ivory-construction

Door Differences: What You Need to Know

Fri, 05 May 2023 13:15:54 GMT

Construction is one of the few industries where the expert ( your builder ) needs you to know enough about his or her industry to get your job done. It’s a frustration that homeowners and builders have, and I’d like to do my part to help avoid some of those frustrations for you with your builder. This discussion will focus on all the details about doors . I can’t put everything on this post without putting most people to sleep, so I’ll try to keep it entertaining but give you enough information to help make your build selection process as painless as possible.

Solid Core or Hollow

First, all interior doors are either a solid core door or a hollow core door. This simply means that it is either solid wood or hollow in the middle. Most true wood doors will be solid core. Why does this matter? Well, first, the solid core doors are more expensive. It depends on the look and feel you want. However, there is a door between the house and the garage–you know, the one that closes automatically and makes hauling groceries inside a little inconvenient–and that door is called a “fire door.” That door will always be a solid core door to meet the fire rating needed. (Garages have to have a 1 hour fire rated separation from the house. Basically, this means that if there is a fire in the garage, it should take one hour for the fire to burn through the garage and get to the rest of the house.)

Paint-Grade or Stain-Grade

This question is critical, but probably not one that warrants much discussion. There are two basic types of doors when it comes to appearance–paintable doors or stainable doors. Stain-grade doors will be a little more expensive (usually), and are designed to show wood grains. Paint-grade doors are usually smoother and made out of pieces of wood meant to be painted and covered, allowing them to be made with cheaper material (usually).

Door Jambs

This is the part around the door that holds the latch. Every door has a jamb. It’s the “box” that holds the door in place, allowing it to be hinged on one side and latched on the other. The jamb can be a paint-grade or stain-grade material, but you have to specify.

Casing

Casing is the wood that wraps around the outside of the door. You can have a simple casing or an elaborate casing. This is purchased separate from the door, but you’ll want to have an idea of what kind of casing you want when deciding on your door material.

Kerf Doors

Not all doors have casing. In some cases, you may want to go for a clean and simple look where the sheetrock simply wraps around into your door jamb. This means that the door will look like it was literally built “in” the wall. Kerf doors allow you to have either rounded corners or square corners where the sheetrock “dies” into the door jamb. Personally, I love the look of kerf doors! As an added bonus, it saves you a little on casing, but the door jamb costs a little more to make that way, and the sheetrock crew usually charges a little extra to wrap the sheetrock into the door. Ultimately, it comes out in a wash most of the time.

Pocket Doors

These are the doors that slide inside a wall. I try to always put pocket doors on my jobs in thicker walls, ensuring there is room for the door to slide in and still enough stud material to hold the sheetrock solid on the wall. You can always tell if a pocket door was put in a wall too thin, or installed poorly, because the sheetrock joints will start to crack around it from the movement. Personally, I do not like pocket doors–if you have little kids, they usually create problems and come off the track inside the wall.

Barn Doors

Almost any design can work for a barn door, you just need to have room for a track along the top to hang the door from. Many people forget that if you have a 36” barn door, you’ll need another 36” of open wall space to slide the barn door across when the door is open. Barn doors are awesome, and add a certain personality to your space. However, they require some type of foresight on how you’ll use the room to ensure you’ll have wall space.

Hidden Doors/Bookcase Doors

Everyone watches movies with hidden doors that open by moving a book. The cool thing is that we can actually make these. One house I built a couple years ago has multiple hidden rooms. These are cool openings, but in reality, they’re not practical for most uses. The main issue with these openings is ensuring the opening is large enough to open the bookcase and still have room to walk through the space. Doing one or two of these in your home for closets or storage/safe rooms is great, but I’m of the opinion that it is definitely possible to have too many hidden doors.

Conclusion

There is a lot more information that should be shared about doors, but this is enough to give you a good start before meeting with your builder. A good builder can give you this basic knowledge, and with the help of some pictures, you should be able to identify the right door style for you.

Best Material for Countertops

Thu, 04 May 2023 10:50:15 GMT

Every new home and remodel projects begins and ends with the details. As the contractor, I can’t provide an accurate price without knowing the details, and as a homeowner, your project doesn’t look complete until we finish all the details.

These details are critical from the start. However, often, I have clients who aren’t sure what type of material they want in their home, and they’ll ask for my opinion. Since no one is here to stop me, I’ll give you a quick run-down of my opinion for countertop materials .

Granite

This is the most common request people have for their countertops, so it just makes sense to start here. Granite is one of the more expensive countertop materials (compared to other options like laminate or quartz). However, it is a look that is truly unique.

Here’s the good news–granite is super durable. It is also pretty resistant to heat.

Here’s the bad news–granite requires a little bit of maintenance. It needs to be sealed regularly to prevent stains getting absorbed into the granite. Because it is porous, it can actually stain if not sealed properly or regularly. Additionally, it is one of the more expensive options.

