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There really are no basic features in a Custom Home because the home is exactly what the customer
wants; there are no pre-determined selection lists to choose from or other limitations as to what it is that you may desire.
However, there are certain things that I have found most Custom Homes include and while this list is certainly not all-inclusive,
it is not exclusive either. Since my clients always pay the prices that I have negotiated with vendors,
suppliers or subcontractors, quite often they are able to have things in their home that otherwise they may not be able to
have due to budgetary constraints. My price is the clients price and it is easy to compare to what the retail price
for something would be, and, the client always sees the original invoices. On average, due to my negotiated
discounts and pricing structures, I typically save the client approximately fifty-percent of what the agreed upon fee for
me to build their home is. Please refer back to the "What Does It Cost?" tab on the navigation bar for more information on this. These are just general thoughts, ideas and
items as to what I have found that people enjoy having in their homes ... Construction: Typically Frame - Could encompass a multitude of other methods though, I have built with Frame, Rastra, Adobe,
Insulated Concrete Forms (ICFs), Rammed Earth and Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs). I will not build with Straw Bale Exterior Walls are typically Stucco Interior Walls are usually drywall
- could be plaster or a mixture of drywall and plaster Roof - Usually flat - could be pitched
metal or tile or combination of pitched and flat Most homes are on slab - may have crawl
space areas Exterior walls are typically 2x6 or greater when using frame construction Interior walls should have a minimum thickness of 2x6 if the thickness of the wall is exposed Typically have three to four different ceiling heights within the home Insulation
is usually Fiberglass batt and blown due to budgetary constraints. More people are shifting to a combination of cellulose
and blown or cellulose and Icynene. An all Icynene insulation system is the most expensive system for insulation. ALL interior
common walls are insulated for sound Windows are typically wood with aluminum cladding.
The brand that I typically use provide Low-E coatings and Argon gas at no additional charge. Some vinyl windows are O.K.,
but they will never be able to compare to a quality wood window Most homes have one interior
and one exterior fireplace At least some wooden beams and ceilings in the home Plaster and Stone fireplaces in the Great Room
Mechanical: Radiant Heat about 50% of the time - more than happy to discuss the pros and cons of it in our climate Refrigerated Air - swamp coolers are not that efficient in our climate Forced
Heat is a necessity here Number of units is determined by the size and layout of the home,
most homes are about evenly split between two or three heating and cooling units Air Exchange
Systems - as we build tighter homes, this type of system is becoming required more often
Plumbing:
Usually Kohler, Moen or Delta hardware with a smattering of Grohe and Danze - typically
Oil Rubbed Bronze or Brushed/Satin Nickel finishes Jacuzzi Tub in Master Bath Cast iron tubs where other tubs are used Fixtures are Kohler and very rarely
do people want white The majority of time, a 75 Gallon hot water heater is used, other
systems may include tankless and/or side-arm systems You need to be sure that your
hot water useage and gas bill history warrant a solar hot water system, if you are curious about one Comfort
height, elongated bowl toilets with soft-close seats Dual showerhead/rain head in Master
Shower about half of the time Soft Water Loop Many people
are now pre-plumbing for gray water systems Hot/Cold hose bib in the garage Exterior hose bibs are spaced according to the length of a hose Two irrigation
system stub-outs - front and rear Hot water recirculating system - point-of-use activation
is becoming more popular Laundry tub in the garage unless the utility room is next to the
garage, in which case the utility sink is usually sufficient
Appliances, Cabinets and Counters: True custom made cabinetry - my cost (your cost) on custom cabinets is typically less than the majority of
pre-made cabinets and there is no comparison as to the quality You choose the lower and
upper cabinet heights, there is no difference in the price 3cm Granite in the kitchen and
typically tile in other areas. About fifty-percent of people want granite (or slab stone) on the Master Bath vanities and
the Tub Deck Big Kitchen islands Dual kitchen sinks
- vegetable sink or secondary food-prep area Most homes have dual vanities in the Master
Bath Appliances can range from GE or Fridgidaire to KitchenAid or Wolf. It's the client's
decision as to what they want. We shop hard and get the best prices possible Most people
put custom inserts (3/4 inch melamine) in the Master Closet and Pantry. About half of the people put inserts in all closets
Flooring
and Tile: Floor tile is typically a nice porcelain, some clients use natural stone.
Most people tile all areas except the bedrooms or the second story About half of the people
run tile baseboards everywhere there is floor tile Carpet should be nice, typically at
least a 50 oz. weight and NOT cut berber. Typically only used in bedrooms and the second story Wood
- most people want some wood in the home and the areas that we usually install it would be the Dining Room and the Great Room Wet areas are almost always tile Showers and vanity tops are typically
natural stone. Many people also find a nice ceramic tile that we can do unique inlays or designs with
Electrical: Alarm Systems with hidden sensors - typically three key pads Pre-wired
Media Rooms Whole house speaker systems, to include portals At
least two phone jacks in most rooms Outlets in closets Most
rooms typically have at least four recessed cans Ceiling fans with attractive light kits
in most rooms Good security lighting Homes are required
to be prepared for photovoltaic systems now. More people are becoming interested in installing a PV system at the time
of construction Outlets in each room for convenience and not just the basic amount required
by Code Higher-end and expandable low voltage systems and technologies for current or future
home automation Central Vacuum Systems
Landscaping: Typically handled by the homeowner after completion A minimum of 2"
PVC is run under all hardscaped areas and walls so that future irrigation lines can be easily run Xeriscapic
(drought tolerant) plantings - Austrian Pine, Modesto Ash, Juniper, Pinion, Feather Grass, Chamisa, Russian Sage, Yucca, New
Mexican Olive ... Typically Santa Fe Brown or Buildology Brown for gravel
General: Lighting suspended from skylights, where applicable Plant shelves, bancos
and nichos Usually bullnosed corners, windows and doors Walk-in
closets whenever possible High-quality Sherwin Williams or Kwal paints and stains, Typically
four to six colors are used (different sheens equate to more than one color - the same color in eggshell and in flat counts
as two colors) Garage is always finished, textured and painted. It should look like a room
of the house Outlet for wall-mount TV in Master Bath Large,
walk-in showers Wide hallways Good use of skylights/natural
light Typically use synthetic stucco Lit art nichos Wood on exterior portal ceilings
Common Things That Will Impact
Pricing: Wells Septic Systems No Utilities Installing a Transformer Any
required Engineering Fire Supression systems Complicated
sites (lots)
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