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Alternatives to Wood in Home Building

Yes! There Are Alternatives to Wood in Home Building!

Do You Need a Backup Plan for Rising Wood Prices?

Lumber prices soared to $1,500 per thousand board feet (MBF) in May 2021. According to an article in Fortune’s online magazine, prices are currently $545 MBF. That’s an increase of 40% since the low of $389 MBF that occurred in August. The pre-pandemic lumber market ran between $300 to $500 MBF, so the October prices are still running high. What’s worse, some forecasters are predicting near-term increases. The good news is, there are alternatives to wood in home building.  

Work with the versatile home builders at Flegel’s Construction to explore the options below for your new build or remodeling projects.

Alternative Materials for Home Framing

Framing refers to the skeletal structure that supports the rest of your new home construction. It creates the outline of the house and supports the roof. Some materials can double as the walls and the framing. Steel, concrete, bamboo, and even straw bales are potential alternatives to wood. Let’s take a closer look.

  • Concrete. There are several forms of concrete that make for an affordable alternative to the soaring cost of wood:
    • Concrete block framing. You can see this construction in industrial buildings, but it can also be used for residential homes. Concrete has several positive features, including its resistance to floods and fires. It withstands strong winds and earthquakes. Since it insulates your home well, it can help you save on energy costs. It also absorbs sound well.
    • Insulated concrete forms (ICFs): Concrete framing, ICFs involve two hollow panels with concrete poured in between, creating a strong, durable framing material that withstands harsh weather, fires, and floods.
  • Bamboo. Bamboo is a sustainable framing material that is three times stronger than standard timber. Extremely lightweight and resistant to harsh weather, it also grows quickly, producing 100 feet of usable material every five years.
  • Natural materials. Although it may seem odd, various natural materials are also an alternative, although unusual, framing option.
    • Straw bales. Some homeowners have used straw bales for a unique look and renewable source of framing materials. Home builders apply plaster over the bales to strengthen and preserve the structure.
    • Earth and rock. Compacted earth and rock forms a strong framing material that’s typically mixed with cement for durability.

Team up with the industry’s leading construction professionals to find suitable alternatives to wood in home building or remodeling projects for your industrial, ranch, Mediterranean style, or Eichler home.

Contact Flegel’s today to discuss alternatives to wood in home building in the Bay Area. We can help you meet your aspirations for a more sustainable, durable home personalized to your specifications.

Lumber Price Trends Are Difficult to Predict!

Is Another Lumber Price Hike in the Offing?

After reaching an all-time high of $1,500 per thousand board feet (MBF) in May this year, lumber prices fell precipitously to an August low of $483 MBF. Then, prices began to creep up, causing some economists to cry inflation. In September, lumber prices hit $628 MBF, leaving homebuilders, consumers, and others wondering how far prices will continue to climb. Clearly, lumber price trends are difficult to predict.

While some analysts predict rising prices as supply catches up to demand, others are saying this won’t happen, citing a few reasons, such as:

  • As supply and demand level off, prices will go down
  • Homeowners are beginning DIY projects they put off over the summer
  • The rush back into hardware stores will probably drive prices higher in the short term, then level off, according to a Fortune.com article
  • With families returning from vacation and the start of the school year behind them, homeowners are likely to begin more home remodeling projects

The fact remains that in the short term, lumber price trends are difficult to predict for the remainder of 2021 and beginning of 2022. If lumber mills continue to shut down every time prices fall, it could be a very bumpy ride for construction companies and home builders trying to time their purchase to save money.

Flegel’s Construction Co. Helps You Find Cost-Effective Alternatives to Lumber

If you’re looking for a homebuilder or remodeling company in the Bay Area, Flegel’s Construction Co. has you covered. When lumber prices are on the rise, we look closely at concrete, composite, steel, and other alternatives that can cut down the amount of lumber needed to frame and build your home.

The same holds true for remodeling projects. From out-of-the-box thinking such as straw bale or shipping container framing to reducing lumber waste, our construction team will do everything possible to keep your project within budget.