My Opinion

I love granite in kitchens! One of my favorite things to do with granite on projects is a chiseled edge. This creates a true “stone/granite” look around the edges of the countertop. Currently, I am doing a project where we are doing a double-chiseled edge. This means that the granite will look extra thick on the edges to give the illusion of a huge slab of rock sitting on top of the cabinets! Additionally, granite can have a smooth or a leathered look, depending on what you want. The leathered look is a “rough” surface that is slightly wavy, and can look really cool in the right applications.

Marble

Many people thing that having marble in their home sounds expensive… and it is true–marble is a premium product. It gives a cool look that can’t be achieved with granite, and is typically a better fit for designs that require a more consistent color pattern on the countertop.

The good news with marble is it provides a really good consistent coloring, and it is similar to granite in durability.

The bad news is that marble is a softer material than granite, and it can be prone to scratches. Like granite, it also requires regular sealing to keep stains out.

My Opinion

I love the look of marble in the right designs because it provides a consistent color pattern. The price point and scratchability of it make it a step below granite in my book as far as functionality, but aesthetically, marble looks incredible!

Quartz

This one is man’s attempt at creating a hybrid of affordability and natural stone look. I do a lot of quartz countertops in bathrooms, and depending on the kitchen cabinet color and budget, we do quite a few kitchens as well, but granite is still the top choice for kitchen countertops .

The good news is that quartz is relatively more affordable than higher grades of granite and marble. It also provides a consistent color, and can easily be matched if there is a need to replace it. It also does not require the constant sealing of granite and marble, making it a lower maintenance product.

The bad news is that it is a little more impacted by heat than granite or quartz. It is still fairly heat resistant, but not as much as the others. I’ve also done remodels where existing quartz was exposed to a lot of natural light through a window, and it can slightly change the color of the quartz.

My Opinion

Quartz is awesome for bathrooms because it is cheaper and gives a consistent color that can match most bathroom designs. I personally don’t love putting quartz in kitchens simply because the potential impact from hot pans being put on it as compared to granite or marble.

Laminate Counters

This is one that many people are familiar with, but I’ll still give a quick rundown.

The good news is that you won’t find a cheaper countertop material than laminate. You can also get it in almost any design and color. My grandpa loves laminate because he hates the “cold” feeling of setting your arms down on the natural stone… but he’s the only one I’ve ever heard bring up that point.

The bad news is that this product is easily impacted by heat. It can also come loose over time because the glue holding it down might fail at some point. Additionally, it doesn’t hold the “new” look over time that quartz/granite/marble do.

My Opinion

Use laminate in a butler pantry to save money or somewhere that you want a countertop, but don’t care about the aesthetics as much. Master bedroom closets and pantries are ideal locations for this… but that’s just my opinion.

Is 2023 a Good Time to Build a Custom Home

Tue, 02 May 2023 13:05:02 GMT

I was at dinner this last week with a group of friends. One of my friends is considering buying a new house or building a new house. He’s been on the fence about it for a couple years now. In between bites of delicious chicken, he asked, “Freddy, in your opinion, is it better to buy an existing home or build a custom home in Kuna in 2023?” I laughed a little because, this was a question that he had asked me every year for the last three years. However, given that he has had the question persistently on his mind, I felt it would be a good blog post to respond to for others seeking guidance on whether or not they should build a custom home in 2023. I’m not a big fan of writing out pro and con lists, so I’ll refrain from doing that and take a more analytical approach based on my “insider” knowledge of building custom homes.

Interest Rates

First, we have to factor in interest rates. Let me share a quick anecdote from last year. We’ll call it “A Tale of Two Custom Homes.” One custom home was delayed because the owner was concerned lumber prices were too high, and predicted they would come down (eventually). The other owner concluded that lumber was too high, but interest rates were really good, so they immediately moved forward on building their house. After 8 months of construction by the Ivory Construction team, they closed their loan. Interest rates had moved a little during their build process, but they had locked in their rate with a one-time close loan, making the interest rate change innocuous to their situation. Did they overpay for lumber? Absolutely. But they had a killer interest rate!

The second owner waited until lumber prices dropped a little. We commenced construction, and after 10 months of building, they closed on the loan. They saved 30% on their lumber compared to the first owner, but their interest rate was almost twice as much as the second owner. Both homes were in the million dollar range, but the second owner’s payment was significantly higher.

This is the part where you probably expect the builder to say something like “Don’t wait to build! Now is the best time!” Well, I’m not that type of builder. So I won’t give you that advice.

Here’s my advice–both clients got an incredible home at a price and timing they were comfortable with. One overpaid on lumber, the other got a higher interest rate. The good news–the client with the higher interest rate can always refinance if rates go lower. And, if rates don’t ever come back down to their record 3% lows, the client can rest assured that they built at the right time–waiting would inevitably have cost them more in interest.

