When you’re building a new home, filling it with all the latest technology is one of the best parts. We’re able to create homes that look like they belong in a sci-fi movie thanks to modern technology.

There’s one thing to keep in mind while designing your new home. What’s coming down the pipeline when it comes to new tech? Designing your home with the future in mind makes it easy to add new features later on.

Here’s how you can future-proof your next custom home.

Installing AV Conduits

One of the biggest differences between modern homes and old ones is the amount of cabling and wires. In a modern home, you’ve got literally tons of data passing through it all the time. Wireless technology has made it easy to update an old home.

If you’re building a new home, make sure it’s hardwired. Hardwiring is capable of much higher throughput, which means you can stream data on more devices without experiencing any lag.

In contrast, hardwiring an old home is actually pretty difficult. You’d have to tear down all the walls to install the wires. It’s much easier to place wires in their desired position when the walls haven’t been put up yet, which is possible with a custom home builder.

Install audio-visual cables throughout your home, even if you don’t have plans for them yet. You never know when something new is going to catch your eye in the technology sector. Putting up the cables ahead of time will make it easier to add these potential features to your home.

Planning for New Automation

As homes have become increasingly full of devices and wires, there’s also been a rise in automation. Today’s homes have more automation than ever before, with more developments to come.

Automation comes with many advantages, including making life feel just a little simpler. By automating the lights, you’ll never have to worry about accidentally leaving the lights on when you’re out of town. They’ll also turn on whenever they detect movement, so you won’t have to struggle to reach the switch when your
hands are full.

You can even automate your blinds so that they’ll open as the sun rises. Automated garages provide a feeling of safety. You won’t forget to close them before going to bed because they can be programmed to automatically shut at the same time each night.

Considering Solar Panels

When you’re building a new home, it’s crucial to think about its power source. Typically, that means you’ll be plugging into the local electric grid. However, installing solar panels is another solution.

If you plan on going this route, you’ll need a sturdy roof to support the panels. If you’re building a new home, the panels and their wiring should be incorporated into the construction plans.

A full-sized solar system can produce enough energy to keep your home off-grid. In places like Colorado where sunshine is abundant, you may even be able to sell excess electricity back to the utility companies.

Creating an Energy-Efficient Home

Energy-efficiency is another area where it pays to be forward thinking. Make sure you’ve got plenty of insulation in the walls and attic. Also, look into windows with argon filling to help prevent most of your home’s heat loss.

As you can see, there’s a lot of things you can add to your home to make it ready for future tech. Reach out to us at Colarelli Custom Homes for help with your future-proof home.

Building a custom home can be an overwhelming task, especially if you jump in with no real direction. There are many questions you can ask yourself before taking the dive that can help guide you onto a smoother sailing path to your dream home.

What are my expectations with this new home?

Are you looking for a home that is completely custom down to the door knobs, or are you looking for an existing floor plan that is primarily predetermined with only some input by you and your family? Or do you desire a mix of both? Regardless of which route you choose, make your level of involvement very clear from the beginning to avoid frustration.

How big is my family (going to be) and how long will we be living in our new home?

Whether you are just starting out, have multiple children, or are empty nesters, asking yourself how big your family is or may become is very important. Family size should be considered for many reasons; most obviously the size of the home and number of bedrooms. If you expect your family to grow while you are living in your custom home, you will want to consider additional bedrooms, bathrooms and storage.

Longevity also comes into play when considering the location of your home. You may select a certain location based on school district for current or future children, proximity to your work and activities you frequent, and the long term viability of the area.

What is most important for our family?

Rank the following, and any more that come to mind, in order of importance to your family:

• Space and amenities in the home
• Room to entertain
• Location
• Budget and time to completion
• Design Style
• Energy savers, smart design, “green” building
• Accessibility for now and later years
• Multi-generational – will you have parents or adult children living with you
• Low maintenance
• Return on investment
• Landscape potential
• Size of lot

What about the heart of our home, the kitchen?

The style and amenities of a custom, dream kitchen are only limited to your imagination. Many include islands, brick ovens and built-ins galore and all are options when you are building your home from scratch. The attention to detail in back splash, flooring and accent pieces are also limitless. It can be both exciting and overwhelming to build your dream kitchen from scratch so ask yourself what is the most important and trickle your list down from there.

