HER Home Magazine | Winter 2013 | Claire Edition

A DIVISION OF DESIGN BASICS, LLC

BUILDING & REMODELING INSIGHTS

Inspired Design

Her Home’s Home of the Year Beyond

Bedrooms3Rub-A-Dub-Dub

Get Rid of The Tub?www.HerHome.com

Your VisionOur Expertise

Tailored specifically for you | Fast turnaround | Very reasonable prices

Visit www.DesignBasics.com or call (800) 947-7526

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THIS ISSUE FEATURES

HOME DESIGN

AND IN THIS ISSUE...

21 Beyond 3 Bedrooms

22 Cutting Laundry Time in Half

23 Claire Home Plans!

17 What’s Your Cost Per Square Foot?

INSPIRED DESIGN12 Her Home’s 2012 Home

of the Year

WOMAN-CENTRIC PRODUCTS

TRENDING

3 Your Home, Your Personality

4 Celebrating Claire

9 Claire’s Most Wanted

5 Rub-A-Dub-Dub, Get Rid of That Tub?

I WISH I HAD THOUGHT ABOUT...16 More Space in the Kitchen...

Damage Control

FINALLY ABOUT ME

5

9

photo courtesy Kohler Co.

photo courtesy Armstrong Cabinets

Myles Sherman

Patrick Carmichael

Janie Murnane

Paul Foresman

Greg Dodge

A D I V I S I O N O F DESIGN BASICS LLC

Janie Murnane

Annette Guy

Shawn Doherty Cris Zandt

Carl Cuozzo

Tricia Baker

Paul Foresman Janie Murnane

www.HerHome.com

PUBL ISHED BY:Design Basics LLC

11112 John Galt Blvd., Omaha, NE 68137www.DesignBasics.com | [email protected]

phone: (800) 947-7526

Text and Design ©2012 by Design Basics LLC

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means without prior

written permission of the publisher.

ISSN: 1553-6424 PRINTED IN THE U.S.A.

CH IEF ED I TOR

ART D IRECTOR

RENDER ING ILLUSTRATORS

SEN IOR DES IGNER

PLAN ALTERAT IONS DES IGNER

CONTR IBUT ING WRITERS

D E S I G N B A S I C S P U B L I S H I N G CH IEF EXECUT IVE OFF ICER

CH IEF OPERAT ING OFF ICER

CHIEF F INANCIAL OFF ICER/PRES IDENT

ASSOCIATE PUBL I SHER

DIRECTOR OF INTERNET STRATEGIES

e’ve never done this before.Which makes it risky, but the reward is sogratifying! At a home show, the personalitybasis created so much buzz and interest thatwomen waited in lines that would rival ablockbustermoviepremier!Okay,maybethat’sanexaggeration,but inthreedaysmorethan600womenlinedupatthatboothtodiscovertheir“newhomepersonality.”KA-BOOM!

For the past several years we have writtenabout the four primary personalities ourresearch identified are most common amongwomen home buyers. Those four namedpersonas live differently, and show differentpreferences in home design, products for thehomeanddecoratingstyle.Wecallit“FinallyAboutMe”andifyou’renotyetfamiliarwiththe concept, log on to HerHome.com, takethree minutes to take the quiz and discoverwhichpersonayou’reclosestto!

Yourhomeshouldbeareflectionofwhoyouareandhowyou live inahome–a“cookie-cutter”optionrarelyworks.

It’s a big challenge to address all fourpersonalities in a single magazine. “Elises”are readers; “Margos” prefer bulleted text;“Claires”relatewelltoinformationalgraphicsand“Maggies”likelotsofpictures.Ofcourse,sometimesapictureisworth1000words…andthere’s times when pictures don’t do an ideajustice.

So what you have in front of you is oneof the four versions of this Her HomeMagazine. The topics and content aresimilar among all four versions, but theway the information is presented – text,graphics and photos – differs with each ofthepersonalities!

We hope you enjoy this unique magazine,with its discussions about tubless bathrooms,must-haveproductsandcutting laundry timeinhalf.Thenthere’sanotherfirst,HerHome’sHome of the Year. As the home’s builderTyroneLesliecommented,“Partofwhatmadethishomesosuccessfulisthatitincorporatessomanyideasthatareattainablefortheaveragebuyer.” Finally, if you’ve been comparingcontractors on a cost-per-square foot basis,you’llwanttocheckout“What’sYourCostPerSquareFoot?”beginningonpage17.

I’m a “Claire” and that persona describesme to a “T”. What about you? Have youtaken the quiz? Do you “see yourself”intheresults?Iwouldlovetohearbackfromyou and hear what you discovered when youidentifiedthepersonayou’reclosestto!

www.HerHome.com

CHIEF EDITOR

[email protected]

Onemagazineinfourpersonality-specificversions!

This issue celebrates “Claire”

THIS IS NEW.

cover photo by Jupiterimages

www.HerHome.com 3

Which word would you most likely use to describe your ideal home: “haven,” “showcase,” “unique,” or “carefree”?

You see, the words we use reveal a lot about how we see ourselves and are a reflection of our personalities. In the same way, our personalities are reflected in our homes. After all, there are few places on Earth where you have as much freedom to be yourself than in your home!

The neighborhood you choose…the home design you fall in love with…products and finishes you select for your home…even personal items you love to display...all of these reflect your personality. Many aspects of our lives are “learned”, but personality is a gift we were born with. And personality influences only grow stronger with age.