Material and Labor Costs are Coming Down

This is a good point that clients bring up in every economy. However, here’s the short truth–the good craftsmen, the ones you want working on your home, typically don’t fluctuate their prices that much with the economy. Sure, you might get 2-3% lower labor costs, but it’s not going to be a huge swing like most people hope. Production builders and tract home builders can often build cheaper in down economies because their labor force takes on the “Walmart” approach–they want to build as much as they can for as cheap as they can and meet a minimum standard to provide the most house for the lowest cost. There’s nothing wrong with that business model, but you don’t want your custom home to follow that method. When you spend $50,000 or more on siding, you don’t want to have to replace it in a few years because it was installed by a crew who had to finish it in 2 weeks to make it profitable. You want true craftsmen to work on your project, and they take the same amount of time to install siding in a good economy as they do in a bad one. They have to bid the job to pay for their time to do the project correctly.

My advice here–don’t try to time the market to build your custom home based on material and labor costs. Material will constantly swing up or down. Good labor generally costs the same no matter what the economy is doing, so if your custom home builder tells you they “got a great price on labor” because the “economy is dipping,” you may want to check the references of that builder.

So is 2023 a Good Year to Build a Custom Home in the Boise Area?

We could continue to exhaust the analysis on this. However, I’ll cut to the chase and give you my “insider” opinion. Having built homes for people in different stages of life (some moving into Idaho from out of state, some needing to upgrade, build their dream home, or retire and live on the 20 acre hobby farm), the one big difference between people who tend to not be ready to build their dream home and those who are is how they view the decision. Let me explain.

The people who are looking to get the “best bang for their buck” on building their dream home tend to be slightly disappointed with the finished product. Not because they don’t get great value, but because they always question whether building sooner/later would have been better. If you’re viewing your custom home as an investment property to be flipped, you might be better off building a spec house with your builder and working out a financial split.

Building a custom home is more emotional than most other decisions. Can you build more house for less in different economies? Absolutely! But building a custom home is about building memories with your family and friends, not about timing the construction market just right to get 500sqft more than your neighbor for less money. If you’re ready to build memories in a place that is uniquely yours, and your finances permit you to do it, then you should find a builder to partner with and go for it!

2023 is a great year to build your custom home! Ivory Construction would love to partner with you and build the foundation for future memories with your family and friends in a place you love.

When Do I Need a Contractor?

Tue, 25 Apr 2023 12:30:53 GMT

With Home Depot and Lowes empowering weekend warriors and DIYers like never before, a question many people ask is, “At what point do I need a contractor for my project?”

It’s a legitimate question–none of us wants to pay more money for something than we have to, and honestly, hiring a general contractor feels unnecessary at times, right? Well, as a general contractor who does remodels and custom homes in Kuna , Boise, Nampa, Star, Eagle, Middleton, and the surrounding areas, let me give you some unbiased insight on when you need a general contractor.

When You Definitely do Not Need a General Contractor

First, to answer this question effectively, let me start with when you definitely do not need a general contractor:

Any project that involves one single specialty–for example, I just went and looked at a project in Kuna where the client wanted to “remodel” their bathroom. However, on further inspection, what they really wanted to do was just paint the current bathroom. For situations like these, where you’re “just painting;” “just moving outlets;” “just changing lights;” etc., you definitely do not need a contractor.
Your project is less than $1000 total. Most likely, if your project falls in this camp, it also falls in the description of number one above. However, even if there are a few items, but your project doesn’t break the $1,000 threshold, you definitely don’t need a general contractor.
You have an emergency leak/disaster. In these cases, you’re better off calling a disaster cleanup place. They may use a general contractor, or tell you to get bids from a general contractor to repair the damage, but your immediate phone call should be to a disaster clean-up company, not a general contractor.

When it Makes Sense to Hire a General Contractor

Now that we have established when you definitely do not need a general contractor, let me address when it makes sense to hire a general contractor for your home remodel in Kuna and the surrounding areas.

Your project has more than two areas of expertise involved. Any project that requires plumbing, floors, painting, and electrical is a sure sign you’ll be better off hiring a general contractor.
You’re new to the area. We have lots of people move in to Kuna, Eagle, Nampa and the Treasure Valley who don’t have connections to local contractors. A good honest general contractor can take care of you and ensure you get the best quality and pricing.
You’ll have multiple skilled workers on your project during the day while you are at work. Nothing is more frustrating than thinking you and the crews are on the same page only to come home after everyone is gone and the work is done to find that your vision was completely misunderstood.

Within this realm of “when do I need a general contractor” there is an implied question–is it worth hiring a general contractor?

