If you are thinking of building your dream home from scratch, you are in good company. Plenty of folks are looking for a custom home builder to make their dreams of the ideal family home become a reality. Yet before you sign on the dotted line with the first professional who sends a flyer to your address, ask about custom millwork.

Why Millwork?

It seems like such a small thing. After all, molding and paneling is something that you pick up at the big box home improvement store. Rarely does a homeowner consider the impact of bed molding or crown molding on the overall look and feel of a home. Yet it is the serious custom home builder who realizes that paying attention to these details makes a huge difference in the overall satisfaction you experience with your new home after moving in.

Is Molding Really a Big Deal?

Did you know that shelf edge molding is something your home builder can put over the built-in book shelf edges that you commissioned for the family room? Customize the look to help set the tone for the room. Do you favor a minimalist approach? Perhaps you like a more ornate appearance that goes with your ranch-style décor. This very same shelf edge molding is also used to affix your screen to the screen door. When your porch opens up to the family room, using this same customized millwork is an excellent method of providing visual continuity of the look and putting your personality into another aspect of the structure.

Why work with a builder who does not worry too much about the custom millwork? When you decide that it is time to see your home dream become a reality, work with someone who considers the details of the job. At J. Schmidt Homes, we handle all the custom aspects of your home construction. From the size of the home to its location and budget (and the millwork), our professionals work hard to transform your dream into a reality. Contact us today for more information and to get started on your design.

Some people love watching home improvement shows about people who fall back in love with their home after a residential remodeling job. While some people decide to love their home, others realize their home is worth so much more after home improvements that they can afford a step-up home. By working with a custom home builder who also handles residential remodeling, you can enjoy a seamless experience fixing up your starter home to sell and planning for a new home. The first step is to figure out the best resale value remodels for your home in Greater Cincinnati or Northern Kentucky. According to a recent article by forbes.com, people who remodel their home to sell need to stay focused on limited home improvement dollars.

• Updating a kitchen

If you have an old, outdated kitchen, you can increase the value of your home. Prioritize according to the return on the investment as opposed to your design tastes since your goal is to sell. An article by HGTV says people spend the most money in the kitchen and baths. Experts suggest sticking with traditional wood cabinets, stone countertops and sleek appliances.

• Adding square footage

Another good place to spend your remodeling dollars is on more living space. HGTV suggest adding new living room space, but other wise moves include a second master bedroom suite with adjoining bathroom addition and walk-in closet. With the multi-generational household trend, you can add living space for large families to appeal to buyers with aging parents or adult children. Even if you don’t add a new master bedroom, consider remodeling the one you already have.

Other important ways to spend your remodeling dollars include replacing old showers and tubs with modern glass or stylish ceramic tiles and changing out toilet bowls, sinks, vanities and lighting fixtures. According to forbes.com, don’t waste your renovation dollars on kids’ spaces that are often too personalized. Pools and wine rooms are great if you plan to stay put, but not if your intention is to sell.

At J. Schmidt Homes, we can help you figure out the best way to remodel your existing home in Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky as well as plan a custom dream home that’s perfect for your family. For more information on our residential remodeling services, please contact us.

The rise in green living has caused quite a few industries to scramble to catch up. This includes the insurance industry, one of the slowest industries to embrace new technologies and ideas. The insurance industry is about risk. It’s about embracing that which prevents it from paying out for an accident. When the Affordable Care Act was enacted, the insurance industry gazed in wonder at a new system about which it had no information whatsoever. Premiums were frightful the first years of the Act, because there was nothing to which to compare them. Now the system has evened out somewhat with premiums settling to a more workable level.

The beginning of green building practices is another subject about which the insurance industry had little information. Some years later, there is basis for comparison, which means premiums and policies have been adjusted. For example, homeowners wishing to live in green structures may take out a policy insuring existing green things like Energy Star appliances, energy efficient windows and doors as well as energy and water saving innovations. Another policy may be taken out by homeowners wishing to replace their present domicile with a green home from a custom home builder if anything happens to them. These policies will be a little expensive, but somewhat less than replacing a monstrous carbon footprint structure.

