house construction | Odyssey Design Studios

Most Popular Housing Trends for 2017

The past few years have seen a rise in several housing trends that we predict will continue on through this year and even 2018. Many millennials are buying and building homes and they are looking to make a smaller footprint and simplify. The architectural features that were important to older generations are no longer needed or are out of place in the modern home.

Green Living

Energy efficient appliances and windows are a must for any new homes, long-term savings and the environmental implications are something that most people consider now. With the onset of low-flow faucets, solar heating, tankless water heaters, and duel-flush toilets, it’s becoming easier to make every aspect of a home save time, money, and resources.

Disappearing Living Rooms

Livings rooms as a separate room are becoming less and less common, instead what homebuyers or homebuilders are looking for is a “great room”. This is an open floor plan that combines that family, kitchen, and dining rooms into one huge common room. This room has space for homework to be done, meals to be eaten, parties to be had, and more.

Kitchens

Walk-in pantries and huge islands are on their way out while recessed lighting and large farmhouse style sinks are becoming increasingly popular. Resell value is a big thing with the more transient millennials, and therefore the modern sleek kitchen is making way for the cozy and comfortable kitchen which has proved itself popular through many different kitchen trends.

Copper

Copper is the new hot metal for fixtures, and mixing copper or gold with wood is becoming even more popular, though gold and bronze are also becoming more sought after. Grays and blacks are making their way up to the top of most desirable neutrals as well. All of these colors work well together or separately, and also mix well in many different mediums, shades, and materials.

Raw Materials

Materials such as stone and wood are making their way back into homes in place of stainless steel and tile. Featuring the raw organic beauty of nature (whether manufactured to look like nature or truly from nature) is the way to go; everything in its natural form.

Curb Appeal: Garage Doors

Curb appeal is your home’s first chance to impress your friends, neighbors, family, and potential buyers (remember that you should always consider your home to be one of your most important investments). With up to 30% of homes in the US having a garage door that is a prominent feature of the front façade for easy drive-in, your garage door will likely be seen by not only your visitors but by everyone who drives by.

Before you think that choosing a garage door is an easy matter, remember that you are not just choosing a color, but also a window pattern and design. There are literally thousands of combinations that are offered by some garage door manufacturers.

Thankfully, this is something that garage door manufacturers understand, and they have created a solution to keep you from becoming overwhelmed. We like Wayne-Dalton’s Garage Door Design Center which allows you to overlay a photo of your house with garage door designs. Overhead Door Corp offers a similar option with DoorView. If you have a particular brand of garage door in mind, it’s a good idea to get with your custom home builder or to call the brand directly to see what sort of tools they offer to assist you when choosing a garage door.

Types of Garage Door Construction

Single-layer garage doors are a lightweight and low cost option. They are made of a single outer layer of fiberglass, engineered wood, or steel and have little insulating value.

Double-layer garage doors have an outer and inner skin with an interior of polystyrene board and an insulating value of R-4 to R-7.

Premium garage doors have an outer and inner layer of wood, fiberglass, or higher quality steel and an interior of polyurethane or polystyrene with insulating values over R-15.

The next thing consideration to be made is what is the best material for a garage door. There are many from which you can choose but the pros and cons of each is important. Your house’s location and the climate is important. We will go over the types of materials for garage doors in our next post.

Advantages of Buying a New Home

Are you trying to decide between buying a used home and a new custom built home? The choice between buying a newly built, never lived in home instead of a used home definitely has some advantages. Here are the top 5 advantages of buying a new home instead of a used home.

A Layout Just for You

A new custom built home will have a floor plan that is designed with your needs in mind. Want a master bedroom with a second living room attached? A master bath with a sauna? This is where it happens without the majoring remodeling that an existing home would require to add these perks on.

Energy Savings

The energy efficiency of new homes is phenomenal even when compared with houses built just 10 years ago. There are many new improvements in areas such as windows, roofs, and siding that are not only better but cheaper than the options available when older houses were built. This also goes for all of the new appliances that you will be buying for your new home instead of the broken down, older appliances that you often get with older homes.

Low Maintenance

Just like a new car, a new home comes with many less problems and upkeep than an older existing home. High ceilings and open floor plans mean that your home will stay cooler in the south Texas heat, not to mention that home design elements are now made to work with each other and are designed to have less care over the years.