If you hire the right contractor (which we discuss in depth in our other blog posts), then it is most definitely worth it. Here are a few key benefits a general contractor can provide:

General contractors are like “wholesalers” for local trades people. Even after they charge their contractor fee, you’re likely still getting the work cheaper than if you called the individual trades yourself. For example, I am currently in the process of building a pool house in Eagle that the client wanted to build himself initially. He had bids from all his subcontractors that he needed. When I got involved, I had no idea he had already bid his job out. I submitted my total bid for the project, and even after charging my contractor fee to run the project, I am still saving him over $10,000 on his project!
General contractors have expertise in a lot of areas to ensure your project is done right. A quick story here–I had a home addition in Eagle that I bid out to the client a year ago. I try not to do more than about 3 projects concurrently, and told the client that, although I got him a bid, it would be about 4 months before I had the bandwidth to fit his project in. He informed me that he had some contacts and could run the project himself. A year later, he called me and asked me to finish the project. Despite his best efforts, he couldn’t tell when a portion of the project was done right, and paid the contractors as they billed him. Then when the next crew came, they couldn’t proceed until specific things were fixed. The project is nearly complete now, and the client no longer has to stress about the quality–that’s what we take care of.
You don’t know what you don’t know. General contractors have tricks that can save you thousands. I just went through an addition in Kuna where the client wanted some specific layout. However, with a few tweaks, we saved the client thousands of dollars on lumber by fitting the new plans to the existing roof. It wasn’t that the client “wanted” to spend the additional money–they just did what they thought would look good without knowing what things could save them money.

Not every project requires a general contractor. But for the ones that do, you can save money, stress, time, and future headaches by hiring a general contractor.

What is the Best Upgrade For My House?

Thu, 13 Apr 2023 20:35:28 GMT

Our society is obsessed with metrics and measurements. To some degree or another, we use metrics to influence most of our decisions. Since your home is one of the biggest investments most people ever make, it only makes sense that there should be metrics to help you make decisions with your home.

When I look a remodel project, one of the most common questions I get is, “Is remodeling X worth the cost?” If we disregard the “unique situation” factor for everyone, there are a few key points to help you determine your return on investment for your remodel.

Kitchens

Kitchens make a statement for your home. Your kitchen is the heart of your home, and it only makes sense to remodel it, right? Actually, kitchens are one of the best areas of your home to remodel if you’re looking at the return on investment. Ramsey Solutions says that a kitchen remodel can bring in about 81% ROI in some cases. In other words, for every dollar spent to renovate your kitchen, you will get 81 cents back.

I would actually disagree with that number. Having renovated many old homes that were sold after the renovation, my experience is that a kitchen remodel can actually bring over 100% return on your investment. That being said, updating a kitchen in an older home is going to bring a better ROI than updating a kitchen in a brand new home.

Bathrooms

National data says that a bathroom remodel has the highest average ROI. This makes sense. First, bathroom trends are constantly changing, creating a “demand” for updated bathrooms. Also, given the size of most bathrooms, you can spend less money than you would on a kitchen remodel, but still get a “new” space that you can be proud of.

Bathrooms, on average, can bring a 70% return according to Zillow . Not quite as high as kitchens, but remember that we’re talking about a national average and not specifically Idaho. Also, depending on the state of your current bathroom, you may actually get a higher return for your bathroom remodel. A qualified remodeler in the Treasure Valley should be able to give you good feedback on what upgrades will most benefit your bathroom.

Exteriors

Another high ROI remodel item is a siding upgrade. Homeowners wanting to gain some curb appeal without breaking the bank should consider simple siding upgrades. These cost significantly less than other projects, and, according to Credit Karma, still bring in between 60-70% ROI .

Siding upgrades can vary significantly in price and curb appeal. I’ve done some projects where we add corbels all around the home, build new front entryways with large timbers, and add stone to add texture to the building.

My Opinion

Having done exterior remodels, windows, additions, kitchens, bathrooms, and master bedrooms, I have my favorite projects, and I have the projects that I think bring the most value.

My favorite projects are additions coupled with kitchen remodels. This creates a drastic change for the interior and exterior of the home. Upgrading and changing the kitchen footprint completely changes the heart of the home, allowing us to personalize the space to your family.

With regards to the best ROI remodels, my experience has been that it depends on the condition of the home. I’ve done kitchen remodels on homes that were only a few years old simply to create a better space for the family living there, and I’ve done kitchen remodels on old homes that haven’t been upgraded since 1970. My personal experience has been that the older homes tend to gain more ROI for almost any remodel project, whereas newer homes have a lower ROI simply because the material or layout isn’t out of style yet.

That being said, kitchen remodels seem to consistently bring in the best ROI for the clients who end up selling their homes after we have completed the remodel.

One of my passions within the construction realm is actually figuring out the most economical way to get people the results they want for the best value. Ultimately, we’ll bring whatever your vision may be to reality. However, for our clients looking for some guidance on what the most cost-effective remodels for their homes would be, I love crunching numbers and figuring out details. No matter what the ROI might be, the most important part of a remodel is that it fits your budget and your goals.

The highest ROI remodel might actually not help your specific situation, and that’s ok. Your home is for making memories!

Should I Remodel or Build New?

