Questions to Consider Before Buying a Lot for your Custom Home

Listed are a few general things to consider when buying a lot.  In the St. