Custom Home Building Has Big Benefits

Custom Home Builder in Rochester MI – Mazza Building & Development Company

If you are looking for a Custom Home Builder in Rochester MI, contact the experienced team at Mazza Building & Development Company at (248) 625-3305 today! Click here to see photos of our custom homes or Follow Us on Facebook!

Custom Home Builder in Rochester MI

Those looking to buy a home must make numerous selections, ranging from location, style, and amenities to the realtor and methods of financing. Another key decision to make is whether to buy an existing home or construct a new custom home. Acquiring a new home or designing your own bespoke home has numerous advantages versus purchasing an existing property.

Building a new home allows you to customize it exactly how you want it

Call them idiosyncrasies, character, or just annoyances, but you’ll almost certainly find faults in an existing home that you’ll have to learn to understand and tolerate. Perhaps the room you wish to use as a home office doesn’t have enough outlets. Perhaps there aren’t enough drawers in the kitchen cabinets, or you despise the knobs. Renovations can be expensive and time-consuming.

From the initial floor concept to individual choices along the way to the final details, new construction gives you alternatives. How many bathrooms are there? What will their location be? What kind of cabinet finish do you want? Iron or wood stair rails? You might even be able to pick your favorite property in the division. When you buy an established home, you spend the first few weeks (or months) customizing it to your liking. Instead, you spend your time with new construction settling into your new house.

Building a new home saves time and money on repairs and maintenance

Everything is new when you move into a custom constructed home: the building, the HVAC system, the wiring, the appliances, everything. Even the most thorough inspection cannot potentially discover every potential concern when purchasing an old house. Some major problems may not manifest themselves until after you have moved in. When you redesign your kitchen, you can discover undiscovered mold or plumbing problems that are not only annoying, but also potentially expensive to fix.

The materials used in new building are engineered to require minimal maintenance. Composite materials used on the exterior of modern construction, for example, are less likely to rot or require painting than wood trim and siding used even a decade ago. The warranties that come with new construction provide buyers even more peace of mind. For at least the first year, the builder will usually cover any necessary repairs.

Building a new home provides modern technology conveniences

New homes are designed and built with all of the latest comforts in mind. Homes constructed decades ago were not wired or equipped to accommodate today’s home entertainment systems and Internet-connected families. Security systems and elaborate lighting designs were not wired properly. Even putting a flat-screen television in an older home may necessitate modification and pricey cable and wire runs by professionals. All of the electrical equipment utilized in homes today — DVRs, game consoles, laptops, and more — could not have been predicted by builders in the 1950s and 1960s. New homes are built to accommodate modern technology. Programmable thermostats, including those that can be operated via an app on your mobile device, are becoming more common.

New construction saves energy (and Money)

New home builders must adhere to the most recent energy efficiency guidelines. Building codes-compliant homes are far more energy efficient than ones built just a few years ago. New HVAC systems, updated appliances, and water-saving plumbing fixtures all provide greater energy efficiency.

Having a new home gives you an advantage in negotiations

Emotional attachment can cause homeowners who have a personal connection to the property they are selling to lose sight of its genuine value. This might result in overpriced real estate and a lack of readiness to compromise over issues uncovered during a property inspection. For property developers, selling a property is more of a financial transaction than an emotional attachment to the property.

When purchasing a pre-owned home, a buyer may be subject to the seller’s wants and demands about closing dates and possession. Such conversations are significantly less personal and rely on other closings and financial approvals when buying a new property. A buyer may even be able to select from a builder’s inventory of finished, readily available homes.

Building a new home could qualify you for special financing and incentives

New home builders have strong relationships with financing organizations because of the volume of business they bring in; some even have their own lending company. Other than financial incentives, builders can give advantages like as better materials or features. Builders may be able to provide special discounts to buyers, such as military discounts or discounts on the first few lots sold in a new subdivision.