If entertaining is something that is important to you, then the size of the kitchen will also be a priority along with design and amenities.

Do we have the time and patience?

Custom home building is not for those who desire instant gratification. Even if you have every detail worked out and not one thing changes during the process, you are still looking at a process that can take anywhere from 6-12 months, a small price to pay for a completely custom home. It is highly unlikely that plans and details will not change, as ideas flourish and your creativity flows and each change that occurs could potentially add more time. If you are willing to take the time it requires building a custom home that is just to your liking, then you are on the right track. Good things do come to those who wait, but the process can be stressful. The end result is sure to make it worth the time, energy, and patience, but if you are in a bind, be sure to address your timeline early on in the process with your builder.

Can we afford it?

The unfortunate question that has to be asked is, can you afford the additional costs it takes to build a custom home? Not only that but one that meets most if not all of your desires. Part of this question can be answered by meeting with your builder and going over the budget and options with them. However it is not uncommon to find things you would like to add on or change in the process so having an extra bit of wiggle room in the budget is a good idea.

Starting with these questions could yield several more that will allow you to narrow your scope and direction on your custom home. To answer these, and any other questions you have, please contact us today!

Building a custom home to your specifications and with the exact amount of space that is needed can sound too lofty for some. However, with time and an outstanding home builder, your dream can become a reality quicker than you might imagine. The most important question to ask in the initial planning phase is, how much square footage I will need?

Considering the rise in the size of the average American home within the last 20 years, it is easy to assume that as much square footage as possible is best for the resale value of your home if you eventually decide to sell. But before you start looking into a sprawling floor plan with multiple bedrooms and a massive kitchen, there are a few major questions to consider.

What kind of activities does your family primarily use your current home for?

In your current home, there surely are features and spaces you can point to and explain exactly how you would change the space to make it more functional. These tweaks you have compiled from time spent in your current home are important to consider when drawing up the floor plan for your new custom home. If you enjoy the outdoors with cookouts and backyard games then maybe the focus should be on minimizing the square footage indoors so you can maximize outdoor space with a deck or patio. Perhaps you lead a busy life and the house is more of a tranquil place to relax, sleep and recharge between family events, jobs and school. If this is the case, you may think about increasing the size of community spaces like the living room. All of these factors will play into designing the perfect custom home.

How many bedrooms will you need?

This is a loaded question, but determining how many bedrooms you will need is one of the most important factors in nailing down a floor plan for your custom home. If your children are still growing or you plan on having more, then a versatile floor plan with multiple bedrooms that allows for plenty of individual space would be best suited. Also think about the flexibility of a room in the future: what is a nursery now could very well become an office or a creative space later. If you are an empty-nester but you love to fill your home with relatives and guests, having one or two bedrooms with private bathrooms in addition to the master is ideal.

Do you have a truly unique feature or space in mind?

If you have opted to go completely custom with your new home and design it from foundation to shingles, you have control over the unique aspects the home will have. Have you ever had one dream feature on your mind that has you saying things like, “If we ever design our own home, it has to have this!”? Each element will effect the square footage and architectural design of the new home; so look no further than Colarelli Custom Homes to walk with you every step of the way and make that vision a reality. Contact us today to start building your custom floor plan!

One of the most frequent questions we get asked is, “Is it more expensive to build a custom home than to buy one?” The answer is simple: it does not have to. While custom homes are generally more expensive than production built houses, custom homes are built for you and in accordance with your budget. This means that you don’t get anything that you do not need in your house. Every space is maximized. As long as you keep an eye on your budget and make choices that align with that, you can save a lot of money when building your dream house. Here are our tips to help you plan for the perfect custom home without breaking the bank.

Location, Location, Location

With all the beautiful sites to choose from in Colorado, there are some lots that will cost you more than others. One way to reduce the total cost of your custom home is to find a site that has very little slope in regards to the terrain.  Flatter sites are more cost effective in that they require less modifications to build a home.  An empty, flat lot will need much less cleaning than a sloped lot full of trees.  Your builder will be able to assist you with estimations for lot clearing.  Additionally, they can provide you with information for drainage, sewers, power lines, and other challenges you may encounter.  The plot plan must be reviewed with your builder before making a budget.

