Archive for April, 2012
Pre-Construction Process: Plan Development
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Physical plans are drafted in phase two of the Pre-Construction Process
A few days ago we began a conversation about our Pre-Construction Process of building custom homes in Austin, and discussed the first half of this process. The second half of the Pre-Construction Process deals with the physical plans for your home. These milestones are as follows.
Conceptual Plan – This plan is a 1” to 10’, small scale drawing with the initial dimensions of the home layout on your home site. Once drafted, you review the layout and then meet again to discuss changes and return them to the architect/designer.
Preliminary Plan/Review – This plan is 1/4” scale drawings of the front elevation, floor plan, and site plan with topographic overlays displaying the house situated on the home site. You will now review the plan with furniture cutouts, provided by Sterling.
Finalize Preliminary Plan & Specifications – Once the preliminary plan is finalized, we will walk you through every aspect of your home. Room by room we will define the scope of the project, identifying materials and finishes. Our specially developed interactive software system helps automate the specifications process. This results in a 41-page document defining every detail of your home.
Price Preliminary Plan & Specifications – Read More→
Pre-Construction Process before the plans are drafted.
With decades of experience, expert craftsmanship and professionalism, Sterling Custom Homes builds the best quality custom homes Austin has to offer. We have developed and mastered several processes associated with the overall construction of the home, from lot selection, all the way through and past the completion of the home. The first of these processes is the Pre-Construction Process. Even this process can be split into two sections: before the plans are drafted and after. Today we will explain the part of the Pre-Construction Process in which plans have not been drafted yet.
Initial Sterling Consultation — As we meet at the Sterling office, we will explain our process. We will discuss your desired location and design criteria, along with your preliminary budget and financing if necessary.
Home Site Selection (if necessary) — Here we will discuss the area in which you would like to live, considering communities and school districts. We will conduct a lot analysis featuring lot criteria, such as being on a golf course, having a view and acreage, and other factors such as sun orientation, topography and trees.
Lot Purchase (if necessary) – Read More→
Whole Foods Market to open May 16th
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Whole Foods Market in Bee Cave, TX opens on May 16th, 2012.
Whole Foods Market has been an Austin native since 1980. With over 310 stores across North America and the United Kingdom, Whole Foods has established itself as the worldwide leader in natural and organic food. For Lakeway custom home owners and the area surrounding Lake Travis, it is about to become a whole lot easier to shop for your natural and organic products.
On May 16th, Whole Foods Market will open a brand new location in Bee Cave, TX at the Hill Country Galleria. As announced by Bee Cave Store Team Leader, Wade Taylor, there will be several festivities going on during the first week of opening. The store will open at 8:00am but you are invited to come at 7:30am for coffee and a bread breaking ceremony. The store will feature a patio balcony with Hill Country views. Upstairs, there will be a bar called “The Buzz” in which specialty beer and wine will be served on tap. Opening day will be filled with live music and food.
Lakeway is home to the best golf in Austin
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111 Escavera on Flintrock Falls Golf Course
The city of Lakeway has long been known to be home to some of the best golf in the Austin area. As you watch The Masters, you might experience a strange little tingle deep within you, an urge even. That feeling is what golfers call “The Itch.” It’s a phenomenon that causes you to suddenly have the need to hit the links. Just seeing the lush, green grounds of Augusta National, the best maintained and most exclusive golf club in, perhaps, the world, makes me want to go play some golf. Luckily there are plenty of golf courses in the Lakeway area to escape to. Some of the best custom homes in Austin are built on these golf courses so when I should be able to go on a field trip and can call it “market research,” right?
Speaking of research, here’s a list of the beautiful and challenging golf courses in and around Lakeway.
Housing Market forecast looks promising
2012 is looking promising to Austin custom home builders. The housing market is showing signs of gradual upturn from years past.
Although sales of new homes in February fell from January, they grew by more than 11 percent in comparison with last year, and prices rose. The median new home price in February increased 8.3 percent to an eight-month high of $233,700, as compared to last February’s 6.2 percent rise. Existing home sales in February were up 9% from the same time in 2011. The number of new homes beginning construction fell in February, however permits for future projects approached a 3.5-year high. U.S. Builders have shown confidence in the current housing market as they have requested 5 percent more construction permits in February. That increased the annual rate to an adjusted 717,000 permits, the Commerce Department reported.