Curb Appeal Power of the Tower

Eye-catching curb appeal, the kind neighbors rave about and passerby’s stop and admire, comes from a key focal point on the home's exterior. The tower entry is a stunning visual anchor that goes with a variety of architectural styles and lends itself to almost any lot configuration and floor plan layout.

It adds movement and character to a home’s elevation and creates a memorable first impression by making a grand entrance. Imagine entering into a lobby with a 24-foot high ceiling embellished with beams, a majestic chandelier and a spiral staircase that winds along the wall resting at a marble floor medallion. Such a grand entrance sets the tone of the home before anyone steps into the main living spaces.



In addition to its aesthetic value, the tower entrance is functional square footage when it accommodates the staircase. Without the staircase, the tower entry could be considered wasted, showy space adding a lot of square footage to the home with little function.

For Orlando Custom Homebuilder Jorge Ulibarri, the tower entrance is his signature trademark. Jorge says it’s the architectural ideal of form and function. “The tower entrance creates a dramatic lobby with high ceilings and provides the space for a spiral floating staircase so it optimizes square footage,” says Jorge. He adds this architectural feature to many styles including Mediterranean, Contemporary and variations in between.

Tower Entrance Design Options:

There are two options with the placement of the tower entrance: the center or a corner of the home. The choice of where to place the tower entrance is a personal preference.

Center Tower Entrance:

When the tower is situated in the center of the home’s elevation, the design is limited to an entrance on a 45-degree angle. The front door cannot face the street because the spiral staircase won’t have enough distance from its starting point to provide clearance for people to pass underneath into the main living space.

Corner Tower Entrance:

The corner tower entrance is ideal because it is already situated on a 45-degree angle. This design allows the front door to face the street since it’s already an angle. A corner tower entrance provides enough space for the spiraling staircase to start either to the left or right of the front door, allowing enough clearance for people to pass through.



For more design ideas and money-saving new construction tips, subscribe to the video series, Trade Secrets, available on YouTube.

The Mod-Mediterranean Home: Tips for Modernizing Old World Architecture

Ideas for Blending Old World and Modern Design

In warmer, sunny climates such as Florida and California, Mediterranean architecture remains a popular style. Mediterranean architecture has many incarnations influenced by Tuscan, Spanish and Old World styles, Lately, there’s a new twist to the Mediterranean home gaining traction in some parts of the country known as Mod-Mediterranean.

Orlando Custom Homebuilder Jorge Ulibarri says the majority of his clients are asking for Old World architecture with a blend of rustic and contemporary interiors. “People want something new and fresh. They have style fatigue but won’t let go Mediterranean altogether. They don’t want the overdone, heavy- handed, embellished take on Mediterranean. Instead, clients are asking for a toned down version with rich, rustic materials balanced with sleek, clean contemporary elements,” explains Jorge.



The challenge is to seamlessly integrate these two distinct styles. “There must be a balance between rustic and contemporary elements so that one style doesn’t overpower the other. The two styles should not compete but rather compliment each other,” Jorge explains. “The style often is referred to as eclectic but it’s not an accurate depiction of the Mod-Mediterranean. Eclectic can be chaotic design and décor, a mishmash of many styles, while Mod-Mediterranean is a very calculated, strategic design with key focal points." Jorge suggests using contemporary elements in the details and rustic elements in large surface areas.

Here are several key focal points for blending Old World and Modern Design elements in a Mod-Mediterranean Home.

Kitchen Cabinetry, Fixtures, and Hardware:

 

In the kitchen, infuse modern design elements with cabinetry, hardware and fixtures and integrate rustic materials in the flooring, beams and walls. Stainless steel appliances and stainless steel cabinet doors, flat panel cabinetry and indirect lighting give the room a contemporary edge. Rustic elements come in with travertine floors, wood kitchen beams, even a brick barrel tile ceiling provides an ideal canvas to showcase contemporary kitchen features.

Fireplaces Featuring Rustic and Modern Elements:

A fireplace is a high profile opportunity to integrate modern and Old World design. Consider framing ledge stone and sleek wood panels around a stainless steel fireplace with glass rocks. The hearth niche can showcase a mix of glass mosaics and stone mosaics to merge two distinct styles.



