities and employment areas.

To find the perfect land for your dream home, check out our lots for sale today.…

3 Reasons to Hire a Design-Build Contractor for Custom Home Construction

Discover the numerous advantages of design-build services to effectively prepare for your new custom-home construction. From superior company-to-client collaboration to all-in-one professional expertise, design-build contractors offer developers and future homeowners several options unavailable in the traditional architect/general contractor system. Choose design-build for the following three impressive reasons.

Convenient One-Stop Shopping

If you’re unfamiliar with home construction or don’t have immediate architect and contractor contacts, building a home will require extensive research into company and contractor portfolios, pricing, estimated project timelines, and so on. Design-build combines architect and contractor services under one roof, giving you access to a team of experts ready to supply coordinating information with the same goal — designing and building your beautiful new residence.

Expect convenient one-stop shopping, inherent in design-build contracting services, to provide a host of additional benefits related to contractor availability and company accountability for each design and construction decision. Some design-build firms employ certified architects as custom design leads, and these professionals work closely with in-house general contractors to build your dream home according to your individual style and budget preferences.

Superior Time and Money Savings

Design-build conveniences continue even after you’ve found the right contractor or firm. For client-oriented billing transactions, most design-build firms separate design and construction phases. If you want to explore outside builder options, you can look for another contractor while your project remains in the design phase, then cancel the contract and take your blueprints elsewhere for development. Every step in the process ensures you have control over your investment.

Alternatively, if you use the same design-build firm for design and construction, you may gain additional savings. Many design-build contractors include discounts for customers who choose in-house construction services. Keep in mind that larger and more successful design-build firms may be more likely to accommodate your vision with a wide range of custom build expertise.

Time- and money-saving benefits don’t end here. Typically, design-build contractors utilize a negotiated bid system where you pay an hourly or fixed percentage for joined design and construction services. This eliminates any extraneous costs calculated into future contractor bidding.

Clear Communication and Close Construction Oversight

Extra money in your pocket can’t be beat, but, ultimately, you need a solid job expertly coordinated to produce final results you and your family can cherish for generations. Using design-build, you’ll gain clear, personal communication with the company and between in-house architects and builders. This close-knit system, built on professional trust and expertise, produces portfolio-worthy homes of the highest industry standards.

Close communication with design-build contractors and firms means you stay up-to-date on necessary interior and exterior design changes, project timeline extensions, and so on. In addition, you’ll gain the peace of mind of mutual architect/builder trust and cooperation. As a result, you’ll know which features must be adjusted and optimized to meet safety regulations. From start to finish, this partnership provides complete transparency.

Design-Build Custom Home Construction

Take advantage of design-build contracting services to receive the best custom home construction. Although independent designers and general contractors provide locally reliable results, many have limited staff, training, resources and the ability to produce efficient, cost-effective homes. Gain superior professionalism tailored to unique development plans in any specified location. Custom home construction remains a design-build specialty. Request expert design-build services today.…

If the words “modern,” “custom,” and “move-in ready” appear on your wish list, you might be the ideal client for a new construction home. Whether you buy a pre-built new construction home or design something custom from the ground up, there are a ton of preferred perks that come with owning a newly built home. When your new home search begins, you’ll want to select the right home builder. Not all are the same, and the right fit for you will depend on the type of home you want, your budget, your level of expertise, and more. Here’s what you can do to narrow down your selection process, and nail down the perfect partner.

Define your needs

Most builders specialize in a certain structure type, size, or price range. To find the right builder, you’ll want to define what you are looking for in a home. Think about how many bedrooms and bathrooms you need now and in the future. What style of home do you want (Colonial, Spanish, cottage, contemporary, etc.)? Then find examples of homes in the style that you like. You should also identify the budget you have for the project. You can do so quickly and easily by getting preapproved online.

Custom Build vs. Production Build

When selecting a builder, you’ll want to consider which type of new construction you’d like to pursue: fully custom or production. The decision between the two types will boil down to how much you’d like to contribute to the overall design process.

Production Build

A production builder designs neighborhood of homes based on a library of floor plans with the opportunity to personalize set features of the home like flooring, exterior finishes, or countertops. A production build is the best match for a buyer that wants a brand new home without taking on the work of choosing all of the home’s design elements.

