Learn about some smart technology features to include in your custom home.

How to Increase Living Space for Your Custom Home

To increase space for your custom home, consider the following features and tips:

1. Create an Organized and Efficient Kitchen

The kitchen will be the heart of your home regardless of the layout and aesthetic style you choose. As the space where family members and guests gather, your kitchen requires significant consideration to ensure that it strikes a balance between appeal and functionality. While you may be tempted to focus on your appliances, countertop materials, and backsplash, it is equally important to consider the number of cabinets and drawers in your space. It is also crucial to ensure that your kitchen is organized in a way that is easy to cook in and move through. This will ensure that you always have enough space to cook while safely entertaining guests and spending time with family members instead of feeling cramped or confined in an appealing but inefficient space.

2. Construct Multi-Purpose Rooms

Modern homes typically utilize an open floorplan with fewer walls, creating a breathable and open space that is highly customizable. By opting for larger, open spaces instead of small and enclosed rooms, you can use certain rooms in your home for multiple purposes. For example, you can use one room as a home office and workout area with some built-in storage instead of using 3 different rooms for these purposes. This will allow you to reduce the number of walls required for your home while allowing for an open feeling and efficient flow between rooms.

3. Think About the Future

When designing your floorplan and choosing storage systems for your custom home, it is crucial to consider if your space will suit your needs 1 year, 5 years, and 10 years in the future. This will help to ensure that your home is still a great fit for you, your family, and your lifestyle even if they change significantly.

4. Creative Shelving and Storage

Creative shelving and storage solutions can drastically reduce clutter and free up floor space by giving you a dedicated space to keep various items. Consider utilizing aesthetic wall-based shelving, under-stairs storage, and unique cabinetry to maximize storage space while preserving the appeal and flow of your home.

To learn more about our custom home solutions, get in touch with the team at Hyline Construction. We can be reached through our online contact form and will be happy to answer any questions you may have regarding our services or the details of your project.

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Learn about some of the factors that affect the cost of custom homes.

4 Reasons to Choose an Open Floor Plan

Open floors plans offer the following benefits for homeowners and their families:

1. Easy Entertaining

If you want your custom home to be the perfect space for entertaining, an open floor plan can drastically enhance the experience for yourself and your guests. An open layout allows you to prepare food in the kitchen while maintaining the ability to see and speak to your guests in the living room and other areas of your home. This type of interior design eliminates the need to run from room to room to cook food and socialize. Open floor plans also help to prevent overcrowding in hallways or smaller rooms by allowing for more space between one area of your home to another.

2. Larger Feel

Open floor plans feature fewer walls than traditional layouts in interior design, allowing for better traffic flow and visibility. This makes your space feel larger even if it is the same amount of square footage as a home with a traditional floor plan. Open floor plans only feature walls and doors for bedrooms and bathrooms, creating a feeling of interconnectivity and “openness” that makes your home easier to navigate.

3. Enhanced Light Coverage

By omitting interior walls and hallways in your interior design, open floor plans allow for unobstructed light coverage from natural and artificial light sources. By utilizing large and strategically placed windows in your home, you will always have a great view of your outdoor space while keeping the interior of your home bright and inviting.

4. Better Visibility and Safety

For families with young children, a lack of visibility can be a safety hazard. An open floor plan makes it easy to keep an eye on your children from nearly any location in your home. This is true even if your child is playing outside in your yard, as no walls are there to get in the way of your windows.

To learn more about our custom home building solutions or to discuss the details of your project, get in touch with the team at Hyline Construction. We can be reached by phone at 604-889-5242 or through our online contact form and will be happy to answer any questions you may have regarding our services.

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Learn about the factors that affect the cost of custom homes.

3 Myths About the Custom Home Building Process

When discussing custom homes, the following myths are among the most common and widespread:

1. You Will Always Pay Hidden Fees

While an inexperienced home builder may present you with unexpected or hidden fees, this should not be the case when hiring an experienced builder. Before providing you with a detailed project quote, an experienced custom home builder will take the time to fully understand your custom home wants and needs. Your builder should also account for potential issues or delays and factor these into your quote as this will minimize the potential for unexpected costs. This will ensure that you have an accurate representation of the final price while reducing the risk of additional or hidden fees.