 

Rustic Floors with Modern Medallions:

Stone floors such as chiseled-edge travertine add the rustic tone to a home but carry a lot of visual weight. Rustic floors can dominate and overshadow contemporary elements, so it’s important to compliment stone floors with strong accents in furniture, fixtures, cabinetry and contemporary bright colors. Modern floor medallions with shiny stone or glass can pull in the contemporary elements around the home.

Indirect Lighting Throughout:

Indirect lighting is a defining feature of the Mod-Mediterranean home. A great way to add indirect lighting is with drop-down soffits that not only house the indirect lighting but also add contemporary lines to any room.

Water and Fire Elements:

Water and fire features such as a fountain pot or water torches around the pool mix primal elements with modern design and give the home that Mod-Mediterranean edge outdoors.

Floating Features:

Floating vanities and bathtubs and hanging cabinetry in bathrooms accented with indirect lighting underneath give any room a modern flair. Counterbalance with glass, stone and metal mosaics mixed in as design accents and perhaps rustic beams for a blended look.

Accent Walls:

Bright colors, wallpaper with modern motifs, or polished jewel-colored stones on accent walls create strategic contemporary features balancing rustic floors and ceilings.  The reverse is a rustic accent wall of ledge stone or travertine mosaics.

For more design ideas and money-saving new construction tips, subscribe to the video series, Trade Secrets, available on YouTube.

3 Must-Dos for Making a Grand Entrance

Deciding on Your Grand Entrance Early

Choosing the front door for your new home is a key design decision that dramatically influences the home’s curb appeal. Of course the door should be in sync with the home’s architectural style but here are few guidelines.

 



Florida Custom Home Builder Jorge Ulibarri  says the front door decision comes early in the construction process, especially if it is custom-made. There needs to be time allotted for the design, manufacture, and shipping of the door (if the door is coming from Mexico or China, it will have to go through customs, sometimes that can add days to the process). Keep in mind that you will need the front door installed for the framing inspection, so you don’t want to hold up the construction process waiting on your door. Jorge says that it can take approximately two to three months to order and receive a custom-made front door.



Research Your Door Design Options

A good start is to go online for design inspiration. If you are looking for wrought-iron doors, Jorge recommends checking out the website www.canteradoors.com  The site has a wide selection of door designs and clear images. (Please note, this is not an endorsement of Cantera Doors and the author of the blog has not been paid to mention their products).

Jorge saves his clients significant cash on the purchase of a custom-made wrought iron door by having it manufactured in Mexico. He works with  MetaloStudio out of Monterrey, Mexico where craftsmen hand forge doors created from designs that Jorge and his clients create together. These doors make unique signature statements for the owners because oftentimes, they will include their family name initials or other meaningful design elements to personalize their entrance. To see some of  his client’s designs on homes designed and built by Jorge Ulibarri,  check out the Pinterest board “Making a Grand Entrance” and feel free to repin any doors that you like.



Order Your Custom Door from a Reputable Company

Don’t let price alone drive your decision in the purchase of a custom-made front door. Make sure you are dealing with a reputable company. Get references, go look at the company’s doors and inspect the quality of workmanship and material.  Check out the work and references of the door’s installer.

In a remodel project where you want to replace your front door, research your options carefully. Retrofits aren’t easy. Never order a door without having a professional come and inspect the entryway to see if it can accommodate a custom-door. Also, price compare for the door’s installation because sometimes the installation can rival the price of the door itself. For more design ideas and money-saving tips, subscribe to the Trade Secrets web series available on YouTube.

Making Dollars and Sense of a Common Construction Misconception

PressBoard Versus Plywood

Home under construction by Jorge Ulibarri that features OSB in the second-story exterior walls for superior structural integrity. www.imyourbuilder.com

It might not be pretty to look at, but its  performance in the walls of a home proves looks can be deceiving when it comes to superior structural integrity.

As a luxury custom home builder, Jorge Ulibarri says his clients expect the best products and materials in their new homes, which is why many question the wood product commonly known as Pressboard or OSB (oriented strand board). This wood structural panel looks like a collage of wood pieces glued together but despite appearances, OSB is far superior to plywood in strength, durability, and price.

