Home Plans and the Home Planning Process

While the spring and summer are usually the busiest time of year for new homes to get started, the fall and winter are a great time to start the home planning process. Many people are overwhelmed with the number of choices that go into a new home and the array of possibilities for their custom home plans. The more preparation you do on the front end, the easier the process can be.


Your lot may provide multiple layout options. Perhaps you can make the most of a sloped lot by planning for a basement home. This works very well on sloped lake lots to increase views to the water. Then there are various styles to consider: craftsman, ranch, traditional, colonial, cottage, courtyard, etc. I am drawing house plans and would be glad to work with you to create your own custom home plan. My plans include elevations, floor plans, roof plan, foundation plan, electrical plan, and even 3-dimensional views and renderings. We can also save time by sending revisions out as PDF files for your review. This allows me to not only work with locals of the Columbia and Lexington SC areas, but also with individuals in other cities and states. Drop me a line if you want additional information.

For a smooth construction process, we encourage homeowners to make as many building selections as they can before construction even begins. This includes everything from brick & mortar choices all the way to towel bars in the bathrooms and everything in between. You might be surprised at just how many selections are available and some of them take time to make a decision on. Do these early and the actual construction process will feel more stress free.

Also, if you're considering going green, the best time to make that decision is before you ever break ground or get home plans. As a Certified Green Professional, I can help educate you on what makes a home and the home construction process green.

So if 2009 is going to be the year of your new home, consider beginning the planning process before 2008 ends. Of course I would prefer that you also consider Master Plan Homes for your house plans and/or as your builder of choice. But whichever route you choose, I'd still be happy to talk with you about it.

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2008 Parade of Homes

Last night I had the opportunity of attending the Preview Party of the Parade of Homes at the Saluda River Club presented by the local HBA. The parade officially opens tomorrow and runs through November 2. There are six fully-furnished and decorated homes open for tours. As usual in a parade of homes, there were some "over the top" features including a water closet with its own tv and a dedicated massage room.

The Parade is a great place to get ideas on home layouts, built-in features, interior design, landscaping, etc. I was looking for more green building materials and practices (since 5 of the 6 homes were obtaining the local Green Council's certification) but they didn't appear to be blatantly spelled out. In a way, its a good thing for people to see that green built homes don't have to look odd or futuristic. However, I think it would have also been good to highlight what makes the homes green. To give the Parade credit, they are hosting a "Green Day at the Parade" on October 29 where they will be presenting the green features of the homes.

I hope you get the chance to attend the Parade of Homes this year. And feel free to share your comments about it here if you'd like. I'll be at the ticket gate on October 29 from 2:30 to 7:00pm so maybe I'll see you there!

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Are Columbia and Lexington banks still lending for new construction?

In light of the current national and global economic issues, there seems to be some confusion out there about whether or not banks are still lending money. To find an answer to this question for the Columbia and Lexington SC areas, I decided to ask my friend and associate Todd Mitcham at BB&T Mortgage. I found his response refreshing and contrary to much of what we're hearing in the media or on the national level. So I'd like to share what Todd said here:

"We are still lending money the same as we always have. On construction loans we still do 95% loans and we still base the value off of the appraised value and not the cost (so if it appraises for more than the cost as it often does we give the client "free" equity). So, nothing has
changed.

The problem is that I've got no one asking for any loans. It is not that we aren't loaning - it is that no one is borrowing. However, I wonder if no one is borrowing because they think we are not loaning."

And I am wondering the same thing. But if you've read this, you now know that there are banking institutions right here in the Columbia and Lexington SC area that are lending money for qualified borrowers. Todd Mitcham of BB&T Mortgage is one that I would recommend. He has been in the mortgage lending business since 1992 and he has provided great service to many of our custom home clients. Todd can be reached at 803-251-1404 or by email.

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Salim Khalil, CGP

SALIM I. KHALIL AWARDED

CERTIFIED GREEN PROFESSIONAL (CGP) DESIGNATION

Lexington SC, October 1, 2008 - Salim I. Khalil of Master Plan Homes Inc. recently became one of the select group of professional builders nationwide who have earned the Certified Green Professional (CGP) designation, identifying him as someone with knowledge of the best strategies for incorporating green building principals into homes.

The CGP program is administered by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) University of Housing and sponsored locally by the Greater Columbia Home Builders Association.

The CGP curriculum incorporates training by leading building industry practitioners and academics on a range of topics, including strategies for incorporating green-building principles into homes using cost-effective methods of construction, and how green homes provide buyers with lower maintenance and good indoor air quality. Techniques are also discussed for competitively differentiating your home products with increased indoor environmental quality as well as energy and resource efficiency.