It can be helpful to involve your home builder before buying your lot. Colarelli Custom Homes can perform a no-cost lot assessment that can determine the suitability for your custom home. This ensures that you own a lot that is a nice fit for your design and budget.

Choosing Simplicity over Complexity

Naturally, a home with a complicated floor plan and professional architectural design details will cost more than a simple home.  When building a custom home, it’s important to remember that every corner or wall that is different than the norm will add to the cost of your home.  Additionally, irregular and steep roofing can shoot the price of your home up.  Meeting with an architect early on helps ensure that you get a house that incorporates everything that is important to you while staying within your budget.

You can also save money when you go to choose the finishing materials for the interior of your home. Things like cheaper cabinetry, countertops, flooring, fixtures, etc. all will impact the end price of your home. You do not have to sacrifice quality over cost, either. For example, instead of pure hardwood flooring, you could choose Luxury Vinyl Planks that look like hardwood at a cheaper price point.

If you can, shoot for less fancy kitchen appliances.  Down grading expensive appliances for something inexpensive that can be upgraded later is a good decision for saving money when building your custom home.  Nearly every aspect of a kitchen can be upgraded or remodeled down the road, including appliances, cabinetry, backsplash, and flooring.

Lower Square Footage

Another simpler way to reduce the costs of your project is to decrease the amount of square footage in your home.  If you want to save on space without reducing square footage, consider building up for a two-story design, instead of making a wider one-story.

Simple Roofing Is Key

The roof is a costly facet of the home, since it hosts some of the most expensive materials and labor necessary for installation. The simpler the roof system, the more cost effective it will be. An example of an inexpensive roof is a single ridge-line roof with a shallow pitch. Complicated roofs involve hips and valleys with steep pitch. While these roofs may be more visually appealing, they will also be much more expensive than a simple roof. A roofing company Colorado Springs can help you figure out the right options for you.

Choose a Strong Custom Home Builder

Finding a custom home builder that has the experience and skill that you need to build your perfect home is worth the hassle and will end up saving you money in the long run.  Building a home is a process that requires a reliable builder to deliver the home on time.  When searching for your custom home builder, ask for references who can vouch for the reliability of your potential home builder.

Contact Us

Colarelli Custom Homes can be that company for you. We take pride in being an honest, professional, and expert custom home builder in Colorado Springs. Our customer service is something that sets us apart from the rest of the competition, as we work alongside our client and their budget. If you want to learn more about Colarelli Custom Homes, contact us today.

Having a house in the mountains is one of the most unique experiences. You get the chance to surround yourself in nature, hike in your backyard, and get the best snowfall you’ve ever seen, among many other things. You have your dream location, and now it is time to build the perfect house to accompany it.

The best part about building a custom house is that you get to customize everything that goes into it! From the trim to the cabinetry, all of the design choices are yours, which makes custom home building such a personal experience. When you build a custom mountain home in Colorado, there are a few things that are a must for the classic mountain house design style, and each can be adapted to your personal style and feel of your home

1. Fireplace

Having a fireplace as the centerpiece of your custom mountain home is an essential. Whether you choose to have a floor-to-ceiling fireplace covered in stone, or want a double-sided, glass-encased one, nothing compares to the feeling of cozying up to a flame when the sun goes down behind the valleys. A fireplace makes a statement in your house, and becomes a place that the entire family can gather around.

2. Windows: Lots of windows

When you live in a place that is surrounded by trees, hills, rocks, wildlife, streams, and more, you want to be able to experience it to the fullest, inside and outside of your house. That’s why we recommend plenty of windows in your custom mountain house, so that you can appreciate the beautiful view that drew you to your property in the first place. Some homeowners will even trim trees around their property to keep their view as beautiful as possible.

3. Wrap-around deck

Something else we love about mountain homes is the 360 degree beauty. Custom decks and patios are a part of almost every home, but a wrap-around deck is the next step that makes a home unique. Having a deck that you can walk from the front of your house to the back of it gives you an opportunity to live among the nature and get to experience it from all angles. This makes a great hosting space, gives you room for a hot tub or custom porch swings, and gives you another reason to go outside

4. Vaulted Ceilings

While this is not a necessity, it is always such a great feeling to walk into a room that has endless ceiling space. To have vaulted ceilings accentuated with a few wood exposed beams is such a neat feature that makes a mountain home feel that much more rustic and unique. Vaulted ceilings also mean more window space, as well, so you can truly create a dramatic effect in your living area that highlights the mountainous location.

