DEL.ICIO.USCan you build this for me?
Two metro Atlanta buyers describe how they directed the construction of their dream houses.
For the AJC
Sunday, September 07, 2008
The glut of homes on the market means some builders are waiting to start new construction until a buyer has committed to the home.
Photos by Christopher Oquendo / Special
Dan inspects the lighting fixtures behind their home while Hilda watches. Dan inspects construction projects for a living and was on the case – and the site – during the building of his own home.
Hilda San Miguel and Dan Marsden knew what they wanted, including a good view at sunset. They picked a three-bedroom home in Cedarcroft in Peachtree City.
Fort inspects work in the bathroom of the Dixons’ home. His experience and expertise were invaluable, Roxanne Dixon says.
Builder Kevin Fort inspects the progress of David and Roxanne Dixon’s home at Eagle’s Brooke Country Club in Locust Grove. Fort suggested flipping the floor plan, moving the garage from the right to the left side of the home.
Getting there - Cedarcroft
From downtown Atlanta, take I-85 south to Exit 61 (Ga. 74). Turn left at Hwy. 74. Follow about 10 miles to Ga. 54. Turn right onto Ga. 54, traveling west. Turn right at the fourth light onto McDuff Parkway. Cedarcroft is approximately a half mile on the right.
Home design stories
Building a house from the ground up gives buyers the opportunity to handpick the lot and the lights, and everything in between.
It may sound overwhelming, but two people — one buyer still in the building process and another who has moved in — shared how they handled the important decisions and kept an eye on construction.
Every step of the way
Who: Dan Marsden, a field inspector for program management and management consulting firm MHR International who has overseen highway construction and commercial building construction and renovation in his career.
Where: Cedarcroft, a Ravin Homes development in Peachtree City
Moving from: A Peachtree City apartment
Lot selection: Marsden, who is getting married to Hilda San Miguel in October, needed room for themselves and two children. He wanted a lot that was flat, big (his is the second largest on the block) and be positioned for drama at dusk. “It was important for me, with the sunset I wanted in my backyard, to have the sun in the afternoon. So I see the sunset every night,” he said.
Floor plan process: The builder, Ravin Homes, offered a dozen floor plans, and Marsden looked at a couple of custom-built homes. “I decided on a plan that was within the budget and would accommodate my needs,” he said. They ended up with three bedrooms, a bonus room and 2½ baths in their home, which has about 2,050 square feet.
Changes to the plan: For curb appeal, he added a stone column and arch to the exterior. “I wanted people to drive by and say, ‘Wow, look at that house.’” After walking through other homes under construction, he got ideas. Marsden looked at another house and noticed the bathroom was going to have a functioning window, so he wanted that, too. He made an entry to the master closet off the bedroom, instead of the master bathroom, which provided more closet space.
Add-ins: Marsden said the base price of the house was around $220,000, but he added “all kinds of upgrades” including a screened porch and extra concrete slab in the backyard for a hot tub. “I picked everything, from the design to paint colors to carpet colors to hardwood flooring to what color tile, all the lighting fixtures, the location of the cable jacks, the location of the computer jacks,” he said. “I did a lot of things I knew would be good for resale.” The changes increased the cost of the home by more than $20,000. Instead of factoring it into his mortgage, he paid about $12,000 out of pocket for nicer light fixtures (doubling the builder allowance), hardwood floors, a tankless water heater and levers instead of round door knobs.
Keeping watch: He visited the house daily to inspect the progress, ending up with about 130 pages of notes in a database and about 500 photos documenting the beginning to the end of construction. “At first they thought I was a bit overbearing. I said, ‘You need to understand, this is what I do for a living. I inspect construction projects and you’re building my house.’ I wanted it to be done right.”
