How to Create an Appropriate Budget for Your El Paso Custom Home
So you have decided to build a custom home but are not quite sure where to start. Cullers Homes is here to help you every step of the way when it comes to designing and building the custom home of your dreams! The first step when it comes to any construction project is to create a budget that works for you. Let’s take a look at how to create a budget for your next El Paso custom home.
Step 1: Have a Vision
Even before considering costs for building a custom home in El Paso, homeowners should first develop a clear vision of what they want out of their new home. The possibilities for building a custom home are quite literally endless, and homeowners should have a game plan for their design that includes the following:
The ideal home location or neighborhood
How many square feet the house will be
The number of bedrooms, bathrooms, and other areas in the home
The design of the home (i.e., modern, traditional, mid-century modern, farmhouse, etc.)
Additional features such as detached garages, outdoor pools, garden areas, and more
Having a clear vision can help all members of the construction and design team to help homeowners build the custom home of their dreams!
Step 2: Build a Budget
Now that you have a vision for your new custom home, the next step is building a budget to make your dreams become a reality. Some costs to consider when building a budget for your El Paso custom home include:
The cost of the land or lot used for building
Costs for lot preparation such as tree removal, excavation, ground leveling, demolition, and more
Home design and architecture costs, including blueprints and floor plans
Material and building costs
Costs for landscaping or additions such as pool installation, driveway paving, and more
Hiring the help of a professional bookkeeping service or accountant can help you develop a budget for your new custom home and stay on track every step of the way.
Step 3: Draw up the Plans
Now that you have created a vision and organized a budget for your custom home, it is time for the excitement to begin! The first step in making your dreams a reality is hiring a professional architect to draw up the plans for your new home. The cost for this service is generally anywhere between $800 and $2,700 and can include a variety of elements, including the hard copy of the blueprint, photos, digital models, and more.
Step 4: Hire Professionals
After getting together a budget and hiring a professional architect, the next step is to find professional contractors, plumbers, and builders in El Paso that are ready to get the job done! To find the right professional for your custom home, check out these expert tips:
Ask for recommendations from business associates
Start with an online search for contractors in your area
Conduct over the phone and in-person interviews
Confirm their license details and qualifications
Set a payment schedule and get everything in writing
Finding the right professional for building your custom home may take some time, but hiring the wrong people for the job can end in disaster, so choose wisely!
Custom Homes in El Paso
Now that you have got all your ducks in a row, Cullers Homes is ready to help you get started on building your very own custom home in El Paso! Contact us today for more information on how our team can help you build the custom home of your dreams.
The Top Custom Home Trends of 2022
As custom home builders, we see trends come and go as homeowners seek specific characteristics in their homes. Society changes, and so do people’s homes. In so many ways, the home is a reflection of cultural trends and the way people’s lifestyle changes over time.
2022 has brought new and aspiring changes, as well as some revisiting of traditional styles. Let’s look at some of the trends of the year so far.
If you want to learn more about what a custom home builder in El Paso can do for you. Contact the design team at Cullers Homes to learn about how we design our amazing homes!
Emerging New Trends for Custom Homes in El Paso
Everyone’s dream home is different, but cultural changes often dictate an overlap in what people seek in their homes and how people live. For example, Covid had a cultural, social, and economic impact across the board, and the ripple effects reached people of all ilks.
Here is how the custom home market has reacted:
#1) The Age of Performance and Multifunctionality
The time of single-use spaces is long gone. The pandemic certainly had an effect on this as people were forced to make better use of every room in their homes. Kitchens became study halls, guest bedrooms became home offices, living rooms became entertainment centers, and so on. One of the leading trends and sought-after characteristics of any home is one that allows for higher performance and more functionality.
#2) Sustainability and Green Choices
The desire for green building is only increasing. As energy prices go up and the conversation shifts more heavily towards green energy and sustainability, people want their homes to reflect that. A custom home is a perfect opportunity for people to seek new and cutting-edge design approaches to green building.
