On-Your-Lot-Home-Builders - CHB Eco Custom Green Home Builders

Earth Day 2011: A Billion Acts of Green® | Earth Day Network

2011-04-22T03:53:00.000-07:00

Earth Day 2011: A Billion Acts of Green® | Earth Day Network

Thomasville, Georgia - Good ol' boy network - Alive and Well

2011-03-17T05:22:00.000-07:00

Good ol' boy network and its meaning:
, or "Good old boys", describes a system of social networking alleged to exist among communities and social strata. These networks are assumed to be located throughout the world and very prominent in small towns like Thomasville,GA. It is sometimes taken to refer to informal legal, judicial, social, religious, business, and political associations among members, ("good ol' boys").

Some negative effects of the good ol' boy network are its exclusion of others, leading to possibly limiting business transactions to other elites or to friends or acquaintances from within the network, to give friends better deals, and generally to reinforce traditional power structures over any other elements in the society.

Most consumers and sellers do not realize that some real estate agents and brokerage offices supporting these low to bare minimum code homes knowingly and pushing these homes to consumers are only doing so for its easy sell while many listings sit un shown for years and sellers jumping from brokerage companies in hopes that their properties are shown more often. While these new under minimum code homes are pushed to consumers for being the best of the best other home sellers sit listening to their listing agents advise them to lower their selling prices because new and bigger homes are being sold for rock bottom prices and these prices are possible because of cutting corners in building cost. Our building inspectors should be vigilant to these practices in order to protect the consumers in order for them to utmost acquire a home built to minimum code.

It's becoming more and more common to find misrepresented listings and claiming the properties to be more efficient and misstating their square footage in order to manipulate the price/sq. ft. and by using the words (

By Owner)as a loophole for the real estate agent and is sadly tolerated while the consumer gets mislead only to find out they ended up on the shorter end of the deal.

Whatever happened to looking beyond the square footage and weighing in the amenities of each property and negotiating and comparing property amenities and their individual situation for their low sale? Why is it that certain Realtors have their hands in the home building industry and their personal listings selling for full price or very close to listing price and others have to sell below apprised value? Is your Realtor telling you that your home is overpriced? One possible reason is that Realtors are pushing homes under $300,000 thousand with more then over 3,000sq.ft. being built to bare minimum code and possibly even below code and comparing all homes to these SQUARE FOOTAGE. Agents bringing buyers to these homes everyday while others trying not to loss their home are not getting shown. What type of service are these dual agents providing to all their sellers and not to mention their buyers? Consumers did you know that a dual agent is not allowed to negotiate for either party in this capacity? They would be breaking the law if they did. Why would you deal with an agent in this capacity? I pose this question. Would you hire a divorce attorney working for you soon ex-husband? same scenario.

The following is a True Story experienced by our company in this small town and evidence of the Good 'O Boy network in action:

We began building custom homes in Cairo, GA and offering features that were not being offered by no other local builder in effort to provide home buyers with a higher quality home with luxury features specific to each home we built. As a new company in the area and in a small town, we wanted to hire local quality companies. We visited many construction sites in search for these companies since we did not find many companies in the traditional way through advertisements. We visited many construction site in Thomasville, GA looking at different subcontractors and their workmanship. “Mind You” Cairo GA. is a small town and it is approximately 10 minutes from Thomasville, GA. We were searching for a good local trim company and wanted to have the opportunity to see the trim work as well and we noted some work being done on a new home being built. As we visited the site to look at the workmanship in order to consider the trim company, we spoke with the person doing the trim work which was a small one man operation local company. We looked around the home and liked their detailed work and we asked him if he would be interested in doing some work for us up in Cairo GA. The gentleman replied “sure he would love to do the work” We gave him one of our business cards and asked him to call us. To our surprise when he took a look at our business card and saw our company name he informed us that he would not be able to do any work for our company and if he did the Good old’ boy Network would not give him anymore work in Thomasville, GA. Mind you these times where booming with home sales. At that point we realized that the small town of Thomasville did not receive new comers in the real estate business very well and to our astonishment could not believe these form of band existed in today's day and age.

