Smoke Detectors: Make sure that there is one on each floor of your home, inspect them monthly to see that they’re working and change the batteries as needed.

Light Bulbs: Examine the bulbs in all of your fixtures to see that they are working and are the correct wattage as recommended by the manufacturer. Also, replace high-intensity with fluorescent bulbs that don’t produce as much heat.

Electrical Outlets: Check all outlets for frayed wires, loose-fitting plugs or other fire hazards such as overloaded electrical outlets, fuse boxes and extension cords.

Fire Extinguisher: Locate your multi-purpose fire extinguisher to make sure it’s accessible, filled and ready for operation. If you don’t own one already, purchase one.

Air Conditioning System: Have a professional inspect your air conditioning system to make sure everything is in working order.

Roof: Check for damage to your roof. Also, clean gutters and downspouts of any accumulated debris.

Water Heater: Check for leaks and corrosion. Fix or purchase a new unit as needed.

Furnace: Clean or replace your furnace filter.

While you’re cleaning your home, if you’ve noticed that it no longer fits your needs then contact us. We’re Austin home builders with more than 20 years of experience. We can help you design the home of your dreams based on your individual style and preferences.

For more information, visit the Sterling Custom Homes website.

Boasting a bird’s eye panoramic view of Lake Austin, the Austin skyline and the Pennybacker Bridge, Mount Bonnell is the perfect spot for exercise enthusiasts who enjoy hiking and nature buffs looking for a relaxing place to have a picnic. It’s also a great backdrop for special occasion photography sessions to celebrate an engagement, wedding or graduation.

The overlook area has two access points: a rocky trail from the north and a steep set of stairs at the south end. However, don’t let that discourage you. Neither access point represents a major hike. Just make sure to wear a sensible pair of shoes and pack your water bottle and sunscreen.

Park hours are from 6 a.m. until 10 p.m., so there is plenty of time to get out and explore.

Mount Bonnell offers a great weekend destination. However, if you wish to enjoy beautiful lake views from the comfort of your own home, then consider giving us a call. We’re a builder on Lake Travis that can help you design a custom home with a luxurious outdoor living space that features peaceful views of the water.

For more information, visit the Sterling Custom Homes website.

With that in mind, three of the most important factors in choosing your builder are:

1)    The builder’s track record for managing funds. Has the builder ever been bankrupt, leaving clients and vendors in financial distress? This is not necessarily a result of tough economic times. It more often is an indicator that the builder lacks the organization and discipline to manage the funds for several complex building projects.

2)   The builder’s experience. Does your builder understand, through practical experience, the best practices of all aspects of homebuilding? When managing subcontractors, does your builder understand the shortcuts that they may try to take to save materials and time – jeopardizing the quality of your home? There is no substitute for experience.

3)   The builder’s processes. Has the builder developed processes for building new homes in Austin that make the experience both organized and enjoyable for you? Some builders have copied our processes and some have even given them fancy names, but nothing can replace the real-life experience from which those processes were created. The underlying systems that support the process are not so easy to duplicate.

At Sterling, we welcome the tough questions that have to be asked when choosing your builder. So do your homework. Don’t be fooled by fancy marketing pitches. Ask the hard questions up-front. The custom homebuilding experience can be fun and rewarding when you take the time to choose the right builder. For more information, visit the Sterling Custom Homes website.

By contrast, in a Fixed Price scenario, all the specifications and pricing for your home are worked out in advance. As a result, the buyer gains a comprehensive understanding of the budget. Delivering a Fixed Price does require more time up-front to identify the materials and finishes. The biggest drawback has always been the inordinate amount of time it took for the builder to obtain bids from suppliers and subcontractors. Sterling has solved this problem by developing a proprietary Specifications and Pricing module that allows us to front-load material and labor costs. This enables us to produce a Fixed Price in a matter of a few days, rather than weeks or months.

Once the price is determined, the builder assumes all the risk of the fluctuating material costs. Thus, the builder is quite willing to flex his purchasing power and hold the suppliers and subcontractors to their bids.

From a builders’ perspective, Fixed Price building is much more difficult to manage. It requires the luxury home builder to be more organized and analytical in running the business. However, when the system is applied by seasoned professionals – the bottom line benefit is that the client is protected from the instability and uncertainty of rising material and labor costs.

