Ready to create your beautiful kitchen and baths? You probably have a good idea of how you want your cabinets to look, but aside from the color and wood species, there are many other details to consider.  Understanding cabinet terms can be a big help when you're making your choices.

Knowing the lingo of door and drawer styles is a good place to start.  There are variations, but the door styles you'll most often hear are flat panel, raised panel, and slab..

It’s no surprise that we think new homes have lots of advantages over existing ones – after all, Ann Arbor Builders has been building homes for many, many years.  But the advantages of building a new home aren’t just our opinion.  Here are a few good reasons:

For decades, the norm for ceiling height was 8 feet.  And then came McMansion mania.  Foyers and family rooms soared to two stories. Balconies overlooked downstairs rooms. They made homes look impressive and grand.

But downstairs was often cold because heat rose to the ceiling.  Upstairs was noisy because TV and other sounds rose, too. 

Thanks to the demand for better energy efficiency and more efficient use of space, ceilings have been trending downward.  

With the exception of two buyer-specific custom homes, we haven't built a two story space in years.

By the time you've signed your building agreement, you undoubtedly know some of the features and finishes that your new home will include, but you'll still have choices to make. For example, your building agreement will specify the type of roofing and siding materials, but what color do you prefer? 

Choosing all the finishes that reflect your own personal style - that's the fun part about building a new home!  Or at least it should be.  And it can be with teamwork between you and your builder.  That means making your choices on time and in the order that your builder needs them. 

Just like purchasing an existing home, the first step in building a new home is consulting a lender who can help you determine a realistic budget. Even if you’re paying cash and know how much you have to spend, there are factors that impact the overall budget of your new home, such as site preparation and the finishes you choose, that must be taken into consideration. 

It’s also important to choose the right lender, one with construction lending experience – and better yet, with local construction lending experience. 

There are several scenarios in which you may purchase a new home, from purchasing a “package” of land and home from a building company which owns the land to hiring a builder to construct your home on land you own or will buy. Every scenario must be reflected in the building agreement, but beyond the legal requirements that all builders must follow, each has his or her own practices.

When you're considering building a home, you undoubtedly have an idea of the size and style of the home you want, but many factors influence what can and can’t be built on any given site. Most often, sites have features which dictate the home’s size, its location on the site, and in some cases, the materials that can be used. These factors can not only influence your budget but also what you can or cannot build. That’s why it’s best to secure a site before finalizing plans.

Some common questions that should be asked and answered before purchasing any site are:

Need more room?  Or a major overhaul?  But love your location?

That was the situation of the owners of the home in the photos when they contacted us.   The house was close to downtown and within walking distance to the Big House - no worrying about football parking for them! 

They loved the location but had outgrown the house, and the only way to expand was to go up due to the size of the lot.  

Stainless steel appliances have been the reigning champs of the appliance world for a number of years.  In fact, they account for about three-quarters of all appliance sales, and it’s likely that stainless will still dominate in years to come.

But where does that leave someone who truly doesn’t want stainless?