So, it makes you think who is manipulating the real estate system? Sellers and buyers do not realize what really goes on behind the scenes until they personally have been affected by the same systems that placed them in their homes but by then it is to late and a bitter experience is achieved and all Realtors are grouped with the bad apples in the industry. We have spoken to enough people to know that there are many with the same sentiments but do not have the means to publish there opinions. Many in the industry are not very happy with our strong opinions and bringing these issues to light.

But these blog's are meant to educate consumers with our experiences and knowledge of what we see happening in our community. If you the reader feel differently and do not care for the information you are more then welcome to exit this web page and we want to thank you for your visit but we like to express our freedom of speech which is one of our countries greatest rights.

No Justice in a corrupted small town

Izzy Bienes / Builder / Developer - Holds a Florida & Georgia Real Estate License

In Thomas County GA. you can not rely on county officials to make sure your home is built right.

Capital Home Builders - Top Merchant Circle Recognition Plaque

2010-12-11T06:34:00.001-08:00

Capital Home Builders would like to thank Merchant Circle for this Top Merchant recognition on my devotion in providing consumers with a valuable service. Merchant Circle has been a great venue for our Business.

CHB Eco Custom Homes

FAQ: The End of the Light Bulb as We Know It - US News and World Report

2010-11-18T11:14:00.000-08:00

FAQ: The End of the Light Bulb as We Know It - US News and World Report

Price Per Square Foot is Misleading for Real Estate Values

2010-10-01T04:13:00.000-07:00

Price Per Square Foot is Misleading for Real Estate Values

Are You Over Paying per square foot in Thomasville, Georgia:
Some agents are adding hundreds of square footage to their listing and then claiming "as per owner". I am assuming as a real estate agent, a professional, would address this discrepancy and not pass the buck as to they would not be responsible for the listing they represent. Here we go again with assuming, you know what they say about assumptions! Always ask your agent (a real estate professional) were did the added square footage come from. If she/him claims it came from the owner, I would ask them for documentation justifying the added square footage. Because once you buy the property it is your problem to resolve and for future resale. Remember that the listing agent of any property is working for the SELLER NOT YOU THE BUYER….. And if they are working for the buyers as well they are acting in a dual agency. Ask yourself this Question: Would you go to the same attorney performing a divorce for both husband & wife? Well this is the same thing.

Thomasville, Georgia Real Estate Agents Boycotting Green Homes and green home builders.

2010-09-13T15:09:00.000-07:00

Small town does not embrace green building, but some agent’s listings are fast to misrepresent their listings as Energy Efferent.

It is the twenty first century and the concept of green building—which may have sprouted as a trend from a select group of forward thinkers—is slowly becoming standard practice. If going green is the future, it seems that the future has arrived. And it is here to stay.

According to McGraw-Hill Construction’s 2009 Green Outlook, “The overall green building market (both non-residential and residential) is likely to more than double from $36-49 billion in 2009 to $96-140 billion by 2013.”

The report says that 70 percent of consumers report they would be more inclined to purchase a green home in a down market.

“It is likely that green will reach the mainstream of the global marketplace and achieve critical mass.”

So why is green building growing so rapidly?

It seems the awareness of climate change, with eyes also focused on other pressing environmental issues, is driving society to find a sustainable way of living, and fast.

This heightened consciousness, coupled with the facts—that green building saves on energy costs while creating a durable, healthy and higher quality home—draws many closer to the green building industry.

It doesn’t hurt that architects and design companies are catching on and creating attractive options for consumers, such as prefab homes, green communities, and apartment complexes.

While some of these projects may first seem costly, they not only offer a high quality of construction, but also help save on long term energy costs—which in the end balance out with original overheads.

Additionally, green rating systems, such as LEED for Homes and Energy Star, have become more prevalent, making it easier for those interested in meeting green standards to succeed in their mission.

Today, the demand for green building is high and continues to rise, growing simultaneously with society’s dependence on fossil fuels, elevating again and again with each bump up in fuel prices.