For more than 20 years, Sterling Custom Homes has provided the advantages of Fixed Cost building to its clients, producing the highest quality and best value in the custom home building industry. For more information, visit the Sterling Custom Homes website or call Gary Grambley at 512-263-2214.

#5… The Casita – This popular space is a Guest Room on the main level of the house that is accessed from an outside entrance. It can be incorporated into a beautiful courtyard or situated near the swimming pool with a view of the Lake. We have incorporated Casita’s into many custom homes over the last five years.

#4 … The Combination Media Room/Game Room – This versatile space was born of the desire to have more public, social access to a large, main viewing screen. Opening up the Media Room to the Game Room has created a fresh new way to entertain for our clients. In many applications we have included a heavy theater curtain that can close the Media Room off from the Game Room when the true theater experience is desired.

#3 … The Outdoor Living Space – This area has become more important to our clients as they create an area to relax and/or entertain outside of the home. The Outdoor Living Area has become more spacious with nicer finishes and more substantial furniture. With misters for cooling and heaters for heating, it’s viable year-round.

#2 … The Disappearing Glass Wall – This feature has grown in popularity since we introduced it to the Austin market in 2004. An interlocking glass door system that pockets into the wall, this feature creates seamless flow from inside the home to an inviting Outdoor Living Area. It always frames a magnificent view and has plenty of WOW factor! We have installed more than 30 of these systems and continue to include them in our most recent designs.

#1 … The Outdoor Shower – This feature gets top billing because it is the most recent addition to our custom home designs. We are currently building two homes with this unique feature. Usually designed to be accessed from inside the master shower through a commercial grade, waterproofed door, the outdoor shower has become popular based on experiences our clients had while vacationing at beautiful, high-end resorts.

As luxury home builders, we’d love to incorporate your unique ideas into a custom home that your family will cherish for years to come. To learn more about our award-winning quality and unmatched customer service, please call Gary Grambley at 512-263-2214.

Horseshoe Bay Resort Realty, known for its quality real estate products and integrity, is a real estate company that clearly understands the value of professionalism – which is evident from the moment you walk into their impressive office.

We found that the agents were sharp, attentive and eager to learn more about our award winning business model. Horseshoe Bay Resort Realty was aware of our recent activity in the Horseshoe Bay area, as well as our involvement in Austin area Parades and Showcases over the years.

Sterling Custom Homes has committed to maintaining a presence in the Horseshoe Bay market and we look forward to a long and prosperous relationship with the quality folks at Horseshoe Bay Resort Realty.

Horseshoe Bay Resort Realty specializes in handling the needs of the lakeside luxury community and Texas custom home builder, Sterling Custom Homes, can help you design a luxury home to complement your new lakefront property. For more information about the luxury homes built by Sterling Custom Homes, visit our website.

For those unfamiliar with Horseshoe Bay, it is Texas’ premier lake and golf resort. Situated less than an hour outside of Austin on Lake LBJ, Horseshoe Bay is 7,000 acres of luxury living. The resort features a 385-room Marriott hotel, 18-hole par 72 Bermuda grass putting course, full-service spa, four sparkling swimming pools, seven dining facilities, 16 tennis courts and even a private airport and jet center. Needless to say, Horseshoe Bay is unlike any other Texas golf course community you have ever seen and the perfect setting for a luxury new home in Austin by Sterling Custom Homes.

It was Sterling’s award-winning Parade home on Lake Travis that caught the attention of these new clients. They were so impressed by the unique features and keen attention to detail that they knew Sterling was the right choice for their project in Horseshoe Bay. At Horseshoe Bay, they purchased two adjacent homesites directly on Lake LBJ, one of which has an existing structure.

Before plans could be drawn, the clients and Sterling had to decide which would be more economical – adding onto the existing structure or demolishing it and starting new. After careful planning and much research, they came to the conclusion that the best course of action would be to add on to the existing home.

And this is where the fun starts for the Austin custom home builder. The clients do not want an end product that looks like an addition, so it’s up to Sterling to come up with innovative designs to make the Lake LBJ custom home exceed their expectations.

We are so excited to see the Austin lakefront home once it is complete. Remember to follow along with the progress of this amazing project on the Sterling Web site in the “Homes Under Construction” section.