Design Affects Cost – Value Engineering

Design Affects Cost – Value Engineering

Surging lumber prices have added an estimated $14,000 to the typical new home in just the last four months according to the National Association of Home Builders. While builders can do little about fluctuating materials costs, value-engineering the home – balancing livability and style with functional aspects and cost – helps with affordability. Yet many aspects of value engineering aren’t obvious​ or readily recognized. For example, roofing contractors typically charge more for more complex or steeper roofs.

The one-story Calverton (plan #8530), at right, was designed with 8:12 roof pitches, primarily for aesthetics. Reducing the roof pitch to 6:12 would likely reduce the cost of the home, but also make it appear smaller. 

Calverton - #8530 roof pitches
Foundations. A simple foundation with minimal corners saves money. Not only is your foundation contractor going to charge more for every corner, those same jogs often incur additional material expenses in terms of siding, roofing, and waste as well as labor costs for trimming out the additional corners. As compared with the original Tollefson (plan #6731), at left, the added 78 square feet of living space offered in the Tollefson II (plan #42152), at right, is very inexpensive.
Tollefson - #6731BL
Tollefson II - #42152

The Cedar Hill (plan #42435) has a straightforward foundation. It also takes advantage of cost savings afforded by using readily available, standard building materials. For example, all windows (except transoms) are the same size. Joining two windows together, as in the front Suite 2 and Bedroom 3 saves money by only cutting and trimming around one opening in the wall. (The windows were split in Suite 1 to provide a second bed headboard wall option.) All interior passage doors are 32” wide (except for the double doors into Suite 2). Though the Great Room will probably continue with the same flooring as the kitchen and eating area, if carpet were chosen, a single 15-foot wide roll would eliminate seaming labor and cut-off waste.

Cedar Hill - #42435
Cedar Hill - #42435
Structural Materials. Traditional dimensional lumber floor joists can be considerably less expensive than either I-joist or truss floor systems but can’t achieve the same span lengths. And many items covered in previous posts in this series such as designing to minimize costly structural members, materials used, and ceiling details are common areas to address in value engineering. Furthermore, your preferences such as having a simple rectangular island as opposed to an angled island; a flush snack bar rather than a raised island bar; or selecting a single wall oven plus range rather than double wall ovens all address affordability. When your plans call for a value-engineered approach, look to our plans for solutions that don’t compromise on aesthetics and marketability!

Look for our next blog post series as we explore other topics that affect your cost of home ownership!

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Design Affects Cost – Size Matters!

Design Affects Cost – Size Matters!

It may seem obvious that the larger the home, the more it will cost. But there are other factors that affect the cost.

Single-story vs. Two-story. Single-story homes typically cost more than two-story homes of the same square footage. The Bonham (plan #42239), below left, and the Moss Bluff (plan #43013), below right, are about the same size in terms of square feet. Both have relatively economical gable roofs and the same size two-car, front-entry garages. But the Bonham has a more expansive, costlier roof than the efficiently stacked Moss Bluff plan.

Bonham - #42239
Moss Bluff - #43013

The Bonham also has a much larger, more expensive foundation with considerably more steel if building on a basement. And being 16 feet wider and 26 feet deeper, the Bonham (below left) will require a larger, more expensive home site on which to build than the Moss Bluff (below right).

Bonham - #42239
Moss Bluff - #43066

Split-Entry Design. Generally focused more on affordability, split-entry designs can be the least expensive to build. For the Dane Mills (plan #35084), costs are reduced because the garage occupies what would have been much of the basement.

Dane Mills - #35084
Dane Mills - #35084
Dane Mills - #35084

Multi-level and 1-1/2-Story Designs. Similarly, many multi-level and 1-1/2-story plans offer good affordability. The Tillamook (plan #43038) has the garage and family room at ground level, so when building on a basement, it’s like a split entry – you go up a half flight of stairs to the kitchen/dining/bedroom suite, or down a half flight of stairs to the basement, which is under that portion of the home. Positioned above the garage, the secondary bedrooms and bath are less costly to build as in a two-story home.

