If you’ve ever wondered what it might be like to own a custom home, the 10th Anniversary Custom Builders Council 2007 Parade of Homes could provide many answers. Washington Spaces is the media sponsor of this year’s tour, which will include 31 unique homes, including three remodeling projects, throughout Northern Virginia. On the weekend of Oct. 6 and 7, see the latest in state-of-the-art kitchens and baths, exceptional craftsmanship, high tech automation systems, and at least one house built with green principles in mind. The inviting variety of custom houses and the opportunity to meet the custom builders who built them promises a wonderful idea-packed tour.
Stuart Thayer is president of Robinson and Thayer Inc. and chairman of the Northern Virginia Building Industry Association’s (NVBIA) Custom Builders Council, a professional association of custom builders who have passed a thorough vetting process. Thayer suggests clients should keep several important factors in mind when planning a custom home. Custom building is a process and Thayer recommends involving your custom builder early in this process. “He may be able to assist you in establishing a realistic budget for the house, in finding a site, and identifying any attendant site development costs,” Thayer says. “A builder can help in the feasibility analysis of the site and in identifying any potential pitfalls such as zoning, soil, and utility issues. He can also help with optimum house placement after taking into account the constraints imposed.”
Involving a lender early in the process is also prudent. “That way you can look at construction loans or construction permanent loans and different programs that are available,” Thayer says. Selecting the right professionals to collaborate with is critical, too. “It’s not necessarily just a function of the cost when you choose a builder, architect, and interior designer, but how well do you as a customer feel you’re going to be able to work together?” Thayer adds, pointing out that a custom project may span from a matter of months to a few years. You need to have a clear understanding of warranties and lead times, both for design development and value engineering, and be sure you are allowing enough time to secure permits, too, Thayer says.
The beauty of building a custom home is that you can make it fit your lifestyle exactly. In the Creekstone Community home pictured on these pages, for instance, the owners wanted a coffered ceiling in the living room, a sun room with lots of light, and a deluxe butler’s pantry complete with wine storage, so they got them.
The SugarOak, pictured below right, which looks like an old-style Virginia farmhouse, is an example of another custom home that will be featured among the 31 on the Parade of Homes. The woodwork, trim, and other detailing is exceptional in this house. Often, however, the less visible features in a custom home can make a significant difference, too.
“From day one, features like insulation, high efficiency HVAC systems, and high efficiency windows over the long term can mean reduced energy costs every month, which is essentially money in your pocket,” Tom Donaldson, president of SugarOak, says. For example, Icynene, a spray-in foam insulation used in the SugarOak home as well as in the Arlington Designer Homes parade house, both helps with heat insulation and blocks out noise. So you get the benefit of vintage character with the latest convenience. As Donaldson says, “It’s old-style craftsmanship with modern day technology. You get both – without the outhouse.”