Tue, 11 Apr 2023 20:47:22 GMT

As a custom home builder and remodeler, one of the most common questions I get is, “Should I remodel my current home, or build a new custom home?”

The answer to this really depends on your specific circumstances, but I’ll take a few liberties here and give you some insider advice from my perspective. I’ll break this out based on hypothetical scenarios that can impact your decision.

Our Current House is Too Small

Kids have a unique gift of taking up whatever space they are given. Anyone with kids knows what I’m talking about–somehow they can make the same finite amount of toys take up as much space as the house permits. The question here (all jokes aside), however, is whether it is better to do an addition to the home or build a new house.

First, the financial implications must be considered. Right now, with the costs of lots in Kuna and surrounding areas, most clients are likely better off financially by doing an addition than building a new house. (Sure, there is the probability that with your current equity you could put a huge down-payment on the new home, but the costs of lots coupled with increased construction costs likely will absorb that equity quicker than you think).

Beyond the financial considerations, there are some general constraints on whether or not an addition is an option for you. Some lots are small and with zoning regulations and setback requirements, there is no room to do an addition. Other situations where the current layout of the home is not conducive to an addition might eliminate an addition as a viable option. The best way to determine this is by having a reputable builder, like Ivory Construction, look at your home, lot, and layout to determine if an addition is the right option for your situation.

I recently looked at a house in Kuna where the client wanted us to do an addition to the kitchen. However, with the current layout of the house, and the lot size, doing an addition wasn’t really a feasible option. By the time we reconfigured the interior layout to make the addition flow with the house, they might as well have built a new home. Alternatively, we just finished an addition on another house in Eagle that added significantly to the size of the kitchen and overall flow of the house for a fraction of what it would have cost to build a custom home. A good builder can do more than just bid your project–he or she can help guide you to the best solution for your situation.

A Remodel will be Expensive, Should I just Build a New Home?

This issue tends to be the common predicament most of my clients find themselves in. Construction costs are higher than they’ve ever been, and the cost per square foot to do a remodel/addition, can sometimes be higher than the cost per square foot to build new. However, there are a few points to consider when looking at just the cost per square foot.

First, most remodels are for the more expensive parts of the house (kitchens, bathrooms, and master bedrooms). Thus, if we look at it as an “apples-to-apples” comparison of the cost per square foot of new construction versus remodeling or adding on, the price difference is less drastic.

Second, in most situations, the cost of the home our clients are currently in (as in their cost, not current market value), is significantly below current market rates to build a comparable home in the current economy. If we do a remodel or an addition (or both) that costs an additional $200,000-$300,000, it might be helpful to average that cost out over the total square footage of the home to help you decide if building new or remodeling is better.

For example: Your current home 4,000 sqft home cost you $600,000 when you initially purchased it. An addition and remodel of the existing space would add 600 sqft to the structure and cost $290,000. This means your total cost for the home would be $890,000. Your cost per square foot with the new addition would be $193/sqft. Most of the custom homes that I build come in between $200-$250 per square foot. Thus, if you do an addition and remodel on the existing house, you are probably still cheaper than building a new home. Also, with respect to “averaging” the cost per square foot of the home, keep in mind that your initial purchase price of $600,000 included the house and the lot. If you were to build a custom home, even with the most basic finishes, you would look at a minimum of $175/sqft–that is just the house. The lot would be separate from that cost, and small lots in the Treasure Valley start at around $100,000.

I Don’t Want to Live in a Construction Project, so We Should Build a New House

This is a pain point for anyone considering a construction project of any scope on their home. Living through a basic kitchen remodel can feel like a marathon. Ivory Construction tries to distinguish ourselves in this realm. First, we coordinate up front with you on the schedule and what parts of the house we will be working in. Second, for large-scale remodels, we have connections to get our clients into short-term rentals during the construction. In some cases, we have a home specifically available for our clients to stay in during construction. This helps eliminate the headache of project delays that can impact your move-in date. (This applies to new construction as well as remodels).

Building a new house simply because you don’t want to have the inconvenience of living in a remodel is probably not the best decision. Ivory Construction specializes in large-scale remodels, and we find solutions for our clients to make the process as painless as possible.

So Should I Remodel/Add On, or Build New

I’m a huge fan of making existing homes work for your family and situation. With a few exceptions, Ivory Construction can make a remodel/addition to your “forever home” just as much as we can with a custom home.

In some cases building a new home is the only option. However, we have saved clients significant time and money by doing remodels on their existing homes, providing them with a place to make memories for years to come and the peace of mind that their remodeled home is built to a standard equal to what we would do for a custom home.

If you are trying to determine if you should remodel or build a custom home, call Ivory Construction! We can help point you in the right direction for your needs and specific project constraints.

What Makes a Good Custom Home Builder?

dan@tactuspro.com (Dan Christensen) — Thu, 23 Mar 2023 14:55:49 GMT

Finding the right custom home builder can be the difference between an incredible experience, a mediocre experience, and a marriage-ending experience.