Consider the Advantages of Building a New Home Before You Buy

Perhaps the most significant advantage of constructing a new custom house is that you get exactly what you desire. While most homebuyers are aware of this feature, there are numerous other advantages beyond personalization that might make building a new house a more practical and cost-effective option than buying an existing home.

For an experienced and trusted Custom Home Builder in Rochester MI, contact Mazza Building & Development Company at (248) 625-3305 today!

Building A Custom Home in Bloomfield Hills MI | Mazza Building & Development Company

5 Things to Consider When Building a Custom Home

custom home builder blomfield hillsLooking for a custom home builder in Bloomfield Hills MI or surrounding areas? If so, please call Mazza Building & Development Company at (248) 625-3305 today!

1. Where to Save Money and Where to Splurge

In home construction, some things can be changed, and some parts of home construction are permanent. For instance, if you decide that you don’t like carpet in the living room, wood floors can be installed later. However, intricate features like a fireplace or or a built-in storage unit should be considered before building. Bloomfield Hills home owners shouldn’t skimp on structural components or doors and windows — for the safety and security of your home, you’ll want to purchase the best you can afford in these areas.

2. Avoid Unnecessary Changes

Take care of the glamour later. Things like stainless steel appliances and hot tubs shouldn’t be traded for quality construction. Your builder will be knowledgeable about home plans and how to make custom houses, and they can make suggestions about what to put in your dream home. Of course, it is also good to be aware of how your custom home design fits in with your budget.

3. Building Materials

Buy low-maintenance building materials — vinyl siding and metal roofing, for example. Even if they are somewhat more expensive at installation, they will pay for themselves in the long run as you won’t have to repair, replace, or repaint.

4. The Style of the Home

The cost of building a custom home in Bloomfield Hills MI will vary depending on what kind of design you come up with. The more expensive things you add, the more the house will be. However, there are some basic materials that all houses use that can be included to make up a rough estimate. Brick or stone siding will cost more than the vinyl siding on a cookie-cutter house. Things like architectural details, and high ceilings can make a room feel larger, and are worth the extra dough for many homeowners.

5. The Added Extras

Do I really want walnut cabinetry and a built-in entertainment center? The answer might be yes. For a family that spends a lot of time watching television, a built-in entertainment center might be well worth the cost. (It beats tripping over stray wires.) Feel free to ask your builder to look over the plan before making any final decisions.

source: http://EzineArticles.com/1891551

Thinking about building the home of your dreams in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan? Mazza Building & Development Company can assist you and turn your dream home into a reality. Please call (248) 625-3305 for more information today!

Custom Home Builder Rochester, MI (248) 625-3305

custom home builder rochester miMazza Building & Development company offers custom home building in Rochester, Michigan and surrounding areas. Call the top rated Rochester, Michigan custom home builder are (248) 625-3305 to schedule a consultation.

Choosing the Perfect Location for your New Custom Home

It’s been said time and time again – location is everything – and it’s true. When choosing to build a new custom home you have options that people who buy used homes don’t have. You get to choose the location of your new home. When choosing a location there are many things to consider — cost of the property, property taxes, school district, how conveniently located the location is to work, how close it is to shopping, dining and recreation, and the list goes on. It’s a personal choice and what is right for one family is not going to be right for another.

You want to choose the location of your home based on your current lifestyle. If you’re part of the corporate world you’ll want to reduce your commute as much as possible. You’ll also probably want to live in a community that you can relate to. If you’re part of the corporate 9-5 you probably don’t want to search for property in the warehouse district surrounded by musicians and artists. You’ll probably feel more at home in the suburbs where you can spread out a little.

The above examples are based on career opportunities but what about family? It might be necessary to live closer to aging relatives or you may want to live in a school district that is best suited for your children.

