If you’ve chosen to custom build your own home in Flower Mound, you will need the right parcel on which to break ground. Any blueprint may look beautiful, but if you don’t possess the proper area, you won’t be able to make your vision come to life.

Actually, you might even want to pick your lot just before you start planning the design and size of your home, as the lot will effect these aspects. Some custom home builders have even found that the lot the owner’s chose caused sustained additional expenses, such as long driveways and a more costly foundation and retaining wall.

If you wish to keep your new home within a strict budget, select a suitable and versatile lot ahead of time. Just like many other things, it’s best to know what you’re looking for before you begin your search. Otherwise, you could end up deciding on a lot that looks great, but isn’t exactly suitable for a building site.

Think about whether or not you want a property inside a suburb or rural area. Do you want to be near parks, schools and specific shopping centers? Flower Mound, of course, has a vast variety of amenities to offer. When considering a potential lot, examine factors such as the setback line, drainage, zoning, deed restrictions and civil ordinances which could restrict the dimensions of the home.

Also consider just how much – or little – privacy you would like. If you build in an area that has trees, the trees may offer you added privacy and shade without any additional cost to you. You’ll also want to check out the lot at different times of the day to see how the sun shines on the home. This can make your home comfortable, or perhaps not, depending on how sunlight will hit the dwelling.

Take notice of the breezes and whether or not they’d keep the home cool, what sorts of trees and natural shade are on the property and if the area will have to be cleared from any brush. Even though you might have to remove some of this vegetation, you can compost it for mulch and fertilizer. The slant of the lot is also significant, as this determines the general layout of the home. While a lot with/on hills may look spectacular, it will mean a more costly structure for you. A topographical survey can help in identifying ground elevations of the lot and exactly what could be built on it.

Of course, it’s important that you dont’ focus solely on the structure of the living space. Remember to take into account where your driveway and garage area will likely be, the way you will access the road and exactly how you will be able to tap into power, telephone, internet and cable services.

Don’t feel that you must undergo this process alone. Consult with a professional Flower Mound custom home builder to get the answers you’ll need before purchasing a new lot. For more information, contact Bud Bartley/Stillbrooke Homes at 972-318-3802.

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When deciding on building a Flower Mound custom home, you may work with a number of people to get your vision down on paper. From designers to landscapers to engineers, the process begins with an idea, eventually becomes a blueprint and finally it becomes an actual structure. The process can seem to be complicated at first, but you should be confident it’s going to all work out in the end.

The biggest consideration to make is which custom builder to work with. There are several custom home builders in Flower Mound, and selecting one that provides the whole package is exactly what you should look for.

The custom home builder you opt for is extremely important, as they will be responsible for mediating your instructions/vision to the construction crew and overseeing the entire homebuilding process. Most of the time you won’t be at the building site supervising what’s being done, and you will certainly want to have the highest confidence that the construction company is reliable and trustworthy, following your objectives in every way.

The most important factor to take into account is whether the custom home builder is licensed and bonded. The work also ought to be guaranteed. When you know that the builder is willing to put a guarantee on their work, you can be sure that they will stand behind whatever they do.

When trying to find a custom builder that has the complete package, you’ll also want to be sure that they have a good relationship with vendors and previous customers. You should be able to get reviews or testimonials online or on their website; however it doesn’t hurt to ask the company for written recommendations. And since companies are inclined to put favorable testimonials on their site, find out what their rating is with the Better Business Bureau. Most will state they have a good ranking with the BBB or that they’re a BBB accredited business. Also, look into both “before” and “after” photos to see the nature of their work.

Seeing how the custom home builder deals with your interest initially will also let you know whether the company has top flight customer service. Does the company promptly return your calls? Will they answer the questions you have in a professional manner? Are they knowledgeable about the various grades of building materials? Does the builder seem ready to accept your input? If the answers to these questions are “yes”, it is a good indication that the company will continue to carry out the same professionalism during the entire building process.

Like a number of other areas in daily life, you’ll know when you’ve selected the right custom home builder. You’ll feel positive that your requirements are being met, that the construction company is aware of your vision, and that they will be using the very best quality products with attention to detail. Once you walk into your freshly built home, you’ll know with certainty that you selected a Flower Mound custom home builder that had it all.

For more information, contact Bud Bartley/Stillbrooke Homes at 972-318-3802.

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As a DFW home builder with years in the field, we can tell you with certainty that green home building has been gaining popularity in the last few years. Energy-efficiency is not just about how much fuel our cars use or how much electricity we use at home. Those things are important; however, they don’t take into account all of the activities that effect energy usage in the world. We also have to take into account how much energy is utilized to grow, manufacture and transport the types of materials and merchandise we buy.

