Getting Started with a Tract Home

Enter the neighborhood of nearly identical houses in rows as far as the eyes can see. All are painted in similar colors; the yards are so similar as to be identical, and the lack of personality is evident. These are tract homes, so named because the builder bought a tract of land, subdivided it, and built homes.

Because the builder is constructing so many homes, they order building supplies in the hundreds or thousands, and this allows them to sell the house a bit cheaper. Inside the homes are all the same doorknobs and faucets, the same
light fixtures, and the same color carpet, and there are few to no upgrades or alterations for the buyer to choose from.

These properties make great starter homes, and many people buy them as their first home. That alone makes tract homes a good purchase because they generally have good resale value — there are always new families looking for
their first home, especially in Colorado.

A Spec Home with More Personality

You’ve probably guessed what a spec home is: a home built before it has a buyer. It’s a home built on speculation. The builder is speculating, or gambling you might say, that someone will buy this house.

A builder buys a small amount of land and subdivides it. The builder bears the cost of bringing in water, electrical, and gas lines and constructs the spec home, which is a step above a tract home. The builder might use a different floor plan for each home and add a few custom touches such as an upgrade on countertops, carpet, or crown molding.

Once the home is finished, it is listed for sale. Until it sells, the builder is responsible for making the loan payments, and since they only build a few homes at a time (maybe 10-12), it’s more manageable financially than a large tract of identical homes.

Custom Homes are the Ultimate Luxury

A custom home, built specifically to your needs, wants, and style, is the winner! Built entirely to the customer’s wishes, this is their dream home. If the owner/customer wants two bedrooms and three bathrooms, that’s what they get. Two dishwashers in the kitchen? No problem.

The customer usually already has the land purchased. They contact a builder and start the process, hiring an architect to draw up the plans according to their wishes and a designer to guide them. There is no stock plan here like there would be in building a tract home. The customer picks out the cabinets, the finishes, and every detail that goes into making that house their home, such as colors, wood choices, built-ins, and specialties like an indoor hot tub!

In a custom home, the sky really is the limit. Whatever the customer can pay for, they can have.

If you’re interested in learning more about the custom home building process, contact us at Colarelli Custom Homes.

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.

Wireless Home Security

Security has always been high on a homeowners list however technology is changing the accessibility and ease of installation. Wireless home security systems can use a secure cellular connection that is faster and more reliable than traditional systems. This enables real-time monitoring and alerts from your home on your smart phone and other devices.

Cellular connection allows for a much easier installation process. If you need to add new sensors, there is no need to run wires through your home. In addition, because the security system is wireless, troubleshooting can be made simpler with customer support from your service provider’s customer support center.

Because there is little to no wiring throughout the home, these types of security systems are very flexible and versatile. You are able to move and add sensors throughout your home to keep track of and protect all areas and unique additions to your home, with real time alerts that help you keep track of what is happening when you are away. Door and window sensors are manufactured small enough to keep tabs on medicine cabinets, pool gates, or even to make sure a safe is not accessed without your immediate knowledge. This increases awareness of what goes on inside your home, not just the perimeter.

Wireless home security is portable, flexible and adapts to you. As your family grows and changes, your home security needs may change too. You may want to add extra sensors to the kitchen cabinets as your children become more mobile, or add a sensor to the nursery door of a new nursery. You can also add smart locks to your system that can allow your pet sitter to come and go while you are on vacation. No matter how your needs change, the technology will be right there with you to help keep your home and those in it safe.

Security Cameras

Pairing perfectly with wireless home security, security cameras are another hot ticket item for home owners. They give you to ability to monitor the interior and/or exterior of your home; the biggest pro of these types of systems. Monitoring the outside of your home gives you an opportunity to track package deliveries, possible theft, and any potential threats that may present themselves. Young or elderly family members that are home alone or with a caretaker, naughty pets, or valuable personal possessions are great motivators to monitor the interior of your home.

With such a wide variety of venders and options, security cameras are becoming easier to obtain for a variety of home owners. Their ease of install keeps prices down by not requiring professionals to come to your home to set up the system. Add ons such as wireless, remote monitoring straight to a smart phone, or a higher definition camera can increase the price, but are options to some systems rather than requirements.

Visible home security cameras can act as a deterrent to potential burglars. Burglars are less likely to choose a home with a monitoring system that could identify them to the police. For this reason, many insurance companies offer a discount to your policy if your home is equipped with a security camera system.

The unexpected unfortunately can happen. Even if you are living in a low crime area, your home has valuable items and irreplaceable people residing in it. Having a home security camera is a great way to gain peace of mind and to help ensure if something does happen, you will be prepared.

Still to come:

Wireless Home Audio System
Home Theater
Outdoor Speakers and Audio Control

Technology is often a driver for customers looking to make their home as efficient, user friendly, and upscale as possible. Over the next few blogs we will cover some of the more popular technology additions that consumers look to add to their custom homes.

Multi-Zone HVAC

In a multi-zone heating system, each room can have a separate heating zone. This brings an end to the arguments with those you share your home with to agree on a temperature. It gives you more control over the temperature of your home and makes comfort not only an achievable goal, but a priority. Splitting your home into separate heating zones can allow for the living room to be cooler than the bedroom or vice versa for example. Depending on how your home is divided, this type of system allows more people to enjoy their perfect temperature inside the home.

