This is the stupidest comment I have ever seen you make.N8 said:
New home bling questions...
- Thread starter N8 v2.0
- Start date
I am considering ditching the Cat 6. I do have a centralized panel where all the telecom/catv/sat tv originates from. It would be a snap to plug in a wireless router there.narlus said:
All my ceilings are generally at least 10+ foot except in the hall bath.
Central vac's are another thing that sound like a good idea in theory...
$$ per sq foot????N8 said:
Heidi said:
...and you are citing a large body of work too!
Andyman_1970 said:
Depends on what type you want... there are a lot of styles.
I just ripped ALL the tile and carpet out of my place and had the concrete stained. Looks amazing!!!
The charge was:
$4.50 per sw foot if they did the demo of the tile and carpet.
$2.50 if i pulled up the tile and carpet.
Prices even dropped further for commercial sq footage.
I highly reccomend these guys Nate. They'll probably come to your area. They travel to all surrounding states.
pardon the gross home page
http://hollandfloors.com/
The charge was:
$4.50 per sw foot if they did the demo of the tile and carpet.
$2.50 if i pulled up the tile and carpet.
Prices even dropped further for commercial sq footage.
I highly reccomend these guys Nate. They'll probably come to your area. They travel to all surrounding states.
pardon the gross home page
http://hollandfloors.com/
Mtb_Rob_FL said:
I see them the same as well. Tile works great in the wet areas but wood is much better in the living/kitchen.
Interesting question... now that I'm rehabbing houses, time and time again, I hear "go with neutral colors". Whatever the color is, the buyers will very likely want something else. To go to "something else" from a beige is much easier then from more non-standard colors.N8 said:
In other words, a beige will almost never scare a buyer away, whereas "imaginative" colors might.
I haven't dabbled around with staining the slab yet... been thinking about it though. It is within my budget I believe.Jimmy_Pop said:I just ripped ALL the tile and carpet out of my place and had the concrete stained. Looks amazing!!!
The charge was:
$4.50 per sw foot if they did the demo of the tile and carpet.
$2.50 if i pulled up the tile and carpet.
Prices even dropped further for commercial sq footage.
I highly reccomend these guys Nate. They'll probably come to your area. They travel to all surrounding states.
pardon the gross home page
http://hollandfloors.com/
The misses would love to have a kitched with floors like that..........Jimmy_Pop said:I just ripped ALL the tile and carpet out of my place and had the concrete stained. Looks amazing!!!
The charge was:
$4.50 per sw foot if they did the demo of the tile and carpet.
$2.50 if i pulled up the tile and carpet.
Prices even dropped further for commercial sq footage.
I highly reccomend these guys Nate. They'll probably come to your area. They travel to all surrounding states.
pardon the gross home page
http://hollandfloors.com/
Crashby said:
I have never had a house not sell because of wall color. I have done the builder beige thing, I've done light sage greens, taupes, and my latest home will be a cool light modern blue with black stained maple cabinets and a light maple laminate floor with white crown/base boards.
well... you have to keep in mind that folks around here for these lower priced homes dont exactly have much sense of style...N8 said:
I know several poeple who have had those , and at first it is great , but over time the system just does not stay air tight , and suction gets less and less. till finally they just stop using it.N8 said:
I dunno, I know I'm a geek and not necessarily representative of the general population, but wireless sucks for anything but internet and audio. High quality video can be degraded very quickly if there are a couple walls/floors between you and the router, and file transfer speed blows - especially with gigabit ethernet starting to be mainstream.N8 said:
54Mbps of "G" wireless is an ideal speed based on no interference. Hit a couple walls or a floor and you drop to less than half that.
I'd pay extra for Cat5e/Cat6 drops in all the main rooms.
I'm gonna have to concur with the Heidster on this one. Man should live outside as God intended, dogs are supposed to sleep in beds and we're supposed to pick up their shat. Oh wait, that's what's going on.Heidi said:
nm
Crashby said:well... you have to keep in mind that folks around here for these lower priced homes dont exactly have much sense of style...
I have come to view builder beige as a crutch.
FYI, I also never take design advice from a real estate agent either.. don't fall a victim to that!
Sorry But I have to agree with N8 on that one , dogs/Cats belong out side gaurding the chicken coop.macko said:
binary visions said:
Good advice there. My structured wiring package only runs me $1000 installed. I think I'll keep it for now.
splat said:
Then if something goes wrong with it, you have to bust into the walls to get to it. Not a good idea.
a color palette, or being able to chose your colors would be a cool upgrade, and you could probably make quite a margin on it.
I'd say no to the tile counters, but here are some nice upgrades to consider:
a tile or granite blacksplash
can lighting in the kitchen
lighting underneath the cabinets
Also, my wife and I looked at a home this weekend that had a pretty cool feature called a 'drop-off' area. It was a small alcove right as you enter the house from the garage that had a small shelf and it was you drop-off all your crap when you get home - laptops, keys, shoes, groceries, etc. I thought it was a really nice feature.
a tile or granite blacksplash
can lighting in the kitchen
lighting underneath the cabinets
Also, my wife and I looked at a home this weekend that had a pretty cool feature called a 'drop-off' area. It was a small alcove right as you enter the house from the garage that had a small shelf and it was you drop-off all your crap when you get home - laptops, keys, shoes, groceries, etc. I thought it was a really nice feature.