There are so many things to think about when finding the right location for your home and those are the personal choices, the decisions only you can make. Before you can choose a floor plan you need to know where you’re going to put the house and that can get tricky because there are so many considerations simply with choosing the floor plan. How will the home look on the lot? Is there a way to position the home so you get the best views? What about permitting and easements? All of these things will need to be addressed before you can even think about digging a hole. That’s why it’s important to choose a builder who can guide you through all these considerations.

So you’ll need to choose a quality builder but that isn’t enough either. Where do they build? Most builders build in specific developments but what if you want to live someplace else, will they build there?  You have many choices in the neighborhoods and communities where builders are currently building, but they can be limited so check with your builder.
source: customhomesmn.com

At Mazza Building & Development Company, we provide custom tailored solutions for your custom home in Rochester, Michigan. Call (248) 625-3305 to schedule a consultation.

Custom Homes Rochester Hills MI (248) 625-3305

custom homes rochester hills miMazza Building & Development Company specializes in custom homes in Rochester Hills, MI and surrounding areas. Call our experienced Rochester Hills custom home builders in Rochester Hills at (248) 625-3305 today for more information.

Custom or Production Home: Choosing the Best Option for You

If you want to build a new home — whether because you’re tired of dealing with other people’s dirt (a bigger reason than you might think) or just want to have something completely brand new and original — you first need to consider whether to go with a custom home or a production home.

Custom Homes

A custom home is designed specifically for a client on land purchased by the client. If you want your home to stand out in the crowd with unique architecture or you want to include specific design elements and features (a bowling alley in the basement, perhaps, or a special gourmet kitchen), then going custom might be the right choice for you.

A builder that specializes in custom homes may have its own architects and interior designers to consult with. They may develop a floor and site plan or the builder may offer a selection of fully customizable floor plans. Another option is to bring your own architect and designer to the table.

Building a custom home may seem out of reach financially for many people — but that’s not necessarily the case. It comes down to budgeting. “You can have a nice home within your budget,” said John Bitely, president of Sable Homes, a production builder based in Rockford, Mich., with a background in custom homes.

You should work with your builder to choose materials wisely and cost-effectively and to determine your design priorities, such as that gourmet kitchen. “People associate quality with the type of building process, but what they’re talking about are the amenities,” Bitely said. “But you can have high-end homes with high-end amenities that are not high quality.”

Many custom builders can help you locate a lot to build on, but if you already own the land where you want to build, you need to make sure the land is properly evaluated by a civil engineer prior to construction. “There might be added costs involved if there are problems with the property,” Bitely said.

Some of the issues to consider include local zoning or specific structuring requirements, soil types and structure, power line easements, accessibility to water and sewage infrastructure and so on.

Production Homes

Production homebuilders, whether national builders or regional ones, generally offer a range of design plans in a community of preselected lots at various price points. These builders built a larger volume of homes simultaneously.

If you are first-time buyer, a production home might be a good choice because you don’t have to make quite so many decisions right out of the gate as you would with a custom home. But you would still have plenty of opportunities to put your stamp on your new home — which is the fun part of building new in the first place.

Some production builders, like Sable Homes, are taking production homes almost to the fully customized level with a wider range of design and material options thanks to more streamlined and efficient building processes and materials management. “We offer customization within structured plans according to people’s wants and needs and their budget,” Bitely said.

Production homes are also a good option for homebuyers who want or need a quicker turnaround time in construction. A production home generally takes about six months to complete, while a custom home can take considerably longer, such as up to a year, depending on the scope of the project.

source: newhomes.move.com

If you are looking for a custom home in Rochester Hills, MI or surrounding areas, call the top rated Rochester Hills custom home developers at Mazza Building & Development Company at (248) 625-3305 today.

Custom Homes Oakland Twp, MI (248) 625-3305

custom home oakland twp michiganIf you are looking for a custom home in Oakland Twp, Michigan, please call Mazza Building & Development Company at (248) 625-3305 to schedule a consultation. We would love to design and build the custom home of your dreams!

