The tough times for the housing industry are a bit of a mixed bag for people who plan to build custom homes. On the positive side for buyers is the fact that many homes are more affordable than they have been in years. Another benefit for those looking to build a home is that labor is readily available. Quite honestly, builders are looking for work. That means not having to wait as long for someone to start on your project.
There is, however, a bit of a dark side to the abundance of ready labor. Builders of custom homes aren’t the only area of the homebuilding industry struggling. And what sometimes happens is that builders who really aren’t familiar with custom homes jump into the mix. In an economy when buyers expect to find deals, they can end up with a builder offering a great price who really isn’t qualified to build the kind of home they’re looking for.
Here are a few things to watch out for so that you don’t end up hiring someone who is either deliberately misrepresenting his abilities—or is simply in over his head.
A bid too good to be true: If a builder gives you a price that sounds too good to be true, it probably is. If he agrees to all of your additional requests without adjusting the price, he is either clueless—or dishonest.
A lack of quality references: If a builder is only willing to give you a couple of references you should wonder why. Make sure the references you get are recent, credible, and that they’re for homes of the same caliber you’re expecting. Call them!
A push to sign a contract: If a builder tries to rush you into signing a contract before you’re ready, that should be a red flag. A building project is a big decision and no reputable contractor will rush you.
Specifications are too vague: If the specifications for the project are vague (type of material, quality, finishes, timelines) you need to ask for clarification. Vague or incomplete specifications are a way that some contractors take advantage of homeowners and run up the price.
Insufficient allowances. A favorite trick of unscrupulous contractors is to include allowances that are insufficient to complete your project. Your initial bid may look great, but then the contractor will come back and hit you up for what he really needs to complete the project.
It’s a matter of trust. If you have any suspicion that someone is trying to take advantage of you—or that they really don’t have the ability to deliver what you want—walk away.
If you’re looking to build a custom home in the Seattle area it’s only natural (and prudent!) to think about the cost. As custom homebuilders we’re often asked about the cost-per-square-foot for the homes we build. But is that really the right question?
You probably wouldn’t go into a car dealer and ask him what an automobile costs per pound. And even though the dealer could figure that out for you, that information doesn’t really tell you much. What you really want to know is the total cost—and whether or not it fits your budget.
The other thing to consider is that custom homes are custom made. That means each one is a bit different than any other home. What you ask your builder to put into your particular home will obviously affect the price. Here are a few of the major factors that will determine your ultimate cost.
Materials Matter: There is a significant cost difference between using vinyl, composite material, and natural wood or stone for your flooring material. What material you use for countertops makes a big difference as well. Formica countertops are less expensive than granite. And custom configurations cost more to create than standard sizes. If you decide you want 12-inch baseboards throughout your house you’ll pay more than you would for 6-inch baseboards. The same holds true if you ask for custom windows or intricate moldings. In short, the unique finishes you add to make your home your own do add to the cost.
Intricacy Adds Expense: Anything that requires more labor adds to the cost of your home. A house with unusual (and perhaps stunning) architectural features is more difficult to build than a house with a standard design. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do it—but you will pay more for it.
Additional Components Cost More: Custom homes tend to be somewhat larger than tract or semi-custom homes. And custom homes also tend to include things like multiple porches, circular drives, patios, and other features you might not find in “production” homes.
The real question isn’t what you’re paying per square foot for your Seattle area home. The real question is what custom elements will make your home uniquely yours—and still fit your budget. So establish your budget first (what you can really afford) and then sit down with your builder to figure out which elements you can include—and which you will have to leave out.
If you’re looking to buy a new home in the Seattle area you’ve got choices. Obviously you have a choice of locations such as: Federal Way, West Seattle, Des Moines, Normandy Park, Burien, Kent, etc.
Of course you also have a multitude of styles from which you can choose, including: Ranch, Tudor, Victorian, Art Deco, Colonial, Contemporary, Italianate (and the list goes on!).
As you weigh your options, one of the choices you’ll face is whether you should buy/build a custom home or what some people refer to as a “production” home. These two kinds of homes are built by different kinds of builders—and for the most part, for different kinds of buyers. Let’s take a look at some of the basic differences between the two.
