The Schrock Post

The Build: Expenses Every Custom Homeowner Should Expect While Building

darian@schrockdevelopments.com (Darian McConnell) — Fri, 15 Jul 2022 19:47:57 GMT

When building your dream house, there are a lot of expenses, some you might’ve thought of & some you haven’t! There are expenses that you do have control over, then there are variable and fixed costs that you don’t have control over, but they’re necessary when building a home. In this article, we are going to go over those costs so you are more equipped to build the home of your dreams!

Variable Costs: A variable cost is a cost that varies with the level of output. As I’m sure you know, how large your house is affects all of the expenses that come with building a home, including the following.

Plans & Architect Fees
Engineering Fees
Steel Pack Materials
Framing Materials
Site Work Materials (Dirt work)

Fixed Costs: A fixed cost is constant whatever the quantity of goods or services produced. The fixed costs listed below are absolutely necessary when building a home, although you may have not thought about it yet!

Porto John
Dumpster Fee
Building Permit (varying per city)

Costs You CAN Control: Building a home can be overwhelming at times, but knowing what costs you can control will benefit you, your wallet & your peace of mind for sure!

Interiors: When you choose Brandon Schrock Custom Homes, you get the benefit of working with our in-house (and AMAZING) designer, Randi. If you are looking to save a little money in your build, you can always take a look at the details of your interiors. These are some items you have absolute control over, because you’re the one who selects them & you’ll know the price upfront!

Lighting
Countertops
Hardware
Appliances
Flooring
Trim
Cabinets
Tile
Interior Door Styles
Plumbing Fixtures

Keep In Mind: These are some things you need to keep in mind when building a home. These items might not be at the front of your thoughts, but they do affect your expenses more than you might think.

Overall house design- The bigger & more detailed, the more money you’ll spend. It’s also important to note that kitchens and bathrooms are the most expensive rooms in a house , so just reducing the size of some rooms doesn’t really reduce the cost by much.
Here at Brandon Schrock Custom Homes, we do our absolute best to create an estimate that is as detailed, and real-time-price as possible, but it’s not an exact, as the prices do fluctuate in the market.

Vaulted Ceilings- Requires special roof trusses, which are more expensive than standard trusses.
Amount of Windows- Windows may not seem like a top-of-the-mind big expense, but depending on how many you have, they can add up QUICK.
Site work
Flat lot vs. sloped lot
To put it simply, the more hilly your lot is, the more expensive the site work will be.

*Because there is so much more that goes into a home than just a house plan and putting sticks in the ground, we suggest meeting with a builder before you start designing a set of plans. Making sure your lot and design matches your budget will save you some head and heartaches in the long run.*

Custom Home Trends: Here To Stay or Current Craze?

Thu, 24 Mar 2022 22:10:02 GMT

Welcome to another blog with the Schrock crew (Randi specifically)! This time we will be discussing current custom home ‘trends’ and let our in house expert , Randi Schrock, be the judge and jury!

*Disclaimer: Randi wants everyone to know that all of these questions below are our opinions. Because we are custom home builders, we are going to build what YOU want. Each home and client is different and it doesn’t matter what we would want, it has to work for YOU! You’re going to be the one in your house daily, as long as your home is functional for you, that’s all that matters!!*

1. Are ‘ butler pantries ’ here to stay, or do you think they’re
popular for now?

Butler pantries are

basically pantries mixed with some kitchen
elements. For example, a pantry is usually
where you store dry-goods. A butler pantry
has storage for dry-goods as well as some
kitchen functionality (e.g. storing or
possessing a/or coffee machine, ice
machine, sink, extra counter space, etc.).
Butler pantries are functional and fashionable,
the best of both worlds!

Check out our 2021 parade home to see more!!!!

Verdict: Here to stay!!

2. Have you noticed an

increase in recreation and
entertainment spaces in
custom homes in the last
few years?

Yes, but not the type of space
you would assume. Over the last
couple of years there’s been an
increase for OUTDOOR
entertainment spaces! Instead of
having a smaller back patio like
you see in most homes, the back
patio is the same size as your indoor
living area. Along with the larger patio
size, we are seeing an increase in
outdoor living amenities like outdoor
kitchens, fireplaces, extra seating, etc.

Verdict: Here to stay!

3. Do you think ceiling

details are a recent

request in custom homes

or has it been a steady

request for some time

now?

This is a realllllly good question!

Ceiling details in custom homes seem to

cycle through. Meaning that maybe all of

our clients for the year request it, or

maybe only a few request it. Believe it or

not, there are almost always some type

of ceiling detail done in our homes,

depending on the clients wants (e.g.

coffered ceiling, beams, etc). But in

custom homes, the client usually wants

some form of ceiling detail.

Verdict: Here to stay!!!

4. Are black accents just a current craze

or are they here to stay?

Personally, Randi LOVES the black accents. We think that there will always be bits and pieces of black accents throughout homes. However, we have noticed that more people are doing more jewel tones (emerald green, sage green, dark blue, etc.) throughout their home rather than black.