There’s enough evidence showing lumber price trends are difficult to predict. Short of investing in a crystal ball and watching the lumber market closely, there’s little homeowners can do about the cost of lumber. Instead, you can partner with industry professionals that can help you find suitable alternatives that can save you money on remodeling projects for your classic, modern, or Eichler home.

Contact Flegel’s today to discuss your remodeling project or new build in the Bay Area. We shop around to find the best materials at the best prices for your home construction project.

Creative Ideas on Updating Floor Plans

From the Home Remodeling Pros in San Jose and Santa Clara Valley 

Many clients come to us frustrated with their home renovation plans. While you may want to create a beautiful, modern open floor plan, a load bearing wall, an inconveniently placed fireplace, and other structures in your home make it seem impossible. Don’t lose heart; there are many creative ideas on updating floor plans, and there will be one that’s just right for you!

At Flegel’s Construction Co., we pride ourselves on coming up with innovative ways to give clients a better flow from room to room. Let’s discuss different options that allow you to get creative and enjoy the process while maintaining your budget and the structural integrity of your home!

Improve Flow and Visibility with An Updated Floor Plan

If you feel constrained by the layout and structure of your older home, it might be time to partner with experienced remodelers in the San Jose area. Whether you’re already working with an architect or need the assistance of a structural engineer, we can help provide expert advice and feasibility checks to ensure your plan works for you today and into the future.

Open floor plans improve visibility, make entertaining easier, and improve the natural flow of your home. So, if you have an older home with walls separating your kitchen, living room, dining room, and other communal spaces, it’s time to get creative and open things up a bit.

Here are some ideas for overcoming structural issues that prevent you from just knocking down walls:

  • “You’re going to need a column to keep the roof up.” No one wants to hear that their dream of an open floor plan will be intersected by a floor to ceiling column. However, it’s not the end of the world. Use it as a design element. For example, instead of one column, add two and put in some shelves for storage and display purposes.
  • Load-bearing beams. Nothing makes a homeowner cringe more than hearing that they can’t get rid of a wall due to load bearing beams. However, our construction team can improve the existing load beams or replace them with stronger material, such as steel beams. You may even get a more attractive, contemporary look by exposing newer materials.
  • Open your fireplace between two rooms. Keep your existing fireplace but open it up as part of your remodel. You can even add a two-sided fireplace to create separate zones for the living room and dining room, kitchen and living room, and so on. By using gas fixtures and glass surrounds, you keep the warmth and comfort of your fireplace without heavy traditional materials such as brick or cast iron. Alternately, you can use the fireplace as a focal point, surrounded on all four sides with river rock, brick, or other materials that fit the style of your home.
  • Opening doorways. If you’re looking for a more subtle update, consider opening doorways by replacing them with arches, glass panels, or pocket doors. You can browse through our online portfolio for more ideas and inspiration.
  • Flooring transitions. You can put tile in your kitchen, wood floors in the living room, and concrete in the entryway without breaking the feel of an open floor plan. We’ll work with you to create fun transitions between unique materials.

Our construction consulting team for home remodeling often jumps in to salvage open floor plan remodels. Let us tackle your toughest conundrums with creative ideas on updating floor plans.

Contact us today for open floor remodeling for your traditional home. We can also suggest flooring and zone transition ideas to update your Eichler home in San Jose, Cupertino, Santa Clara, Mountain View, Campbell, and Palo Alto.

Build Your New Home in Santa Clara

Build Your New Home in Santa Clara—Experience Matters!

Hire Flegel’s Construction Co. for Bare Lot or Tear-Down Construction

While some homeowners are happy to purchase the beautiful, historic homes already built in Santa Clara, you’ve decided to go another way. With its proximity to Universal Studios Hollywood, Disneyland, and cosmopolitan San Francisco, you and your family have decided that the Santa Clara Valley is the perfect place to build your forever home. The first official task is finding an available lot, rare in the sought-after Santa Clara real estate market. Next, you must find a contractor to turn your bare lot into your dream home, tear down (or partially tear down) the existing structure to build your new home in Santa Clara.

You Supply the Vision, We’ll Handle the Compliance Details

Flegel’s Construction Co. has expertise in new home construction throughout the Bay Area. Our construction consultants can help you determine the best way to transform your land purchase into a blank slate for your custom home build. We want you to enjoy the exciting and limitless possibilities for your future house, and so, our pros take care of all the important details. You can trust us to check off all the boxes and investigate matters related to city ordinances, height limits, neighborhood designations, lot line limits, fire protection requirements, and drought-friendly landscaping, in the building plans.

When we build your new home in Santa Clara, we hope to start a lifelong relationship for all your construction needs.

Flegel’s Construction and Consultation Services in Santa Clara

From slope and drainage to where to place your pool, we can help you solidify every major decision by considering the full scope of the surrounding terrain and, of course, the needs of your family.

Here are some of the services we offer on your journey to creating a home that serves as the center of your family’s universe:

  • Project viability services: Our construction consultants help you determine the scope of your new build. They also act as the voice of reason or encourage you to dream bigger when you feel that constraints are weighing down your plans. You can also count on us for timely, accurate feedback regarding the feasibility and expense of proposed changes.
  • Pre-build consultation: Prior to putting any shovels in the dirt, we’ll have a detailed consultation to help you avoid costly mistakes. We can also help you wade through estimates from other contractors to shortlist the most promising, realistic proposals.
  • Hassle-free compliance: Our experts have a deep understanding of local building codes which helps us cut through the red tape on many requirements by remaining organized and proactive. This also smooths out the permit process to minimize or eliminate costly reworks.
  • Project management: When it comes to managing subcontractors and suppliers, you can count on our construction management team. We keep a close eye on the project’s progress to make sure that quality remains high and true to your instructions. You will receive regular progress updates, so you stay excited rather than anxious!

We want to be your construction contractors for life and can also offer advice on whether to remodel your current house or build your new home in Santa Clara.

Contact us today to schedule a pre-build consultation and ask any questions you have. We look forward to helping you build your new home in Santa Clara. We also handle remodeling jobs for your traditional or Eichler home in San Jose, Cupertino, Mountain View, Campbell, and Palo Alto.

Finding Alternatives to Building with Lumber

Explore Substitutes for Lumber Framing During the Shortage

Home prices have risen by around $36,000[1] thanks to a protracted lumber shortage constraining the production of new homes. The lumber shortage clashes with a rising demand for new homes as the economy opens and consumers return to their pre-COVID 19 goals to build their own homes. Builders are looking for alternative construction materials that can reduce their dependence on lumber.

Two options have gained traction following a focus on them at a recent National Association of Homebuilders webinar. Cost-effective, energy-conserving structural insulated panels (SIPs) and insulated concrete forms (ICFs) may become long-term alternatives to building with lumber.

Are you eager to build a new home or renovate your existing one? It’s important to find the right homebuilder in the San Jose area. Look for contractors willing to explore innovative ideas to help you stay on budget and finish your construction project on time. Flegel’s Construction is working on finding new lumber suppliers and using alternative materials to keep projects going for clients in San Jose, Cupertino, Santa Clara, Mountain View, and Palo Alto.

Two Alternatives to Lumber Framing for Your New Construction

Here is a brief overview of how ICFs and SIPs could act as framing materials in place of lumber:

  • ICFs are 48” x 16” Styrofoam blocks that interlock like Lego. The blocks have hollow centers to leave room for steel and concrete reinforcement. ICFs are energy efficient, with an  R-value of 23, which is at the high end of the recommended value for walls. In comparison, walls using batt insulation have an R-value of 15. ICFs are only used in walls but similar products are developed for roofs and floors.
  • SIPs are oriented strand board (OSB) with an expanded polystyrene (EPS) core. SIPs require a small percentage of the lumber used for traditional framing. Further, SIPs facilitate construction, resulting in faster build times and reduced waste. SIPs made of fast-growing hardwoods can reduce the overall cost of home construction projects. They have an R-value of 23 to 48, making them one of the most energy efficient building materials available.

Flegel’s Construction is always ready to incorporate new materials to create more cost-effective homes and renovations. Finding alternatives to building with lumber is a huge priority currently!

What’s Causing the Spike in Lumber Prices?