Safety

Just as homes are now designed to better have less maintenance, they are also designed to be safer. Breathe easier in a home that has less chemicals, use a garage door that has infrared beams that will detect if your child is too close, and install a built-in security system that will work better than a system that you slap on the surface of a used home.

Warranties

Everything, absolutely everything in your new home is under warranty: your roof, appliances, water heater, counter tops. All of these and more are under warranty in a new home, and should not need to be repaired or replaced for years.

Best Stair Designs for a Custom Home

A great use of space for custom homes is to have a second story, there are several reasons for this:

Roofing per square foot is going to be one of larger expenses that you pay for your custom home.
It’s easier and cheaper to cool and heat a two story house than a one story.
Some experts say that a two story house can be up to 33% cheaper per square foot to build than a one story house.

Because of these benefits, many people choose a two story house design instead of a one story, which means that unless you plan on using a ladder to access your second floor, you’ll need to consider stair designs and how they will fit into your custom house design.

Stairs have two main types: plain and elaborate. Less expensive smaller houses designs typically include the plainer stairs while more expensive larger houses have the fancier ones.

Shape

A grand staircase can be a main design element of the character of your home, it can have a circular shape, less steep of a step, and be as wide as you’d like. A plainer staircase will be a standard size and shape, twelve inches deep and six inches high. While an elaborate staircase may be featured near the front entrance, a plainer staircase is usually found nearer the back of the house. A plain staircase is likely to involve a turn or two, this is because a straight flight of steps takes up a lot of space while a 90 or 180 degree turn will save space for other rooms. More extravagant staircases usually feature a gentle turn that is easy on the eyes.

Materials

Though many people choose carpeting for their stairs because it is a cheaper option and tends to muffle any sounds as one moves from one floor to another, hardwood, stone, or laminate will last longer and make your home look and feel more expensive. It will cost you more to install, but this is one part of your home that will see a lot of traffic and it’s best to choose something that will stand the test of time. Another more modern option is to choose open metal stairs, this works well in a minimalist home design.

The Average Cost of Replacing a Roof

As a homeowner, replacing the roof on your home can be one of the most expensive upgrades that you will make over the course of your owning a home.

What determines the price of a roof?

The type of roofing material is a large part of the cost of your roof, but the size, accessibility, pitch, roof height, removal of the old roof, as well as other factors are also used when calculating the cost.

On average, the price of a new roof can run anywhere from $4500 all the way up to $50,000 or more for high end roofs.

Most roofers charge by the roofing square, this is equal to 100 square feet (a 10 by 10 foot area).

Why does the roof pitch affect the price of a new roof?

The slope or pitch of your roof affects the price because this dictates how easy it is for the roofers to work on your roof. Will they need a harness because of the steep pitch? Or does your roof have a gentle slope which allows for them stack materials directly on the roof and work without a lot of safety equipment.

Why does accessibility matter?

This is a part of labor costs that many people don’t think about, if roofers can drive a truck loaded with materials directly beside the house, then loading and unloading just got a lot easier. But if a lot of their time is spent carrying materials, supplies, and tools back and forth from the truck, you will see this reflected in the cost of the roof.

Roofing materials also determine the price

We have a couple of articles that you might want to read about the different types of roofs to consider:

Other costs to keep in mind

If you’re replacing a roof with damage from hail, water, or other things, remember that the damage might go further than you think. After the old roof has come off, the roofers might find other damage that will need to be addressed before the new roof can go on. Plan your budget accordingly.

What Should I Ask Before Building a Home?

If you’re thinking of building a new home, it can be a daunting decision to make. It’s easy to get caught up in the stress and details, but it’s important to remember that designing your dream home is not something that you can approach without being prepared to embark on a journey of discovery. This is the place where you will rest, dream, live, eat, work, and much more. Whether you’re sharing the space or living solo, you will have to consider every possible angle. Before you toss away your computer in frustration, we’ve put together a few questions to consider which will help you to better understand the choices that you’ll need to make.

Where do you want your house to be located?

Considering where to purchase land for your house is a complicated decision, you’ll need to consider your budget, the value of the land, and the projected value in the coming years.

