9807 Klein Court

9807 Klein Court

Saturday, January 9, 2010

City of San Antonio - New Ordinance (Mission Verde)


How the Mission Verde ordinances will affect the plumbing industry and what it all means to the end user:

Gravity flush toilets, bathroom aerators, shower heads, and urinals in new buildings must meet or exceed the WaterSence standards set forth by the EPA:

Gravity flush toilets must have a maximum average water use of 1.28 gallons per flush (look for the WaterSense logo).

Faucet aerators for bathrooms must have a maximum water flow rate of 1.5 gallons per minute (look for the WaterSense logo).

Showerheads shall have a maximum water flow of 2.0 gallons per minute (multiple heads are allowed, but must meet the above criteria).

Urinals in commercial buildings shall have a maximum water use of 0.5 gallons per flush.

MISSION VERDE LAUNCHES BUILDING REGULATIONS


SAN ANTONIO (San Antonio Express-News)

Along with the new year came regulations requiring new homes in San Antonio to be 15 percent more energy efficient. As part of the city's Mission Verde initiative, the regulations will make tighter home design, better insulation and low-flow toilets standard market features.

Builders estimate that it will cost 1 to 2 percent more to meet the requirements, adding $1,000 to $2,000 to every $100,000 a home costs. The biggest changes under Mission Verde are the requirement of a blower door test, which measures how tightly a building is constructed, and air-conditioning ductwork testing.

Builders who use spray foam insulation will exceed the requirements of Mission Verde, and those homes will not be required to have ductwork testing.

Other changes include insulating water pipes and removing water waste from irrigation systems and inside the home. Toilets will not be able to use more than 1.28 gallons per flush on average. Shower heads should have a maximum flow of two gallons per minute, and bathroom faucets should have no more than a 1.5-gallon-per-minute flow.

Compliance with these regulations will be checked during the permitting process and when inspectors visit the job site.

Article pulled from Texas A&M Real Estate Center)

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

2009-2010 Home Buyer Federal Tax Credit


Who is Eligible

• First-time home buyers, who are defined by the law as buyers who have not owned a principal residence during the three-year period prior to the purchase, may be eligible for a tax credit of 10% of the home purchase price, up to a maximum of $8,000.
• Existing home owners who have been residing in their principal residence for five consecutive years out of the last eight and are purchasing a home to be their principal residence (“repeat buyer”), may be eligible for a tax credit of 10% of the home purchase price, up to a maximum of $6,500.
• All U.S. citizens who file taxes are eligible to participate in the program.
Income Limits
• Home buyers who file as single or head-of-household taxpayers can claim the full credit ($8,000 for first-time buyers and $6,500 for repeat buyers) if their modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) is less than $125,000.
• For married couples filing a joint return, the combined income limit is $225,000.
• Single or head-of-household taxpayers who earn between $125,000 and $145,000, and married couples who earn between $225,000 and $245,000 are eligible to receive a partial credit.
• The credit is not available for single taxpayers whose MAGI is greater than $145,000 and married couples with a MAGI that exceeds $245,000.

Effective Dates

• The eligibility period for the tax credit is for homes purchased after Nov. 6, 2009, and before May 1, 2010. However, home purchases subject to a binding sales contract signed by April 30, 2010, will qualify for the tax credit provided closing occurs prior to July 1, 2010.

Types of Homes that Qualify

• All homes with a purchase price of less than $800,000 qualify, including newly-constructed or resale, and single-family detached, townhomes or condominiums, provided that the home will be used as their principal residence. Vacation home and rental property purchases do NOT qualify.

Tax Credit is Refundable

• A refundable credit means that if the amount of income taxes you owe is less than the credit amount you qualify for, the government will send you a check for the difference.
• For example:
o A first-time buyer who qualifies for the full $8,000 credit who owes $5,000 in federal income taxes would pay nothing to the IRS and receive a $3,000 payment from the government. If you are due to receive a $1,000 refund, you would receive $9,000 ($1,000 plus the $8,000 tax credit).
o A repeat buyer who owes $5,000 would pay nothing to the IRS and receive $1,500 back from the government. If you are due to get a $1,000 refund, you would get $7,500 ($1,000 plus the $6,500 tax credit).
• All qualified home buyers can take the tax credit on their 2009 or 2010 income tax return.

Payback Provisions

• The tax credit is a true credit. It does not have to be repaid unless the home owner sells or stops using the home as their principal residence within three years after the purchase.

