Category: New Construction
6 Most Important Qualifications for Choosing a Home Builder in Lancaster
When you’re ready to get started on building the house of your dreams, the first step is to choose a builder in Lancaster. However, how do you find the right person for the job?
Before you shake hands with a home builder, check that they meet or exceed all of the following qualifications. Careful vetting of the company you hire will make all the difference when it comes to your satisfaction with the entire experience — from start to finish.
How to Choose the Right Exterior for Your New Custom Home
4 Reasons Why Spring is the Perfect Time to Build Your Dream Home
Spring is a time of new beginnings, fresh starts, and renewal. What better time to start building your dream home?
There are a few other great reasons to get going on your custom home in early spring. Find out what they are and get closer to breaking ground.
The Weather is Ideal
The best time to build a home is when the weather is cool and dry. Naturally, these conditions are common in fall and spring.
Building in summer or even winter is a different story. Weather extremes, from searing heat to bitter cold, will hamper the workers’ progress. Cold winter days especially equal less sunlight and less working hours, which means the job will take longer to get done. Additionally, in the summer, humidity can interfere with drying times for materials like cement, plaster, and paint.
Let’s not forget that winter comes with something that can set back plans for days, even weeks: snow.
Long story short: choose the spring to begin to build your dream home, and you will probably have less headaches due to weather.
You’ll Have Your Dream Home Enclosed Before the Summer Heat Hits
Once the main components are in place for your dream home build (footers/foundation, framing, windows, doors, and roof), workers can complete the interior of your home in any weather. Starting the main components in early spring means that, by the time summer arrives, the heat will not factor into or hinder the workers’ progress.
Your Custom Home Should Be Ready by the Holiday Season
What could be better than settling into your new dream home right when the holidays are approaching?
Imagine idyllic autumn mornings spent with hot coffee and a book on your new front porch. Think about cooking soups and stews in your new kitchen, and hosting parties and family gatherings in your new dining room. As the days get shorter and festive times roll around, you’ll be doubly glad that your house is ready and you and your family are nestled inside.
Every scenario you dreamed of when you were planning your new custom-built home will be even better when you’re settling in for winter and hosting your friends and family for the first time.
Spring is Perfect for Fresh Starts
What season is more suited for fresh beginnings? Spring, with its strong symbolism related to rebirth and rejuvenation, will also feel like the perfect time to start fresh, from the ground up, on your new dwelling.
After a long winter, most people feel energized come springtime, and this attitude can help push your home-building project along to completion. Start building in the spring, and watch your new home sprout from the ground and take root.
Want a custom-built home but don’t know where to start? You don’t need to be a building expert to start your project with us. Allow us to be your experts to guide you through this process. Contact us to discuss the possibilities.
What are the Advantages of Hiring Home Builders in Lancaster PA?
Building your own home is an exciting, exhilarating adventure. You get to create a house that suits you, your family, your needs, and your lifestyle.
You won’t have to compromise on what you want, nor will you have to endure a lengthy house search that results in a lot of “maybes” and “almosts” but doesn’t result in finding a home that hits every point on your checklist.
Building your own house and trusting home builders in Lancaster, PA is truly the only way to get exactly what you want. There are plenty of other great reasons to choose this option, though. Find out what they are and discover why hiring a home builder in Lancaster might be the right choice for you.
How Home Builders Can Make Your Custom Build a Dream
Hiring a custom home builder takes quite a load off your shoulders when it comes to getting your house built. There are lots of ways these professionals make the process easier on you, not to mention provide a better end product, which is a huge deal.
Your House Will Be Truly, Genuinely Custom
Sometimes, “custom” can mean different things, or the term is used loosely in the industry. Some businesses and contractors only offer one design that comes with options for you to choose from.
With the right Lancaster home builder (like us), however, “custom” means “custom.” They will work with you to build the house of your dreams according to your desires, needs, and specifications. Your house won’t be cookie-cutter; it will be uniquely yours.