Oh boy...N8 said:
The pipeline for '06 suddenly got slammed... I'm going to be coordinating rehab efforts of 10-20 houses per month starting in Jan.
One of the main decisions will be design - paint/carpet, etc. The main driver... the Realtor. Fortunately, she has an extensive interior decorating background, and will deviate from 'builder beige' here and there...
I think there is certainly a direct correlation between house price and how far you should deviate from the beige when picking colors. - in other words, someone who is buying a new/newer house that is relatively more expensive than average for the area, they are looking for more "bling" - and that bling can be represented by more imaginative color schemes.
I always include a tile backsplash and I have (thanks to MizN8, ditched flourscent kitchen lighting in favor of cans... they are cheaper too!)BillT said:
Yikes... holy high maintenange batman... can you just imagine some fatty housewife taking weeks to make such a decision on all the rooms/trim, etc. - changing her mind 12 times and holding up the project plan???Mtb_Rob_FL said:
Well, if your realtor has that kind of background you should be ok.Crashby said:
I like to take some risks though and deviate a little from the 'norm.' This has always been profitable for me especailly with the younger buyers for whom the last thing they want, is a house that looks like their parents or grandparents house.
Option to upgrade the carpet and pad and choose the color. The standard beige carpet is just too light for some..especially those with dogs or kids. (Yes, despite your belief my dogs are always in the house and very pampered...gotta cater to your clients )
Our house had pretty darn good standard specs so we didn't have to put much money into upgrades. We had the option of 4 color schemes for the bathroom/kitchen colors (with no upcharge) which was pretty nice. They had one option with much warmer tones another with cooler tones and two more neutral ones. Covered a good range of preferences. We were also able to choose the color of our cabinets so it would all match.
)Our house had pretty darn good standard specs so we didn't have to put much money into upgrades. We had the option of 4 color schemes for the bathroom/kitchen colors (with no upcharge) which was pretty nice. They had one option with much warmer tones another with cooler tones and two more neutral ones. Covered a good range of preferences. We were also able to choose the color of our cabinets so it would all match.
Crashby said:Yikes... holy high maintenange batman... can you just imagine some fatty housewife taking weeks to make such a decision on all the rooms/trim, etc. - changing her mind 12 times and holding up the project plan???
LOL! Been there, done that!
Welcome to custom home building.
How about a stone option for the flooring? Slate, marble and some other options give a real upscale look over regular tile.
Also, kitchen upgrades like under cabinet xenon lighting, and taller base cabinets with a deeper sink can make a real difference.
These are some options I've seen for "upgraded" houses lately around here.
Also, kitchen upgrades like under cabinet xenon lighting, and taller base cabinets with a deeper sink can make a real difference.
These are some options I've seen for "upgraded" houses lately around here.
I'm with BV on keeping the cat5/6 versus wireless.
Slate is big around here right now and I really like the look of slate for the backsplash like this one here: http://mitchskool.myphotoalbum.com/view_photo.php?set_albumName=album01&id=DSCN5573
Tile countertops aren't too bad since you can do a flush or undermount with them but I don't know if it is something you could quick enough. Sealing the grout properly is crucial though to prevent staining. Link to some granite tile countertops: http://www.creativeceramicandmarble.com/backsplashesandcountertops.htm
Slate is big around here right now and I really like the look of slate for the backsplash like this one here: http://mitchskool.myphotoalbum.com/view_photo.php?set_albumName=album01&id=DSCN5573
Tile countertops aren't too bad since you can do a flush or undermount with them but I don't know if it is something you could quick enough. Sealing the grout properly is crucial though to prevent staining. Link to some granite tile countertops: http://www.creativeceramicandmarble.com/backsplashesandcountertops.htm
I would ditch the 14 seer, and stay with the 13 seer since that is the new standard. Instead zone the house client will see a greater savings with zoning than High seer. The parts arent any better and arent going to last longer so trust me the money is better spent on the zoning.
As far as colors, I just sold my condo with a very bold mustard yellow wall paint and my realtor was a little sketchy on it. But the paint worked with everything else. Paint is cheap $40/gal for the good stuff and if they dont like it they can repaint. If paint is the deciding factor....they arent ready to buy anything(or just supremely lazy).
Tile counters are pretty much standard now when I see formica even the nice stuff i think cheap and then wonder where else the builder skimped out on, I personally prefer the Corian style counters versus the granite but thats just me.
Definitely offer flooring other than carpet and if you really want to go for a nice upgrade offer HEPA filtration on the HVAC stuff and if you live in an environment that is not mellow offer the Energy Recovery Ventilation equipment. Usually not a hard sell....very profitable for you and you are providing their family with a cleaner interior environment.
