The old Visitor Center in Matamata, New Zealand was remodeled with a new exterior shell based on the architecture of Hobbiton and the Green Dragon Inn. I appreciated their honesty in advertising. My son and I toured New Zealand and visited the Hobbiton Tourist Farm. In a tourist farm, the tourists are apparently the livestock! People still crave a deep connection…
You’ve gone through the process of visiting display homes, choosing the right design, and signed the contract – it’s finally time for your new home build. A new home build will require 6 – 12 months (subject to a range of factors) to complete, with a set sequence of stages that take place. Understanding the timeline will help you keep track of the progress and…
If you wish to build a house, you must obtain planning permission from your local authority before you start construction. The law requires that you need planning permission for virtually every significant development. It is important to be aware from the start therefore, that if you fail to obtain planning permission where it is required, you may run the risk…
No, you do not. BUT, in most municipalities you must fill out a form that shows the license information of all the sub contractors you plan to use. But as the homeowner, you have the right to build your own house. It is doable if you are a “worker.” If you are someone who isn’t afraid to buckle down and make phone calls, send bills, get bills, make more phone…
So, you’re considering extending your home? Most people are full of enthusiasm and keen to crack on with any new project, but with a little thought, careful planning and patience you will be much more likely to get your desired end result. Before you get carried away with the excitement of the project and start choosing new kitchens or furniture, there are many…
When it comes to dream houses, Americans are changing the very definition. Sure, there are still plenty of McMansions going up. But thanks to the intersection of key trends, including a growing environmental awareness, the Tiny House crowd, a continuing rise of DIY esprit in the Maker Movement and the advent of 3D printing, the romantic lure of picking up a hammer…
Construction loans finance building on land. Regardless of your credit history, financing home construction is usually going to be more challenging than finding a mortgage on a prebuilt home. When you have bad credit, the situation becomes even more challenging. Generally, your choices are to get creative or to delay your project and work on your credit. At times…
The sunny backyard of this newly built Venice home is designed for lapping up the sunshine and swimming some laps. Floor-to-ceiling sliding doors bring natural light into the open-plan living and dining room. The ground-level bedroom suite can double as an office and guest room. Address: 1519 Louella Ave., Venice, CA 90291 Price: $3.295 million Built: 2017 Lot…
Green building websites can be confusing. One site might tell you that a green home should include spray foam insulation, a tankless water heater, and a geothermal heating system. After you’ve absorbed this advice, you visit another website, where you learn that spray foam is a dangerous petrochemical, tankless water heaters are overpriced gadgets, and “geothermal”…
Courtesy of Apis Cor In recent times, 3D printing technology has made some great strides in its production content and quality, and now it has successfully printed the world’s first liveable house in Stupino, Russia. Responsible for this feat are San Francisco 3D printing startup Apis Cor, and Russian real estate developer PIK, who began the project in December…
Tiny fantasy or big mistake? Courtesy of Kristen Moeller Tiny homes offer the escapist fantasy of having less: less square footage, less responsibility, and less stuff. The idea has been particularly trendy in recent years. Tiny homes — which typically include any free-standing, single-family home that s less than 1, square feet — have been the subject of countless…
Sears sold a variety of plans and materials for houses, including Modern Home No.147, available for $872 in 1913. courtesy of Sears Well, it was more than enough to cover the materials for a house anyway. Back then, the starting price of a house from Sears, Roebuck & Company, which shipped home components in parts that would have to be assembled by buyers…
Bedroom - low cost per square foot I don t like being the one to tell people their house dreams and construction budgets aren t going to agree. But we take frequent calls from nice folks like you who ve been given bad information about what new homes cost to build. Often that information is based on a very simple (and way too low) square foot cost , and sometimes…
Whether you are building your home from the ground up or working with a builder to customize a floor plan and finishes, there are four key things that can make the difference between moving into your dream house or feeling trapped in your worst nightmare. Location, location, location If you’re building a house, you need to become a top-notch researcher, because…
ÂAround 10, years ago, man started to make fundamental changes in the way he lived. Slowly moving away from a nomadic lifestyle, he started staying in one place for longer periods. This was probably due to the ending of the last ice age creating more abundant resources. Man didn t have to travel as far to find food, so he stayed where food was plentiful. Over…
2017 Update : this archived post was originally written in 2014, based on data from 2013. The cost of building has increased since it was originally posted. Costs per square foot are higher now, so please be aware, although the relative cost of building in Colorado as compared to other regions of the USA has generally remained the same. One of the most common…
Building your own home can be a rewarding experience. It may also be one of the hardest things you ve ever done. Approaching the project with an understanding of the pitfalls can help you get through it. Caution is particularly important when doing this without a cash reserve. If you run out of money in the middle of the project, you can lose the building lot…
By 1 month ago Training and Events Prayer is conversation with God, which is especially important when you’re building the house of prayer. In life, we like to talk about the things that please us. It might be a good movie, a festive meal, or a special person or relationship, but the reality is the same—where there’s joy, the praise is natural, even effortless…
Every construction process is unique and depends on the scope and complexity of the project. But each time a sustainable house is built, the process follows typical steps, and the principles are similar for smaller scale projects like renovations. The articles Renovations and additions and Buying a home off the plan include more information on the construction…
A three bedroom rental demands higher rent than a two bedroom rental or studio. Renters should make sure that they actually need all of the space that a three bedroom home offers. Some apartments have a wide variety of features and bedrooms that are huge. They can also have two entrances, a laundry room, a dining area, foyer, and extra closet space as a special…
Unless you are paying cash for your project, you will need a construction loan to pay for the materials and labor, and you can use it to buy the land as well. Construction loans are a bit more complicated than conventional mortgage loans because you are borrowing money for a short term for a building that doesn’t yet exist. They are essentially a line of credit…
By Sarah Tumwebaze On a hot Tuesday, I sat in a conference room for nearly nine hours but the whole time, all the occupants of the room did not feel the need to either switch on the wall fans or the lights because the lighting and cooling in the room were sufficient. According to an architect who was part of the conference, the room was about 7 by 14 feet but…
The House Designers understands how exciting it is to build a new home! In an effort to make the process easier, we have put together this step-by-step home building guide to help you understand the different building phases and how it all comes together. 1 FOUNDATION: The foundation of your home is a critical element in the building process because it is what…
Want to buy an incredibly cheap house in Detroit? You re in luck - just make sure you read the fine print first. A new program introduced by Mayor Mike Duggan Monday addresses one of Detroit s largest problems - thousands of vacant and blighted houses - by auctioning off some of the nicest ones to people who want to live in a Detroit neighborhood. (Scroll down…