Buyers are interested in sustainability because it improves comfort and energy efficiency but also because they are concerned about their part in the environment. Emerging sustainability approaches to new home construction include sustainable design, smart home technology, new appliances, sustainable and natural materials, and modular construction.
#3) Emphasis on Nature and Natural-Building
The closure of restaurants and eateries changed the way people prepared meals in their homes. They brought back the joy of cooking at home and led countless people to rediscover the possibilities of creating intimate experiences with the family in their own kitchen. Another way people bring in the outdoors is by designing homes with larger windows, open layouts, and natural building materials.
#4) The Home Office
Future homeowners want their home to lend itself to their lifestyles and what’s important. One of the most requested additions to new custom homes is the home office. Today’s home office, of course, is more than just an extra room.
People want enough room for a desk, workstation, and maybe even a larger screen for conferences. At the same time, it has to be equipped with extra electrical outlets and enough juice to power multiple devices. Because of so many people working from home or part of the hybrid method, a home office has become indispensable.
#5) Aesthetic Changes and Details
In addition to design features and extra rooms, homeowners look for aesthetic choices in the small details.
Light fixtures. People like control over the way they illuminate their homes. When it’s not via natural light with high windows, large windows, or skylights, the type of light fixture has become a sought-after detail.
Ceilings and Beams are in style in 2022. The sight of exposed beams and headers is a trend that started a few years ago and has only become more popular in recent years. There is something about the emphasis on the natural materials or the exposure of the ceiling fixtures that have become an attractive feature in custom homes.
The choices for light fixtures are endless and they come in all different styles. From mid-century light fixtures, industrial-style, minimalist, glam lighting, traditional chandeliers, bohemian-style fixtures, farmhouse lighting, and more.
Our Custom Home Builders will Design a Home to Perfectly Fit Your Family’s Lifestyle!
Cullers Homes has been designing custom homes in El Paso for more than a decade. As times change, we modify our homes and building techniques to improve and better suit the client’s vision.
Whether it’s improving on the type of material we use, our design process, or implementing new aesthetics, features, or colors, we look for ways to be ahead of the industry and construct homes that are cutting-edge, quality, and top of the line.
Want to learn more about what we do here at Cullers Homes? If you’re looking for a custom build in El Paso, connect with our team today.
5 Reasons a Custom Home Provides More Value than a Pre-Owned
Everybody wants more bang for their buck. When it comes to a significant investment like a home, people seek to buy a home that exceeds their expectations but not their budget. This is difficult to do when looking at resale homes on the market. So if you’re on the market for a new home, here’s what you need to know about the value a custom home brings to the table.
So, why go the custom build route? The reasons are many, but we focus on some of the main pain points homeowners face when they embark on the home-buying journey.
Let’s take a look.
The Market Can Be Unpredictable
Let’s start with some stats. The real estate industry has been on quite the roller coaster in the past two years of the pandemic. In many places, including El Paso, a seller’s market dominated as interest rates dropped and uncertainty loomed. For many on the house hunt, this meant a limited amount of inventory that was significantly overpriced. Not only that, but many home buyers found themselves engaged in bidding wars that meant making compromises on the property and settling for something they would not have otherwise considered their ‘dream home.’
Many buyers automatically assume that building a new home comes with a much higher price tag. According to data from Lending Tree, the median sales price of new vs existing homes has narrowed in recent years. According to the numbers from the Census Bureau, the median price for a new home was $390,500 and a resale home was $359,900. That’s an approximate difference of $30,000, which is below what that difference has been in recent years.
As Builder magazine points out, many folks might consider a pre-owned home to be a more accessible route, but the value of a custom home goes far beyond the price tag. Housing industry experts predicted that demands for new homes will now wane in 2022 but with higher interest rates and low inventory, it might make it difficult to find the right house on the market.
5 Reasons Why a Custom Home Provides You More Value
Good investments are all about value and returns. As consumers, we know that saving money now doesn’t always mean saving money on a longer timeline. Quality matters, as does longevity with something that requires constant maintenance.
#1 Get a one-on-one journey with cutting-edge designers.