What is your budget?

The budget for building a house must include things such as: land, constructing a house, architect, engineer, running plumbing and electricity (if your land is outside of a city, this could be a bit complicated… or not), taxes, landscaping, decorating, and furniture. Be sure to keep little extra “emergency” money in your budget so that when (not if!) things cost more than you budgeted, you’ll have enough money set aside to keep the project going.

Discuss your budget thoroughly with your custom home builder so that they understand exactly how to help you.

What is your plan A?

In a perfect world, what do you plan to have happen and when?

What is your plan B?

Plan A may or may not work out, but a plan B is a must so that if plan A does fall through, you have a back-up strategy in place.

Who is going to help you?

Sure, you’ll need a custom home builder, and they can help suggest experts in their network to assist you, but you’ll also want to do some personal research to see if you find a home designer or architect whose work you just love, or a landscaper that you can’t live without.

What questions have you asked yourself before beginning to design a home? Drop us a comment below, we’d love to hear from you!

What to Look For When Choosing a Window

Last week we touched on four factors to know about when choosing new windows for your home – either as replacements or for your custom home. These four factors are: Glass, Design, Frame, and Installation. Let’s take a closer look at what to know about these four essential parts of a window.

Glass

When it comes to window glass, there are a lot of buzzwords that get tossed around, what is really necessary for a good window that is going to last and be worth the money that you put into it without breaking the bank? Double-pane windows with a vacuum-sealed argon fill and low-E glass. It will probably cost you an additional $30-50 per window but you will see a difference reflected in your energy bill. We have talked in depth about the differences in single, double, and triple pane glass in previous posts.

When looking at windows, you can usually find a sticker directly on the glass that will tell you exactly what the window’s efficiency features are. If the window has an Energy Star sticker on it then it means that it has met the National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC)’s standards. These standards are measured in two ways: Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC) – measuring the amount of heat entering a house through the glass, and U-Value – measuring a window’s ability to resist heat loss. For each of these factors, the lower the number, the better energy rating it will receive.

South Texas home owners often choose UV-repellent film as a tint for their windows, it’s practically invisible but it will preserve textiles and paint as well as keeping the interior of a house cooler and save money on utility bills.

Design

The design of a window can have huge effects when it comes to energy efficiency, but that doesn’t mean that you have to settle for something utilitarian or boring. In the past, custom home builders focused on aesthetics rather than function, but now the modern approach is functionality and beauty in one. A window can be both décor and an inlet for fresh air, this is especially applicable for transoms (the window above a door or another window).

Decorative windows that are also functional require a deeper casing which can contribute a lot to the aesthetics of your house as “active” transoms. If you’re looking for further benefits to be reflected in your utility bill, don’t choose a semi-circle or half-moon window as these are not as energy efficient.

Come back next week as we explore the last two of our four important window factors: Frame and Installation.

Custom vs Prefabricated Cabinets

When planning your custom South Texas home, the kitchen is one of the main areas to which great attention must be given; a lot of your family’s time will be spent in this room and it is important that the design is conducive to easy clean-up and simple usage.

As a homeowner deciding whether to install custom or prefab cabinets, you will need to consider your budget, needs, and preferred design. After you have thought about these considerations, the next step is to compare the advantages and disadvantages of both types of cabinetry.

Prefab Cabinets

Manufactured or prefab cabinets are cabinets that are already almost complete, they just need to be installed and a few finishing touches added. Installation is simple and prefab cabinets don’t require a lot of time from ordering to finishing the installation. They tend to be cheaper but do not offer a lot of customization options. The factory finish offered on most prefab cabinets is a tempting bonus on an already inexpensive option. Most factories typically allow semi-custom options such as soft-close cabinet doors and drawers which will add to the durability and luxurious feel of your kitchen.

Custom Cabinets

These cabinets will be built exactly to your desires and the possibility for customization is endless, however, the huge drawback is the amount of time that custom cabinets take from drawing up the plans to choosing the material to actually building then installing the cabinets. In light of all of the skilled labor that is required, custom cabinets can be quite expensive but if your kitchen has special specifications or size requirements, custom cabinetry can offer exactly the solutions that your dream home kitchen needs.