2. You Need to Bring Your Own Design

Contrary to popular belief, you do not need to create your own design before contacting a custom home builder. Most reputable builders either have an in-house design team or a strong partnership with a design firm, allowing them to create the design of your home from the ground up. Whether you have a clear vision for every detail of your home or a rough idea, your builder will work with you to ensure that the final design is tailored to your wants and needs.

3. One-Storey Homes Are Cheaper

One of the most prevalent custom home myths is that one-storey homes will be cheaper than multi-storey homes. While this can be true, the main factors that affect the cost of your home are square footage, the materials used, the location, and the amount of labour required. For example, a 3,000 sq. ft one-storey home will often cost more than a two-storey home with the same amount of space. This is because the one-storey home will require more land, additional labour, and more materials for the foundation than a multi-storey home.

To learn more about our custom home building services or to discuss the details of your dream home, get in touch with the team at Hyline Construction. We can be reached through our online contact form and will be happy to answer any questions you may have regarding our services or your project.

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Learn about some floor plan ideas to enhance your custom home.

3 Smart Devices to Enhance Comfort and Safety in Your Custom Home

The following technology should be considered for every modern home regardless of the size, layout, or style:

1. Wireless Security Systems

Safety is crucial for every custom home even if you are building in a great neighbourhood. To maximize safety and provide peace of mind for yourself and your family, it is worth investing in a high-quality security system. Smart security systems typically include wireless cameras, wi-fi door locks, and window sensors. Each of these devices can also be connected to an app, allowing you to monitor your home as needed and receive notifications for potential security risks.

2. Smart Thermostats

If you are looking for a way to keep your home comfortable while increasing energy efficiency, a smart thermostat is the perfect solution. These devices allow you to set an automated schedule for your HVAC system, allowing you to reduce the workload while you are sleeping or away at work. This reduces your energy consumption without compromising comfort, all without any additional effort on your part. Most smart thermostats can also be adjusted via a smartphone app, allowing you to make easy adjustments to your settings from any location.

3. Smart Lighting Systems and Blinds

To further optimize energy efficiency and comfort for your custom home, consider installing smart lighting systems and blinds. From motion sensors to wi-fi switches, there are many ways to enhance the lighting throughout your home. Motion sensors allow you to illuminate a room and turn the lights off automatically, enhancing safety, convenience, and energy efficiency. Wi-fi switches allow you to further enhance convenience and efficiency, as you can operate any connected lights or blinds from nearly any location. Many smart lighting systems also feature options for dimming lights and changing their colour through a phone app or dedicated switch, allowing you to tailor the lighting based on the time of the day or desired ambiance.

To learn more about our custom home building solutions or to discuss the details of your project, get in touch with the team at Hyline Construction. We can be reached by phone at 604-889-5242 or through our online contact form and will be happy to answer any questions you may have regarding our services.

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Learn what you need to know for custom home layouts and floorplans before you begin.

3 Qualities of a Skilled and Reputable Custom Home Builder

To ensure that your project is entrusted to the right builder, it is important to look for the following qualities:

1. References for Previous Work

When choosing a builder for your project, it is always worth looking at examples of previous work and asking for references. This will give you a clear insight into the builder’s dedication to quality, their capabilities, and their level of customer satisfaction. If a custom home builder does not have any references or examples of previous work, it will be impossible to determine if they can handle every detail of your project. Even if a new or inexperienced builder charges less, it is better to pay more for an experienced builder as this will ensure a smoother process and a higher level of quality.

2. A Transparent Process

Every custom home build will require a unique process to guide the project from start to finish. That is why it is crucial to choose a custom home builder with a transparent process and demonstrated ability to adapt to changing circumstances. This will help to ensure that every stage of the process—from the initial designs to the finishing touches—goes smoothly, even if an unexpected event occurs. A transparent process will also ensure that you know what to expect for each step, helping you avoid any confusion or surprises.

3. Warranties or Guarantees for Their Work

It is important to choose a builder that takes pride in the work they complete. This pride is often demonstrated through a warranty or guarantee for their work, so be sure to ask a builder if they provide either type of coverage. If a builder does not provide any coverage for the work they perform, they are likely not the right choice for your project.

To learn more about our custom home building solutions or to discuss the details of your project, get in touch with the team at Hyline Construction. We can be reached by phone at 604-889-5242 or through our online contact form and will be happy to answer any questions you may have regarding our services.

