Top Tips on How to Decide What Kind of Home You Want to Build (Part Two)

Within my most recent news posts, I started to share some top tips on how to decide what kind of home you want to build.  And within that story I promised I would continue to share additional idea on how to get started to build a home.  So here are more tips from our architecture firm in Lake Tahoe, Truckee, and North Lake Tahoe, CA.

What is your budget?  Depending on where you have purchased your property, the costs per square foot will vary – a lot!  Check with your real estate agent for comps on home building prices.  With the recent pandemic, we have seen a tremendous rise in interest in building a home in Nevada (Carson City in particular).  Construction costs are increasing with the demand.

Who will finance the project?  If you need to secure a loan you certainly need to research a lender before the shovel goes into the ground.  Be sure to shop around and when you have made your decision, be sure to have your lender offer a pre-approval so you can get started sooner than later.

What is your timing?  Mirroring my last statement, as the world discovers the benefits that come with living in Nevada, and/or the High Sierra, our general contractors have not been this busy in a long time.  The sooner you can work with an architectural firm like ours that services Nevada and California, the better.

How familiar is your home designer to your home’s environment?  Just because you have a final drawing does not mean you are done.  Within our firm that designs mountain and golf course homes in Lake Tahoe, we offer a list of additional services that come with the pleasure of living in a resort area.  Those services include:

  • Site Planning
  • Space Planning

How familiar is your architect to local building regulations? When one has selected to build or remodel a home within the High Sierra and its surrounding counties, there is a lot more to the building process that meets the eye.  For over 30 years,our  Borelli Architecture team has remained on-top of the environmental and county regulations.  Within our services, we also offer professional assistance with the following projects:

  • Permit Processing Assistance
  • TRPA Feasibility Studies
  • Contractor Selection and Bidding Assistance
  • Construction Administration Services

Will you need an interior designer to help you design the inside of your home?  Our team offers the professional assistance of Kelly Borelli Interiors located in Incline Village, NV on Lake Tahoe’s North Shore. Kelly Borelli Interiors has been providing exceptional design services for resort homes and commercial clients in for over 20 years. From practical design for the Lake Tahoe Lifestyle to the most contemporary California seaside estate, Kelly works with each of her clients in conjunction with our own design team, to discover that perfect, personal touch that each client should expect and every home deserves.

In closing, if you have any questions whatsoever about how to get started, please feel free to reach out to us at any time.  We look forward to helping you design your dream home.

 

 

Jim and Kelly Borelli
Borelli Architecture
Lake Tahoe / Truckee
jim@borelliarchitecture.com

775 831 3060

 

 

Top Tips on How to Decide What Kind of Home You Want to Build (Part One)

One of my friends has recently purchased a lot at Gray’s Crossing in Truckee.  And throughout the entire process, he continued to reach out to our architecture firm that designs homes in Truckee and Lake Tahoe for advice on the ‘next steps.’  I thought you might appreciate this blog about the “Top Tips on How to Decide What Kind of Home You Want to Build” as the subject is fresh in my mind.

Research first.  Designing and building a home is more than how many bedrooms, bathrooms, etc. that you want or need within this significant investment.  As the old saying goes:  Your Home is Where Your Heart Is.  This classic statement identifies the fact that in addition to yourself, there may be others that have input as to what their desires may be.  When all is said and done, it should reflect the lifestyle that works for all involved.

What style do you like?  For this particular property, Borelli Architecture certainly will recommend that the home takes advantage of its golf course setting.  And with that said, we’ll be sure there is plenty of room for the golf cart in the garage!  As Gray’s Crossing is also within a mountain community at a higher elevation, we will include the appropriate standards for heavy  and take the weather into consideration as well to take advantage of the sunshine at the same time.

What key attributes does your ‘dream home’ really need?  Lots of windows to take in those golf course views?  And expanded porch for summertime entertaining?  How about ‘open space,’ privacy, and in today’s virtual world, how many ‘office spaces’ or ‘small classroom areas’ do you need? A mud room? We say ‘yes’ to that all the time as when one lives in Truckee, the community just begs for all to get out and enjoy the great outdoors.

Think about the ‘not so obvious.’  What kind and how much storage area do you really need?  Does every bathroom need at tub? How about all those skis, snowboards, snowshoes, and golf clubs … do you want a special place within the home or garage to store your year-round toys?  And what about boat storage?

Think about the future, a lot!  Our friends are just about to retire and plan on living the rest of their life here in the High Sierra. One of their main goals is to build a split-level home that has a lower level that includes a guest suite, small kitchen, and recreation/living area.  This concept works well today for extended company and will be ideal when and if they ever choose to have live-in help.

So that is a start.  In my next news post I’ll be providing more advice about the steps one needs to take when deciding to build a home.  In the meantime, if you are interested in buying a lot at Gray’s Crossing, here are a few nice options.  And be sure to click back into my last posts in January to learn more about land and property for sale in Truckee, Lake Tahoe, Carson City and beyond.

 

Jim and Kelly Borelli
Borelli Architecture
Lake Tahoe / Truckee
jim@borelliarchitecture.com

775 831 3060