For more information, go to: www.federalhousingtaxcredit.com

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Home Buyer Tax Credit, New NOL Rules Signed Into Law


In a major victory for NAHB that will boost the fledgling housing recovery and help struggling business owners nationwide, Congress last week approved legislation that will extend the first-time home buyer tax credit beyond its Nov. 30 deadline and expand it to a wider group of home buyers. The bill also provides relief to cash-strapped home builders by providing broader tax benefits for businesses with net operating losses (NOLs).

The legislation, which was signed into law by President Obama on Nov. 6, will extend the $8,000 credit for first-time home buyers for sales contracts entered into by April 30, 2010 and closed on by June 30. It has been expanded to include a new $6,500 credit for owners of existing homes who are purchasing a new principal residence. Existing home owners can claim the $6,500 tax credit if they have been residing in their principal residence for five consecutive years out of the last eight.

In more good news, the income eligibility limits to claim the full credit amount for both groups of home buyers have been raised from $75,000 for single taxpayers and $150,000 for married taxpayers filing a joint return to $125,000 for individuals and $225,000 for married couples.

NAHB’s consumer-oriented Web site, www.FederalHousingTaxCredit.com, provides complete details on the enhanced home buyer tax credit.

CPS Energy New Construction Rebates for 2010



Due to recent changes by the City of San Antonio regarding building code requirements for 2010, CPS Energy will no longer award rebates to builders and contractors for spray foam, cool roofs and high efficiency central air conditioners on new home construction. Instead, (per City of San Antonio ordinance) incentives for all new construction will be based on the overall building efficiency and will not be tied to individual efficiency measures.

The new building code requirements are based on the adoption of the 2009 IECC codes for 2010. New construction must be a minimum of 15% more efficient than 2009 IECC code to qualify for an incentive.

All work complete by December 31, 2009 will still be eligible for rebates under the 2009 Home Energy Efficiency Rebate Program. Any work performed as of January 1, 2010will follow a new rebate program based on the overall energy efficiency of the home measured by HERS rating using RESNET standards.

Further details on the new rebate program will be available sometime in December 2009. Details of the new program are still being finalized and will be posted as the new information becomes available.

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Healthiest Housing Markets 2009: Fall Update


#2 San Antonio, Texas
Market Health Indicator: 41.2


The recession arrived in San Antonio earlier this year, when employment finally turned negative due to weakness in the manufacturing sector. But with military bases as three of its top four employers, this Texas city may see better employment numbers next year, potentially fueling housing growth.

Housing here remains affordable at a median of $148,000, with prices declining a mere 1.6% during 2009. In addition, San Antonio routinely ranks among the best cities for relocation, and has been gaining population at a rate of 2.8% annually, a trend that continued even this year.

Despite favorable trends, though, San Antonio housing permits have fallen 54% so far this year, and comparisons may wind up even lower before the year is over. A full 72%of the action is in single-family rather than multifamily permits.

Courtesy: Hanley Wood Market Intelligence.

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

2009 Builder's Showcase Expo


Come visit Elegance in Design at the 2009 Builder's Showcase Expo.

This year we have decided to take a room that is commonly overlooked and unappreciated - the Utility Room - and added multiple vignettes so that consumers can see the myriad of opportunities available to them.

We have a canning/preserving area, a pet grooming area, a sewing/craft area, a lighting lab demonstrating the very latest in LED lighting, cold storage, and so much more.

Come join us May 25-27th from 10 am to 8 pm. See you there!

Monday, July 20, 2009

Lowball Appraisals Spark Uproar


In San Diego, Steve Doyle, division president for Brookfield Homes, is trying to close out the final 20 houses of a 120-unit single-family subdivision at prices ranging from $340,000 to $350,000. But recently there’s been a major hitch as appraisers assigned by banks are coming in with valuations of $60,000 or more under Doyle’s selling prices. The appraisers, who Doyle says are inexperienced, unfamiliar with local market trends or both, are using distressed sales — foreclosures and short sales — as their “comparables.” Some of the distressed properties are in poor condition, and all of them offer fewer amenities, Doyle says.