Custom Build

A custom build gives the buyer the freedom to fully design the home from the ground up with guidance from their builder. There are no limits (outside of the budget and standard regulations) on the location of the home, materials selected to design the house, or overall layout/design of the floor plan.

Building custom will ensure that you get precisely what you want, but there are a few downsides. Custom builds offer a bit more uncertainty when it comes to budget and timeline. You must have good faith and trust in your selected builder if you choose this route.

Make a list of builders

Once you have a good idea of what you want in your new house, make a list of builders who meet your criteria. You can find builders to add to your list by:

• Asking people you know (friends, family, colleagues, real estate agents, etc.)
• Contacting your local chapter of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) for a list of builders in your area.
• Looking for contact information at current build sites
• Performing online searches; aside from Google, sites like Houzz, Home Advisor, and Angie’s List curate lists of builders by location, often with contact information and user reviews.

In this step, don’t be too exclusive. Add as many builders as you can find in your area who look like a good fit.

Narrow down your list

Once you have a list, you’re going to want to narrow it down. To do so, research each builder a bit. Look at their website, their reviews, and anything else you can find online to learn about them. You want a builder that’s a good fit for your budget, needs, and personal preferences, so look for those with a resume of projects similar to your scale and detail of yours. Also, check their track record. Try to get down to a shortlist of three builders.

Visit model homes

Once you’ve chosen a few potential builders that you like, be sure to visit their model homes to see samples of their work in person. Pay close attention to the quality of their work and materials used in their homes. Ask yourself:

• Do the design features match your style?
• Are the subcontractors professional, experienced, knowledgeable?
• What do the job sites look like? Do you see any signs of safety issues?
• Do the floor plans meet your needs in terms of space and preferred layout?
• Does the builder execute with close attention to detail, or are there items that look rushed/incomplete?

Conduct interviews with potential builders

While visiting model home sites, try to set up a time to interview the builder or the real estate agent representing the builder. What questions should you ask? Here’s a list to keep on hand.

• May I see proof of the required licensing and insurance for home building in this area?
• How long have you been in business?
• How many homes have you built?
• What kinds of materials do you use for construction?
• Could you give me three references for past clients?
• How can I maximize my resale value?
• What fees will be charged?
• Do you specialize in a particular type or style of build?
• What is the projected cost? How do you determine the cost?
• Are there warranties on the home? What do the warranties cover, and will they transfer to me?
• What kind of timeline do you estimate?
• How do you qualify the competency of the subcontractors who will be working on my house?
• What is included in your cost?
• How do you handle challenges and delays?
• What are common problems we may encounter, and how do you advise we overcome them?

Make sure you get the specifics so you can compare your options. You should be able to get sample documents that illustrate a builder’s methods and processes such as a sample contract, budget, warranty, construction schedule, and draw request.

Make a decision

Once you’ve thoroughly vetted the builders, compare their offerings side-by-side to find the one that best suits your needs.

If you’re ready to go down the path of building your home, a great place to start is figuring out your budget. GatehouseHomeBuildersandContractors can help you get started by Contacting Us. You can apply online, upload your documents, and get an answer sooner rather than later. Then, you can proceed with shopping around for a home builder. If you need help or have a question at any point along the way, the team at GatehouseHomeBuildersandContractors is standing by, ready to help.…

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Choosing the right builder for your dream home is an extremely critical step. The builder you opt for is going to be responsible for your home and all that it has to offer. The number of builders in the market are one too many, but who is the most reliable of them all? One must be cautious and one must do a thorough market study to find the best builder who will provide the best quality in terms of quality of material used, architecture and service. Your life’s savings are going into your real estate purchase, so one must compare, analyse and choose a builder who is the best amongst his competitors and is offering what suits your needs. Here are some simple, yet important tips that will help you pick the right builder for your home.

• Experience of the builder:

The experience of the builder in the Industry says a lot about his efficiency. If a certain builder has been in the market and has consistently performed throughout the period of his presence, one can be assured that he is offering both quality and service. Not just that, an experienced builder will come with sufficient knowledge about the industry, the material and the evolving architecture. You can be assured that someone with ample experience will build good quality homes.