Several factors have contributed to rising lumber costs, including the following:

  • Many mills decreased production during the pandemic due to reduced demand
  • Lumber yards didn’t immediately ramp up production when the housing market rebounded
  • The volatile price of lumber has made it hard to secure supplies from Canada and other alternative markets

Choose an Experienced, Savvy Builder for Your New Home Construction

At Flegel’s Construction, we constantly seek out alternative building materials. Our resourceful construction managers use their years of experience to keep your costs within budget.

Contact Flegel’s Construction for more ideas on finding alternatives to building with lumber in San Jose, Cupertino, Santa Clara, Mountain View, or Palo Alto.


High Lumber Prices Increasing Home Building Costs

Choose an Experienced San Jose Homebuilder

Creating an accurate budget for your home construction project has become more complicated in 2021. The rising price of lumber is increasing the cost of home building and renovations. In fact, the volatile lumber prices and short supply are making it difficult to avoid cost overruns and supply delays.

As you plan your new home construction or renovation, it’s important to choose a San Jose Area homebuilder with years of experience. To stay within your budget, you want to ensure that your construction company has a strong network of suppliers and vendors, and the skill to avoid costly errors. At Flegel’s Construction, we are working hard to expand our list of reliable suppliers. Our goal is to keep costs down and projects on track for homeowners in San Jose, Cupertino, Santa Clara, and Mountain View.

Anticipate Higher Costs for Home Building and Renovations in 2021

According to the Wall Street Journal, the cost of lumber is four times that of historic prices. Lumber prices have exceeded $1,500 per thousand board feet (mbf), a square foot of wood one inch thick. What does this mean for homebuyers?

Let’s look at how the cost increase impacts your construction budget:

  • Although the prices vary by region, at $400 per mbf, it might cost about $9,800 for the framing lumber and structural panels for a 2,000 square foot home. At $1,600 per mbf, the cost of lumber for the same project skyrockets to over $39,000.
  • Surging lumber prices have resulted in an average price increase of $35,872 for single-family homes, according to the National Association of Home Builders.
  • According to a recent CNN article, the March median home price rose by 17.2%. At $329,100, that’s the highest price since 1999 when the National Association of Realtors started tracking home prices nationally.

What’s Causing the Lumber Price Spike?

Several factors contribute to recent high prices and the volatility of lumber in general. People held off buying or building homes during the pandemic. This led to a drop in lumber prices and the closure of several sawmills. Now that the housing market has heated up again, there’s an unprecedented demand accompanied by extremely short supplies of lumber.

As lumber production ramps back up, you can expect to see a drop in lumber prices at some point, but it is not likely to happen soon. At Flegel’s Construction, we’re looking for innovative ways to keep the total cost of construction down by looking at the following options:

  • Using alternative materials where possible
  • Providing highly experienced construction managers to help avoid cost overruns
  • Scaling down the complexity and scope of renovation and construction projects by focusing on the essentials

We can help you save money on your remodel by planning for realistic timelines and budgets

At Flegel’s Construction, we manage projects with time and cost saving measures in mind. Despite the rising prices for lumber driving up costs of home building and renovations, we can help you realize your dream home. Check out our portfolio of remodeling projects for inspiration.

Contact us to expedite your construction or home renovation project in San Jose, Cupertino, Santa Clara, and Mountain View.

Steps in Building a New Bay Area Home

Custom Home Construction Starts with a Solid Plan

As exciting as it is to design and construct your dream home, building a new home from the ground up is a complex project that requires a comprehensive construction plan. Finding suitable land and a trusted contractor is just the beginning of your new home construction journey. The experts at Flegel’s Construction share the key steps in building a new Bay Area home.