Not all custom builders are alike. Each builder will run projects differently, take on different types of projects, and their communication styles will vary. Some of the details depend on a personality fit between you and the builder. This would normally be the part where we give you a boring list that you scroll through and just read headings on. If you’re taking the time to read this, then I want to give you some solid information on how to identify a good custom home builder. So I’ll skip the list thing and just give you some headings with some solid information to help you make your decision.

Good Custom Builders Have Actual Construction Experience

If you’re building a true custom home–I’m talking about the one with the vaulted ceilings, arches, custom millwork, and beams–then you’ll want a builder who has some “boots-on-the-ground” construction experience.

Here’s the issue–if you’re doing a custom home, then you need a builder who understands the ins and outs of construction. Sure, your builder can follow the plans and get the general idea built into your home, but getting the building to “look like the picture” is the easy part. Making sure the stuff inside the walls that no one else ever sees is critical for a custom home. Simple things like knowing where to put extra framing inside walls to hold glass doors to showers, sustain dropped ceilings, and attach false beams are absolutely critical for a successful custom home build.

Most successful custom home builders have spent time framing walls, hanging drywall, and setting doors. Those experiences are extremely important–they teach a builder the fine details to pay attention to that contribute to the longevity of the home and the quality.

Organized Process

Construction is super complex in general. Unlike an assembly line or a production builder who can dial in specific details and then just copy and paste, a custom home builder has to build something new and totally unique every time. There is no copy and paste. They only way to make this work is by having a process and extreme organization. If your potential builder looks like he just rolled out of bed or wants to dial in the details for your home on the back of a napkin, you might be in for a really frustrating experience. Every custom home has hundreds of details to dial in–things like whether or not to use schluter metal for the tile or what type of transition to put between floors–and if your builder doesn’t have an organized process, you might not even end up with the house you thought you were paying for.

Good Communication

Everyone has that mechanically inclined buddy who has incredible skill but lacks good communication. Don’t let that stereotype fool you into hiring the wrong builder. Your builder needs to have top notch communication. If you want the best custom home builder in Kuna, then you’ll want a builder with good communication. This means good at communicating and also consistently communicating. If your builder ghosts you for days or weeks during the bidding process or just the “rough estimate” stage, then it’s a good time to start looking for a new builder. You need to be in the loop on the good and the bad with your project. A builder who communicates well will rarely have bad news–this is because he communicated with all the trades working on your home and rarely has issues to fill you in on.

Advisor

On complicated custom homes, you need to know that your builder will point out flaws/issues/potential issues to help you make decisions. You want a builder with the expertise and confidence to speak up and tell you why certain design ideas might not be the best idea. However, you also want a builder who ultimately lets you decide what your home will look like and be. Sure, there are certain code requirements that every builder has to meet, and there are certain design elements/plans that just can’t possibly work–and in those instances, a good builder will explain that to you and help you come up with a compromise. However, beyond those hard and fast lines, you want a builder who works with you.

The 30 Minute Test

I’m sure as I’ve written these headings that many of you are thinking, “That’s all great information, but how do we actually know if a builder is competent?” I won’t pretend to have the one-size-fits-all answer here. I do, however, have a little test that I use with my own subcontractors who come to me and ask to bid my work.

I’ll spend thirty minutes with them and show them a set of plans to review with me. In this meeting I check for:

Do they spend the whole time telling me how awesome they are, or do they get some insight about me? If they can only tell me about them, I’m not interested in working with them. I need a team player.
Do they just look at the plans and say, “Ok, looks good. I’ll get to work on this.” Or do they review the plans skeptically and say things like, “Hey, this part of the job shows this, we might need to change it to make this work out better.” I’m really looking for someone who can catch mistakes/potential issues from a set of plans and not just after the building is standing in the air. You’ll want a builder who can do the same–so see if they give you constructive ideas, or simply say, “I’ll get you a bid on this.”
Do they like what they do? Are they meeting with me just to have a job, or are they true craftsmen who will spend the extra thirty minutes it takes to get a detail just right? I can’t always get this from a meeting, but you can tell when someone talks about their work whether they’re just there for a payout or actually want to get it done right and put their name on it.
Do I see myself able to get bad news from this person and trust that they’ll work through it with me? If I question whether or not they’ll be around after they get paid, then I don’t want to even risk it.

Conclusion

Ultimately, there’s no trick process in identifying the best custom home builders in the Treasure Valley. But if you use this guide as a reference, and then spend thirty minutes with your potential builder looking at your plans with you, that’s a good starting point. Building custom homes isn’t a walk in the park. The best custom home builders make it look easy–but that’s because they fix problems before anyone else even sees them.

