March 24th, 2009
As almost every entreprenuer is jumping on the green bandwagon I’m seeing more evidence that greed is slowly slipping in. I’m not sure about other places in the United States, but in rural Maine we don’t have the resources to spend too much green (our VERY hard earned dollars) on green technology. I love this slide show highlighting the “Ecofabulous Home.” This is a 1000 square foot home filled with green technology and energy saving sustainable building ideas, mixed with contemporary beauty. For all the beauty and “greenness” the price tag ranges between $200,000-$300,000. This is just a bit rich for my wallet – I am healthy, but I don’t think I’ll be living long enough to see a savings payback that will justify spending that much money up front. What I’m really looking for is the practical green, not the pricey green.
March 17th, 2009
Some of us need visual tools to be able to really see what a room will look like with our furniture in it. Those of us who aren’t artistically inclined cannot conjure up a picture in our minds of the finished product – no matter how hard we try. I found some tools on the Better Homes and Gardens (you do need to create a free log-in first) website that help us with our handicap. This arrange the room tool lets you create a room of any size and shape and then add basic furniture pieces into the room. You can even change the color and dimensions of the furniture to mimic your own. That way you will get an idea of what the room will look like when your home is built and you put your finishing touches in it. If you look through their tools menu, you can find the same type of tool to arrange a deck, a garden and even to try different window treatments. It’s addictive so beware when you visit the site, you might spend a little time there. Happy Planning!
March 10th, 2009
Although there has been a lot of information available on the modular process recently, I thought this video; Modular Home Introductory Video from NAHB (National Association of Homebuilders) was exceptionally instructional. It shows a little more of the factory process and clarifies that modular building can be customized. I have made multiple factory tours of systems built products and it always fascinates me. Every process is so efficient and each worker does his or her job with such precision. That really shines through in this video – it’s worth watching.
February 24th, 2009
Are you still wondering if now is the time to own your home? With the new economic stimulus for first time home buyers you have quite an incentive to venture into the new home market. That’s just one reason to make a move to buy a home now. Check out this list at Realtor.org for seven reasons to own your home. It’s a buyer’s market right now with some of the best building incentives there has ever been. You can check out some of our specials from our website. Feel free to call one of our home specialists with any questions and start your new home purchase today.
December 9th, 2008
Every year someone’s holiday cheer turns into a holiday disaster. In our excitement and joy sometimes we overlook the basic Christmas safety rules. It pays to read them over and take precautions to prevent accidents while we are decorating and baking for the holidays. Check out these Christmas Safety Tips. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!
September 25th, 2008
Planning, planning and more planning is the guide to being satisfied with your new custom built home. I found a great website for helping you research and do your homework on every room in your new home. It includes ideas for anything from a home library to a private sports complex. Lighting, furniture, design and many other areas are touched upon. Some of the ideas need to be incorporated into your initial building plan to be viable. Others ideas help you make your new home reflect your own special personal touches. Visit the Home Building Center and find links to take your creativity into a whole new realm.
September 4th, 2008
You don’t have to go broke making your new home look classy. Small changes and little details can change the appearance of the ordinary and turn it into the extraordinary. I especially like the high end accents found in This Old House Magazine. Cambria makes quartz switch plates and and knobs that will match your countertops, giving your room a pulled together, high end home design feeling. The great news is that it won’t empty your wallet. These pretty little additions start at about $15 each. Browse through all of the “Bang-for-Your-Buck” ideas and see if there is one that catches your fancy.
September 2nd, 2008
The future for building new homes in general is changing rapidly. New green building techniques are appearing all the time. Creative architecture is becoming more popular in all types of building; commercial as well as residential. However, if you had asked me the future of modular building technology, I wouldn’t have come up with some of the ideas found at the MoMA’s exhibit in Philadelphia. The exhibit includes the “Cellophane House” which is a glass house with solar and photovoltaic panels, the “System 3″ which features a wall less bathroom and the “Micro Compact Home” which is described as an Airstream trailer on stilts. I’m pretty sure I’m ready for new energy ideas, but the wall less bathroom hopefully won’t come into vogue until I’ve departed this earth! To read more about these exciting new ideas for modular building technology read this article in the Philadelphia Weekly or go to the MoMA blog.
July 29th, 2008
If you are a visual person you probably don’t need help imagining what your bedroom will look like painted your favorite hue of lilac. However, if you need a little help seeing just how that ivy colored trim will look with your lilac walls, check out the color assistant at My Home Ideas. This great tool lets you choose from a variety of rooms and styles and then peruse through hundreds of color choices for the walls, trim and ceiling. You can point and click trying literally thousands of different combinations – instead of guessing what your choice will look like, the virtual room will change colors right before your eyes – then you will know for sure if your room will be everything you imagined. It’s lots of fun – try it out : The Color Assistant
July 17th, 2008
Some green building has hidden benefits – the incentives, tax rebates and tax credits that are hard to keep track of. The Green Made Simple website lets you search for all kinds of free bonus and incentive programs for making your home more green. All you need to do is put in your zip code and search by category and you will be enlightened to all kinds of savings and benefits you never knew existed. It’s like shopping a super sale…gotta love that. Check it out at Green Made Simple.
