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New Home Construction and Customization
Hosted by Katherine Salant
Syndicated Columnist
Wednesday, June 20, 2001; 1 p.m. EST
What should you know when buying a new home? How do you assess your needs for a home -- as a new family, blended household or empty-nesters -- and customize?
Katherine Salant is the author of the syndicated "Your New Home" column. She is an expert on new houses issues large and small -- from materials to design and floor plan layout. Salant also asks the right questions -- for example, what are the amenities in a new home community? If it's a golf course, which lots should you buy to avoid a stream of golf balls in your yard and a stream of golfers retrieving them? She was online to talk about new homes and customization Wednesday, June 20.
A native Washingtonian, Salant holds a masters degree in architecture from Harvard. She began her career as a Fulbright Scholar studying Nepalese village architecture, and lived with families in four villages. She continued to study in Southeast Asia, and after returning worked as an architectural designer. Salant has been writing about architecture and the environment for 15 years, and is an expert on home construction and quality.
The transcript follows.
Editor's Note: Washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control
over Live Online discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions.
Laurel, Md. (Anne Arundel County): Are you aware of any assistance toward closing costs for first time homebuyers in the greater D.C. area? My wife and I are scheduled to close next week and are consuming an incredible amount of capital for closing costs. We are middle class for sure often being told that we make either too much money or not enough. What's a guy to do?
Katherine Salant: Sorry, but I don't know of any programs that could help you. Maryland is known for high closing costs. However, if your credit is unusually good, you might qualify for a zero down payment loan which might help you out at closing. You can also fold the closing costs into the mortgage, so you should explore this with your lender.
Bethesda, Md.: Recently, a developer has put up a building in the neighborhood that looks nice from the front but appears unfinished when seen from our condominium. There's been some discussion at board meetings about whether there's anything we can do; some board members have suggested buying a screen to be installed on the developer's property. I suspect that the condo board doesn't have the authority to spend money for that purpose. Any comment?
Katherine Salant: Aside from your condo board's authority to deal with this eyesore, the developer may not be too eager to have anything placed on his property. First I would suggest that your board consult with a knowledgeable real estate attorney about what your options are. Perhaps there is something that you can install on your property.
Baltimore, Md.: What expert decided we needed low volume shower heads and toilets? I hope that idiot is not collecting a government pension!
Katherine Salant: The first toilets that were low water made everyone unhappy. Since then I think the manufacturers have modified them. Have you looked at the latest offerings?
Falling Waters, W.Va.: We are building a house at the top of a bluff overlooking a river. While the view is great, I'm don't want the house to be drafty in winter. I'm interested in a SIP (Structural Insulated Panel) system. My wife worries that this will hurt resale.
Katherine Salant: SIPS are used all over the country and have been well received. I would advise, however, that you get a contractor who has used them many times before and is familiar with how this system differs from standard construction. You don't want to be guinea pigs, and have your house be a "learning experience" for the builder.
Arlington, Va.: Hi Katherine,
I drove past a new townhouse development last night -- four stories, all brick. To be honest, I'm scared to even ask what the prices start at, because I'm sure it's way out of my league. But the brick seemed like a better investment than wood or vinyl siding -- not to mention the fact that I haven't seen that many all-brick new townhouse groups. If I got brave enough to go and look at them, what should I be looking for in terms of construction, and what should I keep in mind when comparing to other townhouses with different facades/construction?
Katherine Salant: The brick is just a finish treatment, albeit one that is more $$. In the long run, what counts is the structure under the finish whether it is vinyl, wood or brick. If you are still interested in this builder after looking at the models, I would look at others in the same area to get a idea of what is out there. Then when you get down to the yes or no, to-go-with-this-builder-or-not stage, hire someone such as a home inspector who is knowledgeable about construction to assess it for you. Good luck.
Alexandria, Va.: I bought a new construction townhouse in Alexandria about six months ago. At the time I was buying, I was told that having the kitchen in the front of the house was an option costing $6,000. The salesman played down the option, saying who would want their kitchen in the front? The model had the kitchen in the back. Well, I've now discovered that placing the kitchen in the front would have eliminated a two-story foyer, and added all of that now dead space to my fairly small living room. This, of course, was never mentioned, and I get the feeling that the builder must not make much money on this option.
We also had the option of whether to buy an end unit. We decided against it, as in a previous development, our end-unit townhouse became the neighborhood playground. It wasn't until we moved it that we discovered that all internal units had a heat pump installed on the fourth floor that is so loud that it wakes me up in the middle of the night whenever it kicks on. The end units have the second heat pump outside. The model was an end unit, and so didn't have this noise problem.
