This custom home, built by Hibbs Homes and designed by Architect Kim Spurgeon, was recognized by the City of Kirkwood as an Infill of Merit.

Building a new home is not about the builder. Sound funny? Let me explain. In my opinion, the builder is only as good as his team. Proof in point – a new home we recently built in Kirkwood, Missouri. The home was just recognized by the Kirkwood Landmarks Commission as an “Infill of Merit,” an award that recognizes a new, single family home that fits comfortably into the existing neighborhood and is found compatible through architectural style, and the use of scale, proportion, materials, textures and details. Since Hibbs Homes is primarily an infill builder these are goals we have for every home we build, but there was special emphasis placed on this home by the team.

You may have noticed I’ve used the word “team” twice, so let me explain what I mean. When the homeowner first selected Hibbs Homes to build their new home, they also selected architect to Kim Spurgeon to complete the team. Kim is well known and respected in the city of Kirkwood, and is an award winning architect who has designed many homes in the community- a community in which she lives.

Working together, as a team, we were able to meet our clients’ goal to design and build a home that fit seamlessly into the neighborhood. That was very important to our client, and as infill builder, it’s important to me. Our client had an idea of what they wanted the home to look like, and after several meetings we were able to flush things out. During the design process, I offered thoughts and suggestions on construction materials, costs and how various design elements would affect the budget. We met frequently during the design process to make sure we were still on track with the design and budget.

This team effort worked to perfection. Not only did we have an award winning home, but one that came in on budget. Building a new home can be a fun and rewarding experience, if you have the right team working in the right direction.

Here is a shot of a home being built in the Contempri Homes factory in Pickneyville, IL.

I’ve written before about modular home construction, and how more and more of our clients are asking about the process. To help them learn more about it, I had to do my homework. And the more I’ve learned, the more I realize it’s a legitimate way to build a new home.

Part of my homework included a trip to Contempri Homes in Pinkneyville, Illinois. There I was able to see the construction process in person. What impressed me the most was the concept of building a custom home backwards. That may sound funny, so please let me explain.

When homes are built in a factory, manufacturers install the drywall first, then work backwards installing exterior sheathing and siding last. This allows the crews to work from the back side, paying close attention to properly caulking and insulating the structure for an air-tight envelope. This is critical when building high performance homes. In addition, using full lengths of unbroken drywall at all wall intersections and corners helps improve the thermal envelope. Drywall also comes first when building the roof and it runs to the exterior edge of the walls so there are no air gaps at the ceiling perimeters which can be very difficult to seal.

Here you can see studs in to the drywall from the exterior of the modular home.

I already knew of the other benefits to modular construction – working in a controlled environment which is not susceptible to the weather, being able to control and reuse waste, new homes being built in a matter of weeks instead of months, and that a modular home undergoes more inspections than a site built home. But what excites me the most is that modular homes are also being verified green through programs such as the National Green Building Standards, Energy Star, and USGBC’s LEED.

I’m sold and ready to build our first modular home, and fortunately we have a client interested as well. They are a wonderful young couple from South St. Louis County who already have a lot. They’ve taken a very active role in learning about modular construction as well, having already visited two modular factories.

The Hibbs Homes crew stops for a photo opp with the Contempri Homes crew.

They’re interested in building modular for several reasons – a better built home, environmentally friendly construction, and saving money. The modular industry says you can save up to 15% building a modular home and we’re going to put that claim to the test.

We’re going to share information about the project from start to finish, writing about all phases of the construction process here on the blog. You can follow our journey by subscribing to the blog via our RSS feed using your favorite reader, or you can have it delivered right to you by subscribing via email. It should be an interesting one, and hopefully you’ll come along for the ride!

The National Association of Home Builders recently reported that the majority of new homeowners (about 73% according to the 2009 American Housing Survey) spend less than $25 a month to maintain their home. And a new construction homeowner spend around 13 cents less per square foot for energy usage than the average homeowner-and that lower average cost even includes new homes that aren’t built using leading energy efficient practices. Imagine how much more savings a durable and energy efficient home would be in comparison!