When you work with a custom home builder like Cullers Homes, your home-buying experience is very different from the journey of purchasing a pre-owned home. Sitting down with a designer means you get to flesh out your vision and adopt a cutting-edge design and floor plan to your new home. You avoid the mess of driving to an open house to find a home that doesn’t fit your style.
You get to decide on everything from the plumbing, foundation, floor plan, insulation, amenities, and more. When working with a designer, you discuss the foundational aspects of the house but also the aesthetics to ensure that your home fits your vision.
#2 Builder’s Warranty
When you purchase a pre-owned home you run the risk of running into a few surprises after you move in. Custom Home Builders will provide buyers with a builder’s warranty, which secures the property for a certain amount of time.
#3 Repairs and Maintenance
A pre-owned home will likely require some repairs or maintenance as soon as you move in. This is often the biggest expenditure that new homeowners face as they pick up the keys to their new homes. Whether it’s ceiling issues, water damage, or simple upgrades to appliances, paint, and light fixtures. When you move into a custom-built home, there are no accumulating repairs that will sneak up on you in less than a year. Your flooring is new, ceilings, light fixtures, landscaping, appliances, and more.
#4 Savings on Utilities
Today’s homes have learned a thing or two about energy savings and will cut down on bills due to the installation of more efficient appliances, better insulation, windows, design, and building materials. A modern home implements a variety of smart building techniques and features that add up to a better-performing and longer-lasting home. Cullers Homes implements energy-efficient principles when building a home to help homeowners save on energy.
#5 Custom Design
Ultimately, the design is custom-made for you. And while that is the initial draw to custom-build homes, the value extends far beyond it. But let’s talk about why a custom design provides value. Nobody understands your lifestyles and your priorities better than you. And whether you are a young couple looking to settle down and start a family, or whether you are a growing family, or empty nesters trying to find some peace and quiet, your home should adapt to your lifestyle and what you consider important.
Build it Right. Get Quality, Value, & Optimal Efficiency With Cullers
After years of working with the El Paso community, we have established deep routes with our custom designers, architects, and work crew. Every person on the team works to make your custom home a reality in the fastest and most convenient way possible.
Are you ready to learn more about the Sun City’s leading custom home builder? Contact Cullers Homes today and make an appointment.
Embarking on the Custom Homes Journey: What You Need to Know
We all know that age-old adage of “it’s not the destination, it’s the journey.” We’ve likely heard this in all different kinds of contexts. Many times, it refers to the challenges that we set for ourselves in our lives and how it is the process itself that makes the final end place worth it and special. When it comes to building a home, the process is the journey and the destination is, in a sense, the final product. And yet, even when your home is finished, the journey barely begins as it is then that a new chapter of life begins.
Know the Difference Between Spec Home and Custom Home
People looking to buy a freshly built home often confuse these two terms or use them interchangeably. Let’s take a look at the difference. The process of purchasing a spec home is a little bit different. When the housing markets are strong and robust— as they seem to be these days—builders will often put forth a lot of time, energy, and resources into building a new home on ‘speculation’ that they will be able to sell it promptly. It’s where the term ‘spec’ comes from. A lot of times, this is based on finding a great lot location that is likely to attract homebuyers, as well as a contemporary layout and floor plan with modern amenities and fixtures.
A full custom builder, on the other hand, will technically not start building until the home buyer has picked out the lot of their choice and floor plans and layout have been agreed upon.
Beginning the Journey — Choosing the Right Path
So before we go on any journey, we typically have some idea of where we want to go. The first step, in the custom home journey is to find a lot that appeals to you, your family, and your future goals. Where do you see yourself living? What kind of neighborhood are you looking for?