US Financial Crisis?

I've emailed a few friends today about this week's roller coaster ride known as Wall Street. It's been crazy to watch as large financial institutions have gone belly up and the government has stepped in with attempts at saving it. Meanwhile the media has been in a frenzy and has informed us that the sky is in fact falling. But just look at how the DOW has performed this week and you'll see it's actually trading higher than when the week began (as of 10:40am on Friday).

And do you think the current economy's condition has affected getting a mortgage here in the Columbia/Lexington area? Well, from what I'm hearing, not by a great extent. Some of their qualifications are a little tighter but if you are in a stable job with a good credit score you should be fine. I can refer you to someone locally if you'd like more information.

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Green Building for Building Professionals

A few months ago I mentioned that I attended a green home seminar at the Home & Garden Show. Last week I was able to further my green building education by attending the NAHB (National Association of Home Builders) University "Green Building for Building Professionals".

The course was offered here in Columbia through our local Home Builders Association of Greater Columbia and was attended by both local and out-of-state professionals in the home building industry.

The instructor for the course was Tom Stephani of Custom Construction Concepts Inc. of Crystal Lake, IL.



The main topics of the course included building science principles, site development and design, building envelope and durability, resource efficiency, energy efficiency, water efficiency, indoor air quality, remodeling considerations, effective operation and homeowner education, & marketing and selling green. Each of these topics was discussed in detail. Here are a few highlights I noted:

• The "whole house" approach means every system must be considered in relation to every other system in a house to build an efficient, more comfortable, safer, and more sustainable home.


• Energy efficiency is one of the biggest components of green homes under the NAHB Green Home Building Guidelines. A third-party review plan is required during construction to verify design and compliance of the energy efficiency guidelines.


• The typical household spends over $1,500 per year on energy bills. ENERGY STAR appliances can help homeowners save up to 30%.

And speaking of ENERGY STAR, a few stats:

1. ENERGY STAR clothes washers use 50% less energy
2. ENERGY STAR does not label clothes dryers because most dryers use similar amounts of energy.
3. ENERGY STAR refrigerators use at least 20% less energy than required by current federal standards and 40% less energy than conventional models sold in 2001.
4. ENERGY STAR freezers use at least 20% less energy than required by current federal standards.
5. ENERGY STAR dishwashers use 25% less energy

Hosted by the Green Building Council of the Home Builders Association of Greater Columbia, the Green Building course provided me with another level of compentence within this growing field of the building industry.

You can contact me at 803-260-7546 or by email to find out more about green building in the Columbia & Lexington areas of South Carolina.

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In Home Intercoms

In home intercom systems have come along way. There are many varieties on the market with varied bells & whistles. No longer does the main station in the kitchen or master bedroom have to be over powering on the wall. Along with the improvements in technology, the price of in home intercom systems has also lowered over the years.

As is usually the case, a great time to wire for components such as an intercom is during new construction while all the walls are open and accessible. We have had the Greyfox (now OnQ/Legrand) intercom system installed in several of our houses. This system, like many today, uses Cat5 wiring from a structured wiring panel to each room that will have an intercom station. The room stations themselves are only the size of a two-switch panel. The main station is the size of a three-switch panel. These small sizes and the traditional looking face plates allow the intercom to blend well on the wall along with your other electrical switches.

One of the best features of this intercom system is the monitor which allows any room station to be monitored from the rest of the house. This is great for a baby's room, when someone is sick in bed, or even for an elderly person that is not easily mobile.

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House Plan Design & Drawing

While things were slow for us earlier in the year, I took the opportunity to learn something new, something I've had an interest in for years - drawing house plans.

My goal was to become proficient enough to be able to design efficient house plans similiar to those provided by other local draftsmen. I have no intention of becoming an architect so if you need one I'd likely point you to our friend Pete at von ahn design. Thus far I've succeeded in my goal as I have drawn several plans, one of which I teamed with an engineer on and we are currently building. Another custom house plan which I drew for a client is on the schedule to begin construction in a matter of weeks.

Learning how to draw working house plans came pretty quickly for me for two reasons. First, I am drawing with a Computer Aided Design (CAD) software called SoftPlan. I was formerly a computer programmer and applications developer so I have a fair amount of computer-related experience working for me. Second, as a licensed builder, I get to see houses constructed in real life on our job sites. This gives me the insight to know of certain things that work well and others that don't at all. Not everything that is drawn on paper will work in the real world.