Many of the clients we have built custom homes for in the past have told us how surprised they were to find they were spending less money to live in their new, energy efficient home even with a larger home. We have also had clients come to us who have decided to build a new home because the costs and time associated with maintenance and upgrades to existing homes in their price range really put them off the idea of buying.

While some home buyers are intimidated by the prospect of building, often these worries come from the unknown when it comes to costs. But, as these numbers really show, working with a qualified home builder to purchase a lot and build within your budget can be an rewarding investment that will actually save you money in the long run.

The 200+page study shows how the conservation of natural resources, and the high performance building techniques, such as thorough water and air sealing, help to reinforce the home during severe weather events. The study goes on to include recommendations on building techniques that can help increase a building resilience focusing on the areas of

1. The home’s envelope,
2. Lot siting and landscape,
3. The systems for heating, cooling, and lighting,
4. Efficiency of water and waste,
5. Recommendations on equipment, and
6. Process and operation.

The report states that when building a home, “A ‘resilient’ strategy will allow a system to absorb disturbances such as increased precipitation or flooding while maintaining its structure and function.”

While the report is rather extensive, many of the techniques and recommendations included fall in line with the green building techniques that Hibbs Homes and other green builders are already incorporating many of these tenets into new construction and remodels. While we’ve been evangelizing the benefits and durability of high performance green homes, it is pretty interesting to comb through the different findings and recommendations the USGBC and University of Michigan have culled and how those directly translate in the harsh weather realities that homeowners have to face and how these findings are helping with the Gilf Coast reconstruction in particular.

You can download the report and look through the recommendations by visiting the USGBC’s website.

An exterior shot of a custom home Hibbs Homes built last year in Frontenac, MO.

We have been fortunate to work with a number of great families in the St Louis area to help them plan and build their custom home. Over the course of time we have seen that there is a big advantage for homeowners who are well informed about the home building process and are educated in selecting a general contractor. That is why we enjoy meeting with potential clients to give them a chance to get to know our company and compare us with other home builders in St. Louis before they make a decision on who to hire to build their new home.

To make the interview and decision making process easier, here are a list of questions and steps we recommend potential clients explore to help them compare services and companies before making a decision:

1. How long have you been building new homes?
2. What is your rating with the Better Business Bureau, and/or Angie’s List?
3. Are you provide documentation of licenses and insurance?
4. Who are your main subcontractors, and how do/did you select them?
5. How much experience do your primary subcontractors have?
6. Are your plumbing and electrical subcontractors licensed and certified?
7. Could you provide current references from the last two years?
8. What tools do they use to maintain communication with their clients keep them informed of progress, scheduling, choices, and decisions needed?
9. Who is your supervisor or site foreman, and how many years experience do they have?
10. Which professional organizations are you affiliated with locally and nationally?

Once you’ve had a chance to meet with your shortlist of potential builders to interview them and discuss your project, there are a couple of additional items to consider before making your final selection:

1. Did your potential contractor return your call or email promptly?
2. If applicable, did they prepare your bid in a timely fashion?  (Delays at this point are not a good indication of prompt, timely service to come.)
3. Is their bid professional, complete and comprehensive, or do you suspect hidden costs later?
4. Does their business operate professionally or from the back of their truck?

While most building and contracting work is based on referrals, using this questionnaire to compare each of your builder options side-by-side gives you a chance to take an objective look at what your options are and to make an informed decision about who you select to build your new home, addition or renovation.

Our construction supervisor, Dean Holtmeyer, meets with clients on site to discuss plans.

When working with a custom home builder, more than anything else communication is key to building your home on time and on budget. In fact, we recommend that you pay close attention to communication tools and methods when deciding which builder you chose for your new home construction project. Once you have chosen your builder and construction is underway, there are a few things that homeowners can do as well help make communication easier and help your project run smoother.

