First steps for a new construction custom or semi custom home
11 years ago
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Brands of semi/custom-custom cabinets made in the US
Comments (7)I'm certain those in the Boston area (beantown?) can recommend a good local custom cabinet maker. These can be competitive in price to any mid to high end manufacturer. I went with Crystal, which is made in Minnesota. In the price spectrum, it is considered mid-high. I am quite satisfied thus far, as I near completion....See MoreFavorite custom or semi-custom white painted wood cabinets
Comments (11)If you are near an Amish cabinetry maker, you may find they can do the kitchen for the same cost I have Crystal Cabinet Works beaded inset cabinets and I'm very pleased. I purchased mine during a "free paint" and "free inset" promotion. They allow you to combine their Keyline (less customization, lower price) and full custom offerings that keeps their pricing in the mid to mid-high category. (They were far less than the Fieldstone). They have a good reputation here and among my preferred contractors. There is a good thread here on pricing comparison of white painted shaker cabinets....See MoreSemi-Custom Home Modifications
Comments (17)Thanks everyone. We decided to hold off on the half wall and just live with it for a while. I will still tell the construction manager our plans and take a look at what is going behind the drywall before they close it up. As for removing it all together, I know complete open concept is the trend, but we actually like a little separation. You can’t tell it from this picture, but that back room is completely open to the eating and kitchen area which is all the openness we need or want! We are still pushing for the master bath change, but worst case are going to keep the design simple and can change it later. The reason we did not push these harder before signing is because we negotiated a very large discount thanks in part to the Holiday timing, and felt that this large discount was more important than these design changes. Lastly, per a couple of the comments about the quality of the builder apparent in the pictures, you are right, we went with a lower-end builder to get a whole lot more for our money and intend to add some of the special design touches on our own later, i.e. millwork. This is a second home for us and budget is limited. I appreciate the feedback....See Morecustom vs semi custom build
Comments (15)For a spec home, the builder/developer typically writes their own generic list of specs and allowances for the project to build a plan that they have selected. This helps ensure they are able to control the building costs and process through their chosen team with as little input from the client as possible. A spec house builder proposes what they think you will want in the home and will usually make simple change order adjustments up or down based on your selections during the project. As a custom builder, I can tell you that simple process doesn’t cut it for most custom home building projects. Custom homes begin with the vision of the client and architect as a collaborative effort. The architect usually provides an extremely detailed set of building plans and an accompanying set of building specifications for each project. It’s best for the Owner to have selected their Builder early in the design process so that we may review the evolution of the project and suggest ways to control the budget. We have had a number of clients over the years who called in a panic after the plans were complete and they began receiving their first bids on the project from other builders that far exceeded the budget. They were painted into a corner without knowing how much the project would cost. Good architects help eliminate that problem early. Anyway, our job as a custom builder is to review all the plans and specs and develop a list of any problems we see that need to be addressed as well as evaluate the allowance values that are sometimes established by the architect during the bid process. Our job is to evaluate someone’s vision and assemble all of the details to make it happen. After a series of lengthy planning meetings between Owner and Builder before the contract is signed, we hash out as many potential selections, upgrades, value savings deducts as possible and then use the architects specs as a guideline to create our own contract set of specs for the owner. This process of getting to know the client is what defines most custom builders. The more we know about the client, what inspires them, their trigger points which may affect the project, the better. And when it comes time to build the home, every detail has to be perfect and the client owns your schedule until the home is done. We charge more because custom homes take up way more time than spec homes. As for allowances, we provide allowances for things like tile, flooring, cabinetry, countertops, appliances, water wells, etc. The appliance allowance includes a quote from our preferred vendor with all model numbers. When the time comes for the client to pick out certain products, they know the budget, and they are welcome to shop as many vendors as they wish. My time is included to help with coordination if they chose my preferred vendor. I charge extra for additional coordination time to evaluate multiple vendors because that process requires much more time. I hope this helps. Every builder has their own method that works for them. This is just how we approach the process. Best of luck!...See MoreRelated Professionals
Fayetteville Architects & Building Designers · Palos Verdes Estates Architects & Building Designers · South Pasadena Architects & Building Designers · Lake Butler Design-Build Firms · Newington Home Builders · Commerce City Home Builders · Dinuba Home Builders · Frisco Home Builders · West Pensacola Home Builders · Salisbury Home Builders · Four Corners General Contractors · Dunedin General Contractors · Saint Paul General Contractors · University City General Contractors · West Melbourne General Contractors- 11 years ago
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