Skilled Minneapolis Custom Home Builders Can Construct Efficient Homes

Last August 17, 2013, the Star Tribune posted a report on their website regarding the exhibition of an eco-home at the Minnesota State Fair. The model eco-home, dubbed the Gen-Y Eco House, was built by students of the University of Minnesota and was specifically created to match the preferences of those born under Generation Y. Notably, the model unit emphasizes economy in spacing. The Gen-Y Eco House represents a possible future for home development, though such a design has yet to catch on among traditional builders around Minneapolis. Those of Generation Y, or the Millenials, who currently want such a home will have to approach the right Minneapolis custom home builders to accomplish the task. Preferably, a skilled contractor like JPC Custom Homes should oversee the building of the futurist house.

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The Anatomy of an Awesome Home

When asked for their idea of the perfect house, most people will be able to answer at the drop of a hat. This is probably because many of us have spent countless hours imagining where we'd like to live and what amenities our dream abode will have. Here are a few more things to consider when it comes to building an awesome home:

A Great Kitchen

Everyone loves good food, and a big, organized kitchen is where you get a chance to make it. A lot of houses have these tiny, cramped kitchens where you can barely fry an egg let alone make a gourmet meal. Realize your full master chef potential with an amazing kitchen.

A Big Garage

For all of you who enjoy tinkering with your car—or cars—the garage would definitely be your haven. With all the tools and vehicles you'd be working with, you'd need a big space to house it all, and that's what a big garage is for. You can even store loads of other stuff in it aside from just tools and equipment.

A Lovely Deck

Finally, where will you and your friends relax, grill some eats, and hang out on weekends if not on your very own deck? A dream home would simply be incomplete without one.

A dream home starts as just that, a dream. But dreams can become reality, especially if you have custom home builders by your side.

Short on Lumber? Recycle Old Lumber or Sell to Buy More Lumber

The lumber industry is in for a tight year, with supply remaining low and prices high. The International Wood Markets Group in Vancouver estimates that the price of lumber will skyrocket to $600 in the next four years. This plays against home builders and their clients, as most building or renovating jobs are done with wood. When a commodity grows expensive, recycling is one of the usual solutions; but can you actually recycle wood for building?

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says it's possible, but you can't do it the same way as recycling common solid waste. Treated wood or lumber shorter than six feet are examples of wood that can't be recycled and reused for home building or renovating. Painted wood can be reused as long as you can remove the paint; otherwise, it's off to waste disposal.

Fortunately, recycling isn't the only way to cope with rising lumber prices. Wood waste can be brought to a reuse outlet for cash, namely a Habitat for Humanity ReStore branch. If you can't reuse the wood for a custom-made home, you can always sell it and use the earnings to fund your need for lumber. In other words, you can use selling as a Plan B if recycling wood proves to be hard or impossible.

Modern Kitchen Layout Ideas for Your New Home

Hiring reliable custom home builders is an excellent way to make sure your house is as efficient as it is beautiful. However, it's still important that you're fully aware and in control of how every nook and cranny of your home will look like to make sure it suits your own design ideas, and makes your home comfortable. Here are some layout ideas you can use for your kitchen: 

L-Shaped 

The L-shaped kitchen, as the name suggests, has one long and one short side that meet in a corner. It can either be attached to the wall as a part of a room or a distinct space on its own. This layout is very efficient as it promotes continuous workflow. It also allows an additional island counter to be placed in the middle. 

U-Shaped 

U-shaped kitchens are basically L-shapes with a third wall attachment to accommodate additional storage areas. This layout allows easy access to everything in the kitchen as well as provides ample counter space. Usually, the range and the refrigerator face each other from opposite walls. 

Galley Type 

With two parallel walls, the galley design makes use of the aisle for efficiency. The refrigerator and other food preparation appliances are placed on one side while the cooking and cleaning equipment are placed next to each other in another. Whichever kitchen design you choose, always consider the work area triangle which includes the range, refrigerator and sink for ease of food preparation and cleaning.