A close up look at OSB or "pressboard" structural panels that are superior to plywood in residential construction

For Florida homes, OSB performs better than plywood in the climate’s high humidity and moisture. “I find that plywood has a tendency to delaminate or buckle in hot, humid climates,” says Jorge, who uses OSB for the second-story floors and exterior framed walls of his custom homes.

OSB panel used in the exterior wall as seen in the framing stage on home under construction by Orlando Custom Home Builder, Jorge Ulibarri, www.imyourbuilder.com

OSB also has fewer weak spots or gaps than plywood. As an added benefit, OSB is both stronger and less expensive than plywood.  An OSB panel costs $3-to $5 less than a sheet of plywood. According to PATH, a Public-Private Partnership for Advanced Housing Technology, OSB saves approximately $700 in a typical 2,400 square foot home.

How's it Made?

So what exactly is this “pressboard” as consumers like to call it? OSB is made from wood ground into thin strands in cross-oriented layers, compressed, and glued together. Unlike OSB, plywood comes from thin sheets of wood laid perpendicular, compressed and glued.

Plywood is made from thin layers of wood glued together but has more weak spots than OSB (pressboard)

OSB has been around since 1978 and has evolved to become the leading wood panel material used in residential construction throughout North America. “Building in climates such as Florida, it is inevitable that the construction site will encounter rain. OSB will weather this exposure a lot better and preserve the integrity of the structure,” explains Jorge.  Whether to go with plywood or OSB is a critical decision in the building process. Jorge advises consumers to ask what type of wood and wood structural panels will go into their new home.

OSB Is Affordable and Durable

Price alone should never dictate key materials in a new home; however, OSB is that rare exception that offers affordability AND durability . For more design ideas and new construction tips, subscribe to the video series Trade Secrets by Jorge, available on YouTube. If you have any questions or comments, please write us below. As with all of our blog postings, neither  the writer nor Jorge Ulibarri, the builder, receive payment or  compensation  for the ideas, information and opinions expressed. The intention of this blog is to educate consumers on the homebuilding process.

Sport and Resort Pool, The Latest Trend in Pool Design

The latest trend in pool design combines sport and resort for a pool that does triple duty as the home’s showpiece, social hub and gym.

A pool designed for exercise and entertainment can be a wise investment-increasing your home’s value and enhancing your quality of life. The latest trend in pool design is Resort and Sport. Florida Custom Home Builder Jorge Ulibarri says clients these days are asking for pools built for a workout and a party. “Clients no longer want the lagoon-style pool with its boulders , cascading waterfalls and meandering shapes. Although these pools are pretty to look at, they aren’t as functional as the more contemporary, sleek designs,” explains Jorge, who is building a Sport and Resort-style pool for one of his clients that embodies this latest trend.



“Today’s pool designs are more contemporary and polished looking with clean lines. From a cost perspective, this look is affordable depending on the types of finishes the homeowner chooses. The beauty comes with the pool’s contrasting colors and mosaics. The contemporary style lends itself to a lot of creativity as opposed to the lagoon-style pool and its limited design,” says Jorge.



The design of a pool is dictated by its function. The homeowner wants this 1000 sq. ft. pool to become part of his fitness routine so its design spans 80 feet long to accommodate swimming laps. (Note a 25-yard pool is considered standard lap pool.) As an added bonus, the pool’s length makes it visible from every window of the house giving it a resort look.



Also designed to entertain, the saltwater pool features several social spaces such as a swim-up table, shallow water lounging areas, sunken seating, stepping-stones and a spa. The pool gets its contemporary edge from ample use of cobalt blue mosaics and pebble stone bottom with contrasting ivory travertine coping (pool’s edge)

The saltwater pool integrates with the outdoor covered living room via the spa, where water gracefully spills over the sides and flows back to the pool. Bubbling fountains throughout contribute to the soothing, melodic ambiance.