In the suburbs near Cleveland, Enzo Perfetto, manager of Enzoco Homes, builds custom houses on clients’ lots. Recently, he said, banks have begun assigning appraisers from far outside the area to value lots as part of mortgage packages on new homes. Some of the comparables they use are in foreclosure situations, and that depresses land valuations. A young couple who paid $75,000 for their lot recently had it valued at just $30,000 by an out-of-area appraiser who looked only at online data, according to Perfetto — discouraging the couple from proceeding. “I think the pendulum is swinging way too far in the wrong direction on appraisals,” Perfetto said. Bank-assigned appraisers often “don’t know the local market and they’re going for low numbers to be ‘safe.’” (www.washingtonpost.com)
Washington Post (7/4/09); Kenneth R. Harney

San Antonio Continues to Thrive


1. San Antonio had the 5th largest population growth in the country, adding 25,642 people in the past 12 months. That was 1.9% growth. (source: Express News)

2. Medtronic will create more thatn 1,400 jobs in its new Diabetes Therapy Management Center in San Antonio. We currently have 120,000 medical/biomedical jobs in San Antonio with a $16 billion payroll. (source: Express News)


3. Boeing Co. is going to hire 100 new employess to work Air Force planes at Kelly AFB. (source: SABJ)

Thursday, July 2, 2009

Haas Residence


UNDER CONSTRUCTION
Quaint 3 BDR 3 Bth, Office, Game/Media Room, located in Laurel Canyon Ranch. Home will feature Cambria counter tops which is a natural quartz product that is environmentally safer than granite.

Big Boost in Housing Demand Expected From Echo Boomers


Depicting the current housing downturn in sobering terms, the 2009 "State of the Nation’s Housing" report released by Harvard University’s Joint Center for Housing Studies on June 22 nevertheless gives home builders firm assurances of a resurgence in demand once the echo-boom generation gains a footing in the housing market.

Born from 1981-2000, members of the echo-boom generation, Harvard says, will boost annual average household growth to more than 1.25 million during the decade of 2010-2020 — even under the worst of circumstances.

“While the economic crisis has dampened household growth, the sheer size of the echo-boom generation will give a powerful boost to long-run housing demand,” the report says.

Even under the weaker scenario, in which there would be 2.3 million fewer household formations in 2010-2020, average annual household growth can be expected to be comparable to the growth experienced from 1995-2005 as members of the echo-boom move into the prime household formation and home buying ages of 25 to 44.

“The number of echo boomers aged 25 to 44 will eclipse the number of baby boomers when they were those same ages by more than 5.9 million,” according to the report.

“With the number of households in this age group projected to increase between 2.0 million and 3.4 million, the demand for rentals and starter homes will surge,” the Joint Center says. “Meanwhile, with their longer life spans and sheer numbers relative to the preceding generation, the baby boomers will add dramatically to the number of households over 65. This will lift demand for retirement communities as well as services and home improvements that help seniors age in place.”

“With the echo baby boom driving demand for starter homes and apartments and the baby boom powering demand for homes suited to older Americans,” the design professions will be called upon to deploy new technologies and designs to meet the aesthetic tastes and functional needs of a new, more diverse younger generation on the one hand and a generation in need of home modifications to help them age more safely and healthfully in place on the other,” said Mohsen Mostafavi, dean of the Harvard University Graduate School of Design.

Garczynski said that the recovery is likely to be slow and spotty, beginning in places that did not experience unsustainable increases in housing production during the boom years. “Generally speaking, housing markets closer to the urban core and job centers could be on the leading edge of the recovery. Outlying rings of metropolitan areas will recover later once the inventory of unsold units declines to more normal levels.”

He also noted that demand for infill and higher density development could increase markedly in the period ahead. “This will require a spirit of cooperation between builders and the local officials who control the zoning and development process,” he said. “Hopefully, this will lead to greater acceptance of the smart growth principles NAHB has been advocating since the beginning of this decade.”

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Study shows San Antonio is nation's best-performing city in recession


San Antonio has been ranked the strongest metropolitan area in the country for economic performance, according to a new report from the Brookings Institution.

The Washington, D.C.-based think tank has begun analyzing the impact of the recession throughout America’s metropolitan areas. In the first of a series of quarterly MetroMonitor reports, Brookings ranked San Antonio, Oklahoma City, Austin, Houston and Dallas as the top five metro areas in the country in economic performance in the wake of the recession.

Brookings ranked the top 100 metropolitan areas based on six key indicators — employment, unemployment rates, wages, gross metropolitan product, housing prices and foreclosure rates. This initial MetroMonitor report covers the first quarter of 2009.

The five worst metropolitan areas in the country impacted by the recession are Jacksonville, Fla.; Lakeland, Fla.; Tampa, Fla.; Bradenton, Fla.; and Detroit.