For instance, how ‘energy-efficient’ is bamboo flooring if it’s grown in China under farming conditions that use chemicals in the fertilizer? How energy-efficient is it if it’s manufactured in a coal-burning plant and shipped thousands of miles over the ocean on a diesel cargo ship?

It sounds like bamboo flooring is an excellent ‘green’ product when we listen to advertising that tells us it’s created with an easily renewable resource. Bamboo grows to maturity inside of a few years, so it can be easily produced in a sustainable manner. However, depending on the production and transportation methods used to manufacture it, it might not get a passing grade for being eco-friendly or energy-efficient.

If we’re really interested in ‘saving energy’, we have to become aware of the energy that is used during the entire process of creating ‘green’ products. When we find that the farming, manufacturing and distribution processes are wasting energy, we could put pressure on manufacturers and distributors to supply goods that use energy-saving practices throughout the entire production chain.

As consumers, we can begin looking for products created by manufacturers who use solar electricity (rather than coal or nuclear fuel). We can propose ways that cargo ships could be more energy efficient. We can support local farmers and manufacturers who use energy-efficient methods. We can purchase their goods, rather than products that are transported on ships that burn huge amounts of diesel fuel. We can gradually change our day-to-day lifestyle to incorporate more “green” practices. Perhaps one day we may even consider green home building as the standard!

There’s a lot we can do as consumers. The first step is: “become aware”. The second step is to spread the word. Sadly, many people (including highly educated people) do not know enough about energy-efficiency. While they may truly possess a keen interest in preserving the environment, they are not aware that a good majority of the products they’re buying are not ‘energy-saving’ in any way. As soon as they know the facts, they’ll be able to make energy-efficient choices.

Ask your local DFW home builder, Bud Bartley/Stillbrooke Homes, for more energy-efficiency recommendations and information.

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A big part of green home building, or home improvement, is paying attention to the many smaller details that add up to greater energy savings. Ensuring that your exterior doors keep the hot and cold air outside can make a significant difference in your electricity bills, especially in the DFW area where temperatures can soar! Make sure yours are energy-efficient. Your assessment should include patio doors, French doors, front and rear exterior doors, and garage doors (for those who have a heated garage or a garage that’s connected to the house). Exterior doors can be made with a foam core that protects from both the heat and the cold. According to the U.S. government’s ‘Energy Savers’ website, a 1.5-inch steel foam core door has six times the insulation value of a wooden door of the same size.

One of the biggest energy-efficient busters is the area at the base of the door, which can be a big cause of air leakage. This gap could be fixed by adding a sweep/flexible flange that produces a seal once the door is closed. This helpful attachment will alleviate any outside air leaking in and vice versa. Remember, a huge portion of your energy bills comes from maintaining an indoor climate that is comfortable for yourself and your family. If you can prevent outside elements (i.e. outdoor air) from invading your indoor climate, your energy bills should be substantially lower.

You will also experience air leakage when the door doesn’t fit properly inside the frame, or there are cracks around the outside of the frame. Strip insulating material, available at your local home improvement center, is simple to install around the outside edges of the door. By adding strip insulating material around your doors, you are preventing outside air from infiltrating your home. The most popular, and cost-effective, option to install is the foam strip material with adhesive tape backing. For leaks in between the outside door frame and the drywall, some caulk or expanding foam (with a little touch up paint) will take care of the job for the most part.

As long as you’re at it, check your windows for any cracks between the exterior casings and the drywall. If you do happen to find some, you can apply the same caulk and paint solution that we used for the doors example above. Caulk, paint and weather stripping are fairly inexpensive, and can reduce your heating and air conditioning bills significantly.

Patio sliding doors could be improved by weather stripping the gap in between the two panes when the door is entirely closed. Just like other windows and doors, caulking and painting to seal any cracks in between the frame and drywall can stop drafts and conserve energy. If you’re considering glass patio doors, spending the additional money on dual pane glass with low-conductivity gasses in between the panes will lower your utility bills in the long-term.

Ask your local DFW home builder, Bud Bartley/Stillbrooke Homes, for more energy-saving recommendations.

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Energy-efficiency makes sense, for both the good of the world as well as conserving money. Which eco-friendly concept motivates you more? It doesn’t really matter, because everyone benefits — you, your family members, your friends, your city, the Earth.