• Success rate:

The number of homes built by the builder, it be villas or flats is also an important factor to consider while choosing the right builder for your home. The number of homes built and occupied is a direct reflection of the scale of operation, reliability, quality and workmanship of the builder.

• The one who meets your needs:

Each of us are looking for something different in our dream home. Different builders might offer different styles, scales and lifestyles in their projects. Or, one builder might have a lot of variety in what they offer- Make sure that you opt for something that meets your needs and the builder that you opt for is offering a home that is in your budget and offering you the amenities and lifestyle that you desire.

• Number of ongoing projects:

This factor is again a direct representation of the efficiency of the builder. Multiple ongoing projects show that the builder is reliable and has sufficient funding and experience in the field, making them a good option to opt for.

• Testimonials of the existing customers:

The more the number of happy customers, the more reliable the builder is. Talking to existing customers will help you gauge the builder- right from the quality of the material, his adherence to time schedules and post occupation service.

• A well-coordinated team:

The builder should have a well coordinated team of professionals who will be able to give complete, truthful and wholesome information to you on the varied queries that you may have. They should be in sync with each other and not make you run from person to person due to lack of knowledge on their end.

• Accreditations and licenses:

Look into the license of the builder; his legal authenticity and certification from local and reputed organisations are also important factors to consider. His presence in local organisations also shows his authenticity and involvement with the local organisations. Apart from this, it is always advisable to research on any litigations or legal embroilments of the builder.

• Project approvals by banks:

Most reputable builders tie up with banks for offering home loans and other services. Projects approved by banks, especially Nationalised banks like SBI are more reliable than others.

• Planning and Architecture:

A builder who has a portfolio of diverse projects, in terms of aesthetics and architecture definitely has an upper hand. A builder who shows evolution in the design of the buildings that they build, and a builder who has buildings that are comparable to global standards is more superior to others. Look into the architecture and spatial planning of the existing and proposed projects to understand what they have to offer.

• Structural quality is of utmost importance:

One must lay utmost emphasis on the structure as undertaken by the builder. The material used like cement, steel etc should be of the best quality and the builder should ensure to take up tests like cube tests, steel tests etc to make sure that the material used, the consistency and the work undertaken on site is of top notch quality. The construction on larger scales is usually undertaken in different phases adhering to predetermined timelines, so make sure that your builder has given you full disclosure of these phases and the varied schedules that they have for the project of your interest. While interiors and the end product is an essential part of a home, the structure and the efficiency of the same should be given high priority.

• Quality of workmanship:

As discussed earlier, the quality of the material used should be studied closely by the buyer before choosing the builder for your home. Apart from this, the quality of workmanship is another important factor to consider while shortlisting the right builder.

• Quality checking:

A good builder is one who maintains time schedules and is constantly keeping a check on the quality and progress of work. There should be transparency in the work schedule, and the buyer should have access to quality checking guidelines, regular updates on the progress of the construction of their homes etc. A builder who has an elaborate checking process and adheres to it will provide you with the best quality homes.

• Service and post care:

It is not just important to provide a well-planned home but also provide good post occupation service. Maintenance of homes and the amenities etc should be undertaken by the builder to provide a relaxing experience to their customers. A builder who does not provide good post occupation service does not stand to qualify to be a reliable option. Sometimes residents face issues with maintaining their home but unfortunately do not get the help needed. This is often done by fly by night operators who do not provide satisfactory post care service, and not a characteristic of a good and reliant builder.

• Resale and appreciation of value:

An efficient builder will not only provide a good quality structure, but will undertake substantial research before even proposing a project. Zeroing in on an area that has good facilities, good network of roads, high appreciation value etc are factors that a good builder will look into.

• History & Assets of the Company:

It is imperative to study the history of the company and be more informed about the holdings and assets of the same. A builder with a good growth tangent, history and the one with substantial assets and substantial monetary back up will not leave you stranded midway or cheat you.

• Proprietorship or BOD:

If it’s a proprietorship company, and if something happens to the proprietor, then the responsibility falls into whose hands? Transparency should be provided in the operation of the organization.