“All metropolitan areas are feeling the effects of this recession, but the distress is not shared equally,” says Alan Berube, research director of the Metropolitan Policy Program at Brookings and co-author of the report. “While some areas of the country have experienced only a shallow downturn, and may be emerging from the recession already, people living in metro areas that are now performing weakest economically should prepare themselves for a long recovery period.”

Howard Wial, director of the Metropolitan Economy Initiative at Brookings and another co-author of the report, argues that the report shows that a national fiscal and monetary policy will not be enough for stimulating the economy.

“Many (metro) areas will need targeted assistance, and since states have no funds available, the federal government will have to step up to fill the void.”

Concentrations of industry activity have both helped and hurts some regional economies during the recession. For example, metropolitan areas in states with specializations in energy and government employment — such as Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana — have largely been insulated by the recession. However, metropolitan areas in states like Michigan and Ohio that depend heavily on the automotive industry have been impacted by the downturn in the economy, the report shows.

San Antonio is home to Randolph Air Force Base, Fort Sam Houston, Lackland Air Force Base and Brooks City-Base. The 2005 Base Realignment and Closure decision alone is providing a significant economic punch to the Alamo City’s economy through the consolidation of high-paying military health care jobs and more than $2 billion worth of new construction activity.

A separate report released by The DiLuzio Group LLC outlining the impact of BRAC showed that Fort Sam Houston alone would experience a 11,500 increase of personnel. The Army post will also gain 7.9 million square feet of space. Construction activity due to BRAC alone should create 46,000 construction jobs during the course of the building programs, the DiLuzio report showed.

Copyright 2009 bizjournals.com

Materials Cost for Single-Family Construction Rising Again


The price index for materials used in single-family house construction inched up 0.1 percent in May after dropping 5.3 percent over the last seven months. The Producer Price Index (PPI) for single-family construction is calculated monthly by the Bureau of Labor Statistics from a survey of manufacturers and wholesalers.

Energy and metals rose enough to offset declining prices for plywood, lumber and gypsum products. Average May prices fell 2.4 percent for gypsum products, 2.1 percent for softwood lumber and 0.7 percent for softwood plywood.

In the past year, lumber prices dropped 36 percent, gypsum products 22 percent and plywood prices 17 percent. Further small declines are likely in the next few months, but the long price collapse is nearing an end now that housing starts have stopped declining and are set to increase steadily for several years.


The only significant price increases in May were for asphalt (at the refinery) 8.6 percent, diesel fuel 4.4 percent and concrete block 3.8 percent. Road asphalt prices have not yet caught up with the recent rise in crude oil prices, so one or more big monthly jumps are still ahead. Similarly, diesel fuel price increases are lagging crude oil price increases because of high inventories of refined products.

Generally, diesel prices will continue to rise at a 10-15 percent annual pace through next year, although prices have been steady in the month since the May price survey was done. The increase in concrete block prices is due to temporarily lean inventories. Cement prices were unchanged in May and prices declined for most other concrete products.


For the whole economy, prices increased 0.2 percent in May but were 4.7 percent below a year ago. The total construction materials index shows about the same pattern. Prices rose 0.6 percent in May but were 5.5 percent below a year ago. The recession has created enough slack to keep inflation in the 0.0-1.0 percent range for the rest of the year, but it will be more for single-family construction where spending is recovering earlier than in the rest of the economy.

Saturday, May 30, 2009

HUD Loosens Rules for Home Buyer Tax Credit


The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announced today that first-time home buyers can use the $8,000 tax credit toward down payments on FHA-insured homes. Although the change has been talked about for weeks, today’s announcement made it official. “We believe that this could boost new home sales by 20 percent to 30 percent, which would match the declines builders anecdotally reported when DPA was eliminated last fall,” said Lisa Marquis Jackson of John Burns Real Estate Consulting.

This could have a huge impact to the move the industry, she says, particularly at the lower-end of the housing market. She also noted that home builders report 70 percent of their loans are through FHA.

Saturday, April 25, 2009

Building codes are turning greener


San Antonio took the first step of the mayor's ambitious Mission Verde plan Thursday, passing new sustainable building codes aimed at making the city's homes and buildings more energy- and water-efficient.

The new rules, which the City Council passed by a unanimous vote, call for all new buildings starting in 2010 to be 15 percent more energy-efficient than currently required.

That would jump to a target of 30 percent by 2012, with a goal of carbon-free buildings by 2030.