Even though Her Home Magazine is published from “her” perspective, all women don’t want to be thought of (or treated) the same. That truth inspired the woman-centric team at Design Basics to go deeper with their research into women’s preferences in the home, its design and products used, to look for personality-based influences. The research suggested four primary personas, and they were given names: Margo, Elise, Claire and Maggie.

A fun, interactive quiz (“Finally About Me!”) was developed to help women identify which of the four personas were closest to her personality. While no one is “purely” or “exclusively” one of the personas (to varying degrees, everyone is a blend of the different personas), quiz results identify the primary personality.

It’s simply uncanny how knowing your personality helps you understand your preferences in home design and product choices. The quiz, which takes about 3 minutes, will likely save you hours by helping focus on your priorities and avoid wasting your time on things you’re probably not interested in.

For more regarding the quiz and all four personalities, visit HerHome.com.

Finally About Me!fireplace photos courtsey of Lennox Hearth Products

These four fireplaces are representative of the four Finally About

Me personalities. Can you match the fireplace style with the corresponding

personna? (Answers on page 21)

• Formal

• Work/life balance

• Form and function

• Sophisticated

• Quality-driven

• Detail-oriented

CELEBRATING CLAIRE

Claire tends towards formal and traditional styles in her home. You’ll usually see lots of symmetry in the design, such as center-ing a fireplace precisely opposite the kitchen island. Claire tends towards formal entertaining as well, so generous entertaining spaces, inside and out, are especially important.

When building a new home, Claire will show up at the jobsite frequently, just to make sure everything’s moving along as per her expectations. One of those expectations is that her builder is an orchestrator—making sure every detail has been planned out and communicated. From the materials used to the landscap-ing and how the home is situated on the homesite, everything is superbly coordinated. She was born detail-oriented, but her appreciation for quality is a learned trait. Quality, brand-name products are found throughout Claire’s home to the extent the budget allows.

Claire gives 100% to whatever she’s doing. At home, that means she may be a master gardener or a gourmet chef. So while she envisions her home being a showcase relative to her budget, her practical side means it also has to function superbly. So, that gourmet kitchen may need to accommodate two cooks at the same time.

“Wow! I love what you’ve done with your home!” Claire hears those words. A lot!

laire is a planner. When looking to build new or remodel her home, she has a look that she wants to achieve and researches her options extensively. Claire stays on top of trends and what’s new in architecture, products for the home and interior design. Claire knows what she wants, which makes it relatively easy for Claire to make product selections.

www.HerHome.com 5

uch was a response from New York Sales Professional Jim Cotungo in a recent Linked in® discussion on whether or not to build master bathrooms with a tub plus separate shower or forgo the tub in favor of oversized spa-type showers. Please understand, we’re discussing homes with two or more bathrooms and there is always a tub in another bathroom.

Throughout the home, today’s buyers are showing more practical housing preferences, such as the great room concept replacing formal living rooms. Buyers don’t want to pay for something they’re not going to use! So many, many women we spoke with said the master suite bathtub is something they don’t need, use or even want. Of course, our increasingly busy lives affect this, too. Kerri Durkee, who specializes in home staging and redesign, summed it up well, “Personally, as a working mom, I don’t have the time to soak in a tub--and I have a Jacuzzi tub in my mas-ter bath that I wish were not there.”

above: Often times the main focal point, bathroom design may hinge on bathtub selec-tion. photo courtesy of Kohler Co.

RUB A DUB-DUBGET RID OF THAT TUB?

www.HerHome.com6

Gender differences showed up in a big way. Builders and new home sales profes-sionals we talked with concur: when buyers have interest in master bath tubs, it’s mostly women looking for a tub to relax in—and not just the tub in the kids’ bath due to size and privacy issues.

Size matters. Tub size was frequently brought up. Trish Holder, Publisher of Green-spiration Home (www.greenspirationhome.com), said “I’m starting to enjoy small baths in hotels a lot more. They fill up quicker and stay warm longer! And I don’t feel so guilty about all the water I am wasting at the expense of my children and others’ children as well. Shame on me for that big tub in my mas-ter bath. I really regret it.” While 40-50 gal-lons of water fills a standard 5-foot tub, larger tubs take as much as 80 to over 100 gallons, using all your hot water! Note: If you dream of having a large tub, talk with your contractor about larger capacity water lines (so the tub fills faster) and a larger capacity water heater (or separate water heater) for the tub.

Hygiene. Scott Smith, General Man-ager at Rooftight Homes in Fall River, Nova Scotia, pointed out “When women I talk with realize jetted tubs are simply recirculating the same water with their hair and dead skin cells, they quickly lose interest in a whirlpool tub.” In our interviews, some ladies thought soak-ing in a tub of dirty water and soap scum was just offensive. One individual said she felt she would need to shower off after taking a bath! Her Home Publisher Janie Murnane added, “Women can develop infections due to soak-ing in bubble bath or other products that can cause irritation.”

The evolution of master bathroom design

[1450-1500 sq. ft. ranch home examples]

1970s

1980s

1990s

2000s

2010s

50 sq. ft. 48” shower only | 24”wide door

65 sq. ft. 36”shower + 60” tub

24” wide door

110 sq. ft. 48” shower + 72” tub

28” wide door

108 sq. ft. 80” doorless shower | 32”wide door

This sumptuous bathroom by Moen has it all! photo courtesy of Moen

About 1/3 of women, but less than 10% of men wanted

a tub in the master bathroom IF the bathroom also had a

large shower.

women

no tub no tub

want tub

menwant tub

www.HerHome.com 7

Age and accessibility. Many young-er buyers were willing to explore tubless bath-room options, but others simply wouldn’t consider purchasing such a home. And while numerous builders, Realtors and older home owners identified dangers associated with getting in and out of a bathtub, many also said seniors wouldn’t give up their long, hot soaks.