Helpful Information When Choosing a Custom Home Builder

dan@tactuspro.com (Dan Christensen) — Sat, 18 Mar 2023 13:45:26 GMT

Often builders get so caught up in the world of construction that they fail to communicate well with clients about how the build process works. Since clients don’t build a custom home several times a year like the builders do, most are experiencing the construction process for the first or second time when they hire a custom home builder. To help answer some of the basic questions that will help you determine which custom home builder in the Boise area is the right fit for your project, I have outlined some key information below. This information is pretty general among all builders. If you want specific information for your project, I’m happy to meet with you to go over the details.

How long does a custom home take to build?

The answer to this question brings me back to when I was in law school—it depends. However, I can give some pretty generic information that will be a good rule of thumb for you. Drawing the plans, depending on the size of your home and detail involved can take between 1-3 months. Most builders need 2-4 weeks to dial in all the specific details with you and get a formal bid put together for your project. Then, permitting can take 1-2 months. Once the builder has a permit, signed contract, and your financing is in place, most custom builds fall into the 7-12 month timeframe to build. Specialty items that take longer to arrive like certain doors, windows, or appliances can push projects into the 15 month range. Overall, plan on about 18 months from the time you start plans to the time your home will be finished. There are a lot of variables involved of course. I have done some custom homes that took us about 7 months from drawings to client move in, and I have done others that took almost 2 years. But the median timeline for most of my projects to go from initial consultation to owner move-in is in the 18 month range.

Do I have to decide everything before the builder can give me a bid?

This is a great question. I’m going to break part of the answer into another heading. The short answer is, no. For example, custom home builders in Kuna and other areas in the Treasure Valley have a pretty good idea of their costs and can bid jobs without every detail outlined. That being said, specific things like concrete patios, siding type, stair style, number of bathrooms, flooring types (not necessarily specific flooring, but just a general idea of what rooms get tile, hardwood, carpet, etc.), and roof type are all important details that must be nailed down prior to bidding. However, for the items that are generic like “hardwood” or “granite” where you need to make a specific selection, most builders provide you with what is called an “ALLOWANCE.”

What is an allowance item?

Allowance items are things where the builder has gotten a general feel for the look and style you are going for, but you have not chosen a specific item, and therefore, the builder cannot get you an exact price for that part of the project. Example: You know you want real hardwood throughout the house, but have not selected the specific type/brand that will actually be put in. To get you an accurate bid and keep the process as streamlined as possible, most builders will provide you with an “allowance” amount for that line item. They’ll figure out how much material you need, then give you a general amount based on discussions with you that should cover your floor selections. If you don’t spend the exact amount in the “allowance” bucket for that item, the savings is passed on to you. On the other hand, any overages also get passed on to you.

How much does it cost to build a custom home in Boise?

This is another lawyer answer—it depends. However, since it is a common question, I want to hit on a few points. First, most builders can give a generic price per square foot of building that you want to build. Note that this is what most builders would call an “estimate” and not an actual bid. An “estimate” is when a builder is giving you general information to help you determine your next steps before you end up spending money to work directly with the builder and a designer to get the details of your project nailed down. A “bid” on the other hand is the contractual amount that the builder agrees to complete your project for. So, what does it cost? Every builder will have a different answer depending on the types of finishes they’re used to putting in their houses. Most of Ivory Construction homes have higher-end finishes, pushing my overall price up. For a basic custom home, $200-$250 per square foot is a good starting point that should allow you to build a nice home with nicer finishes. Keep in mind that this is just the cost of the home, and does not include the lot.

Can I change my mind on finishes during the construction process?

Yes—this is called a change order. This simply means the builder will evaluate the additional cost to make the change, and give you a bid for that change. Once you approve, the builder will move forward with it. Some builders have an additional “fee” associated with any changes to pay for their time to track down new pricing and work through details of making the change.

How do I pay my builder during construction?

This is a question all custom home builders want you to know the answer to, even if no one asks. Depending on how your project is financed, the process might vary. Typically, a builder will bill portions of the project each month based on the percent of the project complete and the actual work done on the project. For example, if the excavation and concrete (the first things on a project usually) total $60,000 for your home, and it is about 50% complete, the builder will bill for $30,000. If your project is financed through a bank, the bank will send out an inspector to confirm that the work has progressed according to the bill, and the builder, client, and bank sign off on the amount billed to be released. If you are paying cash for the build, you may choose to go through a title company to hold the funds for the project, but the billing process is similar as with a bank. The builder typically charges a fee (10-15%) of the project, and the builder fee is billed in portions with each bill being submitted.

What are specifications?

This is a document that specifies all the little details of your project. You will work with your builder to identify everything from flooring types, paint colors, to custom beams to be done in the house. This ensures the builder creates your vision, and if he varies from what is in the specifications, you can hold your builder accountable to make necessary corrections.

What is the best type of contract to have to build my custom home?

Most clients don’t even realize that there are different contract types that can be used to ensure the project and process fit the client needs. Here are a few of the contract types I use for custom home projects, and a little explanation for when they might be a good fit for your project.