Sorry so long winded I just got out of the HVAC business and now I am doing Mortgages so I see a lot of homes especially here in the Central Valley...Merced has 22 builders with new tracks going as I type.
As far as colors, I just sold my condo with a very bold mustard yellow wall paint and my realtor was a little sketchy on it. But the paint worked with everything else. Paint is cheap $40/gal for the good stuff and if they dont like it they can repaint. If paint is the deciding factor....they arent ready to buy anything(or just supremely lazy).
Tile counters are pretty much standard now when I see formica even the nice stuff i think cheap and then wonder where else the builder skimped out on, I personally prefer the Corian style counters versus the granite but thats just me.
Definitely offer flooring other than carpet and if you really want to go for a nice upgrade offer HEPA filtration on the HVAC stuff and if you live in an environment that is not mellow offer the Energy Recovery Ventilation equipment. Usually not a hard sell....very profitable for you and you are providing their family with a cleaner interior environment.
Sorry so long winded I just got out of the HVAC business and now I am doing Mortgages so I see a lot of homes especially here in the Central Valley...Merced has 22 builders with new tracks going as I type.
Builder Beige sucks, add something interesting like the one home you posted that everyone loved or hated.
My inlaws are closing on a new Lennar home Wed. If you have any questions about what homes standard on those shoot me a PM.
Too bad you don't build in Houston, I'll be in the market for a new home this coming Summer/Fall.
My inlaws are closing on a new Lennar home Wed. If you have any questions about what homes standard on those shoot me a PM.
Too bad you don't build in Houston, I'll be in the market for a new home this coming Summer/Fall.
I like heated tile floors in the bathrooms, (inexpensive to run too.)
and I like Tankless water heaters for the shower so I don't have to wait for warm water....
and I like Tankless water heaters for the shower so I don't have to wait for warm water....
so i guess AC for the house is a lousy idea too? and those pesky water pipes? think of the leaks.N8 said:
i dig the central vac, personally.
BV, for cat 6 cabling what's the intended use? for normal networking and audio streaming, my class B stuff worked fine for the most part and my G stuff rocks. i would think it's cheaper to put in a router and/or repeater if necessary, rather than running cable. will N8's market look to stream video from a central media server to other locations?
what system do you use? am curious about the 'inexpensive' claim.MunkeeHucker said:
the downside of that is reduced hot water capacity.MunkeeHucker said:
N8, the suggestion of an undermount, deep kitchen sink is a great one. this is definitely a great thing to have.
also, deep kitchen cabinets which pull out like drawers are very good for storing pots and pans. much better than traditional doored cabinets.
That's why I suggested that I may not be representative of the average population.narlus said:
Transferring any large files (whether that's media, computer files, or things like digital photographs) over a wireless connection is just painfully slow, and with the increasing popularity of HTPCs, file and video transfers over ethernet are a little more common.
The other part of that is that your average idiot can easily install a wireless router in their home, but in-wall Cat5e/6 is a lot harder to do yourself.
But again, that kind of stuff appeals to me, may not appeal to the average population. Just pointing out the failings of wireless.
Hey N8, or anybody else who knows the answer to this.
We are putting in hard wood floors in our house, and we were going to do ceramic tile in the kitchen. Well, we are having second thoughts on the tile, and we were wondering if the price would be about the same to do hardwood throughout. Since the hardwood floor crew will already be there, it seems it would come out close to the same price all together including the labor right? I know this is a general question with variables, but does anybody know about this?
Also, woo hoo, after MANY delays, our framers started today.
We are putting in hard wood floors in our house, and we were going to do ceramic tile in the kitchen. Well, we are having second thoughts on the tile, and we were wondering if the price would be about the same to do hardwood throughout. Since the hardwood floor crew will already be there, it seems it would come out close to the same price all together including the labor right? I know this is a general question with variables, but does anybody know about this?
Also, woo hoo, after MANY delays, our framers started today.
definitely agree, but is $1000 (N8's quoted cost) worth it to the average schmoe?binary visions said:
On top of the cost of a house? To install it with cash out of their pocket, I'd say no way. To add it to the already very significant cost of the house, spending an extra buck a month on their mortgage is a pretty tiny piece of the pie.narlus said:
Especially when you take into account things like most computers come stock with ethernet cards, but not with wireless cards - no additional hardware to buy. Wired networks are inherently secure vs. some guy who thinks his neighbor can read his credit card data off the wireless network with an antenna strapped to a blender or something (the wireless network can be set up as secure, but it takes additional steps and passwords to remember).
I just think the $1000 is pretty much invisible to the customer and the advantages exist, regardless of whether or not the customer takes advantage of them.
Yes to gas stove.
No tile countertop.
No carpet.
Just seed the lawn, screw the sod.
Ordinary cast-iron tub.
Radiant heat under tile.
Bookcases.
Not that I represent your target market...
No tile countertop.
No carpet.
Just seed the lawn, screw the sod.
Ordinary cast-iron tub.
Radiant heat under tile.
Bookcases.
Not that I represent your target market...