Energy efficiency plays a central role in building any new home. Building a “green” home, however, requires energy efficiency and much more. “Green building” means taking a comprehensive approach to energy and resource efficiencies from design through construction and operation of the house. Certain components of a home’s construction contribute greatly to the success of such an
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Or buy my own carpet… Builders get these questions a lot. Here’s why a Yes answer is seldom in the homeowners’ best interest. It’s not unusual for new-home clients to ask their builder to use a trade contractor with whom the clients (but not the builder) have an established relationship, or to let them buy
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Whatever happened to customer service? Today, simple respect and responsiveness seems to be more the exception than the rule … especially after the sale. How a homebuilder manages after-sale service, also called warranty service or call-backs, is a key indicator of the company’s overall professionalism and ability to meet (and ideally exceed) a homebuyer’s expectations.
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Green building, sustainability and high-performance homes are now part of the vocabulary of new home construction. We welcome the attention brought to these important issues. As professional builders, however, we take the subject with a grain of salt. Green building is a far more complex topic than that portrayed in the media. News spots or
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Life and work styles are evolving. Make sure the home office is up to date. It’s not news that home offices have become mainstream. According to a recent Forbes study, one in five Americans work from home, and that number continues to rise. Technology has made working from home efficient and convenient. The home office
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Voting for the 2014 Toast Of Music City Awards is underway, and Castle Homes has again been nominated for Best Home Builder! We hope you will take the time to vote again this year. Follow the link to ToastOfMusicCity.com. You may Vote every day through July 22nd.
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No one wants to think about house mold or, its underlying cause, moisture. As professional builders, however, we are conscious of the dangers created by moisture infiltration and we are in a position to prevent it. That makes it our responsibility to lead the discussion. Prevention of moisture infiltration — and the mold that can
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If you’ve ever driven past a new subdivision just getting started, you’ve likely seen a fleet of earth-moving equipment, multiple colored stakes in the ground, and the beginnings of streets, sidewalks, and foundations. These are the tell-tale signs of the building site being prepared for construction. Site preparation includes several steps. A survey comes first.
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Thoughtful planning will help homeowners get the most from this popular amenity. Home theaters were all the rage ten years ago. These rooms were designed for passively watching TV and movies, and were acoustically separated from the rest of the house. While some homeowners still want home theaters, most now opt for a media room
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Flex spaces, or flexible-use rooms, are increasingly common in modern housing to address homeowners’ needs to accommodate their changing lifestyle and allow them to “age in place”. Flexible-use rooms provide important options to homebuyers. Whether they be young couples with a growing family or retirees needing creative outlets. A den might one day serve as
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Regardless of a home’s size or style, all construction follows a consistent pattern and pace. Excavation and foundation work will be followed by the framing phase, which will be followed by rough mechanical, electrical and plumbing work. As soon as those stages are complete, insulation will be installed. These steps follow each other quickly and
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Everyone has a vision about a dream home. The dream may have a particular style, such as a Mediterranean or Colonial, or perhaps a certain room is the focus, such as an idealized kitchen or master suite. These visions are an important starting point in your search for a new house, helping to narrow your
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One of the most exciting and dynamic periods in the construction of a new home is the structural framing stage. It is the time when two-dimensional plans take on a three-dimensional shape. As floors, walls, and a roof rise from the ground, the owners can envision the finished home and walk through its spaces. As
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Here’s the secret you’ve been waiting for: To help ensure a successful and satisfying homebuilding experience, maintain regular and productive communication with your builder and his team. Lack of communication is, without a doubt, the single leading cause of headaches and hard feelings. Minimize stress and ease the building process by keeping the lines of
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As a professional builder, we keep our eyes on emerging trends in the housing industry, from new structural materials and energy-saving systems to interior finishes. One of the big trends we’re tracking — and accommodating for an increasing number of our homebuyers — is the use of cabinetry in a greater variety of rooms and
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Societal trends are making the home office a must-have for many homeowners. Careful planning is the key to getting a space where you can be truly productive. Remote work arrangements have been on the upswing for a long time. Research firm Global Workplace Analytics figured in 2019 that there were 4.3 million telecommuters in the
by Brianna Goebel, StyleBlueprint As many of us start to dream about summer days and much-anticipated vacations (perhaps more so than usual), we often look outside our home’s four walls for some peace and relaxation. However, you don’t need to travel far away for the getaway of your dreams. Local builders, architects and interior designers
by Jenna Bratcher, StyleBlueprint Undoubtedly, we all have things we’re looking forward to doing, seeing or experiencing as we anticipate brighter days ahead. The past few weeks have given us food for thought as we crave treasured activities such as hugging friends, going to the gym and dining at local restaurants. We asked some of
Health concerns have turned homeowners’ attention to the often-ignored indoor humidity range. Health and wellness have seized center stage in the homebuilding world. This year’s coronavirus scare and lockdown made indoor air quality a top priority even among those who hadn’t thought much about it before, and most industry pros expect it will still be
Home Builder Digest names Castle Homes one of the Best Custom Home Builders in Nashville, Tennessee Home Builders Digest – With more than 26 years of experience, Castle Homes builds in an extensive range of styles. It has worked on numerous luxurious Contemporary and Modern homes, in addition to several French estates, English cottages, Contemporary