A house should not be just a "house", it should be a HOME. Because a house is lived in, and because it has parts in it that function, it should be considered a living dwelling. Just like people, houses need to breathe (air quality), and they have the need to drink (plumbing), to consume food (efficient and working kitchen), to expell waste (septic/sewage), to think (turning on the lights), to sleep (bedrooms), to work smart (electronic/computerized systems... thermostats, etc.) and work hard (hardware and operating systems... appliances, etc.), and to play (patio, yard, den/family room, etc.). Living homes are similar to people in the 5 senses: Taste -- Taste in style of the home, how it's decorated, furnished, the finishing touches and "flavor" of the home. This can come by way of which furniture you choose, the tapestry, ornaments, curtains or shades or blinds, etc. Touch -- The "feel" of the home in colors and textures. How the walls and floors and counters and appliances, etc. feel when you touch them. A cold floor in the winter, which requires you to wear socks or slippers is NOT a comfortable home. Touch is feeling, and what you feel should be COMFORT! Sight -- The sight of a home is the overall "look" of the home. This can be either a Mediterranean style home with arches and red roof tile, or a pueblo style home with vigas and and parapet walls, or a standard hip roofed home with stucco or brick or vinyl siding exterior. It can be a rock house, or a log cabin, or an adobe home. It can be a fibrous cement (papercrete) or strawbale house, etc.. Hearing -- This is the "sound" of a house. Some homes sound light and airy, while others are designed with natural acoustics built in. Some sound spacious, and others sound quiet and quaint. Smell -- The smell of a home is all-important. This can be a home that smells sterile and sanitized for folks that enjoy a clean and spotless house, or a flowery or frangrant home where plants are abundant or air fresheners abound for those who enjoy smelling scents of nature. Some prefer the rustic smell with cedar-lined closets and country charm and a kitchen full of delicious food smells. So far, as we have learned, a house is a house (a building), but what we put into that house in regards to style and color and shape and the inner workings of the house... THAT is what makes it a home! But where PEOPLE need homes for shelter from the outside elements, HOMES provide that shelter. Our homes are where we live and they tell a lot about the people who dwell within them. For instance, castles typify a home for someone who likes space, as well as protection from and away from the outside world and it's influences; a safe "fortress" so to speak. Cottages, cabins and the like typify a home for someone who likes to be close to nature. High buildings are for people who like to keep a high profile, and low or set-back buildings are for people who like to keep a low profile in life. A lack of windows, or high windows in a house, typify a person who likes their privacy, just as walls around the yard of a house are for keeping someone/something in... or for keeping them out! Many windows, or low windowsills are for people who prefer to be able to see out and view the world, or to let people see/come in to their life. Walkways up to the front door can be stepping stones (careful steps in how one is approached), or a straight and wide walkway (open and inviting). Trees and plants typify the life that a person likes to have around them, or the natural beauty they prefer to be around. Colors of the walls, inside and out, also show the warmth (hot colors such as oranges and reds or yellows) or coolness (greens or blues) that feels good to them to be surrounded by. All of these things and more, and the presence of people, incorporated into a house, is what makes it a home. When having a contractor build a home for them, most people just find a floorplan they like, with some additional colors and styles, but a basic home is all they wind up with in the end. It is still just a building with a foundation, walls, windows, doors, and a roof. These 5 basic things are what make up ALL HOMES. And these homes are all built "to code". The problem with "to code" houses are that "to code" means the MINIMUM standard for housing construction. When you are buying a "to code" house you are buying the CHEAPEST and LEAST CONSTRUCTED so-called "quality" home that is available on the market! When a contractor tells you that all his houses are to-code, then he/she is telling you that their standards are barely at the minimum level. It is a well-known fact that owner-built homes are usually stronger and have more care put into their construction than do non-owner-built homes. We are reminded of the homes (owner-built as well as dome homes) which were among the few that remained standing after the terrible disaster from hurricane Andrew (in Homestead, FL back in 1992) which destroyed over 25,000 homes and damaged over 101,000 others. Note that out of 1167 mobile homes, only 9 remained at all. All of this was certainly a terrible trajedy from a natural disaster, but much of it could have been avoided with the improvement of the construction of the homes themselves. Based on a study done by a student decades ago, homes in NE which survived a tornado hit ALWAYS had three things in common... they were OWNER BUILT, they were built BETTER THAN the minimum codes required, and they were made to hold the roof DOWN instead of up (by using chain or steele cable through every truss and tied into the foundation). One of the most important aspects of building a home, which many times is overlooked, is WHICH BUILDING MATERIALS should be used to construct the home. There is no reason why, when one is an owner-builder, one cannot use recycled lumber, windows, doors, and other materials to save on cost. Unless the materials or items will cause a problem in energy efficiency (leaky single-paned windows) or strength/integrity of the walls/roof (dry-rotted wood or termite-eaten wood) then purchasing used materials can greatly reduce the overall cost of the home, and at the same time, save on the earth's natural resources. While this is great for the owner-builder, it is not always possible for the General Contractor; however, when the option arises to purchase recylced materials then we will always opt to help the environment by utilizing these concepts, while at the same time bringing down the overall cost to you, the consumer. This is an option that can be implemented into your home at no additional fees or costs, and may, in the end, save you money. With all of the above in mind for your HOME, now the question stands.... "Do I want a home that is built using 'standard construction' or 'alternative construction'?" Click here to view the options! |
| Alternative or Standard Construction Which one should I choose? |