Ginny Knauff, Tile Design Consultant with QDI Stone was emphatic, “I could not ever imagine not having a tub! I look forward to my bath every day! Yes every day! What can I say, it’s part of my therapy. I am an active adult, with terrible arthritis. I have four grown chil-dren and will soon be a grand mom. There’s nothing better than soaking in a nice bubble bath with candles and a glass of wine. What is more comfortable to aching joints, lower back pain, arthritis, chronic pain, etc. than a nice warm bubble bath, taking all of the weight you have carried around all day long, away?

Aesthetic appeals of a beautiful bathtub are unmatched. Designers strive to create a focal point – and the tub itself, the tub surround, faucet and lighting can be the inspi-ration. The natural place for a nice window is often above the tub. The bathtub is really a multi-sensory experience. In your dream bathroom, if there’s a tub, how does it make you feel?

Of course, the trend towards oversized showers ushered in a new level of luxury

appointments of their own, from fanci-ful lighting to body sprays. Again, talk with your builder and plumber to ensure you have adequate water flow plus plenty of water heat-ing capacity. And make sure you can run just one showerhead when you prefer.

“We’ve only used the tub 3 times in 5 years!” was typical of regrets we heard over having to clean a bathtub that wasn’t being used. Larger/deeper tubs are even more difficult to clean.

Less upkeep…a larger shower… a private toilet area… added linen storage… sepa-rate vanities...tubless bathrooms have their advantages. Then there’s the cost. Deleting a fancy tub may save thousands of dollars – including installation – money that could be spent elsewhere.

What about resale? Some Realtors we spoke to felt the lack of a tub in the master bathroom would hurt resale, others said buyers were shying away from homes that didn’t have an oversize shower, regardless of the presence of a tub. Builders confirmed Realtors’ influ-ence, citing Realtors who convinced buyers they needed a tub for resale, but the bathtub desirability statistics clearly favor no tub.

Younger buyers planning on moving again were more concerned about resale, view-ing the master bathtub as an investment. In effect, they were building for the next buyer, not for themselves! Custom home buyers and older individuals were less concerned about resale. “If it’s popular in new homes, it will be popular in resale homes, too,” represented feedback we received. Custom home design-ers suggested future buyers would just remodel the bathroom if it was really important. Remodelers and home stagers agreed that if the seller’s budget allowed, taking the tub out of the master bath and installing a big shower was a sure way to get a home sold.

“There’s nothing better than soaking in a nice bubble bath with candles and a glass of wine.”

In your dream bathroom, if there’s a tub,

how does it make you feel?

www.HerHome.com8

Ultimately, the best decision on including a tub in your owner’s suite comes down to your preferences and your beliefs. Do you dream of a master bathtub? Why? Is it because you enjoy soaking in it or because a beautiful bath-room should have a beautiful bathtub? What size bathtub is ideal? Are age or accessibility issues a factor? Can you have the bathtub and the larger shower too? Are you making the decision based on what you want, or for the next owner of that home?

Thanks to everyone who joined our explo-ration into tubless owner’s bathrooms! Today’s trend is towards large showers, but tub bath-ing has strong, passionate advocates. We offer one last piece of advice—be true to yourself. If you’ll regret not having a tub in the owner’s bath, then insist upon a tub. And if you’ll regret devoting that extra space and expense to a tub, forgo the tub. After all, it’s your money!

above left: Luxury showering can include special showerheads pre-set with your preferred temperature

and spray patterns. photo courtesy Moen

above right: Kohler’s sok® overflowing bath with chromatherapy for added stress relief.

photo courtesy of Kohler Co.

above: Delta’s all-inclusive shower has everything seniors asked for: traditional showerhead + hand shower

+ grab bars + no threshold, made possible by the trench floor drain (inset photo).

photos courtesy DeltaFaucet.com

ClaireMost Wanted

{Gourmet kitchen amenities}

Armstrong Cabinets Design Spe-cialist Julia Dowd recognized Claire’s need for organization in the kitch-en—specifically having things locat-ed exactly where they were needed. Armstrong’s “chef center” includes a cooktop base cabinet with deep draw-ers for pots and pans flanked by side pull-outs, one having tiered shelves and the other with a perforated orga-nizer with hooks for utensils. Top it off with additional vertical pull-outs for spices and seasonings!

photo courtesy of Armstrong. Armstrong Cabinets’ chef center organizes pots, pans, utensils, oils and spices within hand’s reach and optimize your cooking space while maintaining a beautiful environment free of clutter.

www.Armstrong.com

www.HerHome.com10

{An attractive entry door}

“Women, who more often ini-tiate the entry door selection or replacement project, initially start with design, looking for a door that matches her home and interior style,” according to Frank Lin, Therma-Tru Doors Manager of Market Insights. The company has also done re-search that shows that attrac-tive entry doors significantly increase a home’s perceived value.

photo courtesy of Therma-Tru. Double entry doors rom Therma-Tru Doors’ Rustic Collection.