So, yes, green building is good, but what exactly is it?
Energy wasted
While this question requires a thorough answer, this article can only highlight the basics:

Green building implies a process of designing and constructing a home that is energy efficient, one that uses fewer materials while making better use of the materials purchased. The building shell, or envelope, is the most important factor as this determines most of the energy flow.

“We waste 50 to 90 percent of energy in our buildings,” award-winning architect Michael McDonough said. “Energy use per square foot has gone up 14 percent per year in buildings over the past 10 years.”

Green building needs to result in a highly durable home that saves on energy costs, provides a healthy life for those inside it, while minimizing the home’s footprint on the environment.

A green home strives to have high indoor air quality; what is inside the home—from building materials to furniture—should not add toxins to the air. Products that do not emit VOCs (volatile organic compounds) should be used as much as possible.

A green home should save on energy and resources such as electricity and water. If the building envelope is constructed properly, the energy needs of a resident can decrease up to 80 percent. McDonough recommends autoclaved aerated concrete for the shell.

It is airtight; and with its thermal properties, it can save up to 50 percent of energy used for heating and 75 percent in air-conditioning energy use.

Solar power for hot water is also a great advantage. Water consumption should be minimized by using low-flow shower heads, high-efficiency toilets, and high-efficiency or tankless water heaters.

Recycled materials or materials that can be recycled should be used, as should products that are locally made. Products should be resilient to avoid unnecessary replacement and repair.

Whether building a home or remodeling, there are many ways to go green. It begins by thinking green—understanding the advantages of life inside a green home as well as its benefit to the environment all around.

By Adam Miller

HOW WELL IS YOUR HOME INSULATED?

2010-09-09T19:13:00.001-07:00

99% OF ALL THOMASVILLE, GEORGIA BUILDERS USE CELLULOSE INSULATION IN ALL NEW AND OLD HOMES. ALWAYS ASK WHAT’S BEHIND THE WALLS.

Disadvantages

• lower R-value per inch than most other insulation products in use today
• losses it R-value when wet and does not recover well if saturated wet
• tends to settle in attics and when blown into walls without binders (glue), losing R-value
• does not provide an integral vapor barrier

According to the University of Massachusetts Building and Construction Technology department, wet cellulose takes a long time to dry. While fiberglass may be faced with drywall as soon as the insulation is installed, wet cellulose must lose at least 75 percent of the water in it before installing drywall. Depending upon humidity, spray cellulose insulation may take weeks to dry, and professional sprayers will use space heaters to speed up the drying. From what I have seen in Thomasville, Georgia the day after insulation is applied the drywall goes up.

We spray Icynene and occasionally lose jobs to wet spray cellulose. I've used an infrared camera to look at walls of two existing homes that had wet spray cellulose applied. There were many cold spots, some apparent voids, and some settling. We have "dumped" a stud cavity of freshly applied wet spray cellulose onto poly, weighed the material, and dried it. There was approximately 0.9 gallon (ca. 7 pounds) of water in the cavity. We have been on a job site the day after the application of wet spray cellulose and have seen the sagging, settling, and falling out of the cavity. Sheet rock is typically applied within a day of application of the wet spray cellulose. I cannot comprehend the use of a wet product in a wall (wet things tend to shrink, settle, and sag) and then covering it up immediately (probably good practice from the perspective of the wet spray cellulose applicator). I would like your perspective/experience with wet spray cellulose and would like to find some "science based" studies on wet spray cellulose and other insulation products.
Concerns that have been raised about wet-spray cellulose Insulation and its effectiveness.

Are Bigger Homes a thing of the past?