For others out there looking now, how can they protect themselves and really know just how certain options will enhance and/or detract from their homes?
Katherine Salant: AS to the noise issue, when looking at the model, listen and ask that any equipment such as a heat pump be turned on and then walk thru the house. It is also a good idea to look at a nearly finished house to do the same noise test -- the nearly finished house will be closer to what you can expect for your house. I also suggest for town houses that buyers take a radio and have someone go next door to see if noise goes thru the wall. Now that you are in the house, I suggest that you check in the yellow pages or on the web for acoustic consultants and see if you can find someone who does residential work to see what can be done. As for the option that you were interested in, I always suggest if at all possible to see a house where this has already been incorporated. I have been in many models where the kitchen was in the front and I thought it was a great plan. It also puts the living room on the back where you may get more privacy. I personally like a kitchen which gets the morning light, so I would opt for this whether it put the kitchen in the front or back.
Silver Spring, Md.: Are there energy efficiency requirements when building a new home, or are all options up to the people who are building it? Specifically in terms of insulation and things like double-glazed windows.
Katherine Salant: All home builders in the Washington area have to meet certain energy efficiency requirements. Some builders go beyond what the code requires.In the Washington area there are some builders who have the Energy Star designation which means that their houses are 30 percent (not sure of the exact percentage here) more efficient than the codes mandate. I would check them out. They are listed on the web, but I don't have the web address at my fingertips. Besides being more energy efficient, a Energy Star home is more comfortable with more balanced heating and cooling (that is in the summer for example both floors are about the same temperature) Dodson Homes in Virginia is such a builder; I am not sure who in Md is an Energy Star Homes builder.
Hyattsville, Md.: My home is 100 percent EIFS. Do you have any opinions, good or bad, about EIFS home construction?
Katherine Salant: I personally would not build a house with it. A good, experienced contractor can do a great installation, but if you need any repairs down the line, you have to hope that the person doing that work will be as knowledgeable. However, some home buyers have been very happy with it.
Washington, D.C.: Katherine,
I read your column about refrigerator appliances, and I have to say, beyond a sub-zero I never gave many of those options any thought. I mean, a cooling drawer? Why would I need to think about getting that -- or is the fact that I'm asking proof enough that I never would?
Katherine Salant: Well, if you ever had a bottle explode in your freezer because you forgot about it, you would think the cooling drawer was a great idea. There's nothing like opening your freezer and having a big mess of glass and gook fall out on the floor to welcome such developments.
Washington, D.C.: My parents built a new house a few years ago, and my mother has nothing good to say about drywall. What's the difference in price between building with drywall and getting plaster?
Katherine Salant: I don't know the difference, but it is huge and that's if you could get someone to do the plaster work. If your mother is unhappy, it could be because the drywallers did a poor job.
Vienna, Va.: Hello, Katherine. This may be more of a political question than a housing one, but why this constant obsession with property values? It has gotten to the point now where even Frank Wolf in Congress got the study for a new bridge north of the Cabin John terminated primarily because of moaning and groaning about "property values." This is utter nonsense -- don't people realize that the higher their property is assessed, the more money they are paying out of their pocket each year in real estate taxes? It is ludicrous enough that one should have to pay as it is now just for the "privilege" of owning a house. This tax goes up directly with the "value" of their house and lot as some bureaucrat in the county's tax office sees it. If that is not bad enough, consider that the more expensive a house is listed at, the harder it is going to be to sell. Come on, people, wake up and stop this idiotic harping and groaning about "property values." Be glad when the value drops -- you are saving money.
Katherine Salant: YOu make some interesting points, but most home owners only see the $$ signs. But besides the tax increase, if the value of your house goes way up, you may net a profit when you sell it, but the cost to buy a house somewhere else may also have gone up commensurately, so you won't come out so far ahead. If the value drops, you will pay less taxes, but you may also have to bring money to the closing when you sell your house (because you are selling it for less money than you paid for it)and that is a heartache scenario that any homeowner would want to avoid.
Odenton, Md.: We are buying a "semi-detached" (duplex to me) and have opted for many of the higher end options. What options are good for resale value, as we are with State and rarely stay anywhere for longer than four years.
