Quality
Quality can only be achieved by a complete dedication to it by everyone on the team. Hiring a builder with decades of experience and a proven track record is the way to get there. Coach Duane Fanning once said “Little things make the difference. Everyone is well prepared in the big things, but only winners perfect the little things.”
This philosophy is why we created the process we use today. After utilizing every construction implementation method available, we ultimately learned that you can be a jack-of-all-trades but master of none. So instead of having a large, expensive staff, we have partnered with (and trained) the best talent in each field, and have them competitively price each project against another one of their contemporaries. This ensures two things: (1) that each client is getting the best tradesman for their project, and (2) each trade has submitted the most competitive price. Enjoy the posts below to see our promises turn into action.
Keep Your Home and Family Safe and Secure
Your home is likely the largest investment you own, but more importantly, it protects and provides a sanctuary where your family will share experiences and create lifelong memories. The National Association of Home Builders’ MyHome Press has published a handbook for home owners, “Home Maintenance Made Easy,” and below are just some of the many tips provided in the Safety and Security section that can help you keep your home and family out of harm’s way.
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
Make the most of the new CFPB mortgage rules
Beginning January 2014, new rules take effect that are designed to achieve a common sense goal: When it comes to shopping for a home mortgage, it should be easy for consumers to find the information they need to make good decisions. The CFPB rules simply require lenders to document a borrower’s ability to repay the loan and follow other common sense rules to protect consumers. fairly at key points in the process.
The CFPB’s rules ensure that anyone being paid to help you find a mortgage treats you fairly at key points in the process. The rules are aimed at empowering you to shop for loans to buy and own a home with more confidence.
Use your Fireplace Safely and Effectively
During the winter months, many families gather around their home’s fireplace. A fire in the fireplace creates a warm and cozy atmosphere, but don’t expect it to add heat to your home. As little as 10 percent of the heat from a fire in an open masonry fireplace radiates into the house.
The National Association of Home Builders’ MyHome Press has published a handbook for home owners, “Home Maintenance Made Easy,” and the excerpt below contains helpful advice on how to safely build fires and maintain your fireplace.
Wood Burning Fireplaces
The Multigenerational Household Trend
Family households consisting of three or more generations, or “multigenerational households,” have become increasingly popular in the 21st century. According to the most recent Census, approximately 4.4 million American homes had three generations or more living under one roof in 2010, a 15 percent increase from two years earlier. This is 5.6 percent of the total of 76.4 million U.S. households with more than one person.
There are many reasons for this trend. The recession caused many adult children to return home after college, either because they weren’t able to get jobs that would cover rent, or they wanted to save up to buy homes of their own. According to Pew Institute research, the share of the U.S. population aged 18 to 31 living in their parent’s home increased to 36 percent or a record 21.6 million young adults in 2012.
For many ethnic and immigrant groups, multiple generations of a family living together is a common cultural custom.
Do’s and Dont’s for Do-it-Yourself Remodeling
According to HUD and the U.S. Census Bureau, in recent years home owner do-it-yourself (DIY) projects accounted for 37 percent of all home remodeling projects performed nationwide. The growing popularity of cable television channels with programming dedicated to home improvement including HGTV and the DIY Network, as well as the financial pressure of the economic downturn, may be inspiring home owners to take on home fixes and decorating challenges on their own.
However, it is important that home owners consider the safety risks, time delays and hidden costs before attempting DIY home improvements. Remodeling industry professionals report that about 30 percent of their work comes from fixing DIY debacles.
Custom Home for George Ackerman and Stanlee Stahl in The Settings of Black Mountain
Design/build is an outstanding approach and the implementation of it was just amazing. We had very high expectations based on Sean’s reputation and what we had seen. And they were exceeded.” George Ackerman
“It’s special, it’s wonderful and I keep pinching myself because I cannot believe that this is our home. Living Stone Construction, headed by Sean Sullivan more than met our expectations. They hit a grand slam out of the ball park. This house is amazing.” Stanlee Stahl
Homeownership: A New Year’s Resolution That Lasts
January 1 is just around the corner and millions of Americans are once again thinking about the resolutions they will make for the New Year. Why not make this year’s resolution one that will last long into the future — long after you’ve stop bothering to set the alarm an hour early to go for a run. Deciding to become a home owner is possibly the best resolution you can make.
According to a 2012 nationwide poll, 96 percent of home owners are happy with their decision to own, and 74 percent say that owning a home is the best long-term investment they can make.
Here are some tips to help you make good decisions for your homeownership resolution.
First, figure out how much you can afford. This depends on factors including your credit rating, your current expenses, cost of a down payment, and interest rates. Don’t forget that you will need a down payment up front and money to make monthly mortgage payments.
Living Stone Construction and “The Rockcliff” Shine at 2013 AHBA Parade of Homes
Living Stone Construction had yet another successful showing at the 32nd annual Asheville Parade of Homes. On the weekends of October 12-13 and 19-20, people all over the area were able to visit Living Stone’s craftsmen built home “The Rockcliff”, which is located in the beautiful Southcliff development.
“The Rockcliff” which was designed by Jason Weil (Retro + Fit Design) and decorated by Laura Sullivan (ID.ology Interior Design), served as the front cover of the 2013 Parade of Homes magazine and drew in more traffic this year than in any other previous year. Over 100 people signed up to receive Living Stone Construction’s newsletter with design ideas for a potential future build with the company.
Get your Roof Ready for Winter
For many American families, homeownership brings a sense of stability, accomplishment and peace of mind. Owning a home also means being responsible for its upkeep, in order to make sure it is a safe, comfortable sanctuary for your family to enjoy. As the winter months approach, the first measure of protection for a home against rain and snow in many parts of the country is the roof.
These tips from GAF (gaf.com), a New Jersey-based roofing manufacturer, offers advice to home owners for how to get your roof ready for the cold winter.
- Start off by checking the roof framing structure to make sure it is not compromised. Visually scan the roof for any sagging or uneven areas. If you do see an area that looks uneven, this may mean damage to the roof deck below the shingles.
Living Stone Construction Has Another Successful Year at NCHBA STARS Awards
On September 17, Living Stone Construction attended the 2013 STARS Awards Gala in Charlotte, NC for the sixth straight year and hoped to have yet another successful evening. The STARS Awards Gala is a prestigious ceremony that recognizes residential custom homebuilders all throughout the state for their superb work during the year in a wide variety of categories. Living Stone went into the ceremony with high expectations and did not leave disappointed.
In all, Living Stone walked away with four awards, which included: Best Television Commercial (The Living Stone Difference), Best Brochure/Marketing Piece for a builder, Best Single-Family Detached Home with a sales price of $250,000-$500,000 (The Rockcliff Residence), and Best Addition (The Thiemkey addition). Living Stone was the only builder out of the Asheville HBA to receive awards that evening.