2010-09-03T07:48:00.001-07:00

Real estate expert Barbara Corcoran explains why the average size of a new American home has shrunk by 300 square feet and discusses what this shift away from the opulent means in the housing.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

We Are The Only Builder With The Largest Collection of Green Floor Plans

2010-08-14T07:08:00.000-07:00

GREEN HOUSE PLANS, Designed for the Way You Live. Visit our GALLERY! Our Collection of home plans that can be built with smart technology & Eco Green features by Capital Home Builders. The first builder in Georgia to Build Eco Green Homes and incorporate Interactive Building design. CHB Eco Custom Homes is the America's #1 On-Your-Lot Custom Home Builder.
By:
Donald A. Gardner Architects
Frank Betz Associates
William E. Poole Designs
Garrell Associates
Nelson Design Group
Weber Design Group Inc.
Dallas Design Group
Design Evolutions

Basement Floor Insulation-HGTV Pro

2010-07-29T05:02:00.000-07:00

Reduce Runoff: Slow It Down, Spread It Out, Soak It In

2010-07-29T04:59:00.000-07:00

Are Coal Ash Products Safe?

2010-07-29T04:58:00.000-07:00

First Eco Custom Smart Green Home Builder in Georgia

2010-07-29T04:51:00.000-07:00

Our Green Custom Homes Vs. Other Builders Custom Homes:
Other builders and franchise companies like to use the word "custom and quality" on their websites and on their ADs in the paper but CHB custom homes are the true and only luxury custom home builders and we can prove it by offering any home buyer $5,000 if they can find a home with all of the same custom features as our homes in South Georgia. The word "Custom" is being degraded by other builders who don't have an inkling of the true meaning of what a custom home is. Come and see a CHB custom luxury home is the difference inside and out. We are the nation's #1 On-Your-Lot Custom Home Builder.

Bargain Price:
If you really look you can find 2,159 to 2,900 square foot homes in Thomasville Georgia for the bargain price of $299,000 to $323,900 but what are you really getting? You are getting square footage for less but paying more in the long run in heating and cooling for as long as you own the home. 99.99% of all Thomasville Georgia contractors use cellulose in all walls and ceilings which in 6 months settle down the wall cavities losing R-Value resulting in a high utility bill.

Our Custom Home Building Design:
The design of your custom home is a critical step in our design/build process. We have built homes using plans that have already been developed. These plans have come from plan design firms typically found through the internet as well as local custom home architects and designers. It has also been our experience that the plans are further refined and modified once we become involved as we focus on technologies such as green building materials, budget, home automation, energy efficiency, home theatre, site selection and other related issues. We welcome clients that have prior developed plans to contact us, but at the same time, if you have not started your design, we welcome the chance to participate in the design process.

We have strong relationships with many local designers and architects and often our clients elect to work with one of them. However, we often work with other architects and designers that are desired by our clients. We will always accommodate our client's preferences in their preferred architects, designers and interior designers. Often, this selection is based on a specific home you may have seen or a plan you may have found in the internet. We recommend that our clients bring all of their ideas and preferences in the way of actual pictures, plans, clippings, flyer's, etc. that convey the look and feel of their dream home. We then match our clients to an architect or designer whom is best suited to implement our client's vision. If the vision is very similar to an existing design, we may go directly to the designer of the plan and solicit their services.

You may wish to view our project plan gallery to see the numerous of designs we have available. Which include Classic French, Spanish Mediterranean, Traditional, Hill Country, Victorian, Craftsman, Bungalow, Modern and Contemporary. We have recently completed an eco green home, in-town. This is the first eco green built home in South Georgia. Our one story custom built home is like no other home built in South Georgia, Our homes are showcased at Eco Home GA. call our listing agent for a showing. Often the area of town as well as the style of neighboring homes and resale value will have an influence on the architecture of the new home. Our process is designed to take these and many other factors into consideration when designing your new home.

Building a Team:
By building a team of professionals at the start, you can avoid some common pitfalls in which people often find themselves when they decide to build a custom home. While this list is not meant to be exhaustive, it is intended to help get you started in the right direction and give you a better idea of what to expect. Before choosing a lot, or a particular plan or style for your home, we recommend building the team of individuals that you will work with and for you. That team includes you, your builder, architect, engineer, and interior decorator. All this can be found within CHB Eco Custom Green homes which will ensure that your home will be constructed above code and with 100% on-site supervision. CHB Custom Homes is the only builder in Thomasville and South Georgia that offers our custom home buyers a home manual.