The budget for this pool is on the higher-end but Florida Custom Builder Jorge Ulibarri says there are always opportunities to save. In our next blog posting, we’ll give you some money-saving tips on the latest trends in pool design. Check back and be sure and subscribe to our blog and video series Trade Secrets for more affordable design ideas.

3 Tips for Picking the Perfect Lot

 

[caption id="attachment_120" align="aligncenter" width="560"] Rendering of Villa Alexina, designed by Orlando Custom Homebuilder Jorge Ulibarri[/caption]

So you’ve found the perfect lot to build your dream home. Before you sign the contract, beware that the sticker price isn’t the total purchase cost. Many consumers fail to factor in ALL costs associated with preparing the lot for new home construction.

Looks can be very deceiving when it comes to land purchases and there are many hidden costs that only surface with the proper tests and data checks. Florida custom homebuilder Jorge Ulibarri has helped many clients find the perfect lot, working together with real estate agents as part of the “lot search team.”  Jorge says ideally, buyers should include the builder in the lot selection process. “The homebuilder knows what it will take to make the land buildable. He can guide the client in asking the right questions and seeking critical information that will save money and headaches in the building process,” says Jorge, who designs and builds custom homes throughout Central Florida.  To help you pick the perfect lot for your dream home, here are three important tips:

Get A Land Survey

 

Before you sign the purchase contract on a lot, it’s advisable to order a land survey that includes topographic information showing the existing grade elevations of the lot.

Soil Test the Lot

No matter what geographic area you build in, there will be special land considerations that affect the foundation of your new home. To avoid any unforeseen issues such foundation shifts and cracks due to unstable soil or in the case of Florida, sinkholes and muck, hire an engineering company to do soil testing. Soil tests will determine if the land is suitable for construction.

When you order your soil testing there are two types to request: Preliminary Testing ,which costs approximately $500 and Extensive Testing, which costs approximately $2,500. Preliminary testing will take soil samples or bores  as deep as  six feet and typically include  five soil samples per half acre lot. You can request more samples  to increase the test's accuracy. Preliminary Testing  is not foolproof.  It can fail to detect potential soil issues such as muck that can add to the cost of the lot because it will require sand fill.  Extensive Testing  makes soil borings down 20 feet for a more accurate picture of the lot's condition.  The extra upfront costs with Extensive Testing  is well worth it because it can save you thousands of dollars in hidden costs to prep a lot for construction and  prevent you from purchasing an unsuitable lot.

Crosscheck ALL Setbacks

In some cases, there are multiple setback requirements that affect the orientation and design of a new home. It’s important to investigate and crosscheck all setback requirements of your lot. Call the county or municipality where your lot is located to find out the construction setbacks and finished floor elevations.  The later will become a crucial piece of information once you obtain your topographic survey.  With the finished floor elevations and your topographic survey, you will be able to determine the amount of fill that your lot requires in order to achieve your finished floor elevation.

If your lot is located in an HOA governed development, get a copy of the HOA bylaws to verify your construction setbacks from the developer or HOA.  Sometimes there is a difference between the county setback and HOA setback requirements and you must abide by the most stringent setbacks. This is a common mistake consumers make only to realize it after they have purchased the lot and have started the design and construction process.

Make sure you check if your lot is located on a flood zone. If it is located in a flood zone, make sure that your surveyor notes the designated  flood zone.  If the county has not determined the flood zone that your lot is in then  you will be paying a very high premium for flood insurance.

For more money-saving construction tips, subscribe to the video series, Trade Secrets available on YouTube.

 

 

 

 

 

How Cool is Your Roof?

[caption id="attachment_84" align="aligncenter" width="285"] cool roof color palette[/caption]

The latest cool feature in home design is the roof in colors that can save up to 15 percent off an annual energy bill. Cool roof technology is sweeping the nation. It’s caught the attention of the U.S. government which is now installing cool roofs on many of its buildings. Homeowners are hip to the idea as well. The U.S. Department of Energy defines cool roofs as lighter-colored roofing surfaces or special coatings that reflect more of the sun’s heat. Here are three reasons why cool roofs have style and savings:

Cool Roofs Reduce City Temperature:

 



In urban areas, mercury rises higher than its rural surroundings due to the “urban heat island effect.” Dark colored roofs and pavement absorb so much heat energy from the sun that it unnaturally warms up the city. The U.S. Department of Energy says cool roofs significantly reduce the heat island effect and improve air quality by reducing emissions. To illustrate this point, U.S. Energy Secretary Dr. Steven Chu  suggests that replacing all the building roofs today with white roofs  will reduce  the greenhouse effect by the same amount as if all cars disappeared from the earth for 10 years.

