Some Ideas to Consider …

  • Tips for Financing a Fairfield County Home Remodeling Project: PART II

    As a follow-up to our recent post, ‘Tips for Financing a Fairfield County Home Remodeling Project: PART I’, Fairfield County custom home builder Country Club Homes, Inc. offers additional tips on project financing to educate area residents who may be considering embarking on a home remodeling project.

    Depending on the size of your project, a home remodeling project can be a large investment of time, energy and money. Today’s post concerns pre-project planning items, such as a project budget, contingency accounts, and extras cost items. These tips are from a recent helpful NAHB article entitled, “Financing Your Home Remodeling Project“.

    Here at Country Club Homes, Inc., we have found that having a project come in right “on budget”, or even under budget, is a very critical goal. There are a few ‘best practices’ to adopt to make sure your project is well organized, and on budget. These include:

    Contingency Account: Plan to allocate approximately 80% of what you can afford for the remodeling, to the main project budget. Create a contingency account of 20% in reserve to cover changes and unforeseen problems. This is standard procedure across the construction industry, acknowledging that there are often unforeseen issues that impact the project before it is finished. The home owner needs to be well prepared for these contingencies.

    Extra Costs/Revisions/Upgrades: It is important to remember that any costs such as changes or upgrades that are added after the construction contract is signed, will be considered extras. They will affect the overall budget and project timeline.

    Scope of Work: It is very important to define the total scope of work, or full extent of the project, up front; and to stay focused on completing that work. Refraining from expanding the scope of work will protect the budget, and the project time line, as well.

    If you are seeking home remodeling design and construction expertise for your Wilton, New Canaan or Fairfield County, Connecticut home, contact Country Club Homes at 203-762-0550. Visit the Country Club Homes, Inc. website to see beautiful interior and exterior home images in our online portfolio.

    Image source: Country Club Homes Inc.

  • The Studs of Construction: Understanding the Lumber in Your Home

    You’ve encountered the studs of construction before: You measure and mark the walls to hang a piece of artwork. The first nail goes in easy-breezy, the second one nearly jars the teeth out of your head as you pound it in. That’s a stud. Homes in Fairfield County and around the country are usually framed…

  • Adding a Sauna to Your Home is Great for Your Health

    An in-home sauna may seem like an unnecessary luxury, but in reality it can provide significant benefits to your health. A sauna’s heat works to sooth your nerve endings, relieve tension, reduce joint pain, and relax your muscles.  Spending time in a sauna also works to calm your body and relieve it of stress which promotes…

  • Create Cleverly Concealed Work Spaces in Your Home

    Have you discovered that you could benefit from additional workspaces in your home? Using creative built-in storage is an excellent way to create unique spaces designed specifically to meet your family’s needs. Contemporary Family Room by New York Architects & Designers Murdock Solon Architects via Houzz   Considering adding a: Homework center: Does your kids’ homework spill out across…

  • How to Tell if a Wall or Column is Load-Bearing

    Many homeowners seek to open up space in their home during a home renovation project by removing a wall. This can connect spaces and completely transform a home’s layout. Before a wall can be removed it must first be determined whether the wall is load-bearing. This can be determined by: Traditional Staircase by Wilton Design-Build Firms Country Club…