Maine Modular & Custom Home News

Where do the glamorous items in home decorating magazines come from?  Look at the top picks for high end custom design products as seen in the Custom Home Online e-magazine.  You will see that nothing is impossible.  If you’re like me, you will love all of these great features and fixtures, but you might not have thought of them without a little help.  Who wouldn’t love a custom soaking stone, but who would have looked for the perfect boulder to make it from?  Looking at what others have come up with for great ideas, might just inspire your own ideas….check it out: Fine Finishes.

and you’re home, but is there enough light, the right kind of light, too much light?  Choosing the lighting for your home is just another step in the building process.  Did you know there are three types of interior lights?  Ambient, task and accent lighting.  Then there are the many types of fixtures and bulbs to choose that fit your particular style.  It’s more than just walking in, flipping the switch, and then there was light!  Check out the DiY Network article on interior lighting basics to get started.  It will get you thinking about what you want to illuminate in your new home.  Lighting Basics. 

There was a time when a fireplace was the main heating and cooking source for the family.  Many an evening could find the family gathered around the fireplace.  Now, with new construction technology, fireplaces are not necessary.  Yet their aesthetic value is as strong as ever.  The task is to incorporate a fireplace without creating an energy loss.  It’s hard enough keeping your new home warm without a drafty fireplace.  Hearth by Design lets you choose the features that are most important to you, and then presents you with alternative fireplaces that fit your qualifications.  Just a few mouse clicks will guide you to the fireplace of your dreams.  Create your perfect firepace here.

This highly durable, environmentally friendly flooring was once the predominant flooring used in building.  With the availability of less expensive vinyl flooring, natural linoleum has been used less and less.  This beautiful floor has a life span of 30-40 years, compared to vinyl flooring which needs to be replaced every 10-20 years.  So, saving a few pennies up front putting in vinyl, may not really be the most cost effective floor choice in the long run.  In addition, the natural flooring is renewable and biodegradable, highly sought after qualities these days.  Learn more about natural linoleum flooring, and find out where to buy it.

Your home is complete and you’ve moved in, what next?  More and more people are concentrating on their outdoor space and all that it can offer them.  How about a wrap around deck or a gazebo?  So much is available these days.  Special lighting, beautiful walkways, outdoor stereo and designer firepits. Some decorating tips include that your outdoor furniture should be one third larger than your indoor furniture.  Who knew?  For more ideas read Stylish Outdoor Living.

The ad was for concrete countertops……that peaked my interest.  Of course my concrete thinking had me envisioning a gray slab in a gray kitchen.  Not exactly appealing in my mind.  Then I saw the amazing ways that concrete can be used creatively and how the use of   chemical stains, coloring pigments, various aggregates and apoxy coatings produce beautiful granite like countertops.  Additionally, there are concrete fireplace surrounds, concrete furniture, vertical stamped concrete walls and other very creative uses of concrete.  I’m so glad there are artisans that look beyond the gray and make all these wonderful things for us to enjoy.  See what it’s all about at the Concrete Network.

I’ve been in the building industry for several years so when I read the questions on this quiz I thought I would whiz right through it with all the right answers.  Little did I know just how much I really don’t know.  I scored a 6 out of 12.  Ugh! Yet when my score was announced it said “Good Job! You have a strong grasp of architecture.”  It’s just a reminder to me how much there is to learn about building structure and design.  Want to see how well you fair on the quiz???  Your architectural savvy quiz.

There are a couple of proposals that have been referred to the Business, Research and Economic Development Committee by the legislature.  One is a recommendation for a uniform state wide building code.  The other is a recommendation for licensing of home building contractors.  To read about the details and the current status of these two recommendations click on the following links: Building Code or Contractor License.

Considering a new home?  I bet you have more questions than answers.  Wouldn’t it be nice to have a chance to learn about the design and building process plus get all your questions answered without a high-pressure sales pitch?

At Schiavi Home Builders, you’ll never get the high-pressure pitch but still, all those questions need answering.  That’s why we initiated our Home Buyer’s Seminars.  Each presentation is like a mini course in building a new home.  The information applies to most builders not just us.  So even if you haven’t picked a builder yet, this seminar might be just the thing to get your project moving.

What will you learn about?  Generally, the topics include: Designing a New Home, How to Plan the Process, What to Know about Financing.  And we allow plenty of time to answer questions.

Yes, we’ll have staff there.  But our goal is to help folks better understand the process.  We’re not there to try to sell a house.  For people who are ready, however, we will have an offer for special savings.

We’ll be announcing the dates for the next sessions soon.  It’s not too early to claim a seat.  Let us know you are interested and we’ll put your name on the list.  As soon as the dates are set we’ll let you know.  Best of all, like the best things in our life, our Home Buyer Seminars are FREE!

I was reading an article in the Miami Herald explaining that John McCain proposed raising the minimum down payment on home mortgages.   There would be no more zero down payment home loans, or so called “piggy-back” loans allowed.  Even the FHA would be required to raise it’s 3% required down payment.  As I realized what an impact that could have on the housing market I decided to do a little more research. 

I went to the websites of each of the current presidential candidates and tried to find their position on home mortgages.  I could not find reference to this proposal anywhere on John McCain’s site, and I thought that both the Obama and Clinton sites were vague on the issue.  What I did realize is that the next president could affect the way the entire country buys and sells homes.

Here are the three candidates’ websites and their economic policies: Obama, Clinton, McCain