www.ThermaTru.com

{A remarkable fireplace}

Joe Benedetti, Manager of Fireplace Engineering for Len-nox Hearth Products knows that when it comes to selecting a fire-place, “The majority of decision-makers are women.” Because fire-places are often the center point of the room, Lennox focuses on a wide range of designs and accesso-ries for the ultimate in customiza-tion.” And for Claire’s practical side, “easy-to-use, straight-for-ward controls and minimal main-tenance.”

photo courtesy of Lennox. With it’s big firebox and dramatic flame, Len-nox’s Montebello DLX fireplace is right at home for Claire!

www.Lennox.com

{Natural light}

“Claire knows what she wants, drama…the WOW factor. Sky-lights are a key design element as well as a light source. Claire will appreciate accessories such as timed open/close operations and rain sensors which will auto-matically close an open skylight. In addition, the VELUX brand name, no-leak guarantee and quality reputation are important to Claire.” – Tim Miller, Presi-dent of VELUX America.

photo courtesy of VeluxUSA. Sky-lights provide additional daylight—a welcome kitchen amenity! Photo courtesy Velux USA

www.VeluxUSA.com

{Beautiful storage}

Heineken’s hilarious “Walk-in Fridge” TV commercial spoofed an excited homeowner showing off her fabulous new closet. Her joy and exuberance exemplified the reality that a great closet makes for a great day! Amanda LaBlanc from TV’s The Amandas on the Style Network says, “Tour-ing Claire’s home? Expect to hear ‘Come look at my closet!’ Claire’s closet is a showcase for innova-tion in function and aesthetics.”

photo courtesy of Schulte. Schulte Classica closet organization system in cherry finish.

www.SchulteStorage.com

www.HerHome.com 11

{Inspired outdoor living}

Memorable outdoor entertain-ing starts with imagining what types of activities and how many people? Then , the design can begin to take shape. With com-posite TREX decking, contrasting colors can be used to compliment sophisticated shapes to create a lasting, truly distinctive outdoor living space!

photo courtesy TREX.www.Trex.com

{Culinary art}

More than a mere oven, according to the manufacturer, Wolf’s Convection Steam oven:

• better preserves nutrients, • keeps foods moist, • browns meats, • cook multiple dishes together

with no flavor transfer, • eliminates fat without

compromising taste, • saves steps by cooking

complex dishes in one pan, • even rejuvenates leftovers!

photo courtesy of Wolf. Moisture, heat and airflow work in concert in Wolf’s Convection Steam Oven.

www.Subzero-Wolf.com

{A focal point...}

…not an eyesore! “As the sin-gle largest architectural element on the front of her home, Claire will likely start her search from among carriage-style garage doors with glass inserts and decorative hardware for a truly distinctive garage door.” – Vickie Lents, Mar-keting Director, Amarr Garage Doors.

photo courtesy of Amarr. All homes don’t look the same, why should the garage doors? Shown: Amarr Ga-rage Doors’ Classica Lucerne with Danube windows and Canterbury hardware.

www.Amarr.com

{Warm floors}

Women are up to nine times more likely to suffer from cold feet than men, attributed to sev-eral male/female physiological differences. Is it any wonder why in-floor heating is highly desired? According to the manufacturer, the STEP WarmfloorTM low-volt-age radiant heating mats are 2 to 2.5 times more energy efficient than underfloor hot water tubing or electric cable systems and are compatible with any floor cover-ing. Whether it’s a single room or your entire home, your feet will thank you!

photo courtsey of Step Residential. WarmfloorTM radiant heating pads can be installed under any floor covering.

www.WarmFloor.com

www.HerHome.com12

An Idea Whose Time Has Come

The Idea Home’s open floorplan is ideal for socializing!The kitchen island doubles as the home’s command center. Note also, the dishwasher is strategically separated from the

sink so that you can stand in front of the sink and still have the dishwasher door open.

written by Paul Foresman | photos courtesy of Heritage Homes

www.HerHome.com 13

“Outstanding!” That’s how builder Tyrone Leslie of Heritage Homes in Fargo, North Dakota, described public reaction to the company’s woman-centric “Idea Home” which debuted in their local Parade of Homes.

ccording to Leslie, “This ‘George-town’ was our most remarkable Parade Home in years, and it received a tremendous amount of attention.”

Leslie continued, “Part of what made the home so suc-cessful is that it incorporates so many thoughtful ideas that are attainable for the average buyer. We focused on livability throughout the home, and opened people’s eyes to truly affordable amenities they had never seen or even imagined. I knew we had a winner when I started hearing comments like ‘Oh, you guys have thought of everything!’”

The Georgetown entertains beautifully! Uninter-rupted long entry views gaze out the wall of windows at the back of the Great room, adding to the home’s feel-ing of spaciousness. Parade home visitors praised the free-flowing kitchen/dining/great room layout. Glass backsplash tiles were a real “WOW” factor, and harmonized with the staggered height cabinetry to create a stunning visual backdrop.

It’s inevitable. When entertaining, guests just end up around the kitchen island. As the heart of the socializ-ing area, the angled island plays visually with the corner fireplace in perfect symmetry. Situating the fireplace in the corner allows for repeating tall windows, providing abundant natural light. People are naturally drawn to sunny spaces and the spacious eating area continues the daylight theme.

Another entertaining amenity is the secluded loca-tion of the powder bath—in that it does not share a wall with entertaining areas providing desirable privacy. Similarly, the staircase was located to the back of the home so that it does not interrupt entertaining.