Setting off on the Journey — Choosing the Right Guide
While building your home is an intimate experience between you and your family, spouse, perhaps, your custom home builder serves as a kind of guide through it all. This is an exciting opportunity to work towards your vision and think about how you and your family live and how you want the space to accommodate that. Find a builder that is willing to listen and help you with the design. A good home builder will have expert home designers and architects within their ranks that are there to guide you through. Make a list of features that are not negotiable or that you really expect to see in your new home and make sure your home builder can deliver. This can be characteristics of a new home like:
Energy efficiency. Features like:
Spray foam insulation
Low E glass windows
New water heaters
Garage insulation
Floor plans. Consider questions like:
Single story or two-story home
Open layout or a throwback to closed layouts
Backyard and extra space
Let Your Imagination Come Forward — Envisioning the Destination
Perhaps one of the most exciting moments is the moment when a family walks into their newly built ready-to-move-in home. This is the work they put in and the imagination that brought them to this floor plan and interior design. Have control and choose all of the following and more:
Style of home
Floor plan
Flooring material
Paint color
Ceiling style
Roofing
Light fixtures
The markets are constantly changing and so are customer demands. Today, there are more buyers that want custom homes than there are builders building them. Also, buyers will take a smaller lot for convenience and affordability. In fact, a good custom home builder and designer can achieve quite a bit in a smaller lot. Building a home that is efficient in space and minimal is, in fact, a desired option for many people looking to downsize or stick to something simple.
Moving Forward with Confidence — Communicating With Your Guide
Throughout the building process, you want to make sure that there is clear communication between you and your home builder. After all, they are your guide on this journey. They should inform you of material costs, options, offer ideas, and more.
Arrive at Your Destination — Open the Door to Your New Home
Behind that door lies the rest of your life! Get ready to create wonderful memories and achieve your utmost productivity in a home that is custom-fitted for you and your lifestyle. The building process can take anywhere from 6-9 months, maybe less. This might depend on a variety of factors including size, materials, and other specifications that might require more time. If you’re looking to embark on a journey of a lifetime, to save money, to ensure your safety and money’s worth, call Cullers Homes today.
What Goes Into Building a Custom Home?
The art of custom home building boils down to personal choice. Perhaps you’ve seen countless amounts of homes for sale and none seemed to suit your fancy and you want to take matters into your own hands. If you find yourself in this situation, then you’re in luck! Cullers Homes has been building custom homes in El Paso for many years, and we’re ready to bring your dreams into reality. Keep reading to learn more about what goes into the custom home building process.
Choosing the Right Custom Home Team
When it comes to custom homes, it’s in your best interest to choose a home builder who can bring your dreams to fruition. Some builders may not be the right choice for your particular needs so it’s best to look around. Take a look at builders’ previous works and their current floor plans to see if they suit your needs. Once you have the right team in mind, it’s time to organize all your needs and wants so you’ll be able to bring all these ideas to fruition. Schedule a meeting with your home builder of choice in order to go over your ideas, style, and anything else you’d like in your custom home.
Gathering Your Ideas, Dreams, and Wants
What were the things you disliked about the homes you saw before? Were their garages too small, too large, did they have too few rooms? Or do you have a more “out there” idea for your custom home? No matter what you have in mind, now’s your chance to speak with your home building team to see what can be done and what shouldn’t be done. A six-story home with one room in each floor might not be the best idea, for instance, but a two-story home with attic space for a spare bedroom can perfectly suit your needs. This is your chance to iron out everything you have in mind. The next step is the actual construction of the home.
Sit Back and Relax!
Any home builder can build a home that looks nice but only the best home builders can create a building that will stand the test of time. Cullers Homes, for instance, uses only the best of the best. Our homes are all Energy Star certified, so they’ll look good and run efficiently, as well. Even the windows and insulation we use in our builds are Energy Star certified. Your dream home awaits!
The Tangibility of Dreams: Exhuming a Custom Home from Your Mind
Let’s try a mental exercise. When you read the words “dream home,” what kind of images appear in your head? Perhaps you’ve been thinking about moving into a bigger home and you have a few ideas in mind. Do you picture a wide-open kitchen with beautiful tiles and state-of-the-art stainless steel appliances? Or do you first envision the facade of this dream home? Is it a colonial home? Or does it boast a more Spanish colonial architectural design? Now that we have the exterior of the home in mind, let’s open the front door and enter. Throughout this mental journey of your dream home, we will be able to discern all of your wants and needs. Once the exercise is complete, you can choose Cullers Homes to make your dream home a reality!