Hard bid : This is one of the more common contract used by custom home builders. A hard bid contract means that the builder dialed in all of the details to complete your project and is submitting a bid to you that says “I can build this home for this price and include all the items in the plans and specifications.” This type of contract puts the risk of price increases on your builder. However, any price savings are also passed to the builder. This is a great contract type for custom homes that are smaller in scope (5,000-8,000 soft) and have all the details dialed in.
Cost plus : A lot of people think they have a cost plus contract with their builder because they see the builder’s mark-up on each invoice. A true cost-plus contract, however, is one where the builder passes all costs and savings to the client, and bills the builder fee as a percent on each invoice. This is different than a hard bid because now the risk of price increases is passed to the homeowner. In these scenarios, I usually provide my clients with a “good-faith-estimate” prior to starting the project. That way they have a general idea of what the job will cost. Then, during construction, they see every invoice that comes in, and any overages or savings get passed to them.
Hard bid hybrid : I’ll be honest, I made this name up. However, with the onset of COVID and the ridiculous price volatility in construction, I found that the use of a hard bid contract was too much risk for me, but a full cost plus contract terrified some clients. To find a happy median, I started using a hybrid to a hard bid contract. In my hybrid contracts, I bid the labor portion of the project and guarantee that the labor price will not change (unless there is a change to the plans). Then, I take the material bids and pass any increase or decrease in cost to the client. That way I can still be responsible for the cost to build the project for a specific price, but do not have to try and “cushion” my bid to cover potential price increases in materials. As such, the client pays any overages or savings from material. Some line items are not easily broken out into labor and materials (plumbers and electricians rarely know exact material costs when bidding a custom home), but I’ve found ways to work with these and create a win-win for clients and contractors. I know I didn’t invent this contract—many builders smarter than me were using this method before I ever thought about it, but I’ve found this to be the fairest contract for most projects.

Conclusion:

There are a lot of specific details in construction that clients need to know before building a custom home in the Boise area. I’ve got more helpful tidbits of information to share, on my next post, but this should get us started. For specific questions, I’d love to give you information to help guide you in your custom home journey. Give me a call or email.

Choosing the Right Home Builder - A Guide to Making the Right Choice

Thu, 02 Mar 2023 13:56:52 GMT

One of the most important decisions you will make during the home building process is choosing the right home builder.

A good home builder can make the experience enjoyable and relatively stress-free, while a bad one can result in costly mistakes and delays. In this article, we will provide a comprehensive guide to help you choose the right home builder for your next project.

#1. Understanding Your Needs

Before you begin your search for a home builder, it is important to understand what you want in a new home. Consider factors such as the size of the home, the number of bedrooms and bathrooms, the style of the home, and any special features you would like to include. Having a clear understanding of your needs will help you choose a builder who is capable of delivering the home of your dreams.

#2. Researching Your Options

There are many home builders to choose from, so it is important to take the time to research your options. Start by asking for recommendations from friends and family, and check online reviews and ratings. You can also visit the websites of local home builders and look at the portfolios of homes they have built in the past. This will give you a good idea of their experience, skills, and style.

#3. Checking Their Qualifications

When choosing a home builder, it is important to verify their qualifications and credentials. Look for builders who are licensed and insured, and who have a good reputation in the community. You can also check with local organizations, such as the National Association of Home Builders, to see if the builder is a member and has received any awards or recognition.

#4. Evaluating Their Communication Skills

Building a new home is a complex process that requires good communication between you and your builder. It is important to choose a builder who is willing to listen to your needs and is able to provide clear and concise information about the building process. You should also look for a builder who is accessible and responsive, and who is committed to keeping you informed throughout the building process

#5. Understanding Their Process

Different builders have different processes for building homes, so it is important to understand the process of the builder you are considering. Look for builders who have a clear and organized process, and who are able to provide a detailed timeline of the building process. You should also look for builders who are transparent and upfront about their costs, and who are willing to provide a detailed estimate of the cost of the project.

#6. Reviewing Their Warranty

Building a new home is a significant investment, so it is important to choose a builder who offers a good warranty. Look for builders who offer a warranty on their workmanship and materials, and who are willing to stand behind their product. You should also look for builders who are willing to address any issues that may arise after the home is built, and who are committed to ensuring your satisfaction with the finished product.

#7. Asking for References

One of the best ways to assess the quality of a home builder is to talk to people who have worked with them in the past. Ask the builder for references, and take the time to speak with previous clients about their experience. This will give you a good idea of the builder's reputation, and help you make an informed decision about whether they are the right builder for you.

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Choosing the Right Home Builder - A Guide to Making the Right Choice

One of the most important decisions you will make during the home building process is choosing the right home builder.

With Home Depot and Lowes empowering weekend warriors and DIYers like never before, a question many people ask is, “At what point do I need a contractor for my project?”