Gut Feeling

We have all heard that old saying, trust your gut feeling haven’t we?

Maybe it was regarding a football game that should be an easy win or maybe it is the confidence that our brother’s new girlfriend is not the ‘one.’

“It just didn’t feel right,” is our natural response or, “I had a gut feeling that their relationship wasn’t going to last long.”

Well, turns out that your gut feeling, your first response is right more times than not, so go with it and be more intuitive. Trust that feeling, that inner voice.

Intuition is the ability to understand it instinctively, without the need of conscious decision.

I mention this to you because of a recent conversation that I had with a client. She interviewed six custom home builders as her and her husband decided to buy a lot and hire a licensed residential contractor to build their new dream home.

She was slightly overwhelmed, but let’s face it, building a home is a huge endeavor with one of the biggest investment in our lifetime. A huge commitment for anyone to endure.

So it is encouraged to research all of your options, prepare notes, seek advice from your bank or a loan officer and interview a handful of builders.

‘I was impressed with every builder that we interviewed and all of them had some great selling points too,’ she noted. ‘I feel like each one of these builders are capable to build us a custom home, but I went with my gut feeling,’ she finalized.

I decided to hire the builder that I was most comfortable with during our meetings. He was not the most expensive contractor on my list and he was not the cheapest bidder. I just felt confident that he would be honest and communicate with me to address any issues that might come up during the construction of our custom home.

Although each builder was qualified, she knew that there would be a few changes made on the fly or even a mistake or two during the construction of their home , so it came down to trust. She wanted to know which builder would be open to her ideas, but more importantly which builder would be upfront and honest and tell her what they can (build or install) or cannot do for this specific project.

Sometimes we need someone that we trust to tell us why we can or cannot do certain projects when building a custom home.

So, be intuitive and trust your gut instinct.

wwwcarbonhomesllc.com

Hidden Cost in Home Construction

HIDDEN COSTS IN HOME CONSTRUCTION
Oops there goes another one!

Have you ever gotten a quote from a professional that seems affordable so, in good faith, you move forward with the project only to learn (that the estimate quoted) is merely a fraction of the final bill?

So, you dispute the bill with your contractor who justifies the addition expense due to 12% increase for materials and the project will take 6 days instead of 4 days to complete.

Shut the front door!

Not only do you get caught off guard, you never saw a change order, much less signed any contract that you agree to additional or incremental cost.

What is a change order? A change order is work that is added to or deleted from the original scope of work of a contract, which alters the original contract amount and/or completion date. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Change_order

A change order may fork a new project to handle significant changes to the current project.

Occasionally, the client will want to add can lights to the foyer or request cedar columns for porch, or switch out a ceiling fan, maybe decide on higher end appliances.

Or, a change order may become an entirely new project to handle significant changes to the current project.
Whatever the case, it must be signed and dated by both parties.

If not, then your contractor missed something on his original estimate and did not quote the entire project with a detail for scope of work.
Or greed drives him to justify the addition cost by convincing you, ‘it is more work than we realized.’

Really?

A trusted builder or contractor will incur additional expenses for specific projects in home construction, but it is their job to be fully aware of material pricing and his trade’s labor cost. If the project is slightly more (costly) than quoted, an honest contractor will take the hit and not pass it on to their clients.

Reliable contractors do exist and Carbon Custom Homes survives with this mantra, “Open communication with each client is paramount. Keep each client heavily involved with the building process. Bring your best trades and over deliver.”

A learning lesson for all.

www.carbonhomesllc.com

Today's Floor Plan

Today’s Floor Plan  

Two Master Suites

Over the past year I have noticed more and more clients are interested in building a home with a custom floor plan that includes two master suites.

There are many reasons for this trend with some baby boomers sharing their household with aging parents as well as kids welcoming their grandmother into their home or recent graduates come back home until they can earn a salary that allows them to rent or purchase a home.  

Unfortunately, many elders are faced with medical issues; some are spending over $500 a month for daily prescriptions. Tough dilemma & Social security will not suffice.

Another reason we see this trend is that more and more couples are sleeping in separate quarters. No, it is not always an argument that sends our spouse to the couch or guest bedroom. Everyone has a unique sleeping pattern that can be easily disturbed.

There is nothing worse than trying to catch much needed rest and your husband is snoring. Better yet, the wife has restless leg syndrome that seems to ‘come alive’ at 2:32 am. The Jimmy leg has frustrated many of us!

Bottom line, we need our sleep and there is no love lost when we fumble down the hallway cursing the old man for waking us up at 3:16 am with a snore that rattles the bedroom windows.

Regardless if you are a caregiver to a parent or your sleeping habits have you considering a home with two master suites; this trend is here for the long haul.

Currently, Carbon custom homes have 19 custom homes under construction throughout this region, from fort mill, sc to Mooresville, NC.

We have projects in four counties, including one at Lake Norman and another starting at Lake Wylie soon. Both have two master suites.

As a matter of fact, five of current custom homes have two master suites. We are building homes with two master suites on main floor and others with second master suite located in loft or in a 1,000 square foot basement.

Interested in building a new home with two master suites? You are not alone. Call us and we would be more than happy to show you floor plans & discuss the opportunity to build your custom home.

www.Carbonhomesllc.com

Got a lot? We will build your custom home on your lot

Got a lot?

We will build your custom home on your lot

Did you know that there are nearly 75 new communities in our region? Large production builders and tract home builders have picked up the pace with large parcels of land going to highest bidder. Turn up the volume, because there is no backing down on the Charlotte housing market in the foreseeable future.

Some of these builders have reputation for building quality homes while others are known as production builders.

For those who do not know the term, production builders work on volume. They try to complete a new build every 2 weeks after their land developer tries to see how many houses they can fit on 75 acres.  Their profit for adding a third or fourth home on a cul de sac is crucial.

It is a fast and furious pace that creates chaos for all parties involved. All of the trades, suppliers dropping off materials, inspectors, the realtors and the port a john trucks clogged the streets during construction of these new communities.

Quite hectic and to be candid, I am not in line to purchase one of these tract homes. No desire to fight 300 neighbors on the morning commutes out of my cul de sac and I really do not want to watch my neighbor shave his back in his downstairs bathroom only 20 feet away from my house.  

Don’t get me wrong, there are some nice homes being built in our region. No doubt. It’s just a large gap between the high end homes at $700,000 plus and these production homes averaging $190,000.  What about folks who are more likely in the $300,000 to $500,000 range? Future home buyers that want a quality built home on a piece of land with more than a 6 foot fence between them and neighbors.

What about those people those are stuck in between price range, but want to pay for a custom home? Those people in between the $180,000 vinyl home and the million dollar mansion?

Here is a suggestion for folks like me that are the ‘tweeners. Look for land. Look for a lot that suits your needs. Buy the lot and call me. We would love to build your custom home on your land.  

Carbon Custom Homes will keep you involved throughout the entire construction of your home and build it with your needs & wants. Now that is a win-win.

“Green acres is the place for me.

Farm livin’ is the life for me

Land spreadin’ out so far and wide

Keep Manhattan, just give me that countryside.”

www.carbonhomesllc.com