Custom Home Architecture
Mountain Modern – KGA Design Contest
The first entry in our design contest is a mountain modern home designed by Ian Steven. This home is designed for a sloping mountain site. The large center hallway connects the entry foyer with the master suite on the opposite end, …
How to Create a Custom Home Program
Programming is the first step in the architectural design process, and creating a custom home program is the first thing you’ll do when you begin to work with an architect. The architectural program defines the scope, features, purpose, and functionality …
Consultants for Custom Home Building – Who Will I Need?
Custom home building is a team sport! In addition to the Architect and Builder, there are several other consultants that you may choose (or be required) to involve on your project. Many people are not familiar with these consultants or …
9 Questions to Ask When Hiring an Architect
Selecting an architect is an important decision. Most people interview 2 to 3 architects before making a choice. We are all familiar with the basic questions to ask, such as for references and portfolio examples. But sometimes you don’t know …
Custom Home Building Process – What to Expect
Building a custom home is, quite literally, making a dream come true. The benefit to custom home building is that you get to design and select nearly every single element that comprises your home. The custom home building process consists …
9 Common Mistakes to Avoid When Building a Custom Home
Unless you’ve done it before, building a custom home is a new and challenging process! Today we’re going to look at some of the most common mistakes that people make when building a custom home, and tips on how to …
Cost of Building a Custom Home
What is the cost of building a custom home? This is a common – and important – question that homeowners ask when considering building a custom home. There is no simple answer – the answer is always going to be, …
Helpful Tips for Handling the Emotional Roller Coaster of Remodeling or Building a Custom Home
Building a custom home or remodeling your current home is an exciting, fun, challenging and sometimes scary process. Our homes are extremely personal to us. Home is where we spend time with our loved ones, raise our children, entertain, work, …
How do Construction Loans Work?
Once you’ve made the decision to build a custom home, you will probably need to apply for a construction loan. Obtaining a construction loan is an unknown – and often confusing – process for many people, which is why we …
Understanding Architectural Fees for Custom Homes
In the first part of this blog we looked at different ways that architects charge for design services (if you missed it, you can read it here). Today we’re going to take a deeper look at the way we structure …
Benefits of Net-Zero Energy Homes
Net-Zero Energy homes are a hot topic these days, especially as prices for rooftop solar photovoltaics and LED lighting continue to plummet. More than ever, net-zero homes can be built for little to no added expense, and are often cheaper …
How Do Architectural Fees Work?
Architectural fees are a big concern (and rightly so!) for many homeowners planning to build a custom home or remodel their existing home. Fees vary per project and are influenced by a number of factors including: size, scope, site, specifications, …