Verdict: Here to stay for now……maybe ;)

5. Home offices- are they in fashion or are they the fashion?

We believe that home offices will always be in need. Covid-19 changed the way that everyone lives and uses their home. For instance, many people are working from home now and need a dedicated space to do their job.

Piggybacking off of that, the preference of open floor plans are changing. Because a lot of people are now working from home, causing families to be together all of the time. Not saying that our families aren’t AWESOME, but if you’re with people 24/7, you might need a little bit of separation from each other. With all that being said, home offices aren’t really a current craze, but more of a need depending on our clients lifestyles.

Verdict: Here to stay!

Check out our Pinterest , Facebook , Instagram , & Houzz for more of our creations!

Schrock Kids Interview

Tue, 22 Feb 2022 21:11:24 GMT

Hey y’all, for those who don’t know me, my name is Darian McConnell and I work at Brandon Schrock Custom Homes! I’ve known the Schrock Family for roughly eight-ish years and love them to death. I’ll be running their blog, where I get to do all the fun stuff! My hope is that you get a sneak peek into the Schrock family and love them just as much as I do, happy reading!!!

This week I had the pleasure of interviewing the Schrock kids. For those of you who don’t know, Randi and Brandon have two children, Aiden & Carter. Aiden is an artsy, spunky, & outgoing 13 year old. Carter is a little firecracker who makes friends everywhere she goes & loves cheerleading. An extra bit of information about these kids is that they have hearts pure as gold, and they have grown up on job sites! I asked them each fourteen questions about their mom and dad, they had some very interesting answers.

*The following is Aiden & Carter’s real answers, they were not coached*

What does your mom & dad do?

Aiden: They build custom luxury homes.

Carter: They build custom construction homes.

What do you think about the houses they build?

Aiden: They do an amazing job & the inside always looks stunning!

Carter: The homes are really amazing and I really want one!

How much does it cost to build a house?

Aiden: $200,000.00?

Carter: Like at least $1,000,000.00!

how old is your mom and dad?

Aiden: My mom is 38 and my dad is 39!

Carter: My mom is 38 and my dad is 39!

(Their mom will be very happy with their answers, what

sweet kids ;) )

What is your mom really good at?

Aiden: Interior design, loving me, and making sure that

Lulu (the sweetest pup) stays the favorite!

Carter: Taking me to Bath and Body Works...

what's your favorite memory about your mom?

Aiden: Definitely the few times we went to Disney World!

Carter: When we went to Disney World!

What makes you proud of your mom?

Aiden: She’s hardworking, she takes care of me, and she’s never given up

on me.

Carter: I don’t know how to explain it, she’s always there if that makes sense. Like she’s there if I need her or don’t, I can talk to her about whatever, I just don’t know how to explain it, she’s ALWAYS there.

How do you know your mom loves you?

Aiden: Her and my dad always take care of us, and she makes sure I always have things to do like art & video games. Plus she tells me all the time.

Carter: She never lies, even when she gets mad she’s nice, I know she loves us, & she’s always there for us.

what makes you proud of your dad?

Aiden: He never says no, he provides for us, and he makes sure we always have something fun to do.

Carter: He always lets us get things but not for nothing. He has expectations for us and he makes sure we know the value of things, and he always works really hard for us.

how do you know your dad loves you?

Aiden: He leaves to go to work really early and works really late to provide for me, Carter, mom, the cat & the dog. Also, I can always talk to him even if he’s busy.

Carter: It’s just something that I know, if he didn’t love us he wouldn’t take care of us.

what's your favorite memory about your dad?

Aiden: When we went and rode side by sides in the sand dunes!

Carter: I have two, the first one is when me, him, & my grandpa went to this lake or waterfall place. The second is when we were at Seaworld and I was too scared to get in the water so I rode on his back the whole time and he kept going under the water!

What is your dad really good at?

Aiden: Exterior design & any hands on work.

Carter: Buying cars

What do you want to be when you grow up?

Aiden: Rich, paint for fun, and my main job I don’t know, something to make me money..

Carter: I don’t know yet, my mom always says, “You have a long way to go & plenty of time to think about it.”

whats your favorite thing about your parents?

Aiden: They take care of me.

Carter: They go to my cheer competitions!

how much does your mom and dad love you?

Aiden: To the moon & back!

Carter: To different planets & back!

What’s something you want your parents to know?

Aiden: That I love them? I don’t know, there’s nothing they don’t know that I want them to know, I don’t wanna get in trouble…..

Carter: That they should come to my cheer world championships!!!

Design Your Home Like A Pro: Measure Your Barstools!

Fri, 21 May 2021 14:01:50 GMT

This seems like a really obvious thing to say - but make sure that you measure the length and width of your counter and bar stools before you order them or buy them at a store! Your kitchen island stools are just as much the focal point of your kitchen as the table and countertops! You’ll save time, frustration, and even a little heartache if you measure beforehand.