• Amenities and facilities:

While our changing lifestyles might demand different amenities, they should not be the key determining factor for you to choose the right builder or home for yourself. Often many builders bait potential buyers with promises of lavish amenities but fail to deliver the same. Not just this, one should also remember that over a period of time the responsibility of maintaining the amenities provided lies in the hands of the residents- so pick a home that provides just what you need and what you may be able to dedicate time for.

• Don’t judge a book by its cover:

While model homes give you a great insight into what you might achieve as an end product- do not be fooled by appearances. More emphasis should be laid on understanding how the home meets our needs and how it can be customized to become a home that caters to the need of our family.

These simple pointers will help you pick a builder who is reputable, reliable and will deliver a home that is not just a dream come true but an asset that will enhance your investment with time.

Contact us for more information.…

According to Deloitte’s 2021 engineering and construction industry outlook, 76 percent of engineering and construction executives indicated that they are planning to invest in digital technology this year. Investing in the latest construction technology is helping business owners facilitate digital transformations and stay a step ahead of the competition.

There are real, practical applications and benefits to modernizing your current processes. And if your construction company wants to maintain a competitive edge, you’ll need to find ways to integrate new approaches into your strategy and workflows.

These cutting-edge technologies are drastically changing how the industry operates and how future projects will be completed.

Types of Construction Technology Impacting the Industry:

• Data Collection Apps
• Drones
• Building Information Modeling (BIM) Software
• Virtual Reality and Wearables
• 3D Printing
• Artificial Intelligence

1. Data Collection Apps

Apps are becoming more of the norm in construction, and for good reason. The increased portability of tablets and smartphones allows for greater communication and the ability to work from anywhere. More specifically, data collection apps are helping construction companies gather faster, more accurate and higher quality data from the jobsite. Integrating this type of technology into your current processes is simple and requires a smaller upfront investment while still providing major benefits, including:

• Significant time savings & reduced data entry errors. Data collection app users have reported more than 20 field and administrative hours saved each week, along with a 50 percent reduction in data entry errors. Helpful tip: Estimate your ROI potential by using our free online calculator.
• Enhanced workflows. You can automate data collection workflows so the submission of one form triggers another form to be sent, and so on, until a particular task is completed with all necessary sign-offs and collected data. Additionally, some data collection applications offer mobile forms and web forms apps so your team can submit forms on their smartphones, tablets, laptops, desktops – basically any digital device.
• Improved safety compliance. Data collection apps can facilitate everything from daily equipment inspections to near miss reporting to a comprehensive job safety analysis.
• Instant reporting. Whether you need daily job reports, quick turn-around on client deliverables or fast access to legal documentation, a data collection app is going to help you streamline reporting. You can also easily customize reports based on your business needs.

2. Drones

Drones are the most widely used emerging construction technology. They can conduct site surveys more quickly and accurately than a crew on the ground and are cheaper than aerial imaging. Their high resolution cameras and the data collected can create interactive 3D or topographical maps and models, and take volume measurements.

Another benefit of using drones is the ability to inspect hard to reach places such as bridges or around tall buildings, and to do it safely. You can also use them to monitor progress on a job site and see how people are working.

3. Building Information Modeling (BIM) Software

The use of BIM provides space for better collaboration because each person and expertise area can add their piece to the same model, instead of broken out onto multiple versions of a 2D paper drawing. This way, the model evolves immediately as people contribute, streamlining the process and increasing efficiency. BIM also helps with problem solving in the design and planning stages of a project, by automating clash detection and providing a more complete picture of the project.

We’re seeing more and more global government initiatives to make BIM a compulsory procedure for large-scale facilities projects, including in India, Hong Kong, France, South Korea, Germany and Italy. In the United Kingdom, BIM is already mandatory for government construction projects. According to Research and Market’s 2021 Building Information Modeling Market Report, emerging trends that will have a direct impact on the industry include AI development in BIM, increased demand for BIM-based cloud collaboration, and modular construction and prefabrication.

