Stone Creek Building

These days, outdoor home design is becoming just as popular as indoor home design. We have compiled a list of 12 exterior custom home trends that we want to share with all of you:

1. Outdoor kitchens-Outdoor cooking is fun, relaxing, and enjoyable. Outdoor cooking can keep the heat outside and reduce utility bills.
2. Outdoor Living Area(s) – Relaxing outside is a great way for you to relax after work or on weekends. You can add a bar, a lounge area, a grill, or a dining area to your outdoor living space. Or you could create a paradise by adding a swimming pool. There are many options available, depending on what you want.
3. Outdoor Fireplaces – Enjoy a warm fire with your family and friends outside.
4. Decorative tiles – Tiles that add life to outdoor designs.
5. Swimming pools-Design the perfect pool for your outdoor space. You can create your ideal swimming pool by choosing from a variety of shapes, colors, and lighting elements. Outdoor speakers, umbrellas, lounge chairs, and tables can be added to enhance the outdoor swimming pool’s ambiance.
6. Spas –Plan to add an outdoor spa to your swimming pool or an outdoor spa on its own to complete your outdoor design.
7. Paver Walkways and Stone- Homeowners are adding stone and/or paver walkways outside their homes as an element of their unique home design.
8. Light color stone accents –A wall or area with light color stones can add texture and life to your home’s exterior. These accents are very popular in the front and back of custom homes today.
9. Neutral colors – In 2022, you’ll see warmer and welcoming neutral colors like off-white, cozy colors used outside new construction homes.
10. Unique Functional Lighting- The outdoor lighting industry evolved to meet the needs of homeowners. There are many options available for lighting up your home’s exterior and walkways. You can also use the pool color-changing lights to change the colors of your pool. Customers are opting for energy-efficient lighting options for their homes.
11. Black Accents –Black has become the new black for exterior accents. Black accents on the exterior of your home can dramatically improve its aesthetic.
12. Add Wood Accents to Your Custom Home’s Design – Adding wood accents can increase your home’s curb appeal.

75 Exterior Design Trends You Will Love.

We would love to meet you to design your custom home.

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One of the best decisions a homeowner can make is to remodel or renovate their kitchen, whether their objective is to raise the value of their home or simply to make it a more enjoyable place to live. A property gains value in many different ways when an outdated kitchen is given new life.

Setting a budget early on, being aware of your needs, and being aware of how the money will be spent are essential for getting the most for your money. Prior to going shopping for appliances, tiling, or flooring, be aware of your own needs and remodeling objectives. After that, you can compile a wish list of desired features and start looking for a contractor.

Preferred Budget

To assist homeowners in setting an acceptable budget, the National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA) has provided a guideline regarding the worth of a kitchen redesign.

There are other factors to take into account when making your budget in addition to how much money you can comfortably spend. In essence, investing excessively in a home repair project can slow down the rate of return on your capital.

Budgeting between 15 and 20 percent of your home’s value is advised by the NKBA.

For instance:

• $37,000–$50,000 for a kitchen makeover on a $250,000 house
• $75,000-$100,000 kitchen makeover budget for a $500,000 property

Once you’ve decided on a budget, reduce it by at least 25%. Set aside the additional cash as a safety net to reduce the burden of unforeseen circumstances.

Costing Analysis

The following is the NKBA’s guide for a typical kitchen remodel:

• Hardware and Cabinetry: 29 percent
• 17% of installation
• 14 percent – Appliances and ventilation
• Kitchen countertops: 10%
• 7 percent of the flooring
• 5 percent of lighting
• 5 percent for the walls and ceilings
• Design changes: 4%
• Windows and doors make up 4%.
• Plumbing and faucets: 4 percent
• The remainder: 1%

Determine your priorities

Determine your precise demands and priorities once you have a rough sense of your finances and preferences.

• Is this your permanent residence, or do you have any plans to market it in the near future?
• Are you performing a straightforward update and refresh, a thorough makeover, or a high-end renovation?
• What size kitchen do you require?
• What features of your present kitchen do you like the most?
• What features of your present kitchen do you not like?
• What does your kitchen mostly do?
• You’re a future chef, right? Then you might want to spend money on a butcher-block countertop or an oven and range of professional quality.
• Do you entertain frequently? Then you could wish to plan an open area with a built-in bar and dimmable lighting.
• Do your children spend more time in the kitchen doing their homework as you assemble a quick meal? Then perhaps you might put in a built-in desk, washable surfaces, and a sturdy floor.