All this being said, everytime I work on a house plan I am learning new things. The learning never stops in the business of home design and construction. I think that's one thing that makes it fun... If you need your own house plan drawn, let me know and I'll be glad to assist you.

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Where we build

We often get asked where all we build. The short answer is the "Greater Columbia" area.

Our current projects are in Blythewood, Northeast Columbia, Lexington, and Lake Murray (Lexington side). In the past we've also worked in other areas of Columbia, Lake Murray (Chapin side), and even Saluda.

When we are building in neighborhoods, we try to be mindful of the current residents. One way this is done is with silt fencing. Silt fences are used to prevent erosion and runoff from a property. They help our lot and any adjoining lots. Silt fences also help create a visual barrier for our trade contractors and suppliers to keep them on our lot.

When allowed, we post Master Plan Homes Inc. signage on the property along with the building permit so our suppliers, trade contractors, and inspectors can easily identify the lot.



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Getting Busy

This is my first post for the month of April. The main reason for that is things are starting to get busy again. Over the last two weeks we've had some good new activity:

• Signed two contracts for investor speculation homes
• Started the design/drawing process for a home we'll build on Lake Murray this year
• Bid on a client's home addition and garage
• Bid on another client's garage and room over
• Met an associate at their lot to discuss building their custom home

In addition to these new activities, the custom home we're building in Lexington right now is going very smoothly. In just 8 weeks we've completed the footings, crawlspace foundation, exterior veneer, framing, roofing, doors & windows, electric rough-in, plumbing rough-in, HVAC rough-in, and the drywall. All that and we had 4+ rain days that slowed us down! At this pace, the house will be done in a total of 4 months. We told the client it would take 5 to 6 months. That feels good!

You hear people talking about lower interest rates being an incentive for people to build or add-on... You also hear that many construction material prices are down... And with a supposedly "slow" housing market, you hear there are trade contractors competing with their prices... We aren't just hearing these things, we are seeing it as a reality with the recent flurry of activity in our business at Master Plan Homes Inc.

If you're on the fence about building a new home, give us a call or email and we'll talk about the possibilities.

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In The Field

As Jon says, "we like to divide and conquer". But there are times when we will work side-by-side for the benefit of putting two sets of eyes on a project. For us, this usually happens at project proposal meetings, site location meetings, construction rough-in walk thrus, final walk thrus, etc. We feel this is a benefit of working with two licensed residential builders.

Last week we had the opportunity of investigating a lot for someone. This is often a great time to ask questions in preparation for breaking ground. Selecting a lot and envisioning your house on that lot can be a difficult task, but it's one that we like to participate in.

We are Jonathan (Jon) Foster and Salim (Slim) Khalil. We build in Lexington & Richland Counties. We are Master Plan Homes Inc.

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Selecting a Lot to Build your Home

There are several things to consider when selecting a lot to build your home on. Do you want to be in a neighbhorhood or on private land? Do you want waterfront or a view of a lake or pond? How close do you want to be to your place of work? What school district do you want to be in?

Established neighborhoods have become very sought after as people often want to know what the properties around them are going to be like. A neighborhood can have restrictions on the size and style of houses being built. This can be beneficial for those concerned about how the neighboring properties will affect their resale value. Also, neighborhoods often can provide shared amenities such as a pool, tennis court, or pond.

On the flip side, some people prefer private land so they aren't forced to deal with community restrictions. Private land can generally be found at a lower cost since neighborhood amenities are not built into the price. Also, some people build on private land that belongs to their family or to get a bigger tract of land than what is available in most developments.

From the construction side, it is also helpful to consider the following when selecting a lot or land to build on:

• Elevations - Check to see the slope of the lot (if any) and how this will relate to the house you want to build. Be mindful of how and where water run-off from your house will go.
• Setbacks - Each lot is going to have a minimum setback for the front, back, left, and right sides of the property. This is particularly important on smaller lots - you want to make sure the house you intend to build will fit within the setbacks of the lot.
• Facing direction - Find out which direction your house will face on the lot to ensure it's going to suit you. This will let you forsee which rooms in your house will be getting direct sunlight at certain times of the day.
• Sewer or Septic - A septic system usually requires more clearing of the lot in order to install the septic drain lines.
• Public Water or Well - The expense of digging a well is often unknown because it depends on the depth which must be dug before a good supply of water is hit. You won't know this exact depth until you start digging.

All of these things considered ahead of time will help you make a good lot selection. Of course, all of these issues may also have an affect on the price of the lot or land. Lot and land prices have been increasing considerably in recent years. This is not a surprise as there is only so much land out there. The price range can also be very wide. For example, the price range of lots in neighborhoods in Lexington SC 29072 is any where from $35k to $415k.