Production homes are built on land that’s owned by the builder. While the lots can vary somewhat in size, they tend to be somewhat standard (and often smaller) than the lots associated with custom homes. Production homebuilders generally use standard or stock plans. It’s not unusual to find numerous houses in a neighborhood that are essentially identical, although some options may be different. The builders that build these homes often build a wide variety of styles—from single-family units, to condos, townhomes, and apartments. These builders traditionally build a lot of homes (more than 25 homes in a year). Builders of production homes may build anything from an entry-level home to a luxury home—but the homes will follow standard plans. Standardization and volume allow these builders to price their homes lower.
Custom homes are generally built on property that the homeowner has purchased. Custom homebuilders build homes that are custom, or one-of-a-kind constructions. The home is built specifically for the site and according to specific, unique plans that an individual has requested. These homes tend to reflect the specific personality and lifestyle of the owners. Custom homebuilders tend to build only custom homes, and they often build in smaller numbers (25 homes or less per year). These homes also tend to be higher-end homes and are priced appropriately higher.
Which type of home (and homebuilder) is right for your Seattle-area home? It really depends on your needs, your desires, and your budget. For a closer look at what custom homes have to offer, we invite you to
check out our portfolio of Seattle-area homes to see if there’s something that fits your lifestyle and budget.
There are a ton of things to take into consideration when you undertake a kitchen-remodeling project. And some of the components of your remodeling plan come with a pretty hefty price tag attached to them.
You’ll face a major decision about what style you’ll want for your kitchen. You’ve got kitchen cabinets to consider (generally the single most costly component of a kitchen renovation project). Of course you’ve got flooring decisions to make. Then there are the appliances to choose. And don’t forget about lighting, additional electrical work, and even plumbing.
These are all critical elements of a successful kitchen renovation. So which one of these items is the most important? We’d say, “None of them.” As important as all of these things are, the single most important consideration you have is: How will you actually use your kitchen?
Seems pretty obvious, doesn’t it? Still, you’ve heard the old adage about “form following function”, right? It’s really true in the kitchen. It really won’t matter whether your floors are teak or oak or bamboo if your kitchen doesn’t function the way you want it to. And even the coolest new appliances won’t draw you into the kitchen if you’re constantly frustrated when you try to do the things you want to do.
So, what will be going on in your kitchen? Will it primarily be an entertaining kitchen? Then you should design it for people and food preparation. Will it be “command central” for your family? Then take into account that homework, school projects, and family meetings will need special consideration. Are you into gourmet cooking? Then design your kitchen to accommodate that.
What if you’re not sure about how you’ll use your kitchen? Maybe you need some ideas to stimulate your thinking. Check out our free special report: Optimal Kitchen Designs. It’s a great help for figuring out which kitchen design will fit your specific needs.
If you’re thinking about building a custom home in the Seattle area, you may be wondering if now is the right time—or if you should wait. Different people may arrive at different answers to this question. There are a lot of variables to consider, but here are some things you may want to think about before making your decision.
Why wait?
Interest rates and prices could drop even more. The whole country seems to be waiting for the housing industry to “get out of the woods.” There’s no question that the downturn in the housing industry has impacted prices. Some people are gambling that prices will drop even more. Nobody wants to pay more than they have to. And if your need for a new custom home isn’t urgent, you could get a better deal.
You’re feeling a bit uncertain about your own financial situation. If you’re not clear about what your own economic situation is going to look like, taking on more debt may not make sense right now—particularly if your employment situation is tenuous.
You’re concerned about selling an existing property. Even though we’re starting to see some improvement in the real estate market, you might be concerned about having to sell your current home before being able to afford building a custom home.
Why now?
Interest rates are already at very attractive levels. While it’s true that interest rates could drop more, it’s unlikely that they will drop significantly since they’re already very low. And if demand for new homes increases, it will drive prices up. Do you hold out for a “killer” deal—or go for a really good deal?
