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.

“The Hills” 18-hole golf course features 7,030 yards of golf from the longest tees for a par of 72. The course rating is 73.8 and it has a slope rating of 140 on Bermuda grass.  Designed by Jack Nicklaus, ASGCA, The Hills golf course opened in 1981 and is managed by ClubCorp USA.

For over 20 years, Sterling Custom Homes has had the privilege of building one-of-a- kind luxury custom homes in The Hills and other Lakeway communities.   With a grand total of 52 custom homes, many on the golf course, Sterling is sure to be one the most predominant Custom Home Builders of the “The Hills” subdivision throughout the years.  Our first custom home in the gated Lakeway community was designed and built in 1990.  Along with golf course homes, Sterling has built innumerable custom homes including premier waterfront designs in the Village of Lakeway, Rough Hollow, Waterfront, Costa Bell, Vinyard Bay, and Majestic Hills.

Our story does not end there; we have continued a strong presence in Flintrock Falls and the exclusive Escavera at Flintrock Falls, the neighboring Lakeway golf community, by building over 30 custom, spec and showcase homes since 2001.   Sterling has been very well received and supported by the Lakeway Community and we are appreciative of each opportunity to offer award winning designs for our elite clientele.

Lakeway is a golfer’s haven!  Contact Gary Grambley at gary@sterlinghome.com for more information about this amazing community.

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When you view the plans on our website you will notice how open and functional the design is. The home is designed to take advantage of the Austin temperate weather by providing a generous and easily accessed outdoor living area complete with an outdoor sunken kitchen. The custom home owners have taken advantage of the panoramic view of Lake Travis by including a sitting room off the master, large covered terraces upstairs and down, an upstairs study that overlooks the lake and Sterling’s signature “disappearing wall of windows” that provide flow between the indoor to the outdoor living areas.

Adding to the list of custom preferences in the waterfront home, you will find a front courtyard with fireplace providing another outdoor gathering space, a well-designed, generous utility room with its own powder bath, a master suite with indoor and outdoor sitting areas, his and her custom closets, and granite surround tub and large walk-in shower. The upstairs offers, in addition to the extensive view and study, includes a media room, game room with wet bar and the third and fourth bedrooms.

Enjoy the beautiful pictures of the house under construction and stay tuned for more!

This custom home in Lakeway, Texas features four bedrooms with four and one-half baths. The master suite is conveniently located on the main level and offers beautiful views of the golf course. The main level also boasts another bedroom, formal dining room and a gourmet kitchen that opens to the expansive family room and breakfast room.

It is certainly perfect for the Hill Country golf enthusiast who loves driving on a Jack Nicklaus designed golf course. With the activity that has occurred during construction, we feel certain this house will soon be sold!

Of course, words cannot do this beautiful home justice, so be sure to stop by Flintrock Falls for more information about our spec home. The home is being marketed by The Winnett Group, located in Lakeway, Texas.

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When it comes time to deliver a price to a client, we have already worked closely with them through lot selection, initial sketch, ¼” scale plans and specifications. We have walked the client through the plans and, through our detailed specifications process, identified all the materials and finishes they would like to include in their home. With this information we access our proprietary pricing system, The Sterling Pricing Module, developed in 2007.

With this tool, we can accurately price a home in a matter of hours – versus many weeks for our competitors. The Sterling Pricing Module allows us to front-load much of the material and labor costs, alleviating the cumbersome process of sending the plans out to all the trade partners and waiting for them to respond with a price.

And to answer the question “What is included in the price?” We include everything from the driveway to the landscaping and irrigation. And yes, we’ll even include the pool!

Originally constructed in 1936, The Lakeway Airpark, Inc. was since formed by Lakeway residents and interested parties to own and manage Lakeway Airpark. The Airpark is a privately owned, not for profit, public use airport for residents and guests of Lakeway. No public funds are used and the airport is supported by fees and fuel sales at the airport.

The Airpark makes the Lakeway area so much more accessible to many folks. With the upcoming opening of the road through Rough Hollow, the communities along Bee Creek Road and Thurman Bend Road will have much easier access to the Airpark and all the Lakeway amenities.
The Lakeway airpark is an unmanned facility open for use from sunrise to sunset seven days a week. They offer Self Serve 100LL fuel currently at $4.09 per gallon. Transient parking is available for $10 a night.