Coolstone

Coolstone is a product that we use to simulate a limestone look for fireplaces, hood vents, outside accents, etc. The examples that you see here saved thousands of dollars and most importantly, weight and structural support. These hood vents were first made with OSB plywood, wrapped in lathe and felt, then applied with a stucco product that dries to look and feel like stone. One trick that we do is hand grind the finished product to give it a smooth, natural look and feel. I've seen some who don't grind and I don't really like it because it looks more synthetic and pitted. You can then leave it a natural grey finish, as shown with the off-white color, or tint it with a glaze that gives it a more antiqued look. You can see how beautiful they turn out if you have a skilled stucco person. The floral details you see were all done by hand, which is amazing to witness. The more linear bands and corbels can be purchased at a foam specialty store to give a more detailed look. These products were drawn on paper, then brought to life so the possibilities are literally endless. Because they don't require much in the way of structural support, you can apply this type of process to sheetrocked columns, display walls, niches or whatever else you can think of.

K Stone Diamond Polishing

At the 2009 Parade of Homes this year we used a product in the garage known as diamond concrete polishing. There is a fantastic company here in San Antonio called K Stone www.kstoneinc.com . Rick, the owner has a crew that will come in and use progressively lighter abrasion wheels to finish the color to a mirror-like finish. This is quite different than acid-stain concrete applications that you may be use to. In the past, companies such as Bass Pro Shop and HEB have utilized products like this because it is very low maintenance and friendly on the budget when compared to tile or wood options. It is also becoming more and more mainstream in general living areas of the home. The price point is around $6 per square foot and can go up from there, which is a little higher than traditional acid stain. However, the long term maintenance costs are quite less. As stained concrete becomes more accepted in residential construction, it is a great option to consider when planning a flooring surface for your next home.

Water Feature

Previous to deciding on a pool for the 2009 Parade of Homes, the big debate was, do we get a hot tub or not. There are those who think that the absence of a hot tub can kill a sale, and others who think that the costs associated with energy output for heating it make it a less desired option. What we did was decide against it, mainly due to budget concerns. We decided instead to put a water feature that didn't necessarily create a lot of noise, but was cool to look at. If you'll notice in the picture, the water feature we chose was clean lined and had an oozing water effect. This was created by Liquid Assets, the pool company we chose for the project. The water creates a continual shine over the black glass we chose for the structure, and makes it look like an art piece. In addition, the water carries the light with it and illuminates the top most part of the feature. The light can be changed to any color you want with the pool remote, or can rotate between the different spectrums if you choose that setting. The water sound was still addressed though by deck jets which rooster tail into the pool from the outside most coping. It was a different look, but one that we received a lot of compliments on.

Shadow Lines

In our Parade Home this year, we did a technique in the powder bath where we used wood that had edges commonly referred to as ship lap, or lap and gap. It's name comes from the fact that in the old days, ships used to have this wood throughout the inside because the weather was so extreme it would cause the wood to flex. The natural gaps between the wood offset this flexing. They also create a cool look called a shadow line. This shadow line draws your eye to it. It also allows you to play with the floors and surrounding elements and have it all tie together. It's a timeless look and creates architectural interest.

Grey is the New Beige

In our Parade Home for 2009, Lori Caldwell the designer chose a color palette of grey throughout the home. Grey has a lot of range and appears bright to people. It's also very calming. You can also really draw attention to focal points once you add art that is vibrant in color. I've had a ton of people walk up to me unsolicited and tell me the feel peaceful in our home. I think that's awesome because you want your home to be a sanctuary. The judges actually rewarded Lori with "Best Interior Design" award for the Parade. Come see us through September 13th if you get a chance.

2009 Parade of Homes Part 2

Just a quick progress report but I wanted to give you an idea of the Mattern & FitzGerald Parade elevation for the 2009 Parade of Homes. This picture was taken in early June and looks markedly different now, but it kind of gives you the idea.

We wanted to do something a little different this year than Parade's past. I am calling this the Austin House because the clean lines of architecture in Austin were my inspiration. The home will be transitional, meaning it will be a blend between modern and traditional. It's not so contemporary it's over the top, but has a unique architecture featuring the Spirit of San Antonio conservatism. Some of the main features will include stained concrete floors, sand and stain finished wood, grass in the driveway, amazing outdoor living and lots and lots of rock on the interior and exterior.

The show begins September 5th and runs through the 13th. You can purchase tickets at the door for $12 or $10 if purchased at Home Depot.

Quick Tip on Interior Rock

For the Parade of Homes this year, we have an extraordinary amount of rock inside our home. Rock is so powerful when placed inside of a home because it brings in natural elements and connects with people like few other materials. Anyway, when rock is brought in from the quarry, it has quite a bit of dust on it. For outdoor rock, the rain will eventually wash off the dust. For the inside however, you should hose down the rock before bringing it inside. If you do this, not only will your rock look better but you won't have to worry about chalky residue on your clothes when you bump into it.

Timeline to Build a Custom Home

One question we get asked early on is how long does it normally take to build a custom home. I like to break that up into four components usually.

1. Planning Stage: This is the moment you finally sit down with an architect and begin to draw up plans. This process can take anywhere from 30-90 days based upon revisions. I'd say the average time though is probably about 60 days.

2. Site Prep and Clearing: This is a stage where we prepare the lot for the home. This generally takes about 1-3 weeks.

3. Construction: This is the part where we actually build the home, plan for landscaping if any and prepare for final inspections. This can take anywhere from 6-8 months usually depending upon complexity and weather.