Walking Through the Front Door of Your Dreams
Here we are, in your dream home’s entryway. At first, you notice the beautiful gray tiles below your feet; their hues compliment the sand-colored walls. You take a few steps forward and enter the kitchen. Everything is spaced out perfectly and there’s even a kitchen island in the middle where you can prepare dinner for the family. A large, well-lit kitchen is necessary for all your culinary experiences to proceed without a hitch. When it comes to building the home of your dreams, you’ll be able to bring all your desires to fruition.
A Living Room Worthy of its Title
Let’s proceed to the living room where you’ll be able to contemplate the smaller details of the home itself. Take a look at the lighting. Are the fixtures contemporary or more traditional? El Paso is a sunny city; perhaps you’ve decided on installing skylights throughout your home for more natural light. You feel the soft hue of the Sun City filtering in through the skylight as you continue past the living room.
Onward Towards a Master Bedroom Designed for Optimal Rest and Relaxation
Now, you enter the master bedroom. It’s spacious and cozy. There are wide beautiful windows and tall ceilings that bring about a sense of class and comfort. The master bathroom itself looks like something out of an interior design magazine (or maybe it looks more like a spa).
A Few Rooms of One’s Own
Since this is your dream home, you can decide to add as many or as few rooms as possible. Now’s your chance to include that home theater you’ve had in mind for years. Or that office in the far corner of the house where the noise from your family won’t disturb you as you work. Maybe you can dedicate a room to be your study or library.
Choose Cullers Homes as Your Go-To Custom Home Builder, Today!
It’s easy to envisage a dreamlike residence; a handful of rooms, a few doors and windows and you’re set. But what does it take to make this dream a tangible reality? It’s crucial to choose a custom home builder who doesn’t cut corners, especially when it comes to choosing the right materials. At Cullers Homes, we are proud to be El Paso’s top choice for high-quality custom homes. We also design our homes to be as energy efficient as possible. Each build is designed to reduce energy consumption by 40%. So, if you’re ready, give Cullers Homes a call. We can’t wait to get started on your dream home!
El Paso Home Builders and High Performance Home Design
The Sun City, as it is often known, is a thriving and burgeoning place. Thanks to a growing population and development there is an abundance of land waiting to be built on and new beautiful neighborhoods sprouting up all around town. El Paso home builders like Cullers Homes provide El Pasoans a tremendous opportunity to purchase a custom built home that is not only elegant but high performing and done their way.
Qualities of a Good Home Builder
Home building is an intricate industry with many different facets of production working in tandem. The people that build your home have a huge responsibility, as the home buyer is counting on them to build the place they will inhabit for years to come. In order for quality homes to be built, a builder must know the ins and outs, be dedicated to the final product, and have the best working for him.
Home builders specialize in new homes, a lot of times these are customized houses or ones that have a preconceived layout with a variety of modifiable characteristics. The custom home industry today is certainly growing, as people discover the amazing benefits and possibilities that come with building their home as opposed to buying resale.
What is a High-Performance Home
There are many desired features of new homes today. Many of the available characteristics of new custom homes mean that your house will be a high performing structure that will not only increase comfort but enhance your lifestyle. Some of the consideration of custom builders include:
Quality building materials to increase longevity and energy efficiency
El Paso home builders must consider site characteristics and local climate
Good insulation practices
Installation of modern HVAC systems
The Many Aspects of Building Homes
Builders are very well versed in the housing industry. They must understand and assess a variety of aspects within the industry including site characteristics, zoning laws, building codes, architecture, modern home plans and more. So as El Paso home builders we are comprised of architects, contractors, carpenters, plumbers, all working as a team. This proficiency is fused together to create the well-functioning and highly skilled entity of experts constructing your new house.
Have a Say in Your Future
One great aspect of working with local home builders is the communication between you and your builder. If they are completely custom building your home, your builder will be in constant communication with you in order to ensure that you are fully aware and cognizant of building decisions, design elements, and progress.
Choose the Best El Paso Home Builders
Cullers Homes is ready to build your dream house. You can choose from any of our beautiful layouts or decide to go full custom. Either way, we are ready to serve you and help you find the right house for you and your family.