Stay Engaged in the Process
As construction moves along there are likely to be matters that arise that the builder needs to address, and this is especially true when it comes to a custom home as the plans haven’t been previously built. When a homeowner approaches their build with that expectation and stays engaged and in contact with their builder, these matters can be addressed quickly and reasonably with little to no impact on the project. Beginning with the an honest conversation about the project timeline, homeowners should expect regular conversations with their builder all the way through the process.

Make Time for Your Builder
The typical work day for a general contractor and his crew begins around 6:30 or 7 am and ends around 3:30 pm, while the average American works from 8 am until 5 pm and of course there are soccer games, volunteer meetings, and family events crammed into the rest of the time. To help facilitate the build it is a good idea to set up a weekly meeting or window to either meet on site or have a phone call to discuss the project during a time that works best for everyone, that way you can get all of your questions answered and your builder can do the same. Email and online communication is another great way to keep in touch with your builder through the process. For example, in addition to weekly meetings with clients and emails, Hibbs Homes has also added co-construct to our website to allow direct electronic communication with clients on timelines, decisions, etc.

With so many moving parts, an open dialogue between you and your builder is essential to making sure you end up with the perfect home with fewer headaches. That is why we consider communication a key service hallmark at Hibbs Homes. We encourage you to evaluate the communications tools and methods of your builder very carefully before deciding who you will break ground with.

Faux stone is manufactured to look like real stone only it is lighter, and in many cases easier to install. It is cast in molds using a process that replicates natural colors and textures. And in many cases you can add stone veneer to an existing home that doesn’t have the structural elements required to support real stone.

This is a picture of a new home we built in Ladue, Missouri that incorporates brick and real stone. Costs do vary depending on the actual stone selected, but we generally quote natural stone at $28 per square foot.

Here is a picture of a new custom home we built in Chesterfield, Missouri using stone veneer.

The stone veneer cost $15 per square foot. That’s quite a price difference between the two.

Stone veneer isn’t for everyone or every project, but if you’re building a new home on a budget, or don’t have the structural elements to support natural stone for a home renovation, it may be a perfect option.

Image credit: constructionweekonline.in

Like many industries, innovations in green home building have become mired in speculation and myths. The heavy use, and often misuse, of  “green” messages across many industries has fostered a cynicism for some. While others are holding on to the early price tags or associations with the word.

However, like many industries, the building industry is always evolving. As we discover new information, technologies and products we have learned that green home building is not as much a type of building as it is the next evolution in building. Green and energy efficient homes are what have resulted from research and innovation, and with that understanding are gaining a much wider acceptance.

Here are a few of the top myths about green home building that we hope won’t be around much longer…

Green homes are no longer more expensive to build.
When energy efficient building products first came on the market they were leading edge, and tended to be more pricey that their traditional alternatives. We see this trend in every industry from electronics to clothing. However, as companies begin adopting sustainable, eco-friendly and energy efficient models in their design and practice the cost continues to come down. And most importantly, the cost of living and maintenance during the lifetime of the home is reduced with more durable construction and materials over traditionally built homes.

Remodeling a home is not always more “green” than building new.
Homes that were built 50 or 60 years ago were built with very different tools and specifications. For instance, some homes weren’t built with insulation at all and did not take into consideration environmental factors such as the home’s orientation on the lot to take advantage of natural sunlight and warmth. But as we learn more about how the environment around the home impacts everything from energy bills to the health of the homeowners, we are now building homes that are more efficient and comfortable when a remodel could not possibly meet these needs.

Green homes are not just for environmentalists.
Since we began building green homes in 2006 we have incorporated energy efficient and sustainable practices into projects for so many clients for so many different reasons. The top reason, however, comes down to increased durability, less maintenance problems and lowered utility bills. While there are environmental benefits to all of these factors, at the end of the day these homes are also better investments for our clients because of these same reasons.

As time passes and people begin to understand the benefits of using green practices when building their new home we suspect that there will also be a better understanding that green building is more about innovation than a movement.

Image credit: EPA

Recently we came across a great post by St. Louis Realtor Karen Goodman on radon risks for Missouri homes, a hot topic for many home builders and buyers in the St. Louis area. It caused quite a buzz among the Hibbs Homes staff.