Today’s New Homes: Engineered to Perform

Your new home consists of a surprising number of components and systems, each designed to work in concert with each other.

New homes may look similar to their predecessors, but behind the walls is a different story. They’re engineered and optimized for a high level of performance and energy efficiency.

Regardless of architectural style, on the outside a new home doesn’t look much different than its older counterparts. But beneath the surface is a finely tuned piece of machinery — a building that offers unprecedented levels of comfort, durability, indoor air quality and energy efficiency.

There’s no question that new homes are built to last longer and operate more efficiently and less expensively than their older counterparts. To put it another way, new homes are engineered to perform. They’re consistently comfortable with no cold or hot spots; constantly circulate fresh air for a healthy indoor environment; and provide energy for heating, cooling and hot water at monthly rates that won’t bankrupt homeowners. Thanks to the use of engineered lumber, prefabricated components and advanced framing techniques, new homes are sturdier and have a longer shelf life.

As you shop for a new home, you’re going to hear a lot of terminology, including “smart,” “green,” “sustainable,” “energy efficient” and “high performance.” You might see the familiar blue Energy Star label on the circuit-breaker box or the home may be certified under another third-party, green-building program such as LEED, Built Green or EarthCraft.

Older homes tend to have problems such as air leakage, damp insulation and ineffective drainage, which results in high operating costs and an uncomfortable living environment. That’s why there’s such a keen focus on the building envelope — the roof, exterior walls and floor of the house. The building envelope determines how much energy will be needed to maintain a comfortable indoor environment relative to outdoor conditions. In new homes, it’s designed to substantially reduce heating and cooling costs.

Another term often used in conjunction with building envelope is building science: the study of the interaction between occupants, building components/systems and the surrounding environment. Building science focuses on the flow of heat, air and moisture. A home’s systems must all work together to achieve optimum energy performance and comfort.

Top builders such as Pardee Homes in Los Angeles, Calif., view a home as a collection of related systems and build it so that all the components perform well. “The time invested in analyzing building science has paid important dividends, helping us grow and strengthen our program incrementally; master the green building blocks; and incorporate them in a feasible and practical way,” says Joyce Mason, vice president of marketing for Pardee.

More bang for the buck

Thanks to changes in the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Model Energy Code, new homes are 30 percent more energy efficient than those built just a decade ago. The latest code revisions will go even further and call for better air-sealing techniques to reduce heating and cooling losses; improved efficiency in windows and skylights; increased insulation in ceilings, walls and foundations; less wasted energy from leaky heating and cooling ducts; improved hot-water distribution systems that reduce wasted energy and water in piping; and heightened lighting efficiency.

Three of the most critical components affecting a home’s energy efficiency and comfort are: the heating, ventilation and cooling (HVAC) equipment, ductwork and insulation. Because these components are highly engineered to work together, they must be selected and planned out well in advance of construction.

A best practice is for the builder or HVAC contractor to conduct a comprehensive analysis based on the square footage of the home; the type of insulation; the entry-door materials; the amount of glass; and the orientation of the home to select the right size heating and cooling unit. The size of HVAC equipment is usually expressed in BTUs (British thermal units) or tons. Keep in mind that larger homes may require more than one unit.

Once the house is framed and the mechanical system is roughed in, the HVAC contractor installs the furnace and runs the ductwork. When the home is almost completed, the outdoor condensing unit for the air conditioning is installed.

“The HVAC contractor visits the home at least twice — the first time to set the indoor equipment such as a furnace and lay out the ductwork and the second time to set the outdoor equipment, complete the connections and start the system,” says Steven Ross, business development manager in Dallas, Texas for Ingersoll Rand, the parent company of Trane, Schlage Locks and Nexia Home Intelligence.

The efficiency of an HVAC system is expressed in terms of its SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) and AFUE (Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency) ratings. SEER relates primarily to the air-conditioning system, whereas AFUE is more applicable to furnaces.