Tillamook - #43038
Tillamook - #43038
Tillamook - #43038

Join us next time as we look at the cost savings achieved through value engineering.

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Cover Image: Cherry Gables – plan #42441

Beauty is Within

Beauty is Within

Aesthetics and Livability

Let’s look at a few of the sometimes overlooked or underappreciated floor plan design factors that drive cost.

Staircase - Grand Manor #9286Staircase design, construction, and materials run the gamut of pricing. One guideline often used relates to the staircase’s public visibility – the more prominent the staircase placement, the more attention it usually gets. In some homes, the staircase is a signature design element; in others it is primarily functional. Simple and straight is the least costly staircase design, but that layout doesn’t work for some home designs. U-shaped staircases and L-shaped staircases with a 90-degree turn are also common but require a landing, which adds some cost. Flared and curving staircases can be stunning but are expensive.

This elegant staircase (at right) is from the Grand Manor (plan #9286).

Staircase finish materials can have a large impact on the staircase cost. Having a wall on either side of the staircase is less expensive than a railing with balusters, cables, or glass panels. Carpeted stairs are usually less expensive than finished woods, Corian, stone, or glass. Regarding steps leading down to a basement foundation, if there is a door at the top of those stairs, they need not be carpeted.

Stair Carpeting

“Waterfall” carpeted steps are less expensive than “cap and band” carpeted steps.

Ceilings. Most new homes today feature 9-foot tall ceilings on the main floor, though some rooms may have even higher ceiling for dramatic effect. Those 9-foot ceilings make rooms appear and feel larger, but the longer framing lumber and larger sheets of drywall mean homes with 9-foot or taller ceilings will cost more than if they were built with 8-foot tall ceilings. Detailed ceilings (e.g., boxed, trayed) look great, but add expense as well. And even though cathedral ceilings may follow the home’s actual rooflines, they are considerably more expensive than standard, flat ceilings.

Ceilings are truly special in the Westcott Manor (plan #9171). There’s the Family room’s cathedral ceiling as well as cathedral ceilings over the tub in the suite bath and over the sink area in the compartmented bathroom shared by Bedrooms 2 and 3. Bedroom 3 also has a ceiling that slopes to 11-feet high in the center, as does the suite’s tray ceiling. 

Westcott Manor - #9171

Natural Light. The physical and mental virtues of our exposure to natural light are well-documented, but there’s a cost to having larger or more windows in our homes. You may notice that some Design Basics’ home designs have the suffix “BL” (Better Living) following the plan number. Looking carefully, you’ll see additional windows on those home plans. Take the Cavanaugh plan for example. The BL version of that plan shows added windows in several rooms. Importantly, those windows are on other exterior walls, providing natural light from another direction, which is especially appreciated if the only windows in that room faced north. Additionally, having windows on two separate walls allows for natural cross ventilation of those spaces, improving the flow of fresh air in your home and those breezes make it feel cooler on warm days, so you may not feel the need for turning on the air conditioner.

At left, the Cavanaugh (plan #8540), and the Cavanaugh BL version (plan #8540BL) at right. Notice on the BL version the added windows on the right side (eating area and den), plus an additional window in the Suite bedroom.

Upstairs, both bedrooms gain windows on the outside walls in the BL version of the plan. There’s even a window to brighten the optional expansion area in the BL design!

Cavanaugh - #8540
Cavanaugh - #8540
Cavanaugh BL - #8540BL
Cavanaugh BL - #8540BL
First impressions matter.

The Durango (plan #50020 below left) impresses, with its dramatic, curving, window-lined back wall and radius peninsula kitchen. It also costs as much to build as the larger Durango Point (plan #50043 below right) that provides a more spacious eating area.

Durango - #50020
Durango Point - #50043

Arches and columns can add distinction – and cost. As seen in the Murnane Manor (plan #42156), arched openings line the home’s front entry, with arches on either side of the formal dining room resting atop columns. Echoing that theme, arched recesses for a hutch space and display niche add further “Wow!” It’s a matter of your investment priorities, the look you’re after, your budget, and how you want your home to live.