Here’s what happens all the time with people:

They find the perfect stools and buy them, not even realizing there is a difference in counter vs bar stools.

It’s especially common when you are shopping in person, like an At Home or HomeGoods, and see something you like. People see it, love it and buy it, and then get it home and realize they are too tall for their island and it ends up being an uncomfortable, terrible decision.

Here is a photo from Ballard Designs showing the difference:

As you can see, there is very little leg room between the bar stool and the counter in the above picture. This is why it’s important to pay attention!

Look at the description and specifications online

When buying online, some companies don’t give you an option on sizing. You will have to read through the specs to see the height. And some, like the below example from Wayfair, lay it out in glorious, simplistic detail:

So, how should you measure?

First, measure the height of your island or bar (below the countertop). Then measure and make sure the height of your stool from floor to seat is around 10-12 inches shorter. You want plenty of space for your legs!

Second, measure the counter overhang. If you are wanting to push your stools in completely, you’ll need to make sure they’ll fit!

It’s also important to remember that there is a difference between counter stools and bar stools.

Standard countertops are around 36 inches, so counter stools are generally shorter - you’ll want around 24-26 inches from floor to seat to be comfortable. Bar countertops are around 42 inches, so bar stools are higher - you’ll want around 30 inch stools.

How can you easily find out how many stools can fit at your kitchen island or bar?

Take the total length of your island in inches and divide it by the width of the stools you’re eyeing. Round down if it’s close! You’d rather have more space than too little. And remember to keep a bit of space between each chair!

Good luck on your interior design in your home! Remember - if you build your luxury custom home with Schrock Developments, my expertise comes with it. I’d absolutely love to help you pick out the perfect pieces for your home!

The Top 4 Things You Need Before Building Your Luxury Home

Thu, 20 May 2021 17:01:25 GMT

To have the most seamless luxury home building process, here are the four things you’ll need before you start:

A competent home builder
Financing - either cash or a construction loan
Land
A house plan that fits your land, needs, wants and budget

So let’s go into more detail about what you'll need in the home building process.

A competent home builder

How many times have you heard people say building their home has been a terrible experience and they would never recommend the builder they used? How about people who never see their builder or have zero communication after the contract has been signed?

Stories like that make us cringe. And bad experiences like that are exactly why we do things a little bit differently. Our goal is to make everything as stress-free on our clients as possible. We communicate efficiently and effectively and thoroughly throughout each phase of the project. We understand that building a home can be an emotional journey, so we are transparent and patient.

Listen, we’ve been there. We also only build a handful of custom homes a year. So we are pretty picky about who we choose to build a relationship with. And it really is a relationship! We will be together for a long time, so we want to make sure it’s a good fit for us as well.

Read more about our process

Financing

It is your home, your land, and your finances. And your finances are none of our business. Whether you have cash in hand or have a construction loan, you are the ones that finance the project. We recommend researching financing options to see what’s best for you. To learn more about construction loans, read this article and talk to your local bank.

We are also front-side custom home builders, which means that you give us a budget and we do the research before breaking ground, which means there is a true budget.

Land

Of course, you need to have land to build on before starting. But before you buy that land, we recommend first talking to a builder.

We understand that it’s tough in today’s market because land sells ridiculously fast. But there is a cost associated with getting your land ready for your home - that includes the driveway, all utilities, and the building pad.

Most people don’t have any idea what prepping the land for your home entails. So we suggest meeting onsite for a quick evaluation so you have an idea of what it will cost to be able to create a buildable site.

A house plan that fits your land, needs, wants and budget

It’s so easy to get wrapped into a style or find something on Pinterest that you want to build, but if it doesn’t fit your land, your needs, or your budget - you’re just spinning your wheels and wasting your time.

Fitting the topography of your land is very important. If you don’t take the topography into consideration, you could be looking at paying tens of thousands of dollars more than you would have if you built to what fits your lot.

Fitting your needs and wants is the main reason to build your own custom home. For instance, are you building your forever home? Then you should consider wider hallways and doorways, and zero entry spaces. Is bathroom counter space important to you? Then let’s design a space to fit a bigger vanity. Do you have a lot of four-legged friends? Consider adding in a dog wash.

Budget is probably one of the most important things people forget about in the designing process. It’s easy to get swept away in our Pinterest boards and following design bloggers and picking out all of those things we want in our homes.

Designing a 3-million-dollar home when you have a million-dollar budget is not good for anyone. Having a budget just means we have to compromise on a few of those things. But that is exactly why Brandon has me here! I’m here to help you with all of it! I take care of the house design and all interior design, so you can get exactly what you want without feeling like you sacrificed anything. It’s truly the best job ever!

If you are interested in sitting down with me and Brandon to go over the process in detail, to interview us, and let us interview you - we would LOVE to hear from you! Call or text us anytime!

Brandon | Builder | 479.601.4650

Randi | Designer | 479.601.5890