By Carol Trusz
Estate Homes
Hugged your lot lately? Literally – no, but your emotions are centered on your land if you plan to build a new home, add-on to an existing house or tear-down and start all over. Great projects begin with a love of the location and a respect for its best attributes. Custom homes and remodels have a special feel, an aura all their own, a made-to-order sense of precision. Plan now for your home building project with a sense of place, space and vista. The results may be visionary.
Ground-up design is important from the smallest addition to an entirely new home. For most of us, our home is one of the largest financial decisions we will make, and one that if done properly can provide benefits for years to come, not only in dollars and cents, but also in the many things money can’t buy. The right home reflects the priorities of your family, from a vaulted great room perfect for holiday celebrations to a sunlit breakfast area ideal for Saturday morning pancakes. Take advantage of all your site has to offer; views, topographical advantages and existing neighborhood ambiance.
The dreams you are planning now will need a translator – a skilled designer that understands what your desires are; walks the lot you have chosen; or sits with you in your existing home and successfully incorporate your ideas along with strong architectural principles into a beautiful and functioning family home.
If you love your current neighborhood but you feel cramped or the view doesn’t inspire you – what can you do? Move? No, not necessarily, an addition or an alteration such as windows that change the structure of your house may bring you both space and privacy. L-shaped or H-shaped homes lend themselves to this situation. Fences, trees and hedges also offer a sense of privacy.
What brings your home from boring to one with flare? Money? “Not really,” says Craig Carney, Design Department Manager at Estate Homes, “It’s the trust relationship between you and your designer.” This trust is based on establishing the ground rules as you start the project. Be up front about your budget and its limitations, if any; the level of finishes you expect, ranging from elegant to practical; the square footage you need and the extra room you desire; and your site.
Recently, Carney designed a space over a garage that provided all the amenities the family needed for entertainment, guest accommodations and an extra hobby room. The final results look as if they were always a part of the home yet the convenience and extra room are welcome additions.
“A complex and difficult site may lead to more cost. Yet, there is a potential uniqueness in an unusual site that may have another type of value that isn’t immediately apparent”, advises Carney.
This is the opportunity for the home owner to take advantage of the designer’s creativity. It’s a blend of your expectations and the working relationship you develop with your design team. Together, you establish the dimensions of your project. You make calculated decisions on the scope of the project. You capitalize on the best your designer can give within the parameters you establish to make your dream home a reality that exceeds your expectations, articulates your personality and provides comfort and function.
These insights are just part of comprehensive planning that is available to you and your family. Look for a custom construction firm that has the design/build capabilities as an underlying core of their business. At Estate Homes each design customer begins with a thought provoking Planning Guide that inventories their preferences.
Estate Homes is a Full Service design and construction firm headquartered in Mill Creek.
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