5. Mudroom

Having a custom mudroom may seem like a silly expansion, but it truly is great for Colorado mountain homes. Mudrooms allow you the perfect, functional space to kick off those muddy boots, hang your snow covered jackets, and warm up your toes before walking in to the rest of your home. You can make this extra unique by having custom built-ins for storage and installing heated flooring.

The possibilities are endless when you build a custom home. Especially if your dream is to live in the mountains, there are so many things that you can incorporate into your house to make it the perfect habitat for enjoying the environment around you. Colarelli Custom Homes is an experienced custom mountain home builder, located in Colorado Springs. If you want to start your custom home building process, contact us today.

Painting the walls in your new home can be stressful and nerve-racking.  When you choose a paint color, you must consider the effects that it will have on the room.  Depending on your choices, you can dramatically change the brightness, flow, and mood of the room you paint.  So how do you make a good selection?  Continue reading for 10 guidelines to follow when selecting the perfect paint colors for your home.

1. Baby Steps

For those who aren’t quite sure what colors to use, experimenting in a small bathroom or hallway is a great place to start.  If you will be doing the painting yourself, select an easy area that will be done quickly.  This gets you the fastest results, so that you can decide to throw on another coat or change to a different color.  Painting your home is an exciting process, so enjoy the adventure and keep painting!

If you are having trouble selecting a color to use for your first area, find a piece of art or clothing that you find visually appealing, and select colors from there.

2. Create The Mood You Want

The color or colors you choose will affect the mood of the room, regardless of any furniture or wall decorations present.  When painting any room in your home, it is important to keep the desired mood in mind.  A poor color choice can absolutely ruin the mood of the room, so be prepared to pivot to a different color if your vision for the room changes at any point in the process.

Painting is all about adding a personal touch to your home.  You are in complete control when it comes to the moods you create.  A bedroom can be restful and calming or dramatically intimate; a dining room can feel invigorating and sociable or neat and formal.  Warm, contrasting, and bright colors contribute to feelings of excitement and conversation, while deeper, cooler colors and neutral colors feel very formal.

3. Learn From Your Lighting

Your paint shop should have light boxes that you can use to test potential colors under different types of natural and artificial light.  When comparing colors, remember:

• Natural daylight will show you the truest color of your paint

• Fluorescent lighting adds an element of blue to your paint color

• Incandescent lighting will enhance the warm colors and yellows in your paint

• If you are worried about a strong color overpowering your room, consider using that color as an accent wall.

4. Know Your Color Terms

Understanding the terms used to describe paint colors will help you along your journey to create a colorful home.  The basic terms you need to know are Hue, Value, Saturation, and Intensity.

Hue: The color of the paint.  For example, the hue of red paint would be red; the hue of yellow paint is yellow.

Value: This describes how light or dark the paint is.

Saturation: This is the level of dominance of the hue in the color.  When comparing red to pink, the red hue is more dominant in the red paint than the pink paint.

Intensity: Intensity is described as the brilliance of the color.  Pure colors (Red, Blue, Yellow) are more intense than mixed colors like yellow-green.  Stronger colors generally have a more dominant hue.

5. Test Your Choices

If you aren’t confident enough to begin painting your walls straightaway, begin by painting large poster boards.  This will give you a life-sized sample of your paint that you can use to test the flow of the color with your furniture.  Experiment with dramatic colors and other colors that reach outside of your comfort zone.

6. Use Decorative Finishes For Added Depth

If a standard paint job alone isn’t enough to bring life to your space, consider adding different textures or spaces of broken color.  Looking to add even more drama to your walls?  Using a burnished mineral or metal finish will easily add depth and excitement, or you could opt for layered glazes of color to make your walls pop.