4. Virtual Reality and Wearables

Virtual reality technology is often used in conjunction with BIM to help better understand complex projects. Think of the potential: you create a building design with BIM and then are able to use VR to actually walk around it. Pretty cool, right? This will give your team, or the client, an even more realistic idea of what the project will look like once completed. Having a more complete grasp on the project before it begins gives you the opportunity to avoid big changes and expensive change orders mid-way through.

Wearables are a construction technology that are not only making a positive impact on safety, but also productivity. AsphaltPro published a recent article on the topic, reporting that wearable technology in the construction industry can increase productivity by 8.5 percent and workplace satisfaction by 3.5 percent. The article also highlighted some notable products on the market, including XOEye Smart Glasses, Spot-r Wearable Sensor and Redpoint Positioning Safety Vest Sensors.

5. 3D Printing

3D printing as a construction technology has the potential to change material sourcing. For prefabrication, materials for a project can be printed and then transported to the job site, ready for use immediately. This can allow you to get materials faster and streamline the process by removing extra steps in the middle.

3D printing makes it possible to print materials right on site, reducing waste and further saving on transportation and storage costs. However, one of the current challenges with adoption of this technology is limitations with mass production. Although some 3D printers can produce on a larger scale, they are expensive.

6. Artificial Intelligence

For years, artificial intelligence (AI) has provided benefits to construction projects through increased safety, improving workflows, and getting jobs done faster and better. However, many construction companies continue to navigate and learn how to best apply this complex technology within their organization.

Some larger firms have started to build out their own AI programs to help with internal decision-making processes and operations. While others are relying on third parties, such as AI advisors and solutions providers, to audit their current practices and identify opportunities for AI and/or machine learning implementation.

What’s Next?

Investing in the latest construction technologies is undoubtedly a smart business move. The key is finding the tech tools that can help you reach your company’s goals. As we mentioned earlier, onboarding a data collection app is a good place to start your digital transformation. It’s a fairly small upfront cost with huge ROI potential. At Device Magic, we offer a free, 14-day trial so you can see if our data collection solutions are the right fit for your business needs.…

Building a custom home means you have a completely blank slate to work with. You can decide on the flooring, paint colors, light fixtures… you can transform the space into anything you want. For some people, this amount of freedom is just what they want. For others, it can feel a little overwhelming. Where do you even start? Here are eight design hacks that can help give you some direction and make it easier to create spaces you’ll love.

Open Spaces Give You Flexible Room Sizes

Open floor plans have been the trend for several years, and that doesn’t show any signs of changing. When you have a living space, dining area, and kitchen that are all a part of the same open area, it gives you a considerable amount of flexibility. For example, if you don’t have people over for dinner often, you can shrink the dining space to provide you with a larger living room. Even if you don’t want a totally open floor plan, you can make areas look larger by building half walls. This helps define space but doesn’t block your view, making the rooms seem much larger.

Bring the Outdoors Inside

Another great way of making your home look larger and merge several spaces at once is to use large sliding glass doors to open up your home to the outside. These doors may slide back into the wall or fold like an accordion, opening up a large space or even an entire wall to the outdoors. It’s perfect for chilly evenings when you want to enjoy the outdoors while still having the comforts of your inside furniture.

Reduce the Size of Hallways

Instead of connecting rooms via hallways, look and see if your home can be laid out as a series of interconnected rooms. This may not always make sense—you don’t really want to access the dining room by going through someone’s bedroom—but some areas can be connected without hallways. If your kitchen, dining room, and living room aren’t all open, they can at least be connected without halls. Reducing the number of hallways gives you more living space.

Replace Expensive Details with Drywall Features

While exposed beams and other features are definitely attractive, they’re also often expensive. You can create interesting ceiling motifs and different designs using the right type of lighting and drywall. Another option is to use sheetrock inside your cabinets and other areas that won’t often be seen.

Use Windows to Frame the Outdoors like Photos

By carefully considering the view from each window, you can create rooms with amazing views that look larger than what they really are. When the eye is drawn to these views, the room feels bigger, more inviting, and more light and airy. Another trick is to place a table or other object with a shiny or reflective top near the window. This bounces light back into the room, reducing your lighting costs and making the room feel more natural and open.