Cool Roofs Save Money:

A black roof on a sunny day can feel like living under a heating pad. Dark roofs can reach temperatures up to 150 degrees on a hot day while cool roofs may only be 5 to 10 degrees higher than the actual temperature on a sunny day. The heating pad effect of a dark roof causes the air conditioner to work harder thus more energy use and higher utility bills. "Coolness" of a roof is measured by two properties, solar reflectance and thermal emittance. To check out the cool factor of a roofing surface, consult the Cool Roof Rating Council’s Rating Program in which companies can label roof surface products with radiative property values.

To check out the potential cost savings of a cool roof, try the EPA’s Cool Roof Calculator

Rebates are available for some cool roofs.

For more money-saving design ideas and new construction tips, subscribe to the video series, Trade Secrets , available on YouTube.

 

4 Home Design Trends Changing the Way We Live in 2013

[caption id="attachment_68" align="aligncenter" width="560"] Clean Simple Curb Appeal is driving design trends for 2013, custom home designed and built by Orlando Custom Builder Jorge Ulibarri[/caption]

Although the housing market is slowly rebounding, Orlando Custom Builder Jorge Ulibarri says the tough economy is driving several trends in the new home market: the elimination of formal living spaces; unified interior and exterior space; clean, simple design and pools for entertainment and exercise, going green for energy savings.

Clean, Simple Design

As a result of more cost-conscious design and construction, Jorge says consumers are moving away from ornate styles preferring a more eclectic look that showcases simple lines and clean design. “Clients want exterior design that has interesting movement and lines but without all the twists, turns and unusual spaces that overdone design creates,” says Jorge. Inside, clients want sleek fixtures, furniture and finishes that don’t overpower the architecture and bones of the home. Jorge says a style very popular with his clients is Mod-Mediterranean, a blend of Old World and contemporary elements.

Elimination of Formal Living Spaces:

Clients want practical, functional space as opposed to the voluminous showy square footage of the past. As a result, the formal living room is disappearing from floorplans replaced by a grand family room. Jorge says some of his clients also are eliminating the formal dining room opting instead for a dining/breakfast nook area.

Unified Interior and Exterior Living Spaces:

Jorge says clients want every inch of their living space to count. They are asking for floorplans that seamlessly integrate the interior and exterior living space. Indoor-outdoor living spaces are designed so that it’s hard to detect the boundaries between the two.  “I’m talking about a new breed of outdoor living where the finishes, fixtures and décor match the interior. Designs of the past were not in sync with the interiors but completely distinct with defined themes.”

Swimming Pools for Exercise and Entertainment

For years, there were two popular choices for the pool: the Mediterranean theme defined by a quatrefoil design, water pots and pergolas or a lagoon-style pool with a kidney-shaped design, boulders and cascading waterfalls. Jorge says today’s pools are built for entertaining and exercise with clean lines and a stylishly sleek look.



The pools are elongated so people can swim laps and have new social features such as swim up seating and water platforms for sunbathing. Some new pool designs flow into covered areas for shady relaxation.

Building Green is More About Energy Efficiency Than the Environment

 

When it comes to building green, consumers have changed their view and priorities. They are more concerned with energy efficiency rather than the environment. Jorge says green building remains a popular concept with clients in theory but in practice is often cost-prohibitive. “Clients are building with tighter budgets these days because they don’t want to invest all of their net worth into their home after experiencing the housing bust. A lot of green features cost extra upfront. Clients still want energy efficient appliances, windows, and heating and air systems. These green features are affordable but other green features are considered upgrades in most budgets and not essential.”

For more money-saving design ideas and new construction tips, subscribe to the video series, Trade Secrets by Jorge, available on YouTube.