In Limbo

I find myself using the phrase "in limbo" a lot lately. The term originated as a Roman Catholic phrase describing "the abode of unbaptized but innocent or righteous souls, as those of infants or virtuous individuals who lived before the coming of Christ." It has since evolved into a term that means "any intermediate place or state of neglect or confinement."
We seem to be "in limbo" with our current project---not that we are being neglected, but rather because we are seemingly stuck or "confined" at the particular point in the project. As the builder for this job, we are the party "between" the architect and the homeowner. There are several cosmetic design issues that the homeowners are having difficulty visualizing. One specific decision involves exterior stonework. Until the homeowners choose the type of stone they'd like to use, the architect cannot finalize the drawings. Until the drawings are finalized, the builder (we) cannot complete the final quotation and present the contract for signing. As you can see, we are "in limbo."
Fortunately, in this case, the three parties are all working together on this stone decision. On Saturday, Barry went with the homeowners to the stone supplier to help them get a better understanding of the material. Yesterday he drew diagrams to help them visualize the construction part of the stone work. He'll probably do a mockup of a small part of the stone wall to also help them make their decision.
The more time Barry devotes to helping the homeowners, the more I realize where the modern-day usage of the term "limbo" comes from. Maybe you've played the "Limbo" game where you bend over backwards and try to pass under the stick....Well, we'll BEND OVER BACKWARDS to help make decisions easier for our clients. We'll do the Limbo to help get things out of limbo!

How Long Does It Take to Build a Custom Home?

People often underestimate the time it takes to build a custom home. Once you make the decision to hire someone to build your dream home, you will probably spend as much time in the pre-building stage of the process as it will take to actually construct the house. You'll probably agree that an investment of such proportion deserves careful planning and professional advice, but some folks just don't understand the time and effort needed by both the homeowner and the builder before the first load of dirt is moved.
We pride ourselves at Building Images with truly getting to know our clients. Barry spends several hours at the initial meeting listening to the needs, wants, and wishes of the homeowners. The initial meeting is usually followed by a series of meetings in which the clients share drawings, sketches, magazine pictures, and photos of ideas to incorporate into the home. Barry does all his own design work so the clients meet directly with him rather than with an outside architect or a third-party designer. This expedites the building process and eliminates communication issues between designer and builder. The first meetings with Barry result in rough drawings followed by more meetings to refine the ideas. At Building Images, computer-generated drawings help with visualization, but sometimes table-sized 3-D models are also needed. Barry's rough estimates of cost allow dreams to mesh with reality so that the finished design stays well within budget. You should expect the entire design process when building a custom home to take several months.
Once the design is finalized, Barry completes the plans and specifications and figures the final contract amount. At this point, most clients take the contract, plans, and specs to several financial institutions to compare mortgage options. Expect another few weeks to pass before getting approval.
When the financing is approved, we order a survey and site plan of the property, and we submit applications for building permits. Again another few weeks may pass before the permit is issued. Once the permit is received, the actual construction can begin.
The entire pre-building process generally takes at least 6 months. However, if you are building a home to last a lifetime, those 6 months are probably the most important part of the process.

Welcome to my Blog

I've decided to start a blog for those interested in new homes and remodeling in the Cincinnati area. Building Images, Inc. was started in 1988 by my husband Barry Cooper. We entered the homebuilding business at a time when mortgage interest rates were in double-digits. We've seen the economic boom that followed, and most recently we've seen the bottom fall out of the housing market. However, within the last month or so, we sense renewed housing activity. From a national perspective, we see tiny signs of improving economic indicators. From a personal perspective, we know 3 young friends shopping for their first homes. Even more directly, we have had more telephone inquiries about our building and remodeling services in the last month than we had in the prior 12 months!

With all that said, it seems like a good time to start a blog. I anticipate having lots to say as housing starts its upswing. Feel free to add comments or ask questions if we can help with your new home or remodeling projects.