"Carbon-free buildings" could be powered by onsite renewable energy systems, like wind or solar, that don't produce any greenhouse gases.

The ordinance also prescribes water-saving building techniques by 2010 that will cut in-home water use by 20 percent to 30 percent, San Antonio Water System CEO Robert Puente said. If 5,000 homes met the new standards, that would save an estimated 100 million gallons of water.

"I think this puts the city of San Antonio in the leading edge nationally as for doing the proper thing for the right reason," said Ed Kelley, retired president of USAA Real Estate and chairman of the task force that developed the ordinance.

The new rules came with the endorsement of an unlikely coalition - architects, developers and Sierra Club members.

"It's not often that the San Antonio Builders Association comes before you to support an ordinance that will increase the cost of housing," said Kim Shrum of the Greater San Antonio Builders Association.

Members of that coalition spent months on a task force developing the building codes. Although most acknowledge the new rules could increase the upfront costs of a home, they argue that the homeowner saves money over time because of lower water and power bills.

"The additional cost to build a new home to the 15 percent improved standard passed in today's ordinance should not cause a homeowner any additional out-of-pocket expense when looking at monthly mortgage payment plus operating costs for energy and water," said John Friesenhahn of Imagine Homes.

Councilwoman Delicia Herrera said the overall cost of homeownership was important.

"Affordable really means being able to keep your home once you get it," she said.

There is also an ongoing discussion at City Hall and among San Antonio's water and power utilities about incentive programs that could reduce or eliminate the upfront costs associated with energy- and water-efficient building methods.

The new building codes don't prescribe any specific methods to meet the energy and water saving targets. That will be left up to the builder, architect and homeowner.

The ordinance does outline a number of means to measure success. Among them is compliance with the 2009 International Energy Conservation Code, and certification by third-party programs like the federal government's Energy Star program and Build San Antonio Green.

The ordinance also calls for creating a sustainable building committee of architects, engineers, construction professionals, green building experts and others to keep tabs on the program and, among other things, ensure it doesn't become too expensive or onerous.

Such a committee is important to help vet the multitude of green building products available, said Tim Swan, task force member and CEO of Metropolitan Contracting Co.

"Sustainability is critical to our future," he said. "But we must not forget that the sustainability industry is still an industry."

Copyright 2009 San Antonio Express-NewsAll Rights Reserved

PREMIER BUILDING SYSTEMS; Homeowners Save up to 60% on Heating and Cooling Costs With Structural Insulated Panels


A growing building technique - structural insulated panels (SIPs) - is helping Americans reduce home energy use. Compared to traditional "stickbuilt" construction, SIPs save homeowners up to 60% on monthly utility bills.

According to Premier Building Systems, North America's largest SIPs manufacturer: SIPs are large, pre-made wall, roof or floor sections using high-strength wood panels sandwiching a rigid insulating foam core. They replace the wall studs and fiberglass rolls or blown-in insulation builders typically use. Because SIPs come in large sections up to 8 ft. by 24 ft., they have fewer gaps needing sealing. www.pbssips.com

"A SIP house has fewer joints, less complicated interfaces between conditioned and unconditioned spaces, and it is dramatically easier to make it tight," says Sam Rashkin, National Director of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Energy Star for Homes program. In tests using large blowers, the U.S. Dept. of Energy's (USDOE) Oak Ridge National Laboratory found that rooms built with SIPs have 90 percent less air leakage than typical rooms.

A tight, well-insulated SIP home saves energy in both hot and cold climates. "It only costs an average of $200 to $300 a year to heat one of my SIP homes," says Scott Bergford, Owner, Scott Homes - Builder of the Year in the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and USDOE's 2009 EnergyValue Housing Awards. "That's anywhere from one-fifth to one-sixth the typical costs for this region," adds the Olympia, Washington-based builder.

"While SIPS have been around for several decades, they are getting more attention as homeowners and commercial building owners are looking to build green," says James Hodgson, general manager of Premier Building Systems. "The energy savings are pretty dramatic, and a SIP home or building costs about the same as wood frame construction."

In addition to saving energy, SIPs help seal out pollutants such as radon, molds, and pollen for healthier indoor air, and reduce construction waste up to 60% by eliminating the need to cut studs, joists and other framing materials on site.

"A SIP home is a true green structure that looks just like any other home," adds Hodgson. "SIPs fit with any architectural style, and virtually any floor plan can be easily converted to SIPs construction. Plus they are far stronger and straighter than buildings framed on site."