Top Considerations for a New Build in the Bay Area

  • Land and contractor selection: If you are considering a teardown to rebuild your luxury dream home, you may already be a few steps ahead in your new home construction journey. However, if you are looking for a piece of land in the high-demand Bay Area, it is no easy task. The processes around regulatory compliances, land development regulations, and building permits can be tedious and time consuming. Hiring a knowledgeable and competent custom home contractor is one of the most crucial steps in building a new home in the Bay Area.
  • Design considerations: Seeing your dream home come to life can be an extremely satisfying process, especially when every aspect of the home caters to your specific needs, lifestyle, and preferences. While going through the design and planning process with your new build contractors, it is important to consider:
  • Architectural styles: Selecting your preferred architectural style is a critical aspect of planning your new build. Whether it is Craftsman, Queen Anne, Monterey-Revival, Eichler-inspired Mid Century Modern, Contemporary or some other style, your custom home can be exactly what you want it to be.
  • Privacy elements and views: Plan for practical layouts and natural light-maximizing solutions, without compromising on views, safety or privacy. Think skylights, atriums, sunrooms, or indoor – outdoor living with glass walls, outdoor kitchens and so on.
  • Aesthetic elements: Finalizing the aesthetic elements for a long list of features and fixtures in your home interiors and exteriors is exciting. It involves making color choices, materials, finishes, décor themes and various other aspects.
  • Fixtures and amenities: Plan for lifestyle-friendly solutions that enhance your quality of living. Think about modern conveniences and smart, Wi-Fi-enabled homes where you can remotely control lighting, entry-exit points, and appliances.

Hire the Bay Area’s Trusted Contractors for Your Custom New Build

Whether it is the kitchen, bedrooms, bathrooms, living areas or outdoor spaces and home exteriors, every part of your new build requires careful planning and execution. At Flegel’s we have over three decades of experience in constructing attractive, high-quality, custom homes to the exact specifications of our clients. Whether it is a tear-down and re-build, new construction, or a home addition, we take on projects of any scale and complexity.

Our new home building team consists of skilled and qualified architects, engineers, designers, and tradespeople who offer:

  • Comprehensive design-build services: We can partner with you from start to finish or at any point in your new home construction journey. We also offer construction consulting services to maximize the efficiency of your project.
  • High quality construction: We promise creative designs, superior craftsmanship, and professional finishes. Our 12-month post-build plan promptly addresses any adjustments required while your newly built home settles.
  • Efficient project management and execution: We have the local knowledge and expertise to ensure hassle-free permits and approvals. We are always mindful of your timelines and budget.

Check out how our past luxury custom home projects delivered on style, comfort and appeal. We offer design-build services throughout the Bay Area, including, Palo Alto, Mountain View, Redwood City, Redwood Shores, San Jose, Sunnyvale, and Los Altos, CA.

For well-planned, stress-free custom home construction, partner with the creative and experienced new home contractors at Flegel’s. Contact us online to discuss your requirements. We can guide you on all the steps in building a new Bay Area home.

Technical Innovations for the High-Tech Home

Explore the Future of Smart Homes

Remodeling your home or building your dream home from the ground up? Why not make your life easier, more convenient, and ultra-efficient by bringing your home into the digital age? From tunable mood lighting and smartphone-controlled appliances, to robot chefs and self-cleaning toilets, there are numerous ways to smarten up your living spaces, improve your lifestyle, and become more energy efficient. The experts at Flegel’s explore some of the most interesting technical innovations for the high-tech home.

Top Ideas to Convert Your Home into a Smart Home

Smart home technology has been around for several years. However, the advances in touchless technology, voice automation, sensor-based controls, and seamless AI-integration capabilities are giving a completely new dimension to the future of smart homes.

Here are some key technical innovations for the high-tech home that are already available on the market:

  • Washing machines that send prompts to your smartphone to reorder detergent when they are running low
  • Dishwashers that use a specialized mineral compound to dry plastic items more efficiently
  • Refrigerators with cameras that allow you a peek at the contents while you are in the middle of grocery shopping, or suggest recipes based on your in-stock contents
  • Touchless or voice activated faucets and antimicrobial surfaces that keep your cooking areas sanitized
  • Kitchen islands outfitted with induction stoves that sense pan sizes and modify the temperature
  • An app-enhanced bed system that collects sleep data and adjusts your mattress or pillows to improve your future ‘sleeping experience’
  • Touchscreen toasters that flash-toast and evenly brown, without making that slice of bread chewy or dry.
  • Sensor-based coffee machines that measure cup sizes to create the perfect cup of your favorite brew.
  • Powerful, self-emptying robotic vacuum cleaners that make home cleaning a breeze, even in homes with furry friends. Some smart cleaners also switch between mop and vacuum mode based on different floor surfaces.
  • Voice monitored smart tech that connects with digital assistants for warming up toilet seats.
  • TV walls that let you assemble your own display to any size on any surface.
  • Furniture pieces integrated with wireless charging technology that helps you do away with portable chargers and trailing cables.
  • Smart mirrors that convert to touchscreen devices, letting you browse, check emails, watch videos, or use apps directly on the surfaces.
  • Smartphone apps that allow you to control indoor temperatures, appliances, lights, locks, and even outdoor irrigation systems.