Stress is one of the most pervasive issues we face. Therefore, Heritage Homes focused on de-stressing as-pects in their Idea Home. Like entering into a rear foyer when coming in from the garage—not a laundry room with piles of ‘aromatic’ laundry to be washed! Then just a few short steps and you’re in the kitchen, minimizing carrying heavy grocery sacks.

Heritage Homes moved the laundry room to the sec-ond floor, meaning no more lugging laundry baskets up and down stairs! For peace and quiet, those laundry room walls were insulated—which is also why a quiet, belt-drive garage door opener was chosen.

Wake up and smell the coffee—straight from your master suite coffee bar, situated just outside the owner’s bathroom! In that bathroom, there’s a large shower and a private water closet complete with Heritage Homes’ “toilet buddy”—in-wall storage for extra toilet paper, hygiene products and magazines. Even the shared hall bathroom is a stress-reducing design, with two sinks sep-arated from the toilet and tub area, decreasing schedul-ing conflicts.

www.HerHome.com14

top left: A coffee bar is ideally located within the master suite, situated between the bedroom and bathroom.

below left: The Idea Home’s toe-kick kitchen cabinet drawers were crowd favorites!

top right: The Baking Center—for the gourmet cook and grandkids’ creations!

middle right: A half wall provides separate his and her vanity space and also smoothes the transition when one van-ity is higher for added comfort when used by taller individuals.

bottom right: Pets are part of your family, too, and the Idea Home’s Pet Center was one of the most popular ideas of all!

opposite page: The Travel Center ensures the suitcase is always con-venient and means a dirty suitcase need never meet your clean bed-spread!

www.HerHome.com 15

Storing and organization was prioritized in Heritage Homes’ George-town. In addition to the front entry closet, a generous walk-in closet in the rear foyer is ideal for bulk item storage (i.e., paper goods) the vacuum cleaner, and coats. That rear foyer also presents a drop zone just inside the door from the garage. Designed to liberate the kitchen from clutter, the drop zone provided mail slots and the correspond-ing necessity—a pull-out wastebasket and paper shredder in the base cabinet!

Abundant cabinetry graced the Idea Homes’ kitchen, with everyone applauding the soft touch drawers in the toe-kick area under the base cabinets. Designed for pie plates, cookie sheets and similar shallow items, these innovative drawers pop out with a gentle nudge from your toe—a testimony to eliminating “wasted space.”

Then there’s the upstairs storage—oh my! In addition to two big linen closets, all secondary bedrooms offer walk-in closets big enough to swallow the clothes, games and other assorted little treasures. And in the owner’s suite… two walk-ins! According to Leslie, “The closets were a big deal with visitors to our Parade home. We’ve never designed a home with too much closet space, but this one might come close!”

Flexible areas in the home received rave reviews from Parade-goers, too. One of the most popular was the optional pet center in the rear foyer, complete with its convenient raised-height doggie shower! Ad-jacent cabinetry included a roll-out pet food storage bin and even a toe-kick drawer which makes the food and water dish disappear! Gardeners and other hobbyists talked about additional uses for the pet shower.

How would you use that flex room to the front of the Georgetown—as a den, music room or even a quaint parlor? Walls as well as twin doors leading into the space can be added or deleted to suit the hom-eowner’s desire for openness or privacy. And in the kitchen, in lieu of a planning center, a baking center at one end for memorable afternoons with the kids or grandkids.

Another flex favorite was the travel center in the home’s larger mas-

ter suite closet, providing a convenient place to store the suitcase and then pack it without having to load it on the bed! Leslie commented, “The travel center really hit home with Parade visitors! It eliminates the annoyance of constantly running into the luggage when getting ready for your trip, which is also a great stress reliever.”

Technology was also on display in the Idea Home. Right now, do you have an AC adaptor for recharging your cell phone or tablet plugged in, but it’s not in use? At the drop zone, Heritage Homes provided a re-charging center with combination AC and USB wall outlets, eliminat-ing the need for bulky AC adaptors and reducing energy consumption.

Then there’s Heritage’s “home automation package,” controlled from a smart phone or tablet. Cameras in a nursery and at the front door provide peace of mind. Remote monitoring of heating and cooling, lighting and security systems can help take the worry out of traveling.

Over and over, visitors touring the Idea Home proclaimed “What a great idea!” At $349,000 with an added third car garage stall, the 2,612 square foot Georgetown was not the biggest home in the Parade, nor was it anywhere near the most expensive. Yet this was the home everyone was talking about, including comments such as “Why don’t all builders build homes like this?” According to Leslie, the answer’s rather simple. “We embraced a woman-centric approach in our home building company and teamed up with Design Basics. For the last sev-eral years we’ve been keenly involved in listening to what our buyers want. The feedback we’ve received, mostly from women, inspired us to design our homes differently and gave us a new appreciation for products included in our homes as well as options we suggest. We’ve also revamped how we work with our clients to take the entire process from stressful to delightful. Our customer satisfaction survey scores have soared!”

Remarkable!

plan 43013-54Y: Heritage Homes Georgetown is based on Design

Basics “Moss Bluff ” plan, tailored to their specific market

preferences.

www.HerHome.com16

Helping buyers make wise, informed decisions regarding their homes and the products that go

into those homes.

I HAD THOUGHT ABOUT...

Creating More Space in the Kitchen

Damage Control

When we moved into our new home, we thought we knew we had “made it” because we now had a dishwasher! Our previous home, smaller and older, had a very modest kitchen and no room for such a luxury.