Good craftsmen are available and eager to work. Because there haven’t been a lot of new starts in recent months, many of the best builders have capacity. That means no delays in getting started on your project. Once things turn around there could be a lot of pent-up demand that may result in longer-than-normal waits for construction.
You can begin enjoying your home now. Something that gets overlooked is that your home is not just an investment. It’s your home. Even if the return on your “single largest investment” takes somewhat longer to realize, you can be enjoying the house that you’ve always wanted to live in.
Which makes sense for you? We’d love to build you a quality, custom home —if that’s the right choice for you.
Based on what you’re seeing in the Seattle area, where do you think the local economy is headed?
Every great custom home—whether it’s in Seattle, Burien, Normandy Park, Des Moines, or somewhere else in the area—begins with a great design. And a great design is intelligent: it takes into account your specific wants, needs, and lifestyle. So how do you find the right architect for your custom home? Here are five ideas that can help you select the right architect.
Look for a listener: Obviously you want an architect who is qualified. That means he or she will have experience and ideas. But your architect needs to remember that it’s your house. Make sure you find someone who listens to what you want. By the way, copious note taking can be a really good sign.
Keep you eye on variety: If, when you review a candidates portfolio, you keep seeing the same thing it could be a sign of a lack of creativity. Or it could mean that the architect has a favorite style that he’s locked into.
Show and tell: Architects usually think and talk in architectural terms. You probably don’t. In addition to telling your candidate what you want, show her pictures. You might even want to drive to some specific homes to point out features you like.
Describe but don’t design: An important part of the process is to let your architect be the architect. Describe what you want, but don’t try to do the architect’s job. You’ll both end up frustrated.
The importance of intangibles: Do you have to like your architect? In theory it shouldn’t matter. In reality, it helps if there is good chemistry between the two (or three) of you. You don’t have to like the same music or art or cheer for the same sports team. But you do want your architect to get excited about your ideas—and you want to be excited about what he or she shows you.
If you’re considering building a custom home in the Seattle area, you really need to start from the ground up—and we mean that literally! The lot you chose for your home plays a huge role in how your home is built, how it looks, and even in how much it costs. And aside from the physical characteristics of your lot, where you build will have a significant impact on your lifestyle.
There’s more to a good lot than good looks: For example, hilly land may provide a beautiful setting; but, it may be more expensive to build your home there than on flatter ground. Visit the property several times to ensure that the property is right for your family. Land that looks great in the summer may look totally different in the winter.
Your location should fit your lifestyle: There’s something appealing about building “away from it all.” But is that conducive to the lifestyle you lead? If you have kids, do you want to be spending lots of extra time driving them to activities? A longer commute to work may be relaxing initially, but will you feel the same way after six months or a year? Will you miss the convenience of being able to run down to the grocery store in five minutes? There’s no “right” answer to these questions for everybody—but you do need to answer them for your lifestyle.
If the shoe (or lot) fits . . . : Does the lot you’re looking at fit the design, style, and size of the home you want to build? Not every style fits or works well on every type of lot.
Consider the covenants: Are there restrictive covenants in place that you don’t know about? Even those these covenants may be designed to protect the overall value of homes in the area, you’ll want to make sure that they don’t exclude something that’s important to you. It’s much better to know that up front.
Future developments: It’s a good idea to know what else might be built in the area you’re looking at—whether it’s a school, a church, additional residences, or a big box store!
Once you’ve decided to build a new home in the Seattle area you still have a big decision ahead of you. Chances are pretty good that you’re not going to pick up your hammer and saw and start construction yourself. So just who is going to actually build your dream house for you? Choosing the right builder is a really big deal. Many homeowners would say that who builds your house is just as big a decision as if you’re going to build, or what plan you chose.
The good news is that there are only two questions you need to ask in order to reach the right conclusion—but they’re BIG ones.
1. Does your builder have the skill to deliver the quality of design, construction, and finishing you demand at the price you can afford? OK. In the spirit of full disclosure, that question raises a bunch of other questions. How long has this builder been in business? What is his reputation? What kind of projects has he completed? Has he done projects similar to the one you want to do? Does the builder have a list of references that you can contact? Have you seen his work?