Reconsider Stairs

While you may not have a problem climbing stairs to your bedroom now, are you going to want to do that in ten or twenty years? Putting the master bedroom on the first floor isn’t a bad idea, especially if you have knee or hip problems now. The same goes for having your laundry in the basement. You may want to put all of the main areas you’ll use daily on the first floor to avoid stairs in the future.

On the Other Hand, Think about a Second-Floor Laundry Room

On the other hand, families with several children may want to put the laundry room closer to the bedrooms and the bathrooms that are used in the mornings and at night. This way, you don’t have to carry laundry baskets up and down stairs. Most traditional homes have the laundry on the first floor, but that doesn’t have to be the case.

Forget the Dedicated Office

If you work from home, having a dedicated office space makes sense. If you don’t, though, having a room dedicated to an office may be a waste of space. Instead, consider a pocket office. These small alcoves are big enough for a desk and other items, but they’re not a full room. Instead, having a little nook in the bedroom or even the living room may be all you need. If you have wireless internet and a laptop, you may not even need an alcove. You can work wherever you want.

Create the Home You’ve Always Dreamed of Now

All of these design hacks can help you create the perfect home. Whether you want a first-floor master, a second-floor laundry, flexible room sizes, or a connection to the outdoors, your home building journey begins with selecting the right builder. Belman Homes can provide you with the experience and assistance you need in designing your dream home and making it a reality. Contact us for more information.…

Home Construction – 5 common construction methods

The latest materials for use in building any home require important coordination with builders and architects. Once you have a custom plan for your home construction, a number of items can be easily framed on-site and completed alongside the best standards in the industry. There are a number of ways that you can build a brand-new home especially with prebuilt materials like light gauge steel, modular components as well as new concrete designs.

In modern home construction, there are many common methods for generating improvements with your new home. When you decide it’s time to build a new home it’s important to know about these latest methods. It can often be helpful when you’re trying to decide which home construction approach would be best for your home in the future. Here are some of the top home construction approaches that you can use for your home:

1. Traditional stick framing:

This process involves a building system in which workers will assemble the main skeleton of your home. The construction system actually begins when skeleton items including wall studs, ceiling joists, roof trusses, rafters, and then you can install all flooring systems. Installation of these items is step-by-step and then eventually build a platform for the entire home.

Traditional stick framing processes start with the base floor and then adds the second story eventually adding in the roof framing. A number of smaller homes have prebuilt wall panels and wood frame structures in the home that can have items like electrical work/plumbing and more placed into the framing as it gets built up. Following the process of inspection inside the walls, they are usually then covered with drywall and the exterior of the home is then coated with stucco, bricks, or siding to protect it from the elements.

Traditional stick framing is a tested and well-used method. Their use has been very commont throughout North America over the decades. New-home construction with traditional stick framing is a time-tested method now.

2. Modular homes:

Modular homes continue to use the same type of method for conventional stick framing but they are built-in off-site conditions. This can often lead to a home that can be built much more efficiently and then hold its value well. Modules are built entirely in a factory and then assembled on the job site. Normally a crane moves them into a place and they are constructed in some of the same measures that a traditional stick framing method is used. The only opposing change with traditional stick framing homes and modular homes is that these homes are assembled in small modules and then trucked to the site.

Builders will take modular homes and knit the various modules together to create a custom-built home that follows extremely complex designs. It is also possible to add popular architectural features into modules to produce almost any type of home.

Wondering which home construction method is right for you? We can help.

3. Light gauge steel:

Light gauge steel is a process that involves building in a similar way as traditional stick framing but with a slight difference. Instead of the wooden design of the stick-built home, each of the components is made out of metal. The big advantage here is that any of this deal will not rot, shrink or experience damage from termites. Steel can last longer than any type of wood frame. There is also less worry for things like drywall cracks, warping, or shrinking.

Light gauge steel designs are often a bit more expensive for a build. However, they can often be beneficial for adding rigidity to the home as well as a longer lifespan for any type of property. Light gauge steel is also a common tool for many types of commercial buildings.  It is also starting to make its way into many residential buildings.

Steel studs do pose a number of challenges for plumbers and electricians. The overall cost of steel also fluctuates far more than other building materials in the market. This in turn can lead to costs going up substantially.