Murnane Manor - #42156

Rear Entry Foyer. For homes with attached garages, we go in and out of our homes through the garage over 90% of the time, and that rear foyer entry has become a design focal point. Facilitating how people actually live in their homes, top rear foyer designs will provide a place for coats, a bench for tying or removing shoes, and a drop zone for organization and minimizing clutter. These must-have amenities do add to your home’s price, however, compared to dated home plans where a laundry/mudroom is your entry from the garage. Laundry rooms are a top priority among new home buyers, they just need to be elsewhere. Those laundry rooms are also an expense consideration, especially because laundry room amenities may add to your home’s price twice – the cost of the amenities themselves, plus they often require a larger space, increasing the home’s square footage.

Locklear - #42074

The Locklear (plan #42074) presents an accommodating rear foyer with drop zone, bench topped by lockers or cubbies, and coat closet. The laundry room is separate and provides storage, hanging, folding counter, sink, and window, all of which add to the home’s price.

Bathrooms can have a significant impact on your new home investment. The Cedar Ridge’s (plan #42434) Suite 1 bathroom is accessed via a pocket door, which costs more than a hinged door, but eliminates the door swing conflict potential for someone standing before the first sink. It also has the expense of an extra wall and door to enclose the toilet area, which many buyers value. Three-foot by five-foot showers are pretty much the minimum size today in suite bathrooms. Fortunately, that’s a standard size for shower pans, eliminating the expense of needing a “job-built” shower. An alternate layout loses the private toilet area and some linen storage in favor of adding a soaking tub (and some expense).

Cedar Ridge - #42434
Cedar Ridge - #42434 alt bath

Fireplaces. As shown in the Moss Bluff II (plan #43066 below left), fireplaces positioned inside the home avoid the expense of having to trim around the bump out of a fireplace on the outside (example Portsmouth – plan #8638 – images below right). In addition, the dining area cantilevers (extends beyond) the foundation, avoiding an expensive foundation jog. And the large walk-in pantry provides the kitchen storage you want cheaper than adding expensive cabinetry.

Moss Bluff - #43066
Portsmouth - #8638 Elevation
Portsmouth - #8638 ML

Next time we dive deeper than the obvious when we address how the type and size of home influence its price.

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Cover photo: Perrypointe (plan #56399)

Design Adds Meaning and Value

Design Adds Meaning and Value

Everything is designed. Look around you. Everything you see was designed. The ceiling, lighting, your chair, the wastebasket, the door. Design can make or break a business – just look at Apple’s outstanding designs and now defunct Oldsmobile for lack of design innovation. The jeans you’re wearing – are they Wrangler jeans that set you back $20 from Walmart or a $100 pair of fashion jeans? They mean different things to you and have different “value” for you.

Not everything gets noticed. And that’s okay, because sometimes thoughtful design blends right in. We might not appreciate good home design because it already resolved potential issues. It’s kind of like how we don’t necessarily appreciate feeling good until we’re recovering from being sick. But as with chronic pain, bad design – such as doors that open into each other – calls attention to itself and definitely gets noticed!

Remarkable design is “whole brained.” You might be familiar with left-brain/right-brain theory wherein left-brain thinking is associated with logic and analytics. FUNCTION. It’s an essential part of design. Does it do what it is supposed to do; does it do it well; and does it do it reliably? The right-brain is associated with creativity. FORM. Is this attractive? Does it stir your heartstrings? Lean too heavy to left-brain thinking and you end up with homes that look like plain, boring boxes. With too much right-brain thinking, you may sacrifice both livability and cost. The SOCIAL side of design resides in the right brain as well, which asks “What does this design say about me?” And, “How does this design make me feel about myself?”

Design can revolutionize our thinking, or leave us wondering “What were they thinking?” Design solves problems – existing and new. Suitcase always in the way in your closet? The Travel Center is an elegant solution that also provides a place, so you don’t have to pack your suitcase on your clean bedspread. Conversely, there’s the random linen closet, nowhere near the bedrooms or bathrooms. Go figure.