Katherine Salant: Real estate agents generally advise options that give a good first impression and make your house stand out as the real estate agent is driving down the street with prospects. The first impression in the foyer also counts, so make the foyer look good. Hardwood flooring is a plus, especially if it goes throughout the first floor. Almost any kitchen upgrade will pay off (Corian or granite countertops, raised panel cabinets, side by side refrigerator, etc. A kitchen island). But before you get carried away, I would check with the on-site agent and with the buyers who are now living there to find out what other buyers are getting. If you over improve compared to other houses in the neighborhood, you won't get all that money back. And just use common sense. If nine out of ten buyers will like something, it may be a good idea. If only one of ten will like it, it isn't. Personalize your spaces with your accessories and all those great things that you got on your foreign tours of duty in the State Department, not the house itself (that is carpets, wall colors, etc.)
Maryland: I live in a 20-year-old townhouse. My unit is separated from the next ones by a cinder block firewall. All of the new townhomes I have seen no longer have a brick firewall between units -- just something called a 30-minute wall, which means you've got 30 minutes to get out because your unit is next! Additionally, I have seen longer distances between wall studs, no more use of 2-by-8 floor studs. Have builders begun to cut more corners in construction? It sure seems so, despite the higher prices for these units. How do they get away with this?
Katherine Salant: The builders are always cost conscious, but they build to what the code allows. The cost of materials has gone up since you built your house 20 years ago, but the cost of land has skyrocketed, and that drives everything.
Alexandria, Va.: My fiance and I just bought a new brick townhouse. Currently, we have A/C window units and were wondering how much it would cost to have central air installed? We were also wondering whether it's more cost-efficient to have window units in a small townhouse inhabited by two people?
Katherine Salant: I am confused here. Is the house new to you or a brand new house?
Arlington, Va.: This may be a ridiculous question, but are there any developments or builders you know of that build closer-in, smaller homes (I don't want to commute to Arlington/D.C. from Woodbridge or Manassas)? We live close to a Beazer development -- which I'm sure will be lovely when complete -- but I can't afford and don't need a 3,500 square foot, $500,000 house.
Am I wasting my time looking for such a developer/builder? Should I focus instead on the resale market? Thanks!
Katherine Salant: You could surely find a smaller condo unit closer in. If you want a house, I have seen some smaller ones in the Alex market. I would check the web and New Homes Guide (it has a Web site but am not sure of the Web address) because they list everything with more than five units in the entire DC area, by location.
Rockville, Md.: The first question-er today should call his county councilmember and inquire about county-sponsored closing cost assistance programs. Most counties in Washington, D.C. have them, although he needs to go it RIGHT AWAY if his closing is in a couple of weeks.
Also check with the state of maryland, Department of Housing -- there may also be a state program.
Katherine Salant: Thanks for your input. I hope the first question-er sees it!
Washington, D.C.: Our daughter is allergic and we have had the carpet in her bedroom taken up and replaced with Pergo. One realtor says to replace the carpet, but I think with the rise in allergies, having one "allergic" bedroom will be a selling point. I know we would love to find a place that had all wood or pergo in the bedrooms. What do you think?
Katherine Salant: I am a little confused here. Is your real estate agent suggesting that you replace the Pergo with carpet? Unless the Pergo is really ugly (sorry to be frank here), I would leave it there because for many buyers, it is like having hardwood which everyone likes.
Frederick, Md.: We are in the process of building a home and have found a builder we really like with very good references. However, he is reluctant to sign a standard AIA contract. What is your feeling on AIA contracts vs. Builder contracts? Also, we have heard that lumber prices have increased 40 percent in the last few months. Can you confirm that? Do you have a sense of how construction prices will be impacted?
Katherine Salant: As to lumber prices, they are always volatile. As to the contract, the AIA standard form is a one-size fits all that may require modifications to your particular situation. However, what does the builder propose in its stead? Have you looked at his contract? I would get a copy, read it, and than have a knowledgeable real estate attorney review and modify both of them to get one that works for both you and the builder. This may cost you some $$, but you are spending a bundle on your new house and you, not the builder are taking out the construction loan and paying interest on it. You need to make sure that you are not unpleasantly surprised down the line.
Sterling, Va.: Hi Katherine --
We're building a new home on the golf course in River Creek (Leesburg) and the builder says it should be ready by Dec. 15. We can afford to avoid moving into temporary housing between houses. Given the lead times with selling, when should we put our current house on the market? What is the average days on market, and average days after an offer is accepted until closing? We don't want to market the home too early or late.
Katherine Salant: I would suggest that you consult with several local real estate agents in your market and after weighing what they say, make a decision.