When making up your mind about which to choose: prefab or custom kitchen cabinets, it can be helpful to not just speak with your custom home builder but to also get a detailed quote for custom and prefab cabinets. This can help you better understand the differences between the two and your different options for your dream kitchen. Have you read our post comparing Corian and granite counter tops? If not, we highly recommend it as a follow-up read.

Home Building 101: Major Phases of Construction Part IV

We’ve spent the last few weeks walking you through the process of home building, from foundation to the final inspection, if you haven’t read our blog posts from the previous weeks, you can find them here: Part I, Part II, and Part III.

Mechanical Trims Finished & Bathroom Fixtures Installation

After your flooring is installed, your contractor will finish the mechanical trims and complete installation of the light fixtures, power outlets, light switches, and if the electrical panel hasn’t already been installed, it will be installed now. Equipment for the HVAC is installed and faucets, sinks, and toilets in the kitchen and bathrooms are installed as well.

Miscellaneous Installation & Flooring

Shower doors and mirrors are installed next, they are installed at this point in the construction phase in order to keep them from being damaged during the actual construction and painting of the house. Carpet is also installed now for the same reason and the house is cleaned of all debris and construction material leftovers.

Exterior Landscaping

At this point, the exterior of the house is also cleaned up and shrubs, grass, and trees are planted as well as any other exterior items that are left.

Final Inspection

An official will come to do the final inspection to check that everything follows your area’s building code. If any issues come up during inspection that need to be addressed, the building-code official will have to conduct a follow-up inspection to ensure these have been addressed. When everything has successfully passed inspection, the official will then issue a certificate of occupancy (C.O.) which means that you can legally live in the domicile.

Final Walkthrough/Pre-Settlement Walkthrough

Now that everything has successfully passed inspection, your builder will walk through the entire house with you to show off all of the house’s features, explain how to best maintain your home. This is the time for you to look for any problems, mistakes, or areas requiring adjustment. Your builder will be able to help you decide how to handle or fix these areas, she or he should also help you look for them but it’s important to be observant yourself. Some areas to watch out for are: floors, walls, countertops, fixtures, and any glass such as mirrors, windows, etc. these parts are more prone to damage from construction. It’s imperative to point these things out before you move in because after you move in there’s no way to prove that the damage was pre-existing before the movers came through.

That’s it! Your home is built and ready to move-in! Do you have any questions or comments about the process of building a home from the ground up? If so, drop us a line below!

Home Building 101: Major Phases of Construction Part III

For the past couple of weeks, we’ve been walking you through what building a home entails, from the initial pouring, to explaining all of the inspections that take place, we’ve put it all together for you to quickly understand. Today, we’ll continue to talk about this topic, here’s you can find part one and part two.

Drywall & Interior Textures

After the insulation is installed, the drywall and interior textures are begun. After this is completed, the interior can be painted with primer to prepare it for the interior paint.

Exterior Textures

The exterior of the house will begin to be installed, this includes finished such as stucco, stone, brick, and siding.

Interior Trim & Paint

The decorative trim for interior doors, window sills, moldings, baseboards, and stair balusters are next installed as well as bathroom vanities, cabinets, fireplace surrounds and mantels. Interior walls will then be painted or wallpapered.

Exterior Work

At this stage, any walkways, patios, and driveways that you have planned will be poured, though some contractors will wait until the house is completed to pour the driveway.

Floor, Counter tops, Exterior Grading

All vinyl, hardwood, and ceramic tile flooring is now installed along with kitchen and bathroom counter tops (we have a post comparing Corian and granite counter tops which might be helpful to you). Any carpeting will be installed later in order to prevent any damage. Not sure which kind of flooring to choose for your home? You might want read our posts comparing hardwood and carpet, hardwood and laminate, as well as some general information on bamboo flooring. Exterior grading is complete to make sure that water drains properly away from the home to prevent any foundation issues.

We hope that you’re enjoying reading this series of posts as much as we’re enjoying writing them. If you’re looking for some home building ideas, it might be helpful to visit our post about luxuries to consider for your custom home, or how to build an energy efficient home on a budget. Any suggestions? Drop us a comment below. See you next week when we wrap up this topic.