“An 80-percent AFUE rating means that for every dollar you spend, you get 80 cents worth of heat,” says Ross. A system with a 95-percent AFUE rating will obviously give you more bang for your buck, though it costs more upfront due to enhancements such as an extra heat exchanger to circulate the hot air longer to increase the efficiency. However, if you live in a cold climate and run the furnace frequently, it usually makes sense to pay for the added efficiency of a higher AFUE rating.

“Typically you’ll see 90 percent or 95 percent furnaces in the north and 80 percent furnaces in the south, although current Energy Star 3.0 and upcoming 4.0 guidelines both require minimums of 95 percent AFUE for North Region states and 90 percent AFUE for south region states,” Ross says. Energy Star program requirements list the states that fall into each region.

The Model Energy Code requires new homes to have HVAC equipment with a minimum 13 SEER rating. In more expensive homes, some builders now include 15 and 16 SEER equipment as a standard feature. Some builders are taking energy efficiency to the next level with net-zero energy homes, which produce as much power as they use due to a combination of technologies such as solar photovoltaic panels, solar thermal collectors and geothermal heating and cooling systems. It may sound like an expensive proposition, but in the last few years the price tag of a net-zero home has decreased considerably.

The technological revolution

Prior to the computer age, architects and designers produced plans and construction drawings by hand. Today they use computer-aided design (CAD) software. CAD programs let the designer switch between two-dimensional and three-dimensional views; zoom in and out; and manipulate, rotate and change the scale of images. CAD software speeds up the design process and results in fewer errors, which translates into a better-designed home.

Home technology has grown in leaps and bounds since the National Association of Home Builders formed the Smart House Limited Partnership in 1984. Smart House L.P., a consortium of building-product manufacturers, no longer exists. But the concept of an intelligent house where a single, unified wiring system (known as structured or integrated wiring) connects the HVAC, security, lighting and entertainment systems has become quite sophisticated. This so-called home automation technology allows homeowners to monitor all of their key systems from a centralized control panel.

Today it’s also possible to monitor a home remotely using a mobile phone or tablet computer — a great convenience for homeowners when they’re out of town or want to keep tabs on a vacation home.

Now that many people no longer have landlines, the most intelligent home is a wireless one. “We’re seeing a lot more builders use wireless systems because they have limitless capabilities,” Ross says. “There’s no need to install structured wiring in advance before the drywall goes in and the builder or home buyer knows what they need and where.”

Wireless automation allows many of a home’s systems to be controlled remotely, from thermostats and window blinds to entry doors and HVAC systems. If you leave the house and forget to reset the thermostat, just pull up an app on your cell phone, tablet or computer and change it. If you’re on vacation in Florida and you get a text message reporting that the temperature in your New England home has dropped 5 degrees below the desired set point, you can have it checked out without cutting your trip short. From any location, you can unlock the front door to let in a service technician to fix the washing machine.

Not your grandfather’s windows

The products and materials that go into new homes have been upgraded and improved, with often dramatic results. Take windows, for example. Over the last 25 years, what used to be panes of glass in a hole in the wall are now crucial elements in the overall energy efficiency of a home. There are so many styles, frames and glass options available that builders can easily zero in on exactly the right window for a home’s energy-performance requirements, price point and style.

Most new homes come standard with dual-pane windows, which have space between two panes of glass that is filled either with air or a gas such as argon or krypton. This provides more insulation than a single-pane window. Energy Star-rated windows have three or more panes for greater energy savings.

To allow airflow between panes and reduce or prevent condensation, good-quality windows have warm-edge spacers made either of fiberglass, vinyl, foam or steel. They also have a low-emissivity, or low-e, coating that blocks out infrared rays from the sun, which can make a home hotter in the summer and fade flooring, carpeting and furniture over time.

Vinyl and fiberglass window frames reduce heat transfer and improve the insulation factor of the home and building envelope.