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The Truth about the Housing and Building Market

We've heard a lot about the housing market and new construction from the media. Much of what we've heard may be true in certain areas of the country, but each market is uniquie. The Columbia/Lexington area does appear to have slowed down, but it is not at a stand still. At Master Plan Homes Inc., we recently started on a new custom home in Lexington and we are working with another individual who is ready to build in Columbia.

The Home Builders Association of Greater Columbia's Buy Now Build Now web site offers a few "myth busters" that I would like to share.

Myth 1: The Sky is Falling.

If the truth be told, housing has always been a very cyclical business. In the mid-1970s and early 1980s and 1990s, housing production and sales dropped by more than 60 percent in a matter of months. During those cycles, we confronted and overcame many of the same problems we face today – large numbers of unsold homes, skeptical and reluctant consumers, tight credit markets and shortages of money for certain borrowers, declining home values, and prospective buyers who had difficulty selling their existing homes. The important thing to remember is that over time the market corrected and we rebounded to production and sales levels that beat or matched the records of the previous cycle. The message is that housing is a very tough and resilient industry. We will be back – stronger and better than before.

Myth 2: There’s No Mortgage Money.

If you believed the headlines or the endless drum beat about subprime lending on cable television news, you would think that the pot of mortgage money has dried up completely. Nonsense! The vast majority of our buyers are seeking conventional, conforming mortgages at or below $417,000. These loans are purchased by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and have the implicit guarantee of the federal government. While underwriting standards may be tighter for all loans, credit-worthy home buyers should have no problems in finding conventional, conforming mortgages at very attractive rates – slightly above 6 percent for fixed rate, 30-year loans. And with the latest moves by the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates and increase liquidity, the availability of money for jumbo loans has also improved for credit-worthy borrowers, although rates on those loans are about one percentage point above conforming loan rates and down payment requirements are higher. Nonetheless, getting the word out that mortgage money is available at a very attractive price for credit-worthy borrowers is critical to boosting consumer confidence and traffic of prospective customers.

Myth 3: Foreclosure Rates Are Skyrocketing.

While foreclosure rates have increased in the past year, almost all American home owners are making their mortgage payments on time and are in no danger of losing their homes. Most foreclosures are concentrated in the once super-heated markets in California, Florida, Arizona and Nevada, and the upper Midwest states of Michigan, Ohio and Indiana, which have been hit hard by job losses, plant closings and depressed local economies. In fact, in 34 states the foreclosure rate actually declined last month. We are concerned about the two million subprime loans that are due to reset over the next two years. That’s a major problem that needs to be dealt with. But it’s important to remember that 37 percent of all single-family homes are owned debt free – without any mortgage – and home owners nationwide have built up more than $11 trillion in equity that provides a good cushion against any decline in values. In addition, 97 percent of prime borrowers – the bulk of the market – are up-to-date on their mortgage payments. Also, a high number of defaults on loans to date have been among speculators or investors who were looking for quick profits and subsequently walked away from their investments when the housing market cooled.

Myth 4: Home Values Are in a Free-Fall with No Bottom in Sight.

Except for about 30 or so high-flying metro markets where home values doubled in four or five years, the correction in home values has been relatively modest. Over time, home values will stabilize and then edge upward with the next recovery. To argue that home values will continue to decline and will never recover, someone has to make a convincing argument that it will cost less to build a new home five years from now than it does today. That’s not going to happen.

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About Master Plan Homes Inc.

Let's get started out with a description of Master Plan Homes Inc.

Our company is owned and operated by Jon Foster and me (Salim Khalil). We both reside in Lexington SC and we both have offices in our homes. Having home-based offices allows us to keep overhead expenses down and therefore provide very competitive rates for our services. The primary service our company provides at this time is custom home building.

We typically work with people that have purchased a lot or land, either have or are working on house plans, and are ready to build their home. We have built homes across Lexington, Columbia, and Chapin ranging from under 2,000 square feet to over 5,000 square feet. Some of these homes have been in developed neighborhoods while others have been on private land.

Jon and I are known to be very honest men of integrity. When we build someone's house, it is very important for us to provide services with care and respect - it is going to be their home afterall. Often times our professional relationship with clients turns into personal friendships which we value.

If you plan to build a home in the area, feel free to contact us:

Jon Foster
803-331-8338
Jon@MasterPlanHomesInc.com

Salim Khalil
803-260-7546
Salim@MasterPlanHomesInc.com

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Master Plan Homes Inc.

Master Plan Homes Inc. now has a blog!


Stay tuned for more to come.


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