Who doesn’t want clean air, clean water and healthy crops for food? Saving energy is among the most efficient ways we can clean up our planet. If we can stop polluting the air with gas fumes, carbon emissions, coal and oil heating, we’ll breathe, drink and eat in a much more healthy way. But riding the bus or getting a car that is more fuel efficient is not the only way we can conserve energy.

What else could we do? We could make eco-friendly choices in our day-to-day lives. We can make our daily routines and living areas more power efficient. Some of the things we can do will surely cost money. Others will require time. While others are simply about being willing and being persistent in changing habits. If you have purchased, or are considering purchasing, one of our green homes, you’d do well to note that we are a well-known DFW home builder that consistently receives low HERS ratings. What does that mean to you? Well, the lower the HERS, the more energy-efficient the home is! Many of these steps are typically implemented in the construction of your home when you build with Bud Bartley/Stillbrooke Homes; however, if you’re looking for other areas of improvement or are looking to revamp your home which is NOT a green home, the following tips may come in handy.

Let’s check out a habit you could change right away. If the space you’re in is lit using incandescent lighting, or regular bulbs, turn them off if you are the last person to leave the room. Incandescent lighting doesn’t use energy very efficiently. 90% of the energy they will use is given off as heat, and only 10% produces light. If you’re also spending money on air conditioning your home, turning off those lights can help you save money on cooling costs as well.

By investing in an affordable green home custom built for you and your family, you’ve already done a lot of planning to save money and help the environment. But, the planning doesn’t stop there. Check out this link to see how you can continue saving energy and money by implementing some of these cost-saving ideas: http://www.energysavers.gov/your_home/energy_audits/index.cfm/mytopic=11170

As you enjoy your new home, you will want to conduct regular inspections to make certain your new green home stays as energy-efficient as possible. First, keep an eye out for air leaks – cracks and gaps that can let out the indoor air that you use energy to heat or cool. Finding and fixing many of these leaks can help you save up to 30% on your utility bills. Next, check your insulation, especially if your house has an attic. Proper insulation can reduce both heating and cooling costs. Also, check your heating and cooling system, and make sure it’s maintained and in good working condition. Last, inventory your lighting. For fixtures that are left on for long periods of time, replace high-wattage incandescent bulbs with low-wattage compact fluorescent bulbs.

Insulated windows and doors will save energy and cut utility bills as well. You may want to consider using energy-saving lighting fixtures or installing ceiling fans to improve both warm and cool air circulation. And don’t forget that there are solar energy alternatives for heating, hot water, electricity and pool systems to keep your new affordable green home as efficient and environmentally-friendly as possible.

Ask your local DFW home builder, Bud Bartley/Stillbrooke Homes, for more energy-saving recommendations.

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So, you’ve just had your DFW home builder complete your house and it’s now time to give some serious thought to the exterior. The one thing that could make or break the outside of a home is the landscaping. Although a home with some trees and a nice green lawn in the front yard looks fine, there’s a great deal to be said for a house that has a pristine front yard landscape design. In case you aren’t a designer, and you can’t afford an expert gardener, there’s still a great deal you can do on your own to make your front yard come to life.

A great place to start searching for ideas is near your own backyard. Actually, your neighbor’s yards can give you some terrific ideas of what looks good in a front yard landscape design. Obviously you don’t want to reproduce it entirely, although replicating has been said to be a type of flattery. Seeing what types of trees accentuate certain bushes helps to provide you some insight into greenery that works well together.

If you aspire to aesthetically exceed the landscape design of your neighbors, you may have to look above and beyond their yards and get some professional help. There are many magazines and websites which have colorful images of gorgeous front yard landscaping. Based on the DFW climate, it’s likely that you can include some of their ideas into your own front yard landscape plan. You can also ask the advice of your DFW home builder. Having constructed numerous homes, they will have invaluable input on the numerous examples they’ve either seen or help put together themselves.

An additional way to get a good idea as to which plants thrive locally is to visit a local DFW gardening center. Here, you’ll not just find a variety of plants, flowering bushes and shrubs, but you’ll likewise be able to speak to people who are experienced with landscaping. Most of the people who are employed at gardening centers are knowledgeable about landscape designs. They can offer suggestions as to what plants would work well together to create the style that you’d like. It’s important to visit a local gardening center, so you can see understand how the plants, flowers, etc. react to the local climate.

It might appear that you would have to spend a ton of money to beautify the outside of your home. This doesn’t have to be the way it is, as you can still produce a stunning front yard landscape design with limited funds. The secret is discovering plants, trees and shrubs that are inexpensive and utilizing them to their full advantage. For example, try buying a few flowering trees that bloom every spring. You can purchase these when they’re baby plants, which cost significantly less than a mature tree will. Every year it’s going to fill out more, ultimately making a terrific shady place in the yard.

