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Custom
Built
Custom Homes Have A Distinct Design
Standard
Finishes in A Custom Home – No two
custom homes are identical (since that’s the whole point of a custom
home). However, there are some very common finishes and features
that could be considered, for the most part, to be “standard”.
2×6 Exterior Walls -
This is a bit of a no-brainer—even most
production builders include 2×6 walls these days. Nevertheless, it’s
worth mentioning, in that it’s the feature most commonly asked
about.
R-23 Wall Insulation -
This is achieved by utilizing blown in
fiberglass insulation. Fiberglass insulation has very low air
infiltration (which is a good thing), and a high insulating value.
R-50 Ceiling Insulation -
This is achieved by filling the attic
to a deeper depth than a typical blown in attic. Insulation needs to
be looked at as a system—part of a good system is making sure that
the trusses have “energy heels.” An energy heel ensures that your
ceiling insulation is not compromised at the far edges of the roof.
High-end windows -
While we’d like to say that we only install
aluminum-clad wood windows, the reality is that many folks have a
tough time making the jump to wood or even fiberglass windows, in
that there’s a LARGE price difference. Nevertheless, a high-end
vinyl window is
significantly better (particularly over the long haul) than a
“builder grade” vinyl window, in terms of air leakage and overall
operation. Architectural 40 year
Premium Garage Doors -
Not all garage doors are created equal. Entry
level garage doors (commonly known as “builder grade”), are thin,
uninsulated, and of low quality. A good garage door is well
insulated, comes with a quality opener, and can be factory “stained”
to create a beautiful wood look without the maintenance. 9
Foot Basement Ceilings -
Having a nice, tall ceiling in the
basement really makes your lower living quarters feel spacious and
impressive.
High-end Decking -
PVC-wrapped composite decking, and zero
maintenance, high-quality railing systems. Combined with a cement
based fascia and stain grade fiberglass exterior doors, the
exteriors are practically zero maintenance.
High Efficiency Furnaces -
These come as either 92% efficient or
96% efficient, and, when used in conjunction with our insulation
packages, create a very warm home with low energy bills. Heating and
cooling systems are designed to perform well, and not just meet code
minimums.
High-end Plumbing Fixtures -
Typically master showers have
multiple heads and/or rain heads and/or hand sprays on glide bars,
in addition to our clients having a wide range of choices in
secondary bathrooms as well.
Generous Electrical Packages -
A typical electrical allowance
affords the client one recessed light for every 100 square feet of
living space, in addition to having multiple switching options and
LED under-cabinet lighting in the kitchen. Coupled with a very
reasonable light fixture allowance, standard electrical package is
geared to meet the clients’ needs and wants.
Multiple Paint Colors -
Including a separate color for their
ceilings. After all, there’s nothing custom about having Navajo
White throughout an entire house.
Solid Core Doors -
Our solid core doors are hefty and strong, and
our clients are typically split 50/50 between stain grade interiors
and paint grade on the interior.
Baseboards -
3 ½” trim and 5 ½” baseboards standard.
Kitchens -
Typically a “six-piece kitchen,” this package
includes: a double oven, cooktop, microwave, dishwasher, hood, and
refrigerator. Our kitchens have a full- height backsplash.
Granite Counters -
Granite counters are standard in the kitchen,
powder room, master bathroom, and secondary bathrooms. There’s a lot
of variation in the levels of granite (typically they’re classified
Levels 1 – 5), and an average home will have Level 3 granite in the
kitchen, master bathroom, and powder, the secondary bathrooms will
generally have Level 1 or Level 2.
Flooring and Tile -
Each home has a generous flooring and wall
tile allowance. Commonly, random width solid hickory wood floors are
installed in the bulk of the main level. Carpet is high end, and
tile allowances can afford in-demand products like “wood look” tile,
plank type tile (narrow and wide), accent bands in showers, and the
like.
Bathroom Hardware -
We use high-end bathroom hardware and
accessories for the sinks, bathtubs, showers, etc. Master bathroom
showers feature frameless glass.
We
can build a custom home for as low as (roughly) $160 per square
foot, but that number can actually double or even triple, depending
on a huge number of variables. At some point, what starts as a
custom
home becomes a luxury
home. That point is not easily defined, and in reality is quite
subjective!
#1: Exterior Doors and Glass
A custom home can have a wide range of
exterior door types. Large sections of windows/ doors/ glass are
often utilized in a luxury home. Beyond that, the next step up is to
go to a truly custom setup that creates a virtually seamless union
between exterior and interior. Check out NanaWall
for a good example.
Reimaging Your Space from the Inside Out
Creating the New Family Living Space
"This is 22 feet wide opens it right up and NanaWall allows us to do
that here with
NanaWall redefined the
category of opening glass wall systems. NanaWall has earned the trust of architects, builders,
design professionals, and homeowners as a solutions provider for
re-imagining how buildings, people, and the elements interact. By
combining precision engineering and outstanding design options
across more than 25 unique systems, we advance design possibilities
beyond the conventional for almost any space.
Our moving glass walls are customizable to meet the requirements of
your project. Every moving glass wall system is manufactured for
long-term performance, durability, and beauty. As the leader in the
industry, we strive to be ever-improving and constantly
innovating—you’ll never hear the last of our firsts.
#2: Exterior Wall & Roof Assemblies
Unique elements such as commercial panels, extensive use of stone,
metal cladding, and wood cladding. Copper or metal roofing might be
used, even if just in certain architectural sections.
#3: Electrical System
“Home automation,” as it’s commonly referred to, has opened up
virtually endless possibilities. A massive range of potential
features, from climate control, streaming audio, streaming video,
security, keypad lighting, the list goes on.
#4: Interior Millwork
One of a kind doors, built-up trim (more than one piece is used),
hand-built cabinetry, exotic woods can be employed.
#5: Interior Wall Finishes
Class 5 drywall finish (a.k.a. “smooth wall” or “slick wall”),
Venetian plaster, kerfed drywall details, exotic woods, imported
tile. One of a kind/ personalized stains or finishes may be
integrated.
Similarly, you may ask, what is a kerf door jamb?
Similarly, why is it called a door jamb? A
jamb (from French jambe, "leg"), in architecture, is the side-post
or lining of a doorway or other aperture. A doorjamb, door jamb
(also sometimes doorpost) is the vertical portion of the door frame
onto which a door is secured.
In this way, what is a kerf slot in door stop?
The “kerf” is a slot cut along the wooden door
frame into which you press a plastic fin that is embedded along the
edge of the weather strip. A small nub on the plastic fin holds the
weather stripping securely without adhesives, nails or staples.
What is a flat jamb?
Flat jambs
have a standard jamb, 4 9/16" wide, with a separate door stop
attached, usually stapled, and the hinge side of the jamb is the
pre-cased side. Casing is stapled and glued, and has corrugated
fasteners at the miters. Another casing set is tacked to the applied
casing, with the profiles facing each other.
#6: Fixtures and Appliances
These will often jump from “high end” to exotic/luxury. Electrical
fixtures, plumbing fixtures, kitchen appliances – these can all get
very pricey very quickly.
You’ll often find that the outdoor spaces in a luxury home are as
important as the interior spaces; large spaces for entertaining with
all the amenities – full kitchens, built-in heaters, sliding glass
panels, elegant fireplaces, and surrounding stonework, audio, video.
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Difference
between Custom and Luxury Homes 