4. Final Inspections and Closing: This is the part where we invite third party inspectors and do what we call "punching out" the house. We like to get ultra critical at the end and make sure the house is tight and free of final concerns. Of course, there is usually post move in follow-up at certain points within the first year to make sure the homeowner is satisfied.

The Importance of Home Inspections

One thing you may want to consider before moving into a new home is to hire the services of a third-party inspector.  The purpose of an inspector is to come into the home for a few hours and stress it out.  What I mean by that is make sure to the best of their ability the home is safe, to code and livable.  The reports can get fairly detailed and the best ones that I have seen actually have pictures of the items that require correction and have inserted arrows pointing to the alleged defect.  They should normally cover things like framing, electrical, plumbing, insulation, appliances, HVAC and some cosmetic features.  When you get your report, it should be clear and legible, and refer to the specific code defection by chapter and verse.  Most builders will use this as a guide to "punch out" the house, or correct the items once agreed upon by the home owner and inspector.  It is an excellent resource for homeowners who may not know the latest codes and gives peace of mind before moving in.  As a builder, we are not at liberty to suggest an inspector because it could be construed as collusion.  So the best way is to ask around, consult the phone book or ask for a referral from a trusted real estate agent, title company or friend.  There is also a list of qualified inspectors at the Texas Residential Construction Commission website.  

Average ROI for Renovation Projects

Renovation	Average Cost	Resale Recovery
Paint	$700	200% plus
Add a Bathroom	$10,000	96%
Add a Fireplace	$4,000	94%
Kitchen Renovation (minor)	$8,500	79%
Kitchen Renovation (major)	$24,000	70%
Bathroom Renovation	$7,500	69%
Add a Skylight	$4,000	68%
New Siding	$7,500	67%
Add Insulation	$1,750	65%
Addition	$35,000	62%
New Roof	$4,600	61%
Deck	$6,000	60%
Greenhouse Addition	$17,000	56%
Replace Windows /Doors	$12,000	55%
Add a Swimming Pool	$24,000	39%
Source: National Association of the Remodeling Industry

How to Walk a Lot

When you first drive up to a potential homesite, there is a mixture of emotions. There can be apprehension and excitement about the possibility of you or your family living there. I wanted to give you a few tips to help you make a good decision:

1. Try to get a topography survey of the lot before hand. This will give you the slope of the lot. Generally you want the flattest lot you can get because it's easier on the pocket book.
2. Try to understand the deed restrictions. This will help you get a feel of what kind of architecture will be in the neighborhood and can impact your resale value.
3. Walk the lot perimeter first. An old land pro taught me that and I still do that to this day. Start on the left-hand side and walk the entire perimeter. It really helps you get a feel for the flow of the lot and it's important to know boundaries.
4. Understand the setbacks. This will help you realize potential home positioning, driveway areas, etc.
5. Look at the trees. People LOVE trees and you need to make sure you have some nice ones if possible. You can always plant them but we plan around them all the time.
6. Envison your front and backyards. You want to make sure that there is ample space for your outdoor enjoyment.
7. Know your comparables. Make sure you have recent sales data to determine if you are getting a good deal.

Tips on Building Custom Cabinets for Your Home

Before we begin building cabinets, we always like to invite our customers to walk through the home with our cabinet maker.  This is usually done when a home is in the frame stage.  We either do this walk at the house physically with plans in hand or at our office with a set of plans spread out on the table.  It's such a great exercise because the architects will normally draw-in what they feel is best, but it may not necessarily work for the client's lifestyle.  Here are some things we look for:

1. Stain vs. paint grade cabinets?
   
2. Type of material of cabinets?
3. Do the appliances drawn by the architect match what the customer wants?
4. Does the cabinet depth and height flow well?
5. What's behind the cabinets?, ie cookie sheet dividers/trash cans/etc.
6. Do all the drawers and doors represent good functionality?
7. Where are your televisions and stereo equipment going to go?
8. Where is the computer tower/printer going to go?

I could go on and on but if you really want to save time and future aggravation, invest the time to do a good walk through and think about some of these things.  A good cabinet maker will inform you about the various options, guide you through the process and give you some good things to think about.  

Making the Most of Your Time

Just a quick thought for the day but if I'm ever going to a business meeting I want to know two things: 1. What is the purpose and 2. How long is it going to take.  The reason is the time value of money.  A powerful exercise for you that I recommend is calculating how much your time is worth per hour and factor that in when you're making decisions on things.  Always be thinking about that. Over time, it will become second nature and you'll invest your time on the things that matter.  Also, try to always set a quick agenda if your calling a meeting, even if it's on the back of a napkin.  The reason is it will keep you on task and will show respect to those you are meeting with.  Lastly, if  you don't already make sure you start your day with a to do list and prioritize those items so that you spend your time effectively each day.  I use an abc ranking system, with a taking the highest priority and c taking the lowest.  That way at a quick glance I look for a's and make sure they're knocked out first.  Best of luck managing your time better and more productive days for your future.

Holding an Open House

Kathy Aitken at Stewart Title is a fantastic marketer, and recently dropped-off some helpful information to our company about holding an open house that I wanted to share with you. My hope is that some of these tips can help give your home the advantage in a competitive marketplace.

• Sundays from 1-4pm seem to be the most effective
• Repainting the outside or inside is one of the least expensive and best ways to make your home look fresh again
• Open those blinds to let natural light in
• Move cars out of garage for space
• Remember the importance of scent
• Make sure entrance is clean and inviting
• Make sure family and children are out of the house
• Take pets outdoors or away while house is being shown
• Use a guest register, placed near the front entrance
• Never allow people to walk through unsupervised
• Be sure that you know the location of your keys at all times
• Have a flyer printed with important facts
• Be sure to follow up with prospective buyers the next day