Buying a new home in Fargo or anywhere else in the Northern Plains can be a challenging process..not to be done quickly or taken lightly. Our expectations are sky-high. We’re inspired by stunning new builds showcased online, in social media and on our favorite home shows. But what’s right for you and your budget? Here we discuss various levels of quality, customization and price ranges of single-family homes appealing to every budget. This is meant to be jumping-off place, not an end point. Benjamin Custom Homes, a leading homebuilder, would like to help you get there.
Entry Level: Priced from $300K-$500k
Called “cookie cutter” or starter homes, these entry-level homes are usually pre-built and offer buyers few options or modifications. They are often built closer to busy roadways so may act as a buffer between larger lots and more spacious homes deeper in the development. Prices are predetermined and vary by design and location.
Level 2: Priced from $450K-$650k
Modified “cookie cutter” designs are built with packages, but clients my select colors, flooring, and other basics. Modified cookie cutters are often times still called “custom homes” because of the color choices and options that are specific to the customer. Typically Level 2 doesn’t allow for floor plan changes and the price is easily established at point of sale.
Level 3: Priced from $600K-$800K
Customizable standard plans are similar to each other but walls can be adjusted and layouts can be changed slightly by working with a draftsperson to get a different flavor. Buyers may select colors, finishes, facades. Level 3 homes are typically pre-priced with extras based on the changes. Level 3 homes offer some price efficiency because the builder leverages knowledge from previous similar builds to achieve “economies of scale.” Prices are often calculated using upgrades, which may take 2 or 3 weeks to calculate.
Level 4: Priced from $800k plus
Details are relevant in every product you can see. Often upgraded during construction, Level 4 homes are constantly changing as the build continues but typically look similar to more standard 2-story or rambler construction. Each home being unique, ball parks are typically established using averages. Each home must be fully designed to get accurate pricing.
Level 5: $1.25M Plus
Architectural series custom homes, designed and built form the ground up, are curated in all ways to achieve the artwork and function. They look different and utilize more elevated construction techniques than Levels 1-4. Fixtures and trim are often not standard and may be shipped from abroad with lead times from 6 weeks and increasing to 12-16 weeks in a stressed market.
For a closer look, contact a BCH representative.
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How to Keep Heating & Cooling Costs Down and Home Value Up
It’s no surprise that today’s homebuyers (especially those living in extreme environments like Fargo and Lakes Country) are looking for ways to increase both energy efficiency and the long-term value of their home, according to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). Whether you’re building new or renovating a home, there’s no better way than insulation technology to improve the comfort, efficiency and the health of your home
The best place to start is R-value, according to homebuilder Benjamin Custom Homes. Over the last several years, improvements in building sciences have allowed homes to be sealed tighter than ever before. As the industry learns more about energy transfer through materials, builders are using this knowledge to design better and more efficient wall systems that reduce heating and cooling costs. Generally, the higher the R value, the better.
BASIC: Standard Wall Assembly
In places like Fargo, most exterior walls are framed with 2×6 dimensional lumber and shelled with ½” OSB (oriented strand board) wall sheeting. Between the studs, R-21 batt fiberglass insulation and a layer of plastic sheeting are placed under the drywall.
Pros & Cons: Even though the insulation is R-21, energy leaks through the wood-on-wood connections, reducing the wall performance to R12-R14.
GOOD: Foam Insulation Wall Method
A standard upgrade for many homes is closed cell foam, which performs much better than fiberglass and adds tremendous strength, creating a continuous assembly leaving only the wood/wood connections uninsulated.
Pros & Cons: Superior between the studs, foam still performs substantially lower than the insulations R-value would indicate.
BETTER: Thermal Break Wall Method
A “thermal break” wall can use either use foam or fiberglass insulation and includes a layer of rigid exterior foam board that creates continuous insulation (CI) on the outside of the wall assembly, which largely eliminates heat loss through the studs.
Pros & Cons: CI can substantially increase the overall performance of the wall assembly regardless of the insulation used. The largest disadvantage of CI is the thickness of the wall changes as a result of the layering, so it creates dditional planning requirements for door jambs and windows.
BEST: In-Wall Thermal Break Method
This construction uses two different sizes of lumber. The plates are 2×6 and the studs are 2×4. The 2” difference in lumber thickness is filled with rigid foam board that gets pinched between the exterior sheeting and the 2×4 studs.
Pros & Cons: When coupled with spray foam it becomes an incredibly high-performing wall without increasing the thickness, However check with your local building codes since this method may require local approval.
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What is Your Home Trying to Tell You?
Picture this: It’s your first winter living in your brand new Fargo, ND home. The temperature dips below freezing. Frost starts forming on all the windows, and you experience high humidity and temperature variations from room-to-room. What’s going on? It’s a new home, right? What could it be? Unresolved issues like this can reduce air quality and cost homeowners hundreds of dollars in additional heating costs annually.
After multiple interior home inspections and second opinions, the problem wouldn’t go away. The mystery deepened! Until, that is, the Benjamin Custom Homes team headed outside to examine the air intakes and exhaust for the furnace and the HRV. Once the vent covers were removed, it became obvious that the intake for the air exchanger was plugged from construction and the exhaust was open. This meant that the air exchanger was exhausting stale air without bringing in fresh air from the outside.
Within hours of clearing the intake, the comfort level improved substantially, the humidity fell back to normal seasonal levels and the condensation on the windows disappeared. By understanding pressures, a knowledgeable builder has the ability to resolve—or prevent—even the most challenging “circulation” problems.
The 21st century custom home is better insulated, tighter, and often more HVAC-equipped than ever before. But the best technology requires the attention of an equally sophisticated homebuilder. Over the last 23 years as a homebuilder, Benjamin Custom Homes has learned a few things about how to build new homes and renovations in challenging climates like ours.
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For most of us, one of the most rewarding personal accomplishments of our lifetimes will be designing & building a new home from the ground up…just the way we want it. Experts say we will be fortunate to do this at least once. Here are some tips to make the most of it:
- Start collecting all your inspiration as soon as possible: Photos of other homes you admire (Fargo, regional or Pinterest standouts) fabric and color swatches, architectural details, renewables wish list and anything else you find meaningful.
- Sit down with stakeholders/family to hear each person’s priorities. Don’t assume everyone in the household is on the same page.
- Sketch out a rough drawing of how you’d like your home to look and flow, including square footage needs. Don’t worry, you don’t have to be an architect or artist, but it’s a great jumping off point.
- Decide on your budget limitations and how much wiggle room you have for upgrades and add-ons.
- Research HVAC and insulation options. Energy costs are volatile, so keep in mind that spray foam insulation may add to the overall cost, but it also improves the R Value (efficiency) and strength of your new home.
- Compile a short list of reputable builders by visiting their websites to understand their process, review recent builds and read what other clients have said about them.
- Schedule a time to meet with the builder you have selected to communicate the scope of your needs and desires, preferred materials, landscaping requirements and any other questions you may have.
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