Thankfully, the Headache of Renovating Won’t Be in the Cards
When you choose custom home builders in Lancaster, PA, you won’t have to renovate anything for a long, long time after you move in. The house will be built just the way you want it, so it will be move-in ready and according to your standards. You won’t have to change a thing once it’s built, because the builder will make sure your lifestyle and needs are taken into account with your home design. You will get to enjoy living in a home that was built just for you.
Pennsylvania Home Builders Have Connections and Buying Power
Were you to tackle home building on your own, you would probably get charged full price for sourcing all of the necessary materials and fixtures. Home builders in Lancaster, PA, on the other hand, will have existing relationships with suppliers from years in the industry – this means they can source everything for your home and probably cut a deal, too.
To put it simply, Lancaster home builders are who you should turn to if you want a custom home. They can make the process easier with less stress, not to mention save you money.
Learn more about our custom home building process.
Coming Soon! Stone Barn Place in Brownstown
Stone Barn Place is a new seven-lot subdivision being planned in the Conestoga Valley School District. The lots range in size from 10,000 to 23,000 square feet and include public water and sewer. Stone Barn Place is conveniently located next to the Brownstown Elementary School with easy access to Rt. 222.
Call us today at (717) 687-6302 for more information on these beautiful new lots!
[NOTE: This subdivision is still pending final approval from the township.]
5 Often Overlooked Details in Custom Home Design
You are excited because you’ve decided to build a new home! You’ve spent countless hours online looking at plans, you’ve attended Home Shows, visited showrooms and watched a lot of HGTV to get an idea of what you want for flooring, plumbing fixtures and appliances. And now the time has come to meet with a few builders to decide who will build your home.
Before you make a selection, keep these often overlooked details in custom home design in mind.
Planning Right. A home building experience that you will be happy with starts with a great plan. Building a home is much more than the interior design selections. As you are planning your home, your builder will help you look at all of your life’s angles. What are your current and future lifestyle needs? Are you ready to add a child to your family or will you be looking forward to your “empty nest years” soon? What kind of entertaining do you do?
As builders, we take all of these questions (and so more) into account as we work with our customers. This allows us to make sure every new home we build is going to serve your lifestyle for years to come.
The HVAC System. You may not realize it, but the size of your HVAC system does matter, and your builder will make recommendations based on the square footage of your home and layout. While homes can be built with the minimum HVAC requirement, asking the right questions about how you enjoy living inside your home will ensure that you are comfortable through those humid summer nights and blustery winter days.
Lighting & Electrical Needs. With today’s technology needs, outlets should be plentiful in your home, but they need to be placed in the right spot. Depending on how you use rooms could also make a difference as to how a builder suggests it is lit. Additionally, the placement of the house on the lot and the windows will also make a difference as to how much light streams inside, and it will change with the season. Your builder should work with you on developing the right lighting plan to match your needs.
Universal Design Considerations. Universal design (UD) is becoming more commonplace in home design. UD ensures that the design works for everyone, regardless of age or ability. For example, a kitchen counter may be built at a lower height so that young children can help with meal preparation. Also in the kitchen, a corner of the island may be designed as a “breakfast bar” so young children can get a bowl of cereal themselves without relying on the parents. A walk-in shower may be designed to have a low or no-threshold, a hand-held shower nozzle and a bench for those times when grandma comes to visit. Those are just a few of the hundreds of small design shifts that an experienced builder can help you make as you plan your home.
Location of Rooms. You may decide to place your kitchen near a garage or back entrance to make it easier to bring in groceries or keep the traffic out of the main living areas. Bedrooms are used for quiet and a private sanctuary and away from chaos, so the location of your bedroom should be as far away from noise from the house (and street).