With appliance manufacturers heavily focusing on robotics research, here are some of the technical innovations that are in the works:

  • Kitchen robots that can take care of menial tasks, such as loading or unloading dishwashers.
  • Smart apps that help cooks perfect their slicing, dicing, basting, or braising skills by tracking your existing techniques and offering voice-enabled pointers for improvement.
  • Virtual touchscreens that can project on any surface including kitchen storage shelves or wardrobes.

Updating your home in keeping with the latest digital technology trends translates to higher energy efficiency, heightened home security, greater flexibility in routine, improved appliance functionality, and better home management insights. Are you ready to convert your home to a smart home?

Go Digital with Bay Area’s Leading Home Building and Remodeling Contractors

At Flegel’s, we have decades of experience in new home building and remodeling throughout the Bay Area. Innovative designs, meticulous planning, and quality craftsmanship are the hallmarks of all our projects. Whether it is home automation systems, motion sensors, smart security options, automated climate control or other innovative technologies, we can incorporate a wide range of smart features into your home.

Contact us online to discuss your smart home projects. Our team will help you choose the best options to meet your safety needs, enhance your lifestyle and update your home with technical innovations for the digital era.

New Home Design in the Age of COVID-19

New Home Design in the Age of COVID-19

Expert Opinions from Bay Area’s Top Remodeling and Construction Specialists

Amid the current coronavirus global pandemic, global shutdowns, shelter-in-place orders, and virtual work or study lifestyles are the new norms in most homes. It is unclear if this short-term recalibration will have long-lasting effects. However, it shines a spotlight on the way we may modify our future living and working styles. The construction and remodeling experts at Flegel’s discuss the emergence of a new home design in the age of COVID-19.

Likely Trends in New Builds Beyond 2020

Our current situation is one that most of us have never experienced or expected. Almost overnight, our homes are multi-tasking as offices, classrooms, gyms, and more. You may have started using your guest bedroom, mudroom, dining table, or even a stairway landing as your new work-from-home spot. Your video calls may be giving others an intimate view into your home, with background activities that include bouncing kids, barking dogs, or even a pajama-clad spouse or parent.

The current health crisis may lead to a greater acceptance of and adaptation to work-from-home and learn-at-home scenarios. This means, you may have to look at your home in a new light with different expectations of what your living spaces could and should do.

Here are the top 4 new home design trends that are likely to emerge in the age of COVID-19:

  • Greater emphasis on indoor-outdoor living: With limited access to outdoor activities and social gatherings, you will be spending many more waking hours in your home than ever before. This would generate a pronounced need for natural light and better access to outdoor landscapes for enhanced livable spaces. It could also translate into addition of more windows or sunroofs, building sunrooms, and reimagining livable spaces as indoor gardens.
  • Critical balance between open and enclosed spaces: If people are more homebound, they will share space with the entire family for longer periods of time. However, this can only function effectively when the interior spaces are fluid and functional to accommodate multiple needs and tasks. While the kitchen, living, and dining spaces may continue to feature an open plan layout, there will be a substantial increase in allocation of private, enclosed spots. The key will be in carving out comfortable, open spaces, while delicately balancing the need for seclusion.
  • High demand for designated workspaces: It seems quite likely that many people will continue to use work from home or telecommuting options, even after the global pandemic ebbs. This will boost the demand for designated home office spaces that provide modern conveniences, along with adequate privacy and seclusion. The importance of smart storage will also increase. People will seek clever ways to conceal household or personal items, especially in compact homes where a separate, enclosed workspace is not possible.
  • Energy conserving designs and materials: While there is already a growing number of people seeking eco-friendly and sustainable home designs, the demand for energy-conserving features may further skyrocket in the age of COVID-19. Air filtration systems, solar panels and battery charging stations may become a must-have in many homes.