Going Green

Homeowners ready to remodel their Lebanon or Cincinnati structures think about going green. In addition to energy saving windows and doors as well as Energy Star appliances, there is siding to consider. The sticks with which the house was built might not be green, but homeowners can always work around that. For example, siding the house in fiber cement is a green practice that will net the homeowner years of attractive siding with little to no upkeep. Fiber cement is made of sand, cement and often recycled wood fibers. It is water-resistant, fire-resistant, weather-resistant and termite-resistant. It can be devised to look like wood, stucco or vinyl siding in any color or stain the homeowner finds attractive. It’s a little more expensive than other types of siding, but it lasts darn near forever. It’s great insulation, too.

Other Green Building Practices

Another remodel project that thrills insurance companies is green roofing. When they don’t have to pay out on hurricane or tornado damages, they love it. Modern green roofing materials include recycled steel or aluminum in 75 percent of the roof. This is great for saving energy as well as making the roof just about impregnable. Here, fire resistance is another facet of green building about which insurance companies are concerned.

More Fire-Resistant Information

Homes are often breeding grounds for bacteria and germs that cause respiratory troubles in susceptible family members. Asthma and allergy symptoms appear when the HVAC unit needs to be replaced. This is also a fire hazard, because older units are not energy efficient and often cause house fires. Homeowners’ power bills will decrease with the installation of an energy efficient HVAC unit in addition to lower insurance premiums. The family will be healthier and the house won’t catch on fire.

LEED Certified Homes

Green homes following Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design or LEEDS guidelines often receive discounts on homeowners insurance. Some innovations in green building are not covered by every insurance company, although most are seeing the light. States differ in their certifications, so homeowners seeking LEED certification should check with Ohio building codes offices. Insurance companies embracing green building practices include AIG, Travelers Insurance, Nationwide and State Farm, to name a few. In fact, homeowners driving hybrid cars could get a bundle price on their insurance products.

Now that homeowners and those wishing to build a green home know a little about insuring them, it’s time to locate a green-savvy custom builder. J. Schmidt Homes has you covered. Buyers will have every choice and every chance to consider costs in green materials as they build a green, energy efficient custom home that will be the envy of all who see it. 

Whether you hire an experienced builder for a luxurious new construction home or to update your existing home, flooring defines your home’s aesthetic. Many new construction homes in the Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky areas have hard and soft surfaces throughout. When renovating or building, choose colors that blend and complement the interior design. According to a recent piece by yahoohomes.com, the styles for flooring choices are always changing. As a homeowner, you can embrace or discard the latest flooring trends for new construction depending if you have pets, children or aging relatives living in the home who need non-slip flooring.

• Dark hardwood flooring

Dark flooring isn’t the right choice if you have light-colored pets, but it’s extremely hot to choose ebony stains. Experts point out other downsides of the darker colors is that they show scratches. Another option is gray hardwood now that interior designers call gray the “new neutral.” If you want a lighter color, choose white washed floors that remind you of a country home.

• Wide plank flooring

A rustic interior design appeals to many people living in Ohio or Kentucky. Wide plank flooring makes a space feel more modern as well as rustic. When customizing your new construction home, ask about increasing the width of your wood planks by just a few inches.

• Earth-friendly flooring

One of the most common “green” flooring choices is bamboo because it’s one of the fastest growing hardwoods. Many lines of bamboo mimic the look of other hardwoods. Other earth-friendly choices include reclaimed wood from antique floors and old beams.

• New twists on the old

If you want to impress your guests with stunning floors, consider large format tiles in sizes such as 12″ X 24″ and 36″ X 36″. Another new twist on an old favorite is a cork floor in new colors. Luxury vinyl also comes in new patters and colors. If you want carpet for the bedrooms, get as creative with the colors and fibers as you want.

At J. Schmidt Homes, we help you choose all of the design elements for your custom home in the Greater Cincinnati area and Northern Kentucky. Let us know what kind of look you hope to achieve and we’ll help you elevate your lifestyle. For more ideas about new construction flooring and features, please contact us.