Top Ten Biggest Pitfalls When Building a Custom Home

We believe that now is an excellent time to build a custom home with interest rates at near record levels, land pricing very affordable and continuing builder incentives. Building a Custom Home home should be a pleasurable experience if you do your homework and know what to expect. In this issue we talk about the pitfalls to avoid as you embark on what can be an enjoyable adventure.

• Have a plan. Think through carefully what is important to you in a home. It will become a reflection of your personality and lifestyle. Inevitably, there are choices that need to be made based on your budget, lot characteristics or jurisdictional requirements. These choices will be made easier if you have carefully thought through your priorities.

• Choose a builder that is right for you. Your builder should have experience in building homes similar to the one you are envisioning and should be able to work with you well during the design, sales and building process to make sure your objectives are met. Make sure to look at a few homes the builder has completed, not so much to see the features in the home your are building, but to understand the quality inside the walls and to ask questions.
• Make sure you are getting land at the right price. If you are buying land, you need to do your homework. In many cases vacant land is selling for 50% of what it did three years ago and you should have significant upward potential over the next 5 years. In addition, don't be scared of land that has an existing home on it that would need to be scrapped. Often, these properties are less expensive both to purchase and to build on because Permit fees are significantly reduced.
• Consider infrastructure requirements Utilities can be one of the most costly components in building a Custom Home. Water, sewer and power connection fees need to be considered. Sloped lots will increase the cost of construction and often delay completion due to geotechnical requirements. Permit fees may also include mitigation fees for parks, roads and schools.
  

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Blue Cheese And Bacon Potato Salad

Instructions:

1. Preheat grill to 350-400 degrees. Place potatoes in a single layer in center of a large piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Drizzle with olive oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bring up foil sides over potatoes; double fold top and side edges to seal, making 1 large packet.

2. Grill potatoes in foil packet covered with grill lid, 15 minutes on each side. Remove packet from grill. Carefully open packet using tongs, and let cool 5 minutes.

3. Whisk together next 4 ingredients in large bowl, add potatoes, tossing gently to coat. Stir in onion, blue cheese, bacon and serve!

October 22nd Open House.
We have another opportunity for prospective clients and existing clients to come and see a home that is very close to being completed.

These events are always wildly popular as it gives people a chance to walk a plan they might have seen in our catalog and get a feel for dimensions and finishes. We will be showing the Monte Cristo model.

Please join us at:

1642 24th Ave. NE.

Issaquah, WA. 98029

Times: 10-4 Saturday October 22nd

Check out our plans
starting at $97,950

Remember, we'll build your plan, our plan, or customize a plan to fit your lifestyle and building envelope.

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Contact Stanbrooke

Free Site Consultations

Because building can be a daunting task, Stanbrooke is happy to provide consultations on your property to discuss typical site costs associated with building before you commit to the building process. These consultations are free of charge.

Topics most often discussed are:

• well installation
• demolition of existing older homes
• septic design and install
• power and other utility concerns
• excavation and trenching
• clearing and construction entrances