To get some more insight on the matter we turned to our consulting partner, Matt Belcher of Verdatek Solutions. Matt, one of the country’s leading green home standards experts, recently joined our home building team and brings with him a wealth of knowledge not only about green building standards here and abroad, but also a very unique expertise with radon in Missouri homes.

A few years ago Matt received a grant from the Department of Health to attend a Radon educational symposium in Washington D.C. At the time, he was one of the first builders to begin roughing in a radon mitigation system during new home construction.

Matt said of the symposium, “It really drove home the nature of the importance of these systems in every home we have build. We are one of very few builders who do this or frankly understand Radon and its effects.”

Radon is naturally occurring, radioactive gas produced during the decay of deposits of uranium and radium in the soil and air. When radon enters the home it radioactively charges dust particles, which become carcinogenic and when inhaled can lodge in your lungs. In fact, radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer behind smoking, and the number one cause of lung cancer in non-smokers according to EPA estimates. And studies conducted by the agency show that even a small amount of radon can cause lung cancer.

As the map in Karen’s post points out, Missouri is located in a “median” risk radon zone. This means that while the risk is slightly elevated, concentrations are not as predominant as they are in areas to the North and west of us and mitigation is optional by code.

In terms of risk, Matt explained, “The maximum standard measurement level for Radon is 4 Picocuries/liter (pCi/L). However, that is a somewhat “arrived at” number. The average home has about 1.3 pCi/L indoors. The true effect of any Radiation is time vs. exposure. If you spend the bulk amount of your time in the lowest level of your home and are in an area with even lower levels you may be effected more than someone even in non-conforming areas but spend little time in the lower level.”

Now that many home buyers are aware of the risk a radon inspection is an increasingly common closing inspection, and if detected a mitigation system can be installed by a contractor prior to closing, which can be costly.

However in St Louis new home construction a more proactive approach is being taken with the knowledge that our area has a slightly elevated risk. In new homes a passive mitigation system is being installed in the form of a pip that runs under the lowest floor slab, and using the natural tendency for warm air to rise the vapor vents up through the roof. And even more progressively, Matt explains, “We always leave a length in the attic adequate to install a fan if our client would desire to make it an active system in the future.”

While radon detection and mitigation may only be optional in this area, a radon inspection and a proactive preclusion system is an important when building your home in St Louis to reduce your family’s health risk.

For more information about radon’s risks and effects we invite you to explore the EPA’s radon website, and, like most important homeowner issues, consult a trusted contractor or realtor.

Hibbs Homes Superintendent Dean Holtmeyer discussing plans with a clients building a new home..

When homeowners first think about building a home, their search for plans often begins on the internet.  It is an endless and sometimes valuable resource.  While the price for stock blueprints can be enticing, unless you do your homework you could be making a costly mistake.

There are several factors to consider when deciding whether to buy plans online or have them drawn by a local architect.  In the St. Louis area, where we build most of our homes, plans must be signed and sealed by a Missouri licensed architect. These licensed architects know local codes which can vary greatly from municipality to municipality. While online blueprints are typically designed to meet one general building code, and if you request they be updated for your specific area the cost usually goes up.

Many time stock plans can’t account for specific site details you’d like or related to your lot, such as a walkout basement.  Also, depending on local requirements, you may need additional engineering work which can be costly if making major changes. What seems like an easy tweak could affect the entire structure from the foundation to the roof.  It may be better to start fresh with a local architect.

When evaluating whether to buy plans online the best way to proceed is –

1.   Review the plans you are considering to make sure they meet your needs without having to make changes

2.  Contact your local government’s building department to see if they will allow stock blueprints

3.  Discuss any special code and/or engineering requirements your municipality

4.  Get a formal quote including costs for changes to plans and special code and/or engineering requirements

5.  Compare the stock plans with an apples-to-apples quote from a local architect

If you simply choose the plans that seem cheapest upfront, you could be making a mistake.  Doing your homework will help keep your dream of a new home on track and on budget.