4. Structural insulated panels:

A structural insulated panel is otherwise called SIP. This solution is a small sandwich of rigid foam installations that you place between an oriented strand board. This can create the structural panel that makes up the main element of a home.

SIPs often come with door openings and precut windows and they are usually constructed with areas for electrical wiring. These building methods are common for use in producing ceilings and walls. As a requirement, specifically trained crews should assemble them on the job site.

These types of building processes are the most common for producing traditional timber frame, post-and-beam structures as well as self-supporting homes. SIP homes are often designed with improved insulation and are built to be draft-free. This also ensures that they save money on the cost of their electricity bills and the labor on the home. Because the materials take far less time and labor to assemble and the insulation is already in place, this is an option that is less expensive for the future of the building.

5. Concrete:

Concrete has also become one of the most popular materials which are available for the foundations of homes and for a series of single-family homes for walls too. Homebuilders commonly use wood framing as part of concrete installations and for accenting the concrete installations themselves. They also use wood framing with concrete forms to produce ceilings, internal walls, and roofs.

There are several different types of concrete installations that are present during concrete construction:

CMUs:

Concrete masonry units are made using hollow concrete blocks which are stacked on-site and then covered with a foam insulation board. The blocks provide a thermal mass that can slow down the transfer of heat. The inside of a home often stays cooler on a hot day and this is what makes these products so popular throughout the southern states. CMU homes are surprisingly affordable and their price can actually be quite competitive with wood framing.

AAC blocks:

Autoclave Aerated Concrete blocks are a variation of concrete masonry units. Especial factories make them using a specialty concentration of Portland cement, fly ash, aluminum, and other additives. The base chemical reactions between some of these materials as well as the microscopic air bubbles inside will act as insulation. Their costs are also traditionally more than many standard CMUs but they have improvements with strength and insulation over time.

ICFs:

insulated concrete forms are designed to be blocks that work like lego. You can assemble them directly on-site and often fill them with steel reinforcing rods as well as concrete for improvements in insulation. Their value is much higher than most of the wood-framed walls and they’re perfect for almost any climate. ICFs are only slightly more expensive than wood-framed homes and they deliver a similar design. The actual price of these materials can depend on the local market. However, these have become a very popular type of material for areas that face high winds and hurricanes.

No matter what type of modern building construction method that you want to use for your industrial, commercial, or residential building, it can be helpful to have an idea of how it will be constructed. Deciding between some of these materials could help you to prepare the best option for your property.
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Your custom home is one of the largest and most personal investments you’ll make. After all, this is the house that will host your family’s memories for years to come!

The right builder will understand your unique needs and vision, let you participate in the design and building process, and craft a well-built home within the budget you’ve set out.

An important and complex project like this takes the right partner. Here are five tips for choosing a custom home builder:

1. Ask plenty of questions. Write a list of questions and bring them with you to your initial meetings. The National Association of Home Builders has put together these suggested questions to help get you started. If you have a friend or family member who has built a home before, ask them what they wish they’d known going into the process. Prospective builders should be happy to answer your questions in detail and with examples.

2. Go to home shows and tour models. See as many of the builders’ houses as possible to get a first-hand look at the designs and quality of work you can expect. Drive through the communities each prospective builder is currently working in. Don’t be afraid to stop and ask homeowners if they’d be willing to share their experiences and whether they’d recommend the builder or not.

3. Review the home-building process. Every builder uses a different process for constructing a custom home – from initial meeting to design and product selection. Ask potential builders about their process and your role in the project. You’ll want to understand who they work with, what kind of input you’ll be able to have, the timeframe they can meet, and other elements. Look for a builder who can execute a smooth process from start to finish and who welcomes your input.

4. Request references. Ask prospective builders for references – and actually visit with them! Reputable builders will have a proven track record of high-quality work and happy customers who are willing to vouch for them.

5. Consider your connection. The new home builder you select will be charged with bringing your dream home to life. Essentially, you’re entering into a relationship with your builder. You want someone you can openly communicate with, someone who is responsive and transparent with you, and a team that is helpful and knowledgeable. Review your interactions with potential builders and the connections you’ve made with them.

We’re proud to be your custom home builder.

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