7. Paint, Walk, Repeat.

When painting your home, it is helpful to consider your walls as interconnected planes of color.  Think about the walls that will peek through into each room.  How do those colors look together?  Remember that in most rooms of your house, you will see pieces of other rooms.  Choosing the right colors from room to room will create a sense of flow and unity across your home.  Continually walking around your home throughout the painting process will help you pick the right colors for your home as you are painting.

8. Get A Color Wheel, And Use It

Find a small color wheel to keep with you during the painting process.  This tool shows you how all the colors interact.  They can be helpful for comparing potential colors to your furniture and wall decorations.  Plus, the color wheel is perfectly divided down the middle (between yellow-green and red-violet) into warm and cool colors.

9. Play With Monochromatic Palettes

If you would like to create an exciting visual impact without choosing wild colors, consider creating small variations within a color group.  You will be amazed at the striking effects closely related colors provide.  This is the best option to choose if your furniture or wall art provides a substantial pop of color already.

10. Choose Various Paint Finishes

Using the same color on your walls and trim does not have to look boring.  For example, you can use a matte finish on your walls and a thin, satin finish on your trim.  Since the colors are of the same hue, they will look great together.  This is a great option for those who are looking for an exciting, cohesive look.

Buying a home is one of the biggest investments that you will make in your life, as homes offer a sense of permanence. It is a major decision that requires a lot of thought and a lot of money, which is why homes are taken so seriously. Out of all the factors in buying a home—the neighborhood, the age of the house, the cost, the amount of repairs needed—deciding whether or not that house will fit the needs of you and your family is the most significant. You must ask yourself if there is enough space, if there are enough rooms, if the location suits your needs, and so many other questions that come with each house you evaluate.

Built for You

When you choose to build a custom home, you get to be the designer. Along with a team of architects, home builders, and designers, you can create the perfect house that is made specifically for you and your needs—something that is hard to come by when you are looking for a house on the market. For example, maybe a pre-built house is in the neighborhood that you want, but there isn’t room to grow. Or maybe the house has the architecture that you’re your needs, but it needs a lot of expensive renovations to make it livable. Trustworthy custom home builders will work with you to decide exactly what you are looking for in a home and make it happen.

Built for the Location that You Want

“When it comes to your home, the location can make the world of a difference. When you choose to build a custom home, you have the option to put it wherever you want. You can build your home atop a mountain bluff, or find a lot in the best neighborhood in town. Honest, professional custom home builders will be happy to inspect the property that you currently have or are considering purchasing, and will be able to evaluate it for the home that you want. You deserve to not only have your dream home, but to be in your dream location. Custom homes gives you that freedom.”

~The House Shop

Built for Your Budget

Surprisingly, custom homes can more effectively use your home-buying budget more effectively than a pre-built home off the market could. This is because you won’t be paying for the extra things that you don’t really need—like that 18 speed automatic sprinkler system, or the additional broom closet tucked away in the basement. Custom home builders work with you to get the most out of your budget and will make sure that every cost has a purpose.

Built for Energy Efficiency

Energy efficiency: another factor that adds an incredible amount of value to your custom built home. Older homes that are for sale often have outdated utility mechanisms that end up raising the cost of your monthly utility bill. Dated appliances, water heaters, HVAC systems, electrical wiring, and so many more factors can greatly affect the energy efficiency of a pre-existing home. On the contrary, custom homes have the opportunity to fully maximize energy efficiency, and you can even customize the features that you want in your house. Solar powered roof tiles? No problem. Tankless water heater? Got it. But even if you don’t want the fancy features, custom building a home means that you are already saving money on utilities for the future.

Built For the Future

Custom home design gives you the freedom to think not only about what you want right now, but what you want for the future. If you want room to grow a family, we will incorporate an extra bedroom or two and a spacious backyard space. If you imagine moving your parents into your basement, we can build a mother-in-law suite. Custom building lets you build for the future. Trustworthy custom home builders will also be sure to use the highest of quality material when building your home, along with an energy-efficient design that will last you years. You want a solid foundation to begin your life in your new home, and custom building a home gives you a structure that will last.

When you decide to build a custom house, you take charge of your future. Custom home building is an experience unlike any other, one that will give you an incredible return on investment.

If you are considering custom home building, contact Colarelli Custom Homes, an experienced custom home builder in Colorado. We can answer all your questions and start discussing what you truly want out of your home.