If space in your kitchen is at a premium, consider one of the “under sink” dishwashers. GE offers dishwashers designed to be installed under the sink, with a special tub to allow for sink plumbing. Some models can also be installed beneath a cooktop!

Learn more at www.geappliances.com

Whether you are tired of damage to doors, trim, or walls, you can do better than traditional door stops. Perfect Products’ DoorSaver II replaces one of your door’s hinge pins and controls how far the door swings open. An added benefit—you’ll never again run the vacuum cleaner (or your toe!) into those low, wall-mounted door stops!

Learn more at www.doorsaver.com

Sign up at www.HerHome.com to receive Her Home Thought of the Day

via e-mail . It’s FREE!

www.HerHome.com 17

What’s YourCOST PER SQUARE FOOT?

ormosthomebuilders,askingthem,“What’syourcostpersquarefoot?”isalittlelikeaskingamechanicwhatit’sgoingtocosttofixtheengineinyourcarbeforehe’shadachancetolookitover.Withoutknowingmore,apriceisjustashotinthedark.Doyouhaveabadsparkplugwireordoestheentiremotorneedtoberebuilt?

Everybodyusesit.Realestateagents…mortgageloanofficers…appraisers…theentireexist-inghomemarketusesthissquarefootagepriceasabarometerforestablishinghomevaluesandlistingprices.ButisausedBMW5-seriesworthasmuchasabrandnewone?Usedhomesdon’tcomewithwarrantiesandtheywerenotbuilttotoday’sconstructionorenergycodes…

It’seasy.•Easytocalculate~price÷squarefootage=cost/sq.ft.

•Easytounderstand

•Easytouse

•Easilyaccessible~majorrealestatewebsitespublishthisinformation.

Can you afford what you want? You want a feel for whether what you want is withinyourbudget.

Youwanttogetafairdeal.Therearesomanyvariables!Costpersquarefootseemslikeafairwaytoensureyou’renotgettingrippedoff,butcanbearip-offtoolitself.

You’reabargainshopper.Lowestpricecanmakesenseforstandardized,mass-producedprod-ucts,likebig-screenTVorevenanewconvertible.Still,you’renotbuyingthatcaronthebasisofits“costperpound,”whichisakintopurchasinganewhomeonitscostpersquarefoot.

WHYDOBUYERSASKBUILDERSABOUTTHECOSTPERSQUAREFOOT?

2012 Chevrolet Corvette $17.02/lb

2012 Mazda Miata $9.59/lb

www.HerHome.com18

{Thetotalsizeofthehome.}

Costs for permits,fees, inspections andutility hook-ups areunaffected by a home’ssize. A smaller homewillstillhaveakitchensink,dishwasher,range,refrigerator, and micro-wave—justlikealargerhouse.Generally,small-er homes have highercosts per square foot(assuming comparablefinishes.)

{Landcosts.}Did the cost per

square foot quoted in-cludethehomesite?A$25,000 lot represents$12.50 per square footfor a 2,000 square foothome. But if buildingthat same home on a$60,000 lot, the homesite equates to $30 persquare foot, $17.50 persquarefoothigher!

Neighborhood cov-enantssuchasrequiringafullmasonryfrontele-vation,andcommunityamenities like walkingtrails, pocket parks,clubhouses and poolsall have a cost whichis passed along to eachhomebuyer throughhigher prices for thebuildinglot.

{Theincludedmaterials/products

useddiffersbybuilder.}

Your price includesgranitecountertops,butgranite runs about $40toover$100persquarefootbasedoncolorandthickness. Are the in-cluded hardwood floors3/4”orthecheaper3/8”thickness? Five-inchwide wood flooring isconsiderably more ex-pensive than the samethree-inch wide floor-ing. Even within namebrands, product pricesvary widely. For ex-ample, quiet dishwash-ers—something you’lltruly appreciate—costmore than their entry-level counterparts bythe same manufacturer.Obviously, even withbuilder’sspecsheetsyoucan’tgetatruecompar-ison of cost per squarefoot.

{What’sincludedintheprice?}

Builder A includeshardwood flooring,Builder B figures car-pet. Builder C includesfull sod and a gener-ous landscaping allow-ance, Builder D’s priceonly includes grassseed in the front andside yards. Such fac-torsdon’taffectthesizeof your home but canraise or lower the costpersquarefoot.

{Costisdrivenbydesign.}

Sophisticated roofli-nes and grand entry-ways add cost but notsquare footage. Simplerectangular foundationsreduce a home’s squarefoot cost compared tohomes with numerousfoundationjogs.

Carpet typicallycomesin12’-widerolls,sodesigningabedroom12’-8”wideisexpensivedue to the added labor(cutting and seamingthe carpet) and in-creased material waste.Tall, tiered or vaultedceilings and artful ceil-ing details increase thecost per square footcompared to homeswith 8-foot high flatceilings.

Thenthere’sthecostofthehomeplans.Pre-drawnplansmightcost$1,000, about $.50 persquare foot for a 2,000square foothome.Cus-tom-drawn plans typi-callyrangefrom$2-$10ormorepersquarefoot.

10 Things You Need to KnowBefore Comparing New Homes by Their Cost Per Square Foot

www.HerHome.com 19

{Thetypeofhomeyoubuild

impactscost.}One story homes are

wider/deeperthantwo-storyhomesofthesamesquare footage. Withbigger roof systemsand bigger foundations(and bigger buildinglots!) one-story homesare more expensive ona cost per square footbasis.

