Selecting the right custom home builder in Oregon for your custom home is one of the most important decisions you can make. Building a custom home is a huge investment in time and resources, and there is only one chance to get it right. When it comes to the amount of time and money required throughout the entire process, make sure the builder you are working with appreciates that as much as you do and works to make you happy.

There are many important factors to remember when selecting one among the home builders in Oregon. Consider these steps in the selection process to ensure you begin this important process with a builder that is a good fit for you and building the home of your dreams.

Meet the Builder in Person – You are going to be spending many months ahead working with your builder. Meeting potential builders in person is the best way to ensure personalities are compatible when it comes to working through such a long-term and large project together. Chances are, if you get bad feelings in your initial meetings, those feelings are going to come back with a vengeance as work goes on. It is important to take personality into account when making such a big decision. You want to work with a builder you feel comfortable with and who answers all of your questions and concerns. Builders and contractors are very busy people, but they should be responsive and make themselves available to their clients.

Review Their Portfolio – It is more than OK to be meticulous and particular. Make sure to vet the builder’s portfolio of previous custom home builds for quality and style that ideally matches your own. A builder whose entire portfolio consists of contemporary homes may not be the best fit for that highly traditional home you seek – and vice-versa. While many builders have expertise in a variety of design styles and architectural details, in general, look for a builder whose work includes at least some examples of the style of home you want. Look at the builder’s portfolio from every angle, including touring the homes in person. Nothing substitutes a tour by a builder, whether it be furnished and decorated model home that’s open to the public or scheduled by appointment. In either case, pay careful attention to the look, feel and quality of the home and ask all of the questions you can. A good custom home builder will welcome your questions and concerns to put you at ease.

Evaluate Their Reputation and Experience – There are multiple websites and consumer advocacy groups that will allow you to thoroughly vet your potential custom home builder in Oregon before committing to one. Sites like the Oregon Home Builders Association as well as city-specific government sites can be resourceful guides on business practices and reputation. Aside from testimonials provided on the builder’s site, research all other available resources online for reviews and testimonials as well to ensure a reputable builder is the one you choose. Reaching out to the builder for a list of contractors and other companies they work with is another great way of accessing references that the builder may not have otherwise provided when asked specifically for references.

Remembering these few key points when considering custom home builders in Oregon, you’ll be well on your way to selecting a good builder who’s a good fit for you, your needs, and the new home you’ll build together.

As you consider new custom built homes for the sake of energy efficiency, it’s important to know what makes a new home more efficient compared to buying or remodeling an older home and what options are available for making an existing home meet newer standards in efficiency.

What Makes a New Home More Efficient?

Electricity and natural gas were at one point more affordable than they are today and it was also more affordable to build a home without much insulation. Windows used to be single-pane and have aluminum frames that conducted heat and cold into the house. Since utilities weren’t as expensive fifteen years ago, homebuyers didn’t insist on energy efficiency and building authorities didn’t require it.

Size of the home is also a large contributing factor in efficiency. The Energy Information Administration recently published a study showing that modern homes are 30% larger than those built before 2000, but they use just about 2% more energy. New homes typically tend to be larger than those built fifteen or more years ago. That means they will require more energy to heat, cool and light. The cost associated with high cost of utilities means new homebuyers have demanded energy-efficiency upgrades to new homes.

Whether you’re looking at options and designs for energy efficient custom built homes or planning to remodel your existing home, it’s important to consider investing in efficiency for long-term cost savings and sustainability of your home. Choosing options that ensure an efficient home will save energy and money, and you will be able to live more comfortably in a durable house because of it. The planning process is a good time to look into a renewable energy system that can provide electricity, water heating, or space heating and cooling.

If you’re planning to design and build a new home or remodel your current home for energy efficiency, and would like to learn more about how new-home construction is energy efficient and about the energy upgrades some of the best home builders in Oregon include in their custom-built houses, contact the builders at Halvorson-Mason and we will happily discuss energy efficiency with you.