custom: Cost Plus Can Cost More
- 10/28/11 11:43 AM
One of the insider secrets of the building industry is that Cost Plus contracts often lead to a more expensive home than Fixed Price contracts. Time and time again we see families who want to “beat the system” by doing a Cost Plus contract they will get a better house for less money. In most cases, the reality is much different. Cost Plus contracts lead buyers into a false sense of security so they feel comfortable changing their mind, adding elements and features, going over budget or just redoing something. Often they fail to see the subsequent consequences of these decisions … (0 comments)
custom: Free Newsletter
- 09/24/11 06:01 PM
We publish a monthly electronic newsletter. We provide this free to our friends and families and we NEVER share your informationn with third party companies.
If you wish to subscribe to our monthly enewsletter the link is - https://app.expressemailmarketing.com/Survey.aspx?SFID=103992
A sample of our most recent newsletter is here - http://www.garabedianproperties.com/Info/issue.pdf
We provide information on designing and building your new custom home, renovating of your current home and industry insider information on how to care for you existing home.
Please call or message us with any questions you may have about subscribing.
Michael Garabedian
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custom: How much per square foot does it cost to build a custom home?
- 05/22/11 01:57 AM
Although a common question you can no more price a home by the square foot than you can by the pound. Just like any other product the features and amenities you include contribute to the final price. Many Variables Home pricing can vary due to a host of factors including the design, amount of cabinets, type of appliances and the light fixtures you select. Raw material pricing can vary your costs as well. It is not uncommon to see the price of a lumber package fluctuate by several thousands of dollars in 30 days. Just recently we witnessed rebar steel surge by almost … (0 comments)
custom: Cheap Gas?
- 06/06/10 02:13 AM
Summer is here and Americans are hitting the highways for family road trips. This brings to mind a story of an imaginary family on an imaginary road trip and two imaginary gas stations. Dad was driving along I-35 towards the beautiful Texas Hill Country (all of Texas is beautiful, however for this story we will focus on just one area). He noticed his tank was getting low in gas so he pulled off into a town we will call Texasville. He drove into a brand new Lexon gas station. The Lexon was new, clean and bustling with activity. Before filling up, … (0 comments)
custom: Do Small Builders Only Build Big Homes?
- 04/18/10 01:34 AM
Many times when I share my profession with someone, they immediately say "Oh, you build all those big homes". Although it is nice to be acknowledged for our work, it is frustrating that this common misconception keeps many families from enjoying the satisfaction of working with a small custom builder. This misconception persists due to some realities that govern our industry. Here are some of factors that are at work; Lot Prices The least expensive lots are often found in large master planned communities. The economies of scale in these developments combined with selling the lots off very quickly allows for … (0 comments)
custom: Two + Two = Nine
- 04/08/10 04:53 AM
Add CommentOne of the hardest aspects of construction for home buyers to understand is how homes of similar size and room counts can have so many variances in their respective prices. In one of my continuing education classes Steve Zbranek, our instructor, placed a very simple drawing on the board which helps illustrate the quandary homeowners face when reviewing pricing on their home. Example Please note the examples below. Structure A measures 10' x 10' for a total size of 100 square feet in size. This creates a total of 40 linear feet of wall space. Structure B measures 2' x … (0 comments)
custom: Wooded Lots, Are They Worth It?
- 03/14/10 12:48 PM
With spring approaching, the hunt for the perfect home lot is underway for most families. This reminded me of an article I wrote a few years back on the pros and cons of selecting wooded lots over lots with few or no trees on them. Now please don't get me wrong, I love big trees as much as the next person and few things are more beautiful than a yard full of mature trees surrounding a luxurious Garabedian Home. However, there are some hidden costs which should be considered when selecting a wooded lot to build upon. Lot Premiums It is … (0 comments)
custom: You Don't Have To Spend A Million Dollars
- 02/15/10 02:55 PM
You don't have to spend a million dollars to have a custom built home. One of the most common misconceptions about custom home builders is that they only build expensive homes. The reality is most custom homes cost much less than a million dollars.
What is a custom home? A custom home is when a family works with a builder to design the floor plan, select the site and designate the amenities and features of their new home based upon their own decisions and budget. The plans can be designed from scratch or modifications of an existing plan. … (2 comments)
custom: Trading Homes Is Easier Than You Think (Part 3 of 3)
- 12/06/09 03:23 AM
One of the largest hurdles families face in the search for a new home is what to do about the home they are currently living in. We hope this three part series helps illustrate how trading a home can benefit a family. The first of this series discusses the most common hurdles families face when seeking to move to a new home. The second part discussed how a new home builder offering a Trade In Your Home program can help overcome these challenges. This third part of the series will discuss how the steps of a trade program work. Where to … (0 comments)
custom: Trading Your Home Is Easier Than You Think (Part 2 of 3)
- 11/28/09 03:47 AM
One of the largest hurdles families face in the search for a new home is what to do about the home they are currently living in. We hope this three part series helps illustrate how trading a home can benefit a family. The first of this series discussed the most common hurdles families face when seeking to move to a new home. This second part discusses how a new home builder offering a Trade In Your Home program can help overcome these challenges. The third part will discuss how a trade program works. What Is Trading Trading your home is when … (0 comments)
custom: The Death Of The Media Room?
- 07/29/09 05:49 AM
The Rage For decades, media rooms have been the rage. They started as bonus space above the garage and morphed into massive spaces with a dozen speakers, multiple seating levels, 120" screens, $5,000 leather seats, wet bars, popcorn machines and much more. The desire to recreate the theater experience at home was a powerful motivation for families to pour money into these rooms and for audio/video companies to develop entire lines of premium equipment, lighting and furniture to fill up these spaces. Over The Garage In the first generation, media rooms stared out over the garages as it was cost effective to finish … (0 comments)
One of the insider secrets of the building industry is that Cost Plus contracts often lead to a more expensive home than Fixed Price contracts. Time and time again we see families who want to “beat the system” by doing a Cost Plus contract they will get a better house for less money.
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