Getting along with the builder: When Marsden saw something he thought was incorrect, he questioned it. But the builder’s crews also were prepared to see him often. “The very first time I went out there and met the superintendent, I said, ‘I’m going to tell you right now, I’m a construction inspector. I’ve been doing this for a long time, and I’m going to watch you like a hawk. I’m going to be here every day. If I have an issue, I’m not going to be bashful about it,’” he said. “I wouldn’t allow any problems to happen.”
Tract facts
Cedarcroft
Address: 304 Evesham Ave., Peachtree City 30269
County: Fayette
Information: 770-487-9608, Ravin Homes
Price range: $237,000-$375,000
Homes: 218
Square footage: 1,930-3,300
Lot sizes: Average less than a quarter acre
Standard features: Ceramic tile showers and tub surround, granite countertops
Amenities: Playground, streetlights, sidewalks
Developer/builder: Ravin Homes
Schools: Peachtree City Elementary, J.C. Booth Middle, McIntosh High
More on schools: ajchomefinder
Recent sale
$275,000: 149 St. Albans Way, Peachtree City. Four-bedroom, 2 1/2-bath, two-story home with a formal living room, dining room, large open kitchen and family room.
For sale
Here’s an idea of what’s being built in Cedarcroft.
High $270,000s: 122 St. Albans Way. Four-bedroom, 2½-bath home with a master on the main.
Building from afar
Who: David and Roxanne Dixon
Where: Eagle’s Brooke Country Club, Locust Grove. They plan to close at the end of the month or early October.
Moving from: Michigan
Lot selection: This was the first time they had a home built from scratch, so they were novices at making this decision. Dave is an avid golfer, so they discussed having a golf course lot. They also had to consider — with the help of builder Kevin Fort — whether the floor plan would fit on the property. Fort showed them three pieces of property he thought would work the best for their ranch, which needed a wider lot. The one they ultimately chose gives them a view of the course, but it’s not on the course. Roxanne said the way the lot is sloped gives the home a little higher elevation. “It’s perfect,” she said.
Floor plan process: They wanted a ranch, and decided to go with the floor plan for the four-bedroom, 3½-bath model. “We looked many places. We really didn’t want to look at many more because we really liked this one,” she said. A key feature was the master on the main and guest rooms upstairs. “We wanted that for privacy if we had guests staying,” she said.
Changes to the plan: The builder suggested flipping the floor plan, moving the garage from the right to the left of the home. Roxanne said, “It’s his vision that I would never have thought of.” They also converted the patio to a screened porch. “There are so many beautiful evenings in Georgia, we thought it would be nice to sit out [there].”
Add-ins: Before construction began, they talked about a budget for the home. They decided to increase the amount spent on appliances, carpeting and cabinetry. “[The builder] said along the way he would tell us, ‘OK, but this would be an upgrade,’” she said. “Surprisingly we really haven’t gone too far over budget.”
Keeping watch: They had made four trips to see the progress, as of mid-August. Two of those trips were set up by the builder to make decisions on everything from the way the doors open to outlet placement.
Getting along with the builder: Roxanne said Fort’s experience and expertise paid off when they were picking out items such as light fixtures and tile. She would say which ones she liked, and then he would talk about the pros and cons of her choices, such as whether a globe was going to give her enough light. “I guess I was surprised at how many things you have to pick out. It was right down to the knobs and the pulls for the cabinets. The stain for the wood floor — how does it go with the stain for the cabinets and then the tile? Then what decorative pattern do you want? But we had a lot of help along the way and people saying, ‘That’s not going to work.’ “
Eagle’s Brooke Country Club
Address: 1004 Eagles Brooke Drive, Locust Grove 30248
County: Henry
Information: 770-898-5929, www.eaglesbrooke.com
Price range: $300,000s-$1 million
Homes: About 650
Square footage: Starts at 2,000 (homes are custom built)
Standard features: Four-sided brick or stucco, side entry or courtyard garages
Amenities: Gated, aquatic center, 18-hole golf course, tennis court
Developer: Killearn Properties
Schools: Bethlehem Elementary, Luella Middle, Luella High
More on schools: ajchomefinder
Recent sales
$640,000: 1301 Kinsale Court, Locust Grove. Four-bedroom, 3½ -bath home with a full basement.