Alexandria, Va.: We are anxiously awaiting the completion of our new home. I really can't wait to use my new kitchen, with hardwood floors, black appliances and granite countertops. We are wondering if we can paint the walls when we move in. I read somewhere that you should wait approximately a year to paint new walls, to allow any nails, etc., to come out. Is this true? I really am looking forward to painting the interior! (Any recommendations on paint color for the kitchen? I was thinking about a lighter terra cotta.)
Katherine Salant: The nail pops that may appear after a year are due to the seasonal shrinking and swelling of the wood framing. It will shrink the most the first year.You can certainly paint your new kitchen after you move in, but you may have the nail pops to deal with later. For aesthetic reasons, however, you may want to wait and live with the colors that are in there now and then decide what will work best. As to the color, I would get something that goes well with your cabinetry and flooring, bearing in mind that dark colors make a space appear smaller.
Mutkacy, Va.: Thank you for the opportunity of asking questions:
1.When buying a townhouse with a brick front can I get more money when reselling than my neighbor who has siding on the identical house?
2.When buying a townhouse do I need to make up my mind in regards to options while siding contract or can I do it later. If I can do it later can the option prices go up or do I get the prices from the time of signing up prices.
3. What options sells best and what are most attractive for people:
Do carpets matter?
Do fireplaces matter?
Do kitchen color cabinet matter?
Do hard wood floor matter?
And can you get the money you put in such an upgrade back while selling your house oppose to the townhouse next door with non of them?
Katherine Salant: If you are the only house with the brick siding in your neighborhood, you won't get the money back. If all the houses except your neighbor's have brick, he will have a hard time selling his house.
As for options, you will get the most leverage with the builder BEFORE you sign the contract. The option prices always include a very big mark-up (like about 50 to 100 percent in many cases) so there is a lot of room to manoeuvre. However if there are lots of buyers out there, the builder will be less inclined to bargain.
As for specific options, a carpet upgrade over the builders standard carpet that comes with the basic house is usually a good idea, because the basic carpet is usually of low quality. You should also upgrade the carpet padding; in many cases the standard carpet padding is insufficient, so you should upgrade that in any event; otherwise even the standard carpet will look ratty in no time. A fireplace in the family room is a good idea; any more than that is overdoing it. White cabinets in the kitchen are usually a plus, but they show dirt easily. If you are not the neatest cook, go with a perennial favorite like oak. Hardwood is also a plus, but again, don't over-improve. If you are the only house in your neighborhood with extensive hardwood, you won't get your money out.
Alexandria, Va.: Re: the A/C units. The house is new to us. The house itself is about 30 years old.
Katherine Salant: If you want to be comfortable, get the whole house air conditioned. But before you do this, check out the insulation that is in it. You may need to beef this up; for example, the attic may need to have blown-in insulation added to it (in the summer the attic can heat up to 140 degrees). If only drywall is separating the attic from the space below, the a/c system will have to work much harder. The walls may also benefit from blown in cellulose. Adding to the insulation will also improve the performance of your heating system in the winter.Your windows may also be a source of energy loss if they are single glazed ( have only one pane). As you can see, heating and cooling is not just a simple matter of adding a furnace or an a/c unit. Good luck.
Arlington, Va.: Not everyone likes hardwood. I absolutely hate it. I love to walk around barefoot, and there's nothing worse than constantly walking on tiny pieces of dirt and dust that collects on hardwood. At least I don't feel it on my wall-to-wall carpeting.
Katherine Salant: You are the one in a thousand buyers who hates hardwood. But you'll never be tempted to put it in your house, so you will be saving lots of money while you walk in those bare feet.
Bethesda, Md.: We are looking to buy a house being built by MI homes. How is one to find out this builder's reputation in regards to quality of construction, after sales customer service, etc., etc.?
Katherine Salant: The best source of information is often the recent buyers. Try walking around several communities where the builder is currently building and ask the people living there about their experiences. Some may be more willing to talk than others. As to the quality of construction, bring someone who is knowledgeable about this, such as an experienced home inspector or another builder, to assess it for you. And take a careful look yourself. Ask to see a nearly completed house for another buyer and then give it a VERY thorough look. Turn on the A/C, is it noisy? Can you feel anything coming out of the ducts? Do the walls bulge? Do the light switch and outlet plates looks like they were installed with care or slap-dash? Shut all the doors, open all the windows, turn on the appliances. If there is a drier, look for the vent outside to make sure that the air really is going outside. Turn on the bathroom fans to see if they are noisy. Flush the toilet and see if it sounds like Niagara Falls. By the time you finish with your thorough look, you may have your answer.
washingtonpost.com:
That was our last question today. Thanks so much to Katherine Salant, and to everyone who joined us.
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