Build Smart:
A simple place to start is size. Smaller homes require fewer resources to construct and less energy to heat and cool. Smaller floor plans also cost less, which allows clients to choose finer finishing materials that would have been cost prohibitive on a bigger project.

What is Home Sustainability:
The Signature Features of our homes are anything but standard. When you buy a CHB Custom luxury Home, you'll enjoy high-end appliances, fixtures, unique interior and exterior design elements, quality materials, craftsmanship throughout the construction process. Our smart home technology features and ENERGY STAR qualified homes you'll get a home built like no other in Thomasville, Valdosta or South Georgia Area. We are the true first smart home, ENERGY STAR builder in the South Georgia. When you walk into a CHB custom luxury home is like walking into no other home you have ever walked in. Our standard features are considered upgrades to other builders in South Georgia. If you have never walked into an energy efficient sustainable home, then you have not experienced the comfort of walking into one of our homes in the freezing winter or on a blazing summer afternoon. Sustainable homes will always maintain your personal comfort level without the need to play yo-yo with your thermostat.

Lot Selection:
Your builder and architect can be of invaluable assistance in selecting the right lot for your dream home. You can save literally tens of thousands of dollars by asking your builder to estimate the cost of the site preparation before you purchase, and allow your architect to review the restrictions outlined in the Design Review Guidelines that go with the subdivision in which you are interested. Your builder and architect will ask the questions and find the answers to many of the issues that may not have occurred to you. CHB custom luxury homes offers our services with no obligation to help you select the best lot for your dream home. We firmly believe that involving your Building Team at the beginning; before the purchase of your lot will help you achieve optimum results in the construction of the home as well as save you time and money.

'Favorite Place' on Google! Congratulations! CHB Eco Custom Green Homes

2010-06-06T07:08:00.001-07:00

Capital Home Builders is one of less then 250,000 businesses in the U.S. to receive this recognition; that's less then 1% of all U.S. businesses. Because we are so popular.

CHB Eco Custom Homes

Floor Plans by Influential Architects Built Right / Built Green By Capital Home Builders

2010-05-01T11:59:00.001-07:00

Xeriscaping and Irrigation-HGTV Pro

2010-03-29T19:20:00.003-07:00

Geo-Thermal Heat Pump-HGTV Pro

2010-03-29T19:20:00.001-07:00

Environmental Protection is Good for Economic Growth

2010-03-14T19:28:00.000-07:00

US Environmental Protection Agency

2010-02-05T12:16:00.000-08:00

Indoor airPLUS qualified homes have numerous highlights

2010-02-05T11:22:00.000-08:00

Improved Indoor Air Quality
More than 30 additional design and construction features are included in Indoor airPLUS homes to help protect you against moisture and mold, pests, combustion gases, radon, and other airborne pollutants in your home.

Minimize Pollutants
Moisture and pest control, among other things, can help protect your family by eliminating common allergens from entering the home, such as mold and pest residue. Your builder will provide a first line defense against pests like cockroaches and rodents, by fully sealing, caulking, or screening where pests enter your home.

Improve Comfort
Your Indoor airPLUS home can provide a more comfortable living environment because it includes properly engineered HVAC system sizing, improved duct and equipment installation, improved filtration, and whole-house and spot ventilation to dilute and remove indoor pollutants.

Protect Against Combustion Pollutants
The home provides protection from potential exposure to combustion pollutants by the installation of heating equipment that cannot spill combustion gases inside the home and preventing pollutants in the garage from entering your house. Also, carbon monoxide alarms are in all sleeping areas.

Home Maintenance
After purchasing a home with the EPA Indoor airPLUS, you’ll receive a manual explaining your home’s indoor air quality features and how to operate your home to continue minimizing the risk of indoor air quality problems. In addition, your home will have a label as proof that it was built to the high indoor air quality specifications if you resell the home.

Energy Efficient
All Indoor airPLUS homes must first earn the ENERGY STAR label. ENERGY STAR qualified homes use substantially less energy for heating, cooling, and water heating thereby reducing your contribution to climate change.