{Methodsusedtocalculatesquarefootagediffer.}

Wasthesecond-storyarea of a 2-story highentry foyer included?How about the stair-caseanditsopenings—was it counted once ortwice? Were measure-ments to the outsideof exterior framing orto theoutsideofbrick?Such differences canhaveadramaticimpacton thehome’s reportedsquarefootageandthusitscostpersquarefoot!

{Qualityworkman-shipisn’tcheap.}Different framers,

electricians, plumb-ers and painters’ pricesvary, too. The valueof caring craftsmenshows up when youhaveannoyingairleaksaround your new win-dows, doors that closeby themselves or poorwater pressure in yourmaster bathroom. Or,will you benefit fromyour builder’s long-standing relationshipswith quality sub-con-tractors, though it maycost more? Also, laborrates vary significantlyby region.YourbrothermayhavegottenanewhomebuiltinTexasfor$90 a square foot, butin the northeast, theidenticalhomewillcostmore.

{Whatsquarefoot-agewasincluded?}The basement? At-

ticspaces?Thefounda-tion,wallsand roofarealready there so finish-ingspaceinabasementoratticcostsless.Ifthepriceper square footofthehomewas calculat-ed based on “finished”square footage, finishedbasements and atticslower the home’s over-allcostpersquarefoot.

Do you include aporch, deck or patio?If the garage is not in-cluded in the home’sreportedsquarefootage,then a bigger garagewon’t affect the priceper square foot becausethose square feet don’tcount, right? So, whynot build a 4-car ga-rage?Obviouslygaragesand decks aren’t free.Cost per square footcomparisonismeaning-lessifthesquarefootageoftheseareasiscounteddifferently by variousbuilders.

{Yourchoiceshaveahugeimpacton

yourcostpersquarefoot.}

Would you believejust your kitchenselections alone couldincrease your home’soverall cost by $10-20 per square foot ormore?It’strue!Becauseof expensive cabinetry,countertops, faucets,flooringandappliances,kitchens might be wellover $500 per squarefoot! Most builders’pricing includes “al-lowances” for commonselectionssuchaslight-ingfixtures—butallow-ancesvarybybuilder.

Otheramenitiesthatincrease cost withoutincreasing square foot-age include: fireplaces;lighting; crown mold-ing;windowtreatmentsand even paint; alongwith “hidden” prod-ucts such as high per-formance insulation orsoundproofingdrywall.

10 Things You Need to KnowBefore Comparing New Homes by Their Cost Per Square Foot

www.HerHome.com20

MOVING FORWARD...

Checkoutyourbuilder.Wehearhorrorstoriesofbuilderswhowillquoteapricebasedpurelyonsquarefeetandthenpoundthebuyerwithextrasafterthejobisstarted.Reputablebuilderswillhavealonglistofreferencesfromhappyhomeowners.Contactthosereferences!Similarly,thereisgreatvalueinabuilder’slongevity.Youdon’tlastinhomebuildingwithouttreat-ingcustomersright.What’sthecostpersquarefootofyournewhomewarranty?

Everyhomebuildercangiveyouadetailedandaccuratecostpersquarefoot.A“production”builderwhobuildsthesameportfolioofplansoverandoveragain,developsentireneighborhoodsandoffers limitedpersonalizationcanmostquicklyquoteyouapricepersquarefoot.Theirfixedstandards,limitedvariablesandeconomiesofscaletypicallyenablethemtoofferthelowestcostpersquarefoot.

Semi-custombuildersofferawidervarietyofhomedesigns,buildingsitesandfinishesforyourhome.Suchbuilderswilltypicallymodifytheirhomeplanstosuityourneeds,too.Theymayinitiallyprovideapricerange,suchas“$100to$200persquarefootdependingonwhatyouwant”–notverysatisfying,butknowasyoumakedecisions,theultimatepricepersquarefootcomesclearerintofocus.

Acustomhomebuildermayneverbuildthesamehometwice.Shedoesn’thavehistoricaldataforthatspecifichometolookbackonasastartingpoint.Knowingthatcustomhomebuyersoftenhavespecificproductsandamenitiesinmind,pro-vidingacostpersquarefootbeforetheplansanddetailsarefirmedupcanleadtodisastrousresults.

Evenifyoucangetfairlycomparablecostpersquarefootinfofrommultiplebuilders—meaningthey’reallbiddingusingthesamesetofplans,specifications,homesitecostfactors,productamenities,finishes,etc.—areyougoingtoautomaticallytakethelowestpricepersquarefoot?Howdoyousupposethebuilderwiththelowestpricepersquarefootwasabletodoit?Plus,youwantyourbuildertomakeaprofitonbuildingyourhome.Ifshedoesn’t,shewon’tbeinbusinesstotakecareofanywarrantyissueswithyourhome.

So...ifyouchooseto,usepreliminarycostpersquarefootnumberstodetermineifyou’re“intheballpark”budget-wise.Don’tassumethey’llbethebasisofyourpurchaseagreement.Exercisegreatcautionwhenusingcostpersquarefootincom-paringbuildersandtheirhomes.Evenifyoubelieveyou’vegotan“applesforapples”comparison,thelowcostpersquarefootbuildermightjustbeoneofthosebadapples!