Keep in mind that any undertaking such as this ought to be considered a work in progress. You can include a new item in your landscape design each planting season. This helps to spread the cost gradually and gives you the opportunity to enjoy gardening as a hobby.

Ask your local DFW home builder, Bud Bartley/Stillbrooke Homes, how they can best incorporate your landscaping concepts with your new custom home.

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Setting up solar energy panels to supply all, or a portion, of your power could be one of the best ways for you to become energy-efficient. A lot of people don’t realize they can start out with just a couple of solar panels to supply a small amount of their electricity, then begin to add some more panels to their system as cash permits. Having noncommercial solar power needn’t be an all or nothing undertaking. And in the DFW area, where sunlight is abundant, a little bit of sun can go a long way. Here are a few suggestions to get you going.

Set up solar panels to offset the expense of operating a few appliances, like your refrigerator, washing machine and dryer. Your local DFW power company or the product manufacturer can provide you with estimates of how much power the appliances use. Then, put in a solar panel that makes enough electricity to accommodate or surpass what the appliances use.

Exterior lights are an easy mark for utilizing solar power. Most lighting fixtures make use of a mixture of solar cells (for collecting energy throughout the day when the sun is out), and compact batteries (for storing the electrical power and running the lights at nighttime). Safety lights, street lights and other lighting fixtures that generate a lot of consumption may also use smaller solar panels that install independently. This allows them to be adjusted to face the sun. Smaller light sources like walkway lights, garden pond lights and string lights, designed to use low-energy LEDs instead of light bulbs, often have tiny solar cells and battery storage incorporated into their design.

Smaller solar energy panels, or a few solar shingles, might supply enough power to light a garage area or workshop, as well as operate a few power tools. Installing a compact solar power system can be an excellent beginning/home project for someone who has an interest in learning to put in bigger systems.

Use transportable solar power panels to drip charge batteries for equipment that’s not used regularly, but requires a fully charged battery anytime it is used. This works exceptionally well for snowmobiles, jet skis, watercraft, recreational vehicles or motorcycles. If you make use of rechargeable batteries, and a charger to ensure that they’re ready for use, having a solar-driven drip charger can add one more degree of energy self-sufficiency to the system. Based on its size, along with the degree of power it provides, the transportable solar panel may also be used to keep a laptop powered while you’re far from an AC outlet.

Ask your local DFW home builder, Bud Bartley/Stillbrooke Homes, for more information about incorporating solar energy into your new custom home.

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While building a new custom home in the DFW area, you may want to consider situating the windows in such a way that they are optimized for energy-efficiency based on the climate and the position of the house on the building site. By taking these factors into account, you can use passive solar design to take advantage of the sun’s heat during cooler months, and minimize its effect during warmer months.

In the DFW area, where temperatures become particularly hot, you can position the majority of the windows north facing, or to benefit from shade trees. Putting in awnings that shade the windows – especially during the hottest parts of the day – can also help reduce the sun’s rays. And installing windows which are manufactured to minimize heat transfer can even keep the inside of the home cooler.

Windows with glass that have Low-E (low-emissivity) surface finishes, as well as tinted windows, are good options too. Low-E windows lessen infrared rays. A few of these also offer special selective coatings that let visible light through, but they are also able to block out specific wavelengths that produce heat. Window tinting can also reduce heat transfer. Blue or green tints permit the most light in, while gray and bronze tints allow for less light, so you may need to add extra lighting in the room.

On occasion, the DFW area has been known to have wintry weather. In colder climates where there are freezing temperatures, nearly all of the windows should be facing south. This layout lets light and heat through during the winter when the sun’s rays are low in the sky. During the summer months, once the sun passes directly overhead, the south-facing windows ought to be shaded with awnings or overhangs when the temperatures get very hot.

Windows facing east and west don’t offer many heating benefits when the sun is low during the wintertime, and there really isn’t a passive solar advantage to them. Strategically place the windows where they will get the best lighting and view access, and make certain they are constructed with dual or triple pane glass for optimal insulation. A house with west-facing windows can overheat quickly in the summer, so putting in windows suitable for low-heat transfer is something to consider.

While designing your new custom home you may also want to give some thought to the landscaping, which can have a direct effect on how much solar energy is needed (or is at your disposal). Planting deciduous shade trees in colder climates is a great solution for dealing with passive solar energy. They also provide plenty of shade throughout the summer season, which can help keep the house cool. As soon as the trees are bare in the wintertime, they can continue to let sunlight through the windows, supplying light and warmth to your home.