First Energy Star Homes - CHB Eco Custom Green Home Builders

2010-01-28T16:35:00.001-08:00

First Custom Eco Green Home Builder in South Georgia.....

Closed Cell vs. Open Cell Foam

2009-12-16T09:10:00.000-08:00

Closed Cell vs. Open Cell Foam
What is the Difference between Open-cell and Closed-cell Polyurethane Foams?
This may be one of the most important pages on the website if your interest is in spray foam insulation. When it comes time to actually put the foam product in your home or commercial building structure, you must identify whether you will use 0.5 lb./cu. ft., open cell foam, or 2.0 lb./cu. ft. closed cell foam. This makes a big difference in cost, application methods, and performance.

With the open-cell vs. closed-cell issue, there are two major factors to understand and consider. The first is the nature of the foam. It is either open-cell foam, where the tiny cells of the foam are not completely closed. They are broken and air fills all of the “open” space inside the material. This makes the foam weaker or softer feeling than closed-cell foam.

Closed-cell foam differs in that all of its tiny foam cells are closed and packed together. They are filled with a gas that helps the foam rise and expand and become a greater insulator. These cells can be formulated to obtain many characteristics, the most common being size and density.

Density is measured by weighing one solid cubic foot of foam material. Open cell foams typically weigh in at 0.4 to 0.5 lb./cu. ft. Closed cell foam for insulation applications range in density from 1.7 lb./cu. ft. to 2.0 lb./cu. ft. Roofing applications typically use a 2.8 to 3.0+ lb./cu. ft. to support traffic and loads better. The higher the density the foam, the heavier, or stronger it becomes. Some polyurethane foams are molded into decorative interior molding and painted or stained for a simulated wood effect. These “higher density” foams are typically in the 30 lb./cu. ft. to 40 lb./cu. ft. density range.

The advantages of closed-cell foam compared to open-cell foam include its strength, higher R-value, and its greater resistance to the leakage of air or water vapor. The disadvantage of the closed-cell foam is that it is denser, requires more material, and therefore, is more expensive. Even though it has a better R-value, typically the cost per R is still higher than open-cell foam. The choice of foam can also be based on the requirements for the other performance or application specific characteristics such as strength, vapor control, available space, etc. Open-cell SPF has an R-value around 3.5 per inch and typically uses water as the blowing agent. Closed-cell SPF has an R-value of around 6.0 per inch (aged R-value) and uses high R-value blowing agents.

Both types of foam are commonly used in most building applications and the choice for which to use can depend on many of the factors discussed above. Some foams are inappropriate in specific applications. For example, you typically would not use open-cell foam below grade or in flotation applications where it could absorb water; this would negate its thermal performance because water is a poor insulator compared to air. Closed-cell foam would be a good choice where small framing sizes need the greatest R-value per inch possible. Closed-cell foam would be used for roofing applications.

Always contact your material supplier for performance and application data on their specific materials. What type of foam being used in your building or home is always a good issue to discuss with your spray foam contractor up front, before the job starts.

Capital Home Builders & Dev, Inc. - First South Georgia Eco Green Builders

2009-09-15T07:58:00.000-07:00

Building On Your Lot
It’s becoming increasingly popular for people seek out their own "field of dreams." In fact, some people find the perfect lot for their new custom home long before they even build upon it. People are quickly catching on to this new trend because building on your own lot has several advantages. For starters, you have the freedom to build the home you want, where you want, on the land you want. Furthermore, you can choose from a wide selection of floor plans and give your home all the personality you want. It’s the best way to get all you want, needs and desires met. However, you want to be careful when coordinating plans, options, home site and location.

Unfortunately, it isn’t always so easy to find your “field of dreams.” In fact, many lots may appear perfect for the construction of your new house, but then later you come to find out that you can’t build on the ground. Knowledge is power when it comes to picking out your lot, but unfortunately more than one land lover has learned the hard way. You may want to consider consulting a reputable builder during the process of picking out a lot. A builder will help you avoid poor quality properties and this will save you money down the road. They may even be able to save you money on the purchase price of the property.

