Your home is one of the largest investments of your life! If you bought a new, big-screen TV, and 8 months later, it stopped operating, would you expect the manufacturer to fix it? Of course you would, because you received a written warranty that stated the TV would work for longer than 8 months. So why would you accept a 1-year implied warranty on your new home? It only makes sense to ask your builder to provide a limited written 10-year warranty from American eWarranty. WHAT A WARRANTY IS: When your home is being built, you trust that your builder … Read more »

Summer is nearly here! And with the warmer weather, many homeowners are considering including a deck in their new home construction. In addition, existing homeowners are thinking of adding or updating an existing deck. Whether you build or remodel, you must stay abreast of building code standards, and they are changing! Check out the newest standards at the Journal of Light Construction: JLC Treated Wood Deck Framing  

We all know that in the summer, when the sun pours on the heat, that the most comfortable remedy is to turn the AC on high. But running the AC at full blast can give us a major headache when the electric bill arrives. How can you keep your cool without breaking the bank? Here are some low energy ideas to mitigate the toastiest of days!   ALL NATURAL When possible, avoid synthetic fabrics. Whether it’s your clothing or your bedding, natural materials not only allow for better air circulation, but also wick moisture away from your body. Both of … Read more »

Have you noticed the latest home design trend? It’s sweeping the country, with one goal in mind: creating a space in a home which connects and merges into the outdoors. This harmonizes well with the use of natural materials and artisan touches which recently has also become a prominent design trend. There are several ways to incorporate this “inside out” feel into the homes you build – some rather traditional and some quite innovative. WINDOWS The first way to open up a room to the outdoors is with windows. Floor-to-ceiling windows which hinge or slide open onto a patio, terrace … Read more »

The trends for 2016 house construction styles have been published, and in terms of exterior home finishes, it’s a bit of a crazy quilt! While different sections of the U.S. have varying color palettes, one trend which covers all is using a variety of materials on the house exterior. Mix and Match: The varying roof lines and bump-out areas of previous popular architectural design are still hot, but with an updated twist. First of all, the look of a single style or color of siding is old. Instead, 2016 features a mix and match approach to finishes. A stone façade … Read more »

When you hear the abbreviation, PH, you think … hmmm, didn’t I learn something about that back in the day, in science class? Well, while it’s true that pH IS a scientific term, it also could represent the Passive House, an up-and-coming building type that’s growing in popularity. The reason for this trend is the nature of the Passive House. It may be just about any building design that exists, but the way it’s constructed makes it nearly airtight and greatly reduces the need for heating, cooling and lighting. These homes are incredibly energy-efficient, extremely sound-proof and very stable in … Read more »

If you have a solid grasp of what the market trends are in construction, you can better design your homes to accommodate those trends. This in turn should increase your sales price and your number of home sales. Let’s take a look at what is on the current home-buyer’s wish list. SINGLE FAMILY HOMES While multi-family housing was a hot trend in the 2015 housing industry, in 2016 it is predicted to slow. Instead, the single family home will have a 20% increase, according to Dodge Data’s 2016 Construction Outlook. The main driving force for this increase is the Millennial … Read more »

In this 21st Century world, being digital and online is a must for growing your business. Yet many of us, who did not grow up “plugged in,” find it difficult to know where to start in generating a presence online. But from customer service to lead generation, the internet is really one of your best resources for building your reputation, name-recognition and ultimately business. Let’s take a look at how you can get started … with mobile technology. MOBILE DEVICES: Nearly every person in the US owns a cell phone of some sort, and most are smartphones. Another mobile technology … Read more »

In this 21st Century world, being digital and online is a must for growing your business. Yet many of us, who did not grow up “plugged in,” find it difficult to know where to start in generating a presence online. But from customer service to lead generation, the internet is really one of your best resources for building your reputation, name-recognition and ultimately business. Let’s take a look at how you can get started … with a blog. WHY A BLOG? If using technology is relatively new to you, you might wonder what a blog even is. The word is … Read more »

In this 21st Century world, being digital and online is a must for growing your business. Yet many of us, who did not grow up “plugged in,” find it difficult to know where to start in generating a presence online. But from customer service to lead generation, the internet is really one of your best resources for building your reputation, name-recognition and ultimately business. Let’s take a look at how you can get started … with LinkedIn, YouTube and Flickr Social Media. SOCIAL MEDIA: As with Facebook and Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube and Flickr can provide additional exposure to your business. … Read more »