Design is a reflection of who we are – and who we want to be. Design lets your personality come through. Design reveals your values. Claire is looking for the WOW! factor in her front entry views. Elise feels good about the walk-in closets for her kids’ bedrooms. Maggie dreams of a home that’s casual, fun, perhaps even a bit whimsical. And Margo’s home has the contemporary touches that make it unique – and uniquely hers. Yes, design tells us and others who we are and can even help us understand ourselves better. A window to our soul.

Finally About Me® – discover your new home personality (click any profile silhouette below to learn more).

Design is about freedom. Freedom to express our true selves. Freedom and the autonomy to make our own choices rather than settling for someone else’s. Design tells stories without using words. Chamfer drywall corners, 32-inch wide interior doors, no-step entries, and an oversize doorless shower all “speak” safety while welcoming everyone into your home.

Hy-Lite Bath

Photo courtesy: Hy-Lite®

Design is emotional. Pleasant Saturday morning solitude as you greet the sunrise on your private rear deck. The joy in Saturday night with a few close friends enjoying tasty barbecue on that same covered deck. You love how sunlight streams in through your bedroom’s transom windows. And the artistic glass block windows in your spa-inspired bathroom. Rather than “settling for,” you find inspiration in some of your design choices.

Design connects us. As humans, we were designed to live in community, and our homes are where that happens most. Design can bring us together, such as an expandable dining area for big family meals. Home plan design actually takes connection a step further, as the home design connects buyer and builder, sub-contractors and vendors, lender and building officials. Like a bicycle wheel hub whose spokes connect to every aspect of building your home.

Yes, design adds tremendous meaning and value. And cost. It must be expensive, particularly remarkable home design, right? Custom home plans typically range from $2.00 to $10.00 per square foot and will take from several weeks to months to complete. Pre-drawn home plans from leading residential designers average around $.50 per square foot and often can be delivered the same day. Customizing a pre-drawn plan to your specific desires can be significantly less costly and faster than starting from scratch. Your designer may also be able to suggest ways you could potentially reduce your new home’s cost. Scouring the internet, there may even be cheaper home plans, but do they provide good value? Design Basics’ talented residential designers solve design issues with creativity and innovation. Less experienced drafts people may resort to simply adding expensive square footage.

Good design can be the difference between elation and regret. Unfortunately, poor home design is a gift that keeps on giving too, as you experience the daily disappointments of the design shortcomings you learn to put up with. Living in a home that achieves your needs and wants is our designer’s gift to you – No Regrets!

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Design Concept: Rear Foyers

Design Concept: Rear Foyers

Problem: Most families enter their home through the garage, but once you get inside, where does your stuff go? Where do you hang your jackets, stash your shoes, backpacks, handbags, etc.? And, when you leave in the morning how can you make it more convenient to get out the door on time with everything you need?

Solution: The Rear Foyer Design, with a Drop Zone, offers organization and convenience for families of all sizes. When you include hooks for hanging, cubbies or baskets for small items, a spot for shoes, and a handy bench, you have taken your rear foyer design to the next level. Everyone can get out the door on time with everything!

If you’ve taken our Finally About Me® Quiz to identify your home buyer personality, you can appreciate the different styles of Rear Foyer design depicted here. The four personas are: Claire, Margo, Elise, and Maggie.

A ‘Claire’ persona prefers a formal, sophisticated style, which is reflected in the design using elegant cabinetry and doors to close off the clutter; while a ‘Margo’ prefers the contemporary look with sleek design, vibrant colors, and contrasting textures. An ‘Elise’ or a ‘Maggie’ tends toward a more practical design where items are easily accessible yet organized.

Rear Entry Foyer - Claire

Claire Rear Foyer Design

Rear Foyer - Margo

Margo Rear Foyer Design

Rear Foyer - Elise, Maggie

Maggie and Elise Rear Foyer Design

Take our Finally About Me® Quiz on our website to discover your design style!

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