While these types of systems increase the complexity and make it seem as though they will be less energy efficient that is not the case when using the system properly. With a multi-zone system, you can set the temperature of less often used rooms cooler in the winter and warmer in the summer while focusing the energy on those more common areas in the home. The less often used rooms do not need to be as comfortable as the rest of the home and can work to help you save money every month, year round.

Many modern conveniences accompany the multi-zone systems. Remote controls offer an easy way to adjust temperatures within the room without having to reach the thermometer. Such remote controls can also include features that control the fan speed or even the humidity level.

It is important to note the drawback of this particular type of heating/cooling system. It is a more complex system and thus requires more duct work and equipment. This will drive up the initial cost of install.

Programmable Thermostat

There are four different types of programmable thermostats available to you, each having a distinct scheduling style. Each will have the same basic set up but they target a different type of schedule. Programming options are based on a wake time, leave time, return time, and sleep time. This allows you to conserve the cool/heat for the times you are home while saving you money during the times you are away.  The first is a 7-day programming. This type of thermostat lets you schedule each day individually. This is ideal for families with more erratic schedules as it is the most flexible. The second option is a 5-1-1 programming. This system allows for one heating/cooling schedule for every day of the week, plus individual schedules for Saturday and Sunday. Similarly, we have the 5-2 programming which is almost identical to 5-1-1, however Saturday and Sunday will have the same heating/cooling plan. The last option is a 1-week programming. In this system, you can set only one heating/cooling plan and it cycles every day of the week.

Energy Management System 

Energy management systems make it easier for you to track your energy usage and manually control it in areas that can decrease your overall all cost and usage. It is a technology platform that includes both hardware and software allowing users to monitor energy usage and production and to manually control and or automate the usage in a household. The hardware acts as a “hub” that allows the goings on in the house to be relayed to the user and in some cases the local utility or electricity retailer. The software is what monitors the ingoing and outgoing data and communications. Usually taking the form of an app or web portal, the software is what allows the user to control functions of the system and allows access to the monitoring data. Some of the monitoring you will be able to do is:

• Device and appliance data: Which devices are on and off? How much energy is each one using?
• Granularity of time data: What is the smallest time increment that the system is keeping track of – or that it displays to the viewer?
• Insights delivered: Does the system send notifications to tip off the user to trends and issues they may not pick up on without parsing through the data themselves?
• Energy management systems also give users control to do a range of things. For example:
• Turn devices on and off remotel
• Set devices to operate on schedules
• Set up conditional rules for devices operation
• Manage the flow of energy from solar panels (and other generators) through the home or in and out of batteries
• Allow “machine learning” to take over and run the system semi-automatically
• Energy management systems can monitor and manage electricity, solar pv, battery storage and solar thermal.

Still to Come:

Wireless Home Security
Security Cameras
Central Vacuum System
Wireless Home Audio System
Home Theater
Outdoor Speakers and Audio Control
Lighting Control System

Spring is here and the warmth of summer isn’t far behind. Along with the sunny days comes a spike in your water bill from keeping your lawn green and happy. Xeriscaping can not only cut back on your water bill, but it can also “drought proof” your yard. Not only is xeriscaping drought friendly, but it helps save water during normal summers as well. Saving water helps the environment and your wallet.

Xeriscaping is a term coined by Denver’s water department in the 70s and 80s when they were amid a harsh drought period. It is a concept that combines native, drought resistant plants, irrigation methods and strategic arrangements to conserve water.

There are several reasons why xeriscape could be a good fit for your home. It reduces water usage by at least 60%. It minimizes pollution by reducing the need for gas lawn mowers. There is no need for chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Low watering requirements not only help your wallet, but also mean less maintenance. Xeriscape can also increase your home’s value up to 15%.

There are seven essential principles of xeriscaping.

1. Planning and Design. Sketch out a general plan and outline of your landscape, structures, paths and existing foliage. You will be able to note where you can execute xeriscape elements; ie removing certain plants or implementing new turf areas.
2. Choosing the Right Plants. Choose plants that are native to your area. Foreign vegetation has a harder time adapting and will require more water, defeating the purpose. Choose drought-resistant plants. Often such plants will be thick, small, glossy, fuzzy, or silver-grey.
3. Creating Turf Areas. Limit areas with turf as much as possible. Determine where your grass would be most useful and beware of locations it might take away from other plants. Dig deep to find out which types of grass would be best suited for your environment.
4. Improving Soil. It would be best if your soil stored water and drained quickly to prevent stagnation. Increase the amount of organic material (compost) in your soil. Aerate your soil often. Add bonemeal, rock phosphate, and glacial rock dust to replenish nutrients and minerals.
5. Irrigation. Overwatering can be detrimental to xeriscape, so try to avoid that by using a drip irrigation system or a soaker hose.
6. Mulch. Mulch is designed to prevent erosion, maintain moisture and temperature, and eliminate competing weeds. Try covering your soil around plants with a layer of mulch that should be several inches thick. You can use leaves, pine needles, wood chips, bark, gravel, or coarse compost.
7. Maintenance. Low maintenance does not mean no maintenance. There will still be basic plant grooming you will need to do. Thicken your mulch when necessary and be attentive to any weeds that come up and remove them.

For more information on demonstration gardens as well as facts, videos and classes on xeriscaping, Colorado Springs Utilities has two demonstration gardens For your home building needs, please contact us today! 

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!