DOYOUREALLYWANTTHECHEAPEST?

hethernewconstructionorremodeling,dualowner’ssuitesandindependentin-lawsuitesareincreasinglyindemand. Itmightamazeyoutofindoutjusthowmanycommitted,happycoupleschoosenot to share the same bedroom. It could be conflicting schedules,medicalconditionsorsimplysnoring,buttheneedforgettingagoodnight’ssleepisparamounttoagoodlife.

DesignBasics’“Hester”isapopular3-bedroomfamilyplan.It’salsopossibletobuildthishomewithasecondmastersuite,shownasthe“Sadie”plan.(Yes,thedualowner’s-suiteversiondoesutilizestoragespacefromtheoriginaldesign’sgarage,butifdoingthisconversionasaremodel,thecontractorwillbuildthatclosetflooraccordingly.)

theHester|plan29344-54Y1720totalsq.ft.

theSadie|plan29353-54Y1774totalsq.ft.

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(Fireplace answers left to right: Maggie, Margo, Elise, Claire)To order building plans, call 800-947-7526 or visit www.HerHome.com

Beyond Three

Bedrooms

www.HerHome.com22

alternate layout for two laundry pairs

optional basement stair location

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the Silver Creek | plan 42028-54Y1863 main level sq. ft. | 613 upper level sq. ft.

2476 total sq. ft.

To order building plans, call 800-947-7526 or visit www.HerHome.com

ired of waiting around for the dryer to get finished so you can get the next load in? Want to get more of the laundry done after your guests have departed? Occa-sionally run into a laundry “emergency” wherein the washer’s in use, your daughter needs her work clothes clean, and she has to be at work in just two hours?

How about two laundry pairs in one laundry room! Many dryer cycles take a lot longer than wash cycles. Trish, a single Mom, told us, “Even though there are just three people in our household, I never seem to have time to keep up on the laundry.” Trish’s solution? A laundry room with two dryers.

You may have seen homes with a small washer and dryer in the owner’s suite plus a separate laundry room. That works for some, but we’re suggesting a second laundry pair in one laundry room (works best in more spacious laundry rooms).

Researching this amenity, we heard comments like “It’s the only way to keep up!” One gentleman said, “Brilliant! My wife wants to know when she will get her second pair!” Janie Murnane, publisher of Her Home added, “The more the laundry has to be separated, the more this idea makes sense to me.”

Advantages of dual laundry pairs:• cuts laundry time in half; • uses no more water, gas or electricity; • get laundry done during off-peak times!

Cu ing Laundry Time in Halfphoto courtesy of VeluxUSA

To order building plans, call 800-947-7526 or visit www.HerHome.com 23

the Baxter | plan 50030-54Y1590 total sq. ft.

the Blanchett | plan 42078-54Y1513 main level sq. ft. | 822 upper level sq. ft. 2335 total sq. ft.

1. 1.

3. 2.2. 3.

1. 50028-54Y Elise Version 1552 total sq. ft.

2. 50027-54Y Margo Version 1512 total sq. ft.

3. 50029-54Y Maggie Version 1502 total sq. ft.




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bonus room adds 483 sq. ft.

To order building plans, call 800-947-7526 or visit www.HerHome.com24

the Presley | plan 50034-54Y1436 main level sq. ft. | 329 upper level sq. ft. 1765 total sq. ft.

the Hewitt | plan 42069-54Y1120 main level sq. ft. | 1209 upper level sq. ft. 2329 total sq. ft.

1. 1.

3. 2.2. 3.







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unfinished storage adds 180 sq. ft.

Checklist

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A “must read” book, BANG! Getting Your Message Heard In A Noisy World by authors Thaler, Koval and Marshall, suggests there are 4 things which help predict the likelihood that your message will be a big bang, and get people buzzing about you.

1] Is it elegantly simple? Is what makes your homes and you as a builder di� erent and better easy to understand? How can it be communicated more compellingly and memorably?

2] Is it in the right universe? Does your elegantly simple mes-sage truly matter to your audience? The Simpson Strong-Tie® company’s Well-Connected Home™ simple message of build-ing a stronger/safer home connected with me as I lived through a tornado when in my teens.

3] Is it polarizing? The authors point out that a “big bang” isn’t neutral—it forces you to have a point of view. Design Basics

Woman-Centric Matters!® program for creating homes based on women’s preferences isn’t neutral—and the market has responded enthusiastically.

4] Will it catch � re? Will your big bang get people talking? Will it capture the media’s attention? A few years ago Design Basics sponsored a Showcase of Homes event to celebrate design, advanced building systems and products. Local and national media attention was extensive and the word-of-mouth was tremendous.

As a home builder, is your message unique, simple and memorable? Does it matter to the prospective buyers you are reaching? Does it force people to have a point of view (and side with you)? And is it compelling enough to get them, as well as the media, talking about you? If not, call us at Design Basics!

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July Special:

Woman-Centric homebuilder Gordon Cudd of Gordon T. Cudd Construction in Lynchburg, Virginia was featured in the May 2011 Central Virginia Home Magazine. The following excerpt is from that feature.“(Women) can recognize what works well and what does not work well in our homes…A woman is often perceptive enough to understand what makes an entire household run e� ciently and har-

moniously. She intuitively knows what is necessary to create a com-fortable home not only for herself but for family and friends. Woman-Centric Matters makes the whole process of building a home or adding a room so much simpler.” <<<click here to read the entire article>>>

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HER Home Magazine | Winter 2013 | Claire Edition