Making Custom Homes Work For You
Custom homes allow you to design a house, rather than move into a house someone else has designed. You don’t have to settle for colors or features that are not what you would have picked. You also don’t have to deal with remodeling or trying to make a floor plan work. Why even consider a home that does not have enough space for your family? With beautiful custom homes built by Cullers Homes, you can create your dream El Paso house that will be a haven for you and your family.
Custom Homes Provide Space for Your Lifestyle
The most significant benefit of custom homes is that you can make your space work for you. Maybe you home-school and need a classroom. Or you love to cook and need a hug kitchen, or have pets that need space. Whether you are single, married, have kids, or live with friends, you can create a floor plan that gives space for everyone. You won’t have to settle for a standard El Paso house with the same old floor plan. You can maximize the value of your space by making it work for you.
Custom Homes Give You The Ability to Express Your Creativity
Custom homes also allow you to make your home match your design aesthetic. You can choose fixtures and finishes that aren’t cookie cutter but that are unique to you. Your El Paso home won’t look like anyone else’s house, because it will be designed by you.
Finding Out More About Custom Homes
If you are thinking about custom homes, you need to find a good builder who can make your vision a reality. For more than 50 years, Cullers Homes has been helping families to create their dream houses in El Paso. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you to make a home you will adore for years to come.
Benefits of Searching for Brand New Homes for Sale
Many people who are checking out homes for sale will find themselves frustrated with older options. Older homes may not have floor plans that are open and up-to-date. They may not incorporate the newest building features that people are interested in. Prospective homeowners may also be concerned about whether older homes in El Paso have deferred maintenance issues that could lead to high costs. The good news is, you don’t have to buy an older house. You can come to Cullers Homes for a custom build or to find newly-completed homes that are ready for you to move into.
Why Buy Brand New Homes for Sale?
Buying brand new homes for sale instead of older homes can have many substantial advantages. For example, Cullers Homes offers a full new home warranty. Houses are also built up to modern codes, with energy-efficient features incorporated and with the latest amenities. You have many different options throughout El Paso to find brand new homes we have built that you can move into and that you will fall in love with, so start shopping today.
Looking for Brand New Homes for Sale
If you are looking for brand new homes for sale, it is important to carefully research neighborhoods and to find out about the quality of the builder. You want to end up in a good location so your property maintain its value. You also want to make sure your home is built by someone you can trust. Cullers Homes has been building in the El Paso area for some time. We are known for commitment to energy efficiency and quality. So, be sure to check out our new home offerings.
Contact Cullers Homes about Homes for Sale
Cullers Homes can show you many beautiful homes for sale. Contact us todayif you are interested in buying a brand new house in the El Paso area. You will love what you find!
Make Your Luxury Home Dreams Come True
Imagine living in a newly built home with the nicest features and amenities that you never knew you could afford. The features offered in this home are customized directly to suit your needs. Everything is made with you in mind at the highest possible quality. You probably think that a luxury home like that is unattainable. Luckily, Cullers Homes is a reputed builder of custom and luxury homes in the El Paso area that wants to make this dream of yours come true.
What is Our Secret to a Luxury Home?
By choosing Cullers Homes, you can create the perfect El Paso luxury home for you and your family. We offer some of the most affordable rates to create your own home. Make this fantasy a reality and create your own luxury home today. Skip the tedious process of looking at houses that are not right for you. Building a custom luxury home is the perfect solution, because you have input on design and other details.
What Do We Offer?
We have beautiful floor plans for you to choose from in all the subdivisions we build in. We are always striving to exceed your expectations at Culler’s Homes to bring you the comfort you deserve. When you walk through the front doors to your newly built luxury home, you will wonder how you ever felt at home anywhere else. We value and cherish your input during the build process because we want you to be happy and content with your choice of coming to us when creating your new home. It is possible for you to have the home you always dreamed of for an affordable price. Don’t let the word luxury intimidate you when it comes to your happiness.
For more information on our custom and luxury homes, contact us today!