Often times it is quite a shock to a homeowner how much additional site work may be required to make the lot ready to build on. You may even come to find out that not every part of the lot can be built on. It’s common for the foundation to require piers or pads or drainage issues may require extensive excavation work. These projects can be extremely costly. Additional considerations include a complete understanding of the easements, zoning laws, property line restrictions, architecture guidelines and review processes.

You should be prepared for the fact that custom building on your own lot generally takes more time to finish because you have so many choices and this leads to your project changing throughout the process of building. Building on your own lot allows you the freedom to choose the floor plan you want which will end up taking more time. A custom built home on one's own lot can reasonably take up to six months depending on several factors. Factors include the size and complexity of the home as well as the irregular nature of building on scattered sites. In fact, it is often impossible to commit to a completion date until well into the construction project.

Keep in mind, it is quite common for a buyer to fall in love with a floor plan in a luxury area of a community, but really want a slight variation of that floor plan so that theirs is unique in some way. If you own your lot you have the options of building a semi-customized floor plan. This is a huge advantage because it’s becoming a popular trend to build a home with abundant personality. If the lot is yours, the only limitation you will face is the size of the home site.

Living on the plot of land that you have fantasized about for years is definitely a dream come true. In today’s world, society places huge value on individuality and self-expression. For this reason, more and more people are opting to buy their land first, and then build a semi-custom home. Make note, you can save money in this process by hiring a builder with a "Build on your lot" program. This also eliminates the hassle of hiring your own architect and general contractor because these builders will do all the work. This includes the plans, permits, coordination, construction, and in some cases, even the financing.

Looking For More Information On Custom Home Building?
Custom home building is a great investment. You'll want to make sure you are choosing the right custom home builder for your new house and your budget.

Healthy HomesIf you read the information provided below, you'll be hard pressed to think of a reason not to construct your new home with healthy building materials and techniques. Most people spend over 90% of their time indoors. Your home is a very important environment where you and your family may spend much of your time. This brochure offers ways to make your home a healthy place. It includes information on indoor and outdoor air quality, pesticides, toxic household products, mold, tobacco smoke, radon, drinking water contaminants and making your home “green”. It has a little information about a lot of different topics and links to web sites to learn more. You can try the web links throughout the brochure or go to the federal agency web sites listed below to learn more about a particular topic that interests you.

U.S. Centers for Disease Control at www.cdc.gov U.S. Department of Agriculture at www.usda.gov
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services at www.hhs.gov U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development at www.hud.gov U.S. Environmental Protection Agency at www.epa.gov

Space Efficient Green Homes
The days of bragging about how big of a home you own we think is over. Incorporating efficient use of space within a home design comes with years of experience. The less square footage needed, the less construction cost and less heat loss.

CHB Custom Homes strives to make the best use of space in their designs by:

Creating an open floor plan design (eliminating as many walls as possible).

Developing traffic patterns to reduce the need for hall area.

Obtain multiple uses of space where appropriate (more than one function per area).

Use radius walls to improve traffic flow and create a larger appearance.

Use the interior volume by not wasting available space.

Sculpture the interior by building in furniture, lighting, etc.

Choose a well insulated exterior wall system that does not eat up interior space due to its excessive thickness.

Green Homes
A green home is a home designed to be energy and space efficient while providing healthy air quality, and comfort to its occupants. Green homes are also sustainable homes built to maximize our resources and create less impact on the environment. A green home is an asset to the community by improving a homeowner's quality of life with luxury and style.

Healthy Green Homes
Responsibility for controlling a home's pollutant sources lies with both the builder and the homeowner. Careful selection of construction materials and finishes inside the house can be very effective in eliminating the sources of air pollution from the building itself. However, even if non-polluting materials are used in construction, the occupant may move in with particle board furniture, aerosols, and cleaners that will permeate the house in a matter of hours.

There are other pollutants generated by occupants that cannot be eliminated at the source. Carbon dioxide and moisture have to be managed by either dehumidification or exhausting to the outside of the building. Exhausting warm, moist, house air, however, has obvious energy penalty.