Bay Area’s Top Contractors Deliver Efficient New Age Homes

At Flegel’s Construction Co., we have decades of experience in building new homes, as well as construction consulting. Our innovative architects skillfully design spaces around your living, eating, play and work requirements, while our talented craftsmen deliver these spaces to your exact specifications, on time and on budget. We stay abreast of the changing trends in designs, and building materials and codes, while also keeping an eye on future needs of customers.

Check out some of the custom homes that we have constructed across the Bay Area.

Want to discuss and plan your new home design in the age of COVID-19? Schedule a consultation and contact us online.

Innovative Customizations for New Homes and Renovations

Creative Ideas Fulfilled by Master Craftsmen

There is a certain inexplicable joy in building or renovating personal spaces that mirror your lifestyle and preferences. It is all about making your home an extension of your personality, without compromising on the aesthetics and functionality. At Flegels’ Construction Co., we specialize in innovative customizations for new homes and renovations, to create spaces that are both useful and unique. Our creative architects and master craftsmen are passionate about building outstanding homes that truly enhance the living experience.

Exclusive Designs and Unmatched Functionality for Custom Homes

What makes a home unique? It is not just about choosing an uncommon paint color, or a quirky tile design. When aiming for innovative customizations in your new home or renovating your current home, you want creative ideas that deliver a truly one-of-a-kind result. Here are some aspects to consider as you start planning:

  • Reassigning function based on lifestyle: One popular trend in custom constructions and renovations is to repurpose infrequently used rooms into more functional and useful spaces. For example,
  • If your open-concept Californian kitchen serves as the catch-all, do-all area of your home, do you really need a formal dining room?
  • If you spend most weekends in the family room, and do not entertain a lot, what else could you do with your formal living room?

An experienced home renovation contractor or new home builder can help you reassign existing rooms or newly built spaces with solutions that optimize your square footage and make more efficient use of your budget.

  • Reconfigure your layout: Every homeowner will agree that the layout is one of the most important aspects of a home. From the size and location of the rooms and furniture, to the kind of movement they demand, the layout can truly elevate or diminish your living experience. Custom layouts will help you achieve smooth flow and movement, without impacting the appeal or functionality of your home. For example, it may be tough to install a huge island in a compact kitchen. However, an on-wheels solution with built-in storage could help you achieve the same functionality, despite the lack of space. Choosing an experienced contractor who has fresh ideas and clever solutions will go a long way in optimizing your budget and ensuring a successful custom new build or remodeling project. 
  • Rethink ‘custom’: Big-box solutions may seem to be the cheaper, easier alternative to furnish your home. However, they usually offer a ripped-from-the-catalogue aesthetic that eventually starts to look similar to several other homes. Custom furniture or furnishings do not have to be expensive. For example, why throw away mismatched furniture that you passionately collected from vintage stores, or inherited over the years? Unify all your treasured pieces with the right selection of paint, stain, or patterns. Properly upcycled furniture will add a ‘custom’ or ‘exclusive’ touch to your home. For innovative, budget-friendly customizations, hire a capable contractor, who can think outside the box, and deliver solutions that are unique to your home and lifestyle.

Hire a Trusted Contractor for Attractive New Homes and Renovations

At Flegel’s Construction Co., we have decades of experience in constructing as well as remodeling homes to your exact specifications. Our talented architects offer clever design solutions, including space-saving and energy-efficient options for new builds and renovations. Our team of skilled craftsmen execute these designs to perfection. We aim to combine conveniences and luxuries that match your needs and preferences, delivering each project on time, and on budget.

Check out some of the custom homes that we have constructed in and around the Bay Area.

Looking for an experienced contractor who can deliver innovative customizations for new homes or renovations? Contact us online.

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