You may not recognize them as such, but it’s become common for new-home builders to use “fabulous fakes” — products and materials that look like the real thing, but in many cases are less expensive, more durable and easier to maintain. These include fiber-cement siding, polyurethane moldings and stone veneer.

Green certification programs: what they mean to you

Today many builders certify their homes under a third-party national or local green-building program. Green builders don’t always seek certification, but knowing that a new home is certified is one way for a buyer to ensure that it’s energy efficient and will last a long time.

“Buyers looking at new construction are seeking a higher-performing home,” says Pardee Homes’ Joyce Mason. “Green building is integral to that performance and quality.”

Mason points out that a decade ago, green products and practices were just getting started when it came to production homes. “Now manufacturers have stepped up the choices in green products,” she says. “They’re more tuned in to building practices, so today’s products fit more smoothly into building processes and cost less. That makes it easier for builders to offer green homes more affordably.”

In recent years, consumers have become more familiar with LEED, which stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Research Center certifies homes to the National Green Building Standard, the only residential green-building rating system approved by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI).

Energy Star is arguably the country’s best-known green program. When the U.S Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) started it in 1992, Energy Star was a voluntary labeling program designed to identify and promote energy-efficient products in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In 1996, the DOE began partnering with the EPA on such product categories as major appliances, lighting and home electronics. The EPA also extended the Energy Star label to cover new homes.

Builders who choose to partner with Energy Star must meet a rigorous set of guidelines that include:

• A high-efficiency HVAC system;

• Building practices and materials that protect the roof, wall and foundation from water damage and that reduce the risk of indoor air quality problems; and

• Comprehensive air sealing, properly installed insulation and high-performance windows.

Energy Star builders are required to work with certified Home Energy Raters, who use the Home Energy Rating System (HERS), a standardized measurement of a home’s energy efficiency. The HERS index ranges from zero to 150. The lower a home’s HERS score, the more energy efficient it is. Home Energy Raters evaluate the builder’s architectural plans to help choose the best combination of energy-efficient features for the home and perform a number of inspections and diagnostic tests during construction. Once its energy efficiency has been verified, the home receives the Energy Star label.

Remember that not every home built by an Energy Star partner is necessarily Energy Star certified – check with your builder to make sure the specific home you want is certified.

Better building practices and materials

Home builders have at their disposal an array of techniques, products and materials that reduce construction time, labor and waste and result in a better-performing house. Four of the most widely used products are:

Structural insulated panels (SIPs) are made in the factory with an insulating foam core sandwiched between two structural facings, typically oriented strand board (OSB);

Spray polyurethane foam is used to seal the entire building envelope and prevent air and moisture infiltration;

Insulating concrete forms (ICFs) are interlocking modular units, similar to Lego bricks, that are dry-stacked and filled with concrete to form the foundation; and

Engineered lumber is the generic term for a group of products that includes plywood, OSB and hardboard. The products are made by gluing strands or pieces of scrap hardwood or softwood together. Both structural and finish products are made with engineered lumber, from I-beam joists and roof trusses to flooring.

Under the DOE’s Building America program, the NAHB Research Center has done field work with builders across the country and developed recommended building practices to create a tight, efficient building envelope. For example, optimized framing (also called advanced framing or optimum value engineering) allows more space for insulation and minimizes the amount of lumber used to build a house, without compromising its structural integrity.

The Research Center also established the National Housing Quality (NHQ) Awards program in 1993 to recognize management excellence in the home-building industry. Entrants are evaluated in eight categories including leadership, customer satisfaction and construction quality. As the winners will attest, the NHQ Awards program is setting the bar very high for their peers — and that’s a good thing for new-home buyers.
source: newhomesource.com

Mazza Building & Development Company provides unique custom homes in Oakland Twp, Michigan and surrounding areas. Call the top rated Oakland Twp, MI custom home builders at (248) 625-3305 to schedule a consultation.