$340,000: 1204 McAllistar Drive, Locust Grove. Five-bedroom, 3½-bath home on a slab.
For sale
Here’s an idea of what’s on the market in Eagle’s Brooke.
$499,900: 1000 Donegal Drive, Locust Grove. Five-bedroom, four-bath home with an unfinished basement.
$725,000: 1307 Kinsale Court, Locust Grove. Five-bedroom, four-bath home on a golf course lot with an unfinished basement.
Building blocks
Two builders shared 10 tips for selecting floor plans and lots and other steps to sail through the process to the home of your dreams.
1. Floor plan first.
Before looking at a lot, think about the style, shape and size of home you prefer. If it’s a ranch, for example, you’re going to need a wider lot than a traditional two-story home, said Henry County builder Kevin Fort of Kevin Fort Homes. If you want a basement, you need a sloping lot, while a home on a slab works well on a flat lot.
2. Consider lifestyle.
Roch deGolian, vice president for Ravin Homes, said these are important questions: Do you want a home with stairs? Do you want all the bedrooms on one level? Do you want to plan for the future, by increasing the size of the doorways for wheelchair access? Do you want a basement for a home theater? How much emphasis do you want to place on outdoor entertaining? Fort said once he gets a wish list of the number of bedrooms and baths, extra rooms such as a keeping room, porches and other outdoor space, he can come back with several plans.
3. Let the ideas flow.
Walk through some of the existing homes in the neighborhood, or homes in other communities where the builder has worked and think about what you like and dislike about the plans. Fort said he also likes it when homeowners bring in photos of homes in magazines or books. “It’s easier for us to re-create a picture than an idea in your head that you’re trying to convey,” he said.
4. Don’t forget the outdoors.
Consider factors such as the way the sun is going to shine on the lots in the morning, afternoon and evening. The view also is important, especially in golf course communities, Fort said. For the look of the home’s exterior, he recommends that clients give him addresses of other homes that have similar brick, stone or other materials.
5. Get the builder’s background.
Check out other communities where the builder has worked. Make sure there are no complaints with groups like the Better Business Bureau. Look at how long they’ve been in business and whether they’re members of associations such as the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association.
6. Set the schedule.
Expect to have a pre-construction meeting with the builder to walk through the blueprints. During this time, Roch deGolian, vice president for Ravin Homes, said he goes over every aspect of the home, from electrical to plumbing.
7. Understand the process.
The builder should give you a schedule or checklist of what to expect during construction. “I like for my homeowners to be involved every step of the way throughout the building process,” Fort said. If not, ask for one. It also should outline what’s expected of you in terms of when selections need to be made, payment deadlines and scheduled walk-throughs with the builder, said deGolian, whose company builds between 25 and 45 houses a year and is working in the Cedarcroft, Stonebriar West and The Villages of Lafayette Park neighborhoods.
8. Keep an eye out.
Builders say they encourage buyers to walk through the home. It’s best to bring up concerns with the builder; otherwise, things said to a subcontractor may not make it back to the builder.
9. Don’t hesitate to ask.
If you’re having reservations about a phone jack, size of the room, location of a door or anything else that might bug you once the home is built, immediately address it with the builder. Some changes, like the room size, are major undertakings after the house is framed. “It’s not only expensive, but time-consuming,” deGolian said. Another costly redo is moving plumbing, Fort said. “It’s real important that we have the homeowner educated throughout the building process,” he said. “We try to help them really envision what the end product will look like from the beginning.”
10. Pull in others.
If the builder is not responding to you, ask others for help. That could be your real estate agent, the community sales representative or a senior person in the company, even up to the owner.
For land and property listings in metro Atlanta, go to ajchomefinder.