For more information about windows and solar energy, contact your local DFW home builder, Bud Bartley/Stillbrooke Homes at 972-318-3802.

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A lot of homeowners know the main advantages of green homes; however, there are many other advantages that most people will never know about. An estimation of approximately 10% of all new homes constructed in the future will likely be green homes, so it may be a good idea to learn more about them.

To start with, a green home is constructed with materials that are sustainable and are free of residual toxins. Typically the air inside a home is dirtier than the air outside; therefore, reducing harmful chemicals that go into producing building materials helps tremendously in preventing air pollution within the home.

One more objective of a green home is to design it in such a way that it depends on renewable energy, and thus uses less energy overall. Quite often, green homes can be partially-powered by solar energy, using sunlight for both heating and lighting the house whenever possible. Not only can solar energy be utilized for heating and lighting solutions, but it can also be used to heat water as well.

The benefits of green home building don’t stop there. Many insurance providers are starting to encourage green home building as much as possible. Mortgage discounts have become available from many insurance companies in an effort to incentivize green home building. More programs are becoming available as the green homebuilding industry grows.

For all of these, and many other reasons, green homes initially sell for a higher price. Quite a few homeowners would rather reside in eco-friendly homes, preferring to shell out less money for energy bills. Due to the fact that the federal government has introduced legislation that provides incentives for green construction in the form of tax credits and other credits, more home buyers are being encouraged to go with green construction.

With regards to features, green homes make use of high-efficiency appliances, which include plumbing and electric systems, as well as drought-resistant landscape designs to reduce water usage. Additionally, they make use of materials which are renewable. Glass obtained at recycling centers is reused rather than filling up our waste sites. Organic or recycled insulation is used, in addition to paint and finishes that don’t emit toxic chemicals.

Green homes being built today typically meet ADA requirements for handicap-accessible homes. The homes generally are built with level entryways, wider doorways, no stairs and various attributes that enable individuals with different types of abilities, as well as the elderly, to live comfortably in their green, energy-efficient home.

For more information about green home building, contact your local DFW home builder, Bud Bartley/Stillbrooke Homes at 972-318-3802.

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For a lot of people, the kitchen is a social spot – the place where family comes to visit with the cook. Some families, however, like to take it a step further and make the kitchen the focal point for daily family gatherings. The Dallas-Fort Worth area is well-known for its family friendly environment, so it’s safe to say we know how to build social kitchens!

If this describes your household, then plan on creating a sitting area that is set aside. This ensures chatting and entertaining can take place without interfering with the cooking. A breakfast bar or a small cafe table nestled into a corner can be transformed into a favorite place where many of the most important discussions of life take place. These areas are also a great spot for kids to sit whenever they need a little help with their homework.

If you have a family member who is serious about cooking, then the layout of the functional workspace – counters, refrigerator, cook top and sink – is imperative. Many new home plans will ignore the classic “triangle” layout and put the fridge inconveniently out of the way or around a corner. Although it may look nice, it will quickly become an annoyance for everyone.

In terms of the cook top, if you do tend to cook a great deal, splurging on an extra-large kitchen cook top isn’t a luxury – it is necessary. Unfortunately, most home designs only allow enough room for a standard size.

Has there ever been a time when you wished that more than one large pan could fit on the cook top at the same time? When you’re working with a home builder and planning your house from the ground up, it’s time to treat yourself! Allow for the space you need! All the while, be sure to take into account how easy your cook top will be to clean. Make sure the cook top is accessible and can be taken apart if necessary. If you have the type of family that enjoys deep-fried food, purchase a highly-effective range hood and steer clear of a cook top with a lot of nooks and crannies to clean out.

If there are two people who love to cook, design a workspace that will allow you both to work together without running into each other. An additional ‘produce sink’ would be a great addition if the two of you are planning on regularly working together.

On the flip side, if you dine out more often than not and simply use the kitchen area for coffee and muffins each morning, a fast bowl of soup, or possibly a snack food before going to bed, cut back and use the area for other activities that are better suited for your lifestyle. There isn’t very much sense in paying big money on a space that’s barely used.

Keep in mind, the reason you’re working with a DFW home builder is because you are building a custom home to match your lifestyle needs. Rather than base your building concepts on “hot” interior design trends or ideas you saw in an architectural digest, keep the focus on your day-to-day needs and build around that. If you’re able to easily accomplish your daily functions in your home because of strategic planning, you’ll find yourself satisfied for years to come.

For more information about custom home designs and planning, contact your local DFW home builder, Bud Bartley/Stillbrooke Homes at 972-318-3802.

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