Controlled ventilation maintains indoor health and comfort. Air quality in homes has become poor as builders strive to make homes tighter. CHB Custom Homes realized it is not practical to try to build a home so it leaks just enough but not too much.
The CHB Custom Homes approach is to build as tight as economically possible and include controlled, heat-recovery ventilation. This assures healthy air quality, reduces heat loss, and keeps homes cleaner and more comfortable.

Affordable Green Homes
CHB Custom Homes has always evaluated energy-saving features cost effectively--if it saves more in energy cost than it adds to the mortgage interest expense per year, do it! Don't settle for a standard constructed home when you can receive more value for less cost with the right choice of energy saving features in a CHB Custom home.

Energy Efficient Home
CHB Custom Homes has been the leader in designing and building cost effective energy efficient homes since 2005. A house is a system of interconnected elements. CHB Custom Homes strives to combine all the parts with careful emphasis on economics, durability, maintenance and comfort and energy efficiency.

CHB Custom Homes success in designing and building homes depends upon understanding the physical forces that create a tug of war between the outside and the inside environments.

CHB Custom Homes applies the latest in building science to its homes. Our “total concept” approach seeks to enhance living comfort and home sustainability through every one of our energy saving features, including proper insulation, heat recovery ventilation, alternative heating and cooling systems, earth sheltering, new window technologies, advanced framing, and more.

Climate Conscious
Since heating requirements vary depending on location, we provide a variety of construction methods from which to choose. The CHB design considers not only climate but also utility cost as factors when determining construction standards. This gives our clients the ability to choose conservation methods for their specific needs.

Advanced Framing
CHB Custom Homes use only as much wood framing as is structurally necessary, leaving more room for insulation. This construction method eliminates structurally unnecessary wood members and replaces them with insulation.

Advanced framing conserves wood, reduces heat loss and saves money without compromising the structural strength of the building.

Modern Home
The definition of modern is a home design for today’s home owner providing the latest in cost effective, energy efficient, comfortable, healthy, green, sustainable technology.

Green Home Design Concepts
Besides energy efficiency, there are other key elements unique to all of our designs. Affordable means just that. Starting the first year, properly chosen features should return more dollars in energy savings than they will cost you annually. Style is enhanced through the utilization of open designs, and low maintenance exteriors. Protecting against rising energy prices adds to your security and your home’s future value.

Our ongoing commitment is to research and evaluating new products and construction techniques, incorporating those we find to be of true value into each new CHB Custom Home design.

Space Efficient Green Homes
The days of bragging about how big of a home you own we think is over. Incorporating efficient use of space within a home design comes with years of experience. The less square footage needed, the less construction cost and less heat loss.

CHB Custom Homes strives to make the best use of space in their designs by:
Creating an open floor plan design (eliminating as many walls as possible).

Developing traffic patterns to reduce the need for hall area.

Obtain multiple uses of space where appropriate (more than one function per area).
Use radius walls to improve traffic flow and create a larger appearance.

Use the interior volume by not wasting available space.

Sculpture the interior by building in furniture, lighting, etc.

Choose a well insulated exterior wall system that does not eat up interior space due to its excessive thickness.

Energy Efficient Building Shape
Building shape is also a major concern for a good, energy efficient, modern home design. Our goal is to design an attractive home with the least amount of exterior surface area without sacrificing good aesthetic appeal.

The shape of a home can play a considerable role in how energy efficient it is. A more compact, open-design concept can maximize interior space use, while reducing exterior wall surface area.

When we reduce the surface area, we reduce heat transfer. Shapes that achieve good ratios of surface area to volume are more energy efficient.

Earth Sheltered Home
Earth sheltering is a significant benefit if your lot is conducive. The sun and earth combined for comfort! This is the blending of a CHB Custom Home with its site to help achieve a low profile, in addition to providing energy savings.

Smart planning and design leads to improved comfort, better livability, and money and energy savings. A home that will serve your enjoyment for years to come.