There are also a number of helpful, independent resources available to you that will make answering this question more manageable. The National Association of Home Builders, for instance, has an online article on How to Choose a Builder. And there are many other sources out there that can help you evaluate potential builders. The bad news is that it does take some work. The good news is that the information is out there and if you put the work into it you’ll end up with a highly qualified builder.
2. Do you feel comfortable with your builder? While the first question gets after hard data and facts, this question is much more subjective. But it’s just as important. It’s critical that you feel comfortable with your builder because you are going to be spending a lot of time together. You may not be going to ice cream socials together, but you want to be able to discuss things honestly and openly. You both need to be able to ask hard questions of one another—without feeling ignored or threatened. Building a home really is a team effort. You need someone who will really listen to you, and give you honest answers—and not just the answers you want to hear. And there may be times when you and your builder may have to compromise. If you’re not comfortable with your builder, those things won’t happen.
You only have to worry about two questions. They’re simple—but not easy to answer. But you’ll be glad you did!
Do you have other, specific questions about choosing a builder?
Charles Dickens may have written the classic book Great Expectations, but when it comes to custom homes, future homeowners have a few great expectations of their own!
As builders, we love it that people are excited about building a new home. We’re glad that they’re engaged—and that they have high expectations of the kind of product they’re going to get from us. But not all expectations are realistic. And sometimes expectations are mutually exclusive.
There are three areas in particular where homeowners have expectations regarding their builders and the building process (there are others, but these are the big three): Quality, speed, and price.
Quality: Good builders (especially in the custom home market) pride themselves on delivering a high-quality finished product. We want you to be particular about the details and the finish. We want you to notice our attention to detail. We think it’s something that sets us apart from other builders. This is a great expectation!
Speed: Having your home finished on time is important. Good builders take this seriously. Even when there are delays in the process beyond the builder’s control (material availability or weather), a good builder will be proactive and inform you how the delay will impact your schedule. Beyond that, quality work takes time, and a builder committed to a quality product will not sacrifice quality for an artificial deadline. Nonetheless, prompt completion is a really good expectation.
Price: Nobody enjoys paying more than they should. But ultimately, you get what you pay for. A new Mercedes costs more than a used Chevy. You expect more out of the Mercedes and you expect to pay more. Quality affects price. So does speed. If you want something done more quickly, you’ll probably pay more for it.
There’s an old axiom in the building industry that says when it comes to quality, speed, and price, you get to choose two out of three. Ultimately, it comes down to what is most important to you. If speed and price are most important to you, you’ll probably have to sacrifice some quality. If quality and speed are more important, you’ll most likely have to sacrifice your expectations of the lowest price.
The good news is that you are in control of your expectations!
What do you expect from your builder?
If you’re getting ready to remodel your Seattle-area home, you may have a clear picture in mind of what the finished product will look like—and it’s probably a beautiful thing! But there’s one potential problem: How are you going to communicate just what it is you want to your builder or contractor—the person who has to put hammer to nails and saws to boards to make it happen?
Maybe you’re planning to use an architect or a designer to create plans for the builder to follow. If you do, you still have a similar situation: How do you communicate what you see in your head to the person that will turn those ideas into physical drawings that your builder can follow?
It can be a challenge to put your ideas into words—particularly when those words are going to eventually end up as tangible things such as walls, floors, and countertops. If you’re like a lot of people you may not be able to describe exactly what you want—but you’ll know it when you see it!
That’s the ticket! Don’t just use words to tell your architect or designer or builder what you want. Paint him or her a picture. Of course you don’t have to actually paint a picture. But you can still show your remodeling profession samples of something you really like. If you haven’t already done so, spend time searching for images of the kind of kitchen you want. There are lots of building and remodeling sites that have great photos of new or recently remodeled homes. Set up a folder on your computer or tablet for each room you plan to remodel and drop the photos into the appropriate folder. You can even set up subfolders for things like finishes and fixtures. Then when you want to describe exactly what you want—you can simply pull up the photo that captures your idea. You can tell your designer or your builder what you like about it—and what you’d like to change. It will eliminate a lot of confusion—and it will probably save you a few thousand words!
