Home Construction

Days ago, I was in the basement of an old house with my son. We were looking at the boiler, the structure and the foundation walls. He's about to become a first-time property owner. For the past four years, he's been renting a loft apartment, saving so he can make a sizable down payment. I've got three children, and sadly only one of them is old enough to remember me going to building job sites every day. In fact, on quite a few Saturdays, I took my eldest daughter with me to job sites to help me do small tasks and to give my wife a well-deserved break. My son and my youngest daughter only have memories of me sitting in front of a computer all day writing my syndicated column. Because I was unable to immerse my son and youngest daughter into the job site experience, there's quite a bit they missed out on with me. I clearly remember explaining very interesting things to my eldest daughter, and she always had fantastic questions about things she saw on a construction ...

The pandemic has changed what Americans want from their homes, and builders say they expect those changes to last. The big picture: A ton of pandemic-era adaptations are becoming common fixtures in new homes. The model homes that builders are showing off today are meant for working, living and learning, not just coming home and crashing at the end of the day. Details: Big pre-pandemic trends — open plans with big kitchen islands — aren't going anywhere. "My verdict is that people really like open floor plans, and they're here to stay," says Nancy K. Keenan, president of Dahlin Group Architecture and Planning, who helped conduct the America at Home Study of pandemic-era consumer tastes in home design. But overall footprints are getting bigger as builders add on more smaller rooms, which may need to function as offices, play rooms, home gyms or dens, depending on the family. Bathrooms are getting bigger, in part because we use them more often when we're home all day...

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A collection of five "ultimate luxury Cornish holiday homes" is set to open on a clifftop in time for the summer - with prices up to £5,800 per week. A few steps from a private beach, Atlanta Trevone is launching in July in one of the most sought after coastal locations, close to Padstow. A Victorian house built in 1899, Atlanta has been owned by the same Cornish family for generations, with ancestors including artist JHC Miller, an artist favoured by King George V and whose subject was the same seascapes that can be seen from the property today. The new custodians are his great-granddaughter, Jessica, and her husband Ash Alken-Theasby who together have renovated Atlanta. The family have run the property as holiday lets since the 1900s. An ad for the development states that interiors are inspired by a Hamptons beach house meets hotel chain The PIG. Read more: Dog's head joins Cornwall's 'Mount Rushmore' on Bedruthan Steps The homes boast open fireplaces, ro...

Designer, builder and DIY pro Mariah Hoffman outside her 156-square-foot home in Lemon Grove Stacy Keck ...

Home shoppers can't help but feel the heat these days, with the inventory of existing homes hitting an all-time low in late 2021. That limited inventory, coupled with high demand, has sent home prices soaring. If you can't find a suitable resale or you just want to start fresh, new construction can be an appealing option. Brand-new homes offer enhanced energy efficiency, amenities and layouts more suited to modern lifestyles, plus the potential to customize spaces that you don't get with a resale. But if you're not careful, costs and expectations can spiral out of control. The good news is that following these tips for buying new-construction homes can save you money — and hassle. Here are five costly mistakes to avoid when buying a new house. 1. Don't assume you can't negotiate with the builder The top myth buyers of new-construction homes tend to believe is that builders won't negotiate with them on price. But that's just not true, says Kerron Stokes, ...

"Think about the night sky," says Shavonda Gardner when asked (as she often is) about the black living room in her Sacramento, California, bungalow. "It's expansive; there's no end in sight. Your eye doesn't stop at the line between dark walls and a white ceiling; it just keeps going." Fearlessly embracing bold color—especially in small spaces—is Gardner's specialty. "It's actually easier to commit to a color or pattern in a small room than in a bigger space, which can be overwhelming," she explains. The designer made her name spreading this gospel through her blog, A Home Full of Color , which she started fresh out of design school during the recession and eventually rebranded as SG Style, picking up droves of devoted readers by the day. In the 1,200-square-foot home Gardner shares with her wife, Naomi, and two teens, the designer puts her principles into practice. Just off the living room, the vibe is just as immersive and eye-cat...