Renovate for Sale

You can get a return on your investment in a kitchen makeover of up to 78 percent, according to the Cost vs. Value National Report.

Find out from a realtor which improvements will boost the market value for your neighborhood if the residence is only temporary.

Installing eco-friendly faucets, lighting, and appliances, for instance, can generally increase the value of your property and the return on your investment.

Renovate for Enjoyment and Long-Term Residency

If you plan to stay in this house forever, your investment is in your quality of life. Make a space that is specifically you.

Contact Stone Creek Building for a free consultation and schedule a meeting with to discuss what you’re looking for over a cup of coffee!

Some people are turning to accessory dwelling units, or ADUs, also known as granny flats, in-law quarters, or backyard bungalows, as a solution to the country’s ongoing housing shortage.

These compact, standalone homes are often low-impact and energy-efficient. Where permitted, they can increase housing in an area with less disruption than building new apartment buildings, according to supporters.

In today’s competitive housing market, they’re receiving a fresh look. According to economists and real estate agents, the last couple of years have seen a shortage of available properties, and many of them are selling for more than their asking price.

ADUs are a trend toward smaller, more cost-effective, and energy-efficient dwellings, according to Sheri Koones, whose new book “Bigger than Tiny, Smaller than Average” (Gibbs-Smith, March 2022) has several examples.

According to Koones, who has written extensively about small homes and sustainable architecture, high ceilings, lots of natural light, built-in furnishings, and open floor layouts may make ADUs feel more livable than their modest footprints might indicate.

Scott Mooney, an architect in the Portland, Oregon, area who developed an ADU with his wife, Lauren Shumaker, a construction engineer, concurs that a little room may actually be a generous living experience.

The 624-square-foot residence has been their home for more than four years, where they also keep their dog and toddler. The larger 1950s home that originally stood on the 5,000-square-foot lot was rented out.

The key is optimizing outdoor access, with plenty of built-ins, light, and vistas, as well as pocket doors rather than swinging doors. It resembles what you might find in an RV or a bespoke vehicle, said Mooney.

A detached garage could be converted into an ADU, or an apartment could be built over an attached garage. It could have a separate entrance and be a component of a basement. If the site is large enough, it might also be a brand-new building; prefab ADUs or designs are available for purchase.

While most of the time, these flats can’t be sold independently from a house, they can be used as guest houses or as somewhere for elderly parents or adult children to live. They may be rented out in some regions or, as with the Mooneys, serve as lodging for the owners, who then rent out the primary residence.

Stone Creek Building specializes in constructing a perfect ADU to go with your property. Learn about our building process and check out some of the projects we have done in the past, and if you like what you see, contact us for a free consultation!

In this article, we are going to go over five reasons to hire a general contractor to lead your remodeling job and leave it up to the specialists.

1. Time and money are saved.

Home remodeling tasks may be both expensive and time-consuming. Depending on the complexity of the project, you can review estimates from several professionals and choose more cost-effective products and modifications as a budget-conscious homeowner.

When it comes to the availability of the labor and those resources, you won’t have as much wiggle room. General contractors are in charge of project scheduling, ensuring that materials are ordered and jobs are executed as close to the deadline as possible.

General contractors are accustomed to timing work and supply deliveries around the needs of busy subcontractors who are likely working on many projects at the same time. A professional general contractor will keep a slush fund on hand to pay all subcontractors on time as needed. Everyone paid on time means no one leaves the job due to a lack of pay, and your project will go as planned.

2. Delegate project management to the professionals.

In addition to whatever home renovation projects you’ve started, you probably have other work and family obligations. It’s usually advisable to delegate project management to a professional, especially if you’re working on a large, multistage project.

An experienced general contractor is an expert at balancing multiple responsibilities, such as material deliveries and subcontractor recruiting. Even if it means much of your home is covered with drop cloths, this will make it much easier for you to continue your everyday life.