Monday, April 20, 2009

Real Estate Outlook: Turnaround in Sight?


Almost no one in the economic forecasting business wants to take the risk of announcing that it's now official. We're past the rock bottom of the down cycle for real estate and now we're moving into recovery mode.

That's understandable, but the fact is that the signs are all there. Sales and pending sales of homes have turned up sharply in hard-hit markets. House prices are more affordable. Consumer confidence polls show slight but noteworthy improvements in the public's outlook.

Check out developments for the week of April 6 alone:

Mortgage applications for purchases of resale and new homes were up again — 8% for applications using conventional loans, and a remarkable 17% gain in applications to buy houses using low-downpayment FHA mortgages.

Mortgage rates remain at near historic lows, though they may be bottoming out. Thirty-year fixed rates rose a tenth of a percent on average, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association, to 4.7%. Fifteen year rates stayed flat, around 4.5%.

A group of new consumer-sentiment polls came out showing that Americans are feeling better about their economic prospects for the first time in months. A survey of 15,000 adults by Discover Financial Services recorded a significant jump in confidence between February and March. A New York Times/CBS poll of 1,000 consumers found the same. The Times even put the results at the top its front page with the headline: "Poll Finds Brightening Outlook on U.S. Economy."

Members of NAHB reported that shoppers' visits to look at new houses for sale are "on the rise and consumer interest is increasing.” The association also announced that more than half of all U.S. households — 55 million of them — can now afford to buy the median-priced $200,000 new home. That's up 45% in the past 24 months.

Even Business Week, which has been particularly harsh on housing in recent years, ran a cover story about the turnaround getting underway — focusing on hard-hit areas of Florida, California and Las Vegas, where sales have been rising fast and unsold inventory taking a plunge.

The report quoted Paula Hellenbrand, president of the Cape Coral Florida Association of Realtors®, who predicted an end to inventory problems on the near horizon.

"At this rate (of current sales),” she told the magazine, "we're going to see a big shortage of inventory by summer, and that will trigger price increases.”

That would be extraordinary, especially in view of still-rising unemployment and depressed levels of spending by consumers. But don't count it out.

This article appeared in the April 14 issue of Realty Times and was reprinted with permission.


NBN Tools

Thursday, April 9, 2009

Construction Costs Lowered!



As businesses throughout the nation and the world in every industry and profession are coping to reduce overhead and other operating expenses in order to remain competitive while giving lasting value to their customers, Elegance in Design Custom Homes is proud to have accompished just that.

Throughout all of 2008, as a founding partner of a local buyers purchasing group, we have been negotiating prices for goods and materials that would bring significant savings to you, our clients. To date we have been able to bring overall costs down 9%! I am especially pleased to announced that basically every category of durable goods has been contracted and our clients are reaping the benefits.

Due to the success in the material cost savings, we have been over the last 2 months working to bring favorable labor costs to the table. Stone masons, stucco installers, framers, roofers, etc., have all been contacted and we are now starting to see decreases on the labor side of the operations.

For example, a project to be started in August of 2008 had a frame labor cost of $5 p/sq ft. As this house was in excess of 8300’ framed, the quoted cost was greater than $41k. Today that same house would be built at $3.75 p/sq ft framed which results in a greater than $10k savings! When you factor in the other labor cost savings we here at Elegance in Design should be able to build any new home at rates we havent seen in years, which gains a tremendous amount of additional equity for the homeowner.

Final home costs are still determined by each individual buyer based upon their level of finish out.

As another service that was recently added we are now able to give a customer 10 free initial hours of design time with an award winning interior designer. Those hours can be spent on any facet of the project, from paint to fixture selections, to window treatments and furniture. Once again lasting value is being built into the project not only from a cost basis standpoint, but also from a customer service perspective.

Thank you for your continued support!

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

New Project - Blanco Tx




We are proud to announce the groundbreaking of an exciting new project in Blanco Tx. This beautiful 4000 +/- sq ft home has exquisite tile flooring with mosaics, knotty cherry custom cabinetry, beautiful granite counter tops throughout, firepit and spa, and all stainless steel appliances.

Mechanically this home has an advanced HVAC system with damper control and wireless access portability, spray foam insulation, and a 41,881 gallon subterranean rain catchment system located directly beneath the RV/2 car garage!

Watch for updates and progress to include photo's!

With national headlines looking down see why Texas is looking up!



http://www.texaplex.com/

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