A final thought: As you interview builders to design and build your home, keep these often overlooked details in mind. While staying within budget is always a concern, equally important is making sure that your home is designed and built with these, and other, items in mind so that you remain happy with your home for years
2016 Parade of Homes – Sneak Peak
The Parade of Homes will be held June 11-19, 2016. Metzler Home Builders will have two entries in the Parade this year, and both will be semi-detached homes. One is in our Villas at Featherton Community in Elizabethtown and the other is in our Willow Bend Farm Community in West Lampeter. Please be sure to stop in and see us during the Parade. We’d love for you to see these beautiful move-in ready homes and the lovely communities they are a part of.
2,130 sq. ft. semi-detached home with open floor plan, 4 bedrooms and 3 baths
First-floor master suite with walk-in closet and owner’s bath
First-floor living space features open floor plan with gas fireplace and hardwood flooring
Cloister Cabinetry kitchen design including granite countertops and island w/ bar seating
First-floor laundry room with custom bench and pegs
Efficient natural gas heating system
Beautiful craftsman exterior with stone and vinyl materials
Covered concrete patio
Precast Superior Walls in basement
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1,711 sq. ft. semi-detached home with open floor plan, 3 bedrooms and 2 ½ baths
First-floor master suite with walk-in closet and owner’s bath
Swartz kitchen design including granite countertops, peninsula with bar seating and stainless steel appliances
Living room featuring gas fireplace with brick surround
Hardwood flooring throughout first-floor living space
Spacious dining area with custom wainscoting
Efficient natural gas heating system
Private concrete patio
Large basement with Superior Walls
New Home Available Near Ephrata
71 Clay School Road, Ephrata
This new two-story home will be ready for occupancy late summer 2016. There’s still time to choose your interior colors! It features an open floor plan with 2,040 square feet and has 4 bedrooms and 2 ½ baths. Public water, sewer and natural gas. Located in the Ephrata Area School District.
We have two additional lots along Clay School Road as well. For more information on the house listed above or to discuss building your dream home on one of these other lots, please call us at (717) 687-6302.
Project Spotlight: A Charming Craftsman Cottage Home
Chad and Lindsay liked their current home and location but it was no longer meeting the needs of their growing family. With another child on the way and an available plot of land near some of their family, they decided it was time to contact a builder.
Through some family connections, Chad and Lindsay reached out to us at Metzler Home Builders to partner with them on their custom home project. When they initially met with us, they already had a completed design in-hand, which was absolutely fine and started us a little further ahead in the design/build process.
As we were working through pricing-out the home, we were introduced to several contractors that Chad and Lindsay (and their family) had previous connections to. While we do have our own preferred vendors and sub-contractors at Metzler Home Builders, we are also open to working with others who are qualified and in the construction trades. In this case, it allowed our customers to get the home of their dreams while still using some contractors that they had existing relationships with.
As construction got underway, it was evident this would be a one-of-a-kind custom home. The beautiful craftsman exterior, custom kitchen, large mud/laundry room and master suite were some of the highlights of this home. Chad and Lindsay also incorporated a few great outdoor living spaces into the project with a beautiful screened porch and a concrete basketball court area in the back yard.
Enjoy the pictures and be inspired for your own custom home or addition / renovation project.
Choosing the Right Home Builder
- Create a list of potential home builders by reaching out the your local Home Builders Association.
- Looking thru the ad section of your local newspaper you can find and learn more about which builders are currently building in your area along with the types of homes being built and prices.
- Reach out to local real estate agents who can assist you in your search.
- Friends and relatives are great for asking for recommendations.
- Conduct an interview with a list of questions you have
- Visit some of the builder’s recently built homes. When visiting homes that are recently occupied by the new homeowner and they are outside approach them letting them know you are considering buying a home from the builder and ask for their experience with the builder. Consider visiting several to get a few opinions. Ask questions like: Are they pleased with their new home? Have you had any problems with the builder coming back to fixing any issues and were they promptly taken care of? Would you buy another home from this builder?
- Look at the quality of the construction; carpentry, carpeting, flooring, trimwork and paint.
- Don’t be afraid to ask questions, get specific, and take notes. Never hesitate to ask questions.