Of course, you’ll be kept up to date on everything at all times. Instead of engaging with all of those numerous workers and suppliers, the general contractor will be your primary point of contact, ensuring that there is no misunderstanding about the state of the project.

3. Take advantage of pre-existing collaborations

An experienced general contractor will have developed good working relationships with a wide range of subcontractors and suppliers. This is fantastic news for you as a homeowner.

For one thing, it signifies that those subcontractors and suppliers are trustworthy, as the general contractor has grown to know and trust them as a result of previous positive encounters with them. In the home renovation market, reputation is key, and everyone prefers to work with people who are recognized for fulfilling their word, from general contractors to suppliers to subcontractors.

These strong bonds may also be beneficial to your bottom line. General contractors can often receive lower pricing on supplies and labor, especially if they know they’ll need more of both in the future. When a general contractor is honest and pleasant to work with, it bodes well for the timely completion of your project.

4. Relax and unwind

A home renovation project isn’t something easy, it comes with a lot of responsibility and liability, and most of it falls on the shoulders of the general contractor. You can trust your general contractor to be licensed and insured, and you can rest assured that everyone they work with will be as well. Accidents on the job site can injure workers and cause property damage; this is why liability insurance is very important for general contractors to have, so in case anything goes bad under their roof, their employees have worker compensation.

Furthermore, an experienced general contractor understands how to adhere to all local codes and will guarantee that the subcontractors do as well. This implies that all required permissions will be obtained and that the projects will pass a future home inspection. Property owners can feel certain that the work is being done professionally and that no shortcuts are being taken that could prove to be costly or even harmful in the future.

5. Get it done right the first time.

When you complete a DIY home renovation project, you’ll feel a tremendous sense of accomplishment. However, if the project fails or remains unfinished, it will be a tremendous letdown. While it’s one thing to give DIY projects a go, it’s quite another to take on dangerous activities or those that demand more than your skill level or toolkit can manage.

It’s always advisable to hire a competent team of home remodelers to ensure that a task is done correctly. Their genuine worth stems from their years of expertise completing many of the same types of jobs, resulting in better, faster work than you could do as a novice DIYer.

If you start a project and discover you need to engage a specialist to finish it, keep in mind that it may cost them more to remedy your DIY mistakes than it would have cost you to hire them to do the task in the first place.

When it comes to home renovation tasks, time is money. Hiring a general contractor might help you save both time and money. Aside from keeping an eye on your budget as a homeowner, you can benefit from a general contractor’s previous expertise in managing and completing numerous similar projects.

While you may be unclear about how to handle all of the stages of a multistage remodeling or renovation project, an experienced general contractor has seen and done it all before. Now all you have to do is sit back and enjoy the results.

If you’re in the Portland, Oregon area, contact Stone Creek Building for custom home building and more!

Green, environmentally friendly home design is gaining popularity. When creating a home, it adheres to strict energy efficiency standards, makes use of renewable energy sources, and uses non-toxic materials. Solar panels are a critical component of achieving this aim because they enable the production of clean, sustainable electricity directly from your own roof!

So, what is green home design exactly? According to one definition, “green building practices enhance a building’s environmental performance by integrating and optimizing all aspects of construction — energy conservation, water conservation, waste management, and indoor environmental quality — while adhering to accepted best practices and technologies. Green homes can help consumers save money on utility expenses and improve their level of comfort.” More broadly, it entails improving people’s living conditions and protecting the planet’s health.

Additionally, homeowners are beginning to consider building materials while designing a green home. Wood, bamboo, clay (adobe), and straw bale are also popular choices. Each of these materials has unique environmental characteristics that contribute to its eco-friendliness. Wood is naturally insect and rot resistant; bamboo’s root system aids in erosion control; clay absorbs carbon dioxide rather than creating it, as concrete does; and straw bale is an excellent insulator.

Eco-friendly house design also does not have to be prohibitively expensive. There are numerous inexpensive “green” materials that can be used in construction. The building industry is recognizing the importance of sustainable practices, and innovation has resulted in the development of more efficient equipment that will aid in the reduction of energy usage.

If you’re interested in having a custom green home built in the Portland, Oregon area, contact Stone Creek Building to see if we can help you build the house you’re looking for!