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Green Custom Home Trends

Environmentally friendly standards for custom homes can take a variety of forms. Whether it is the materials used to build the home itself or the features, amenities, and final touches that are completed after the home is built, there are numerous ways to make a home energy efficient. Some simple green custom home trends for 2019 include:

Tankless Water Heaters

Tankless water heaters are a great way to save money on your energy bill as well as conserve water usage. These features also ensure that your home never runs out of hot water, which is great for large families.

Solar Power

When building a custom home, implementing a solar power system can greatly reduce your carbon footprint. Some solar electric systems are so efficient that you can provide enough power for your own home and the extra energy generated will be fed into the municipal grid, meaning that your solar panels will make you money.

Heat Pump for Temperature Control

A heat pump is a device that works similarly to a refrigerator, but on a large scale for your home. It moves air through a series of coils and other mechanical components to control the air temperature of an environment. They are incredibly effective and energy-efficient devices and they are becoming more popular as methods of heating and cooling homes.

Energy Efficient Lighting

Energy-efficient fixtures and LED lighting are on the rise with custom homes, and so is increased use of natural light. LED lighting can be implemented throughout a home in order to cut waste and produce more light with less power, and better systems for skylights that let in light while keeping out heat can be used in a custom home to improve energy efficiency.

To learn more about 2019’s energy efficiency trends, or if you would like to find out about any of our other residential custom building services, please contact Hyline Construction at 604-889-5242 or fill out a contact form on our website.

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Before you begin planning your custom home layout, there is key information you should know and share with your custom home designer to help ensure a successful outcome.

Understand the Restrictions and Allowances of your Custom Home Layout

Knowing the conditions of your property that can dictate the shape and function of your home is extremely important. Some examples of restrictions include:

• Current bylaw and zoning regulations
• Building footprint and size allowances
• Tree restrictions and requirements
• Encroachments, easements, and right of ways

In order to help you understand the full construction potential of your lot, the custom home builders from Hyline Construction will begin your home building process by formulating a Property Report that outlines restrictions and allowances.

Pinpoint Your Architectural Style

It is important that you are clear in your own vision so that your designer can best realize it for you. Is your ideal custom home a craftsman style with contemporary accents or is it a modern farmhouse with an industrial feel? Whichever direction you lean, seek out a variety of inspiration images and have in-depth conversations with your designer about which details you love and which you would prefer to skip.

Know Your Budget

Establishing your budget before you begin allows your designer to work within your allotted finances. During the design process, the custom home builders and designers at Hyline Construction will work closely with one another to communicate the opportunities and obstacles of each specific custom layout and floorplan in respect to budget and function. They are adept at maximizing budgets and skillfully value engineering layouts.

Prioritize Your Wishlist

Whether you have your heart set on expansive floor to ceiling windows or a backyard swimming pool, evaluate which architectural features are most important to you and create a priority list before you design. This will help your custom home designer incorporate your priority features into the initial layout and established budget, only adding secondary features as the budget permits.

Sunlight is Golden

Spend time on your land. Know where the sunlight shines at each time of day. Envision living on the property and decide which rooms you want to maximize that light. Discuss your lifestyle with your designer. Do you enjoy long leisurely mornings with coffee or prefer entertaining into the evening on the patio? Do you work from home and want your office daylit or do you enjoy an afternoon workout in your home gym? Your designer will be able to fuse both the landscape and the nuances of your lifestyle into your floorplan, delivering a fully customized home layout.

If you would like to learn more about the process of designing custom home layouts and floorplans, or if you are interested in any of our residential custom build services, please contact Hyline Construction at 604-889-5242 or fill out a contact form on our website.

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Why Hire a Custom Home Designer for Your Floor Plan?

When designing your custom home floor plan, there are many factors to consider. Knowing where to place appliances, storage space, stairwells, and even furniture to optimize the flow and utility of your home can be a complicated procedure. An experienced home designer will know how to draw up a floor plan that is not only functional but also optimized for your specific lifestyle, all while avoiding common issues that can cause future issues for the homeowner.

The best custom home designers will create plans that do not only work for your family’s present lifestyle but also take into account the future by thinking about aging family members, the possibility of family growth, and designing rooms with the capacity to be multipurpose. Home designers with experience in floor plans will also know the best placement for certain rooms and features to ensure that the home operates as it should. Keeping bedrooms away from common areas that generate noise and providing privacy for bathrooms are just some of the ways that a good custom home designer can optimize a floor plan.

Floor Plan Standards for Modern Custom Homes

When designing a floor plan for a modern custom home, the best designers aim for uncomplicated designs focusing on simplicity and function. Some modern standards for custom home floor plans include:

• Passive and energy efficient floor plans
• Space planning
• Storage allocation
• Furniture layouts
• Outdoor living
• Maximizing on building footprint and square footage lot allowances
• Optimizing on natural light through windows and airflow throughout the home
• Highly customized according to the client’s lifestyle, design, and budget

To find out more about custom floor plans from top designers, or if you are interested in our custom building services for residential or commercial projects, contact Hyline Construction at 604-889-5242 or fill out a contact form on our website.

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Custom Home Building Tips

Whether you are building your first custom home or you have been through multiple custom builds, there is always room to learn more about home building practices. Some helpful tips for custom home building to remember include:

1.     Find the Right Custom Home Builder

Having the right custom builder handle your home is vital to the project’s success. For the best results, find a home builder who also has experience with design. This will allow your home to reach its full design potential as well as help your project to have flexibility along the way to completion. A custom home designer and builder should also have knowledge of the area in which they are building. This knowledge will ensure that your home is prepared to weather its environment and fit in practically. Investigate your home builder’s licensing, insurance, and testimonials, and make sure that they match up with your stylistic choices.

2.     Keep the Function of Your Custom Home First

When designing your custom home, make sure that the functional aspects are at the front of your mind. The aesthetic of the home can be tailored to suit the layout and features, so the visual aspects should not take priority over how the home functions to suit your lifestyle. Storage space, traffic flow, room layout, and work space are all important factors for designing your home.

3.     Plan for the Future

Without losing track of what will help you in the here and now, it is important to ensure that the home will suit your future lifestyle. Planning extra rooms for future little ones, a ground-floor master bedroom for reduced mobility, or any other future possibilities can keep your custom home convenient for years to come.

4.     Find the Right Land

In planning your dream home, it is important to find a compatible piece of property to build on. While it is rare to find the perfect piece of land for your custom home, do not jump on the first plot that you set eyes on. Discuss your ideas with your custom home builder and get their input on whether or not the land and the home designs are compatible.

5.     Trust Your Custom Home Builder

When it comes down to completing your project in the most practical, efficient, and cost-effective way possible, your custom home builder should have a wealth of experience and successes. Trust that your builder will work in your best interests and keep your home on track.

To learn more about these 5 tips for building your custom home, or if you are interested in our custom building services for residential or commercial projects, contact Hyline Construction at 604-889-5242 or fill out a contact form on our website.

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Floor Plan Ideas for Custom Homes

When devising a floor plan for your custom home, it is worth remembering that your dream home still needs to be practical and suit whatever land it is being built on. For this reason, it is good to consult a custom home designer that can help execute your vision. Some great ideas for a custom home floor plan include:

1.     Open Floor Plan

The open floor plan has become quite popular in recent years and it remains an excellent way to showcase a space and build a free-feeling environment. Open floor plans allow your family to live life together, no matter what room of the house you are in. For instance, rather than walling off your kitchen, build a counter island and put barstools on one side.

2.     Designs for Outdoor Living

Whether it is by building a large deck with a lot of sitting space or by planning for large windows that showcase your yard, incorporating the great outdoors into a custom home floor plan can help make the space feel bright and natural.

3.     Home Office Floor Plan

If you know that you are going to be using your custom home as an office, you might as well build it to optimize workflow. Making the office accessible but separate from the custom floor plan might help streamline work down the road. If the office is accessible directly from the entryway, clients will not have to walk through the whole home for a meeting.

4.     Floor Plans for Entertaining

For people who love to host, having a floor plan that is built for entertaining guests is ideal. This type of design focuses on living and dining areas and often features recreational aspects, such as an entertainment centre, theatre room, or gaming area, as the focal point.

For more information about floor plan ideas to enhance your custom home, or to learn about any of our other custom home building services or commercial building services, please contact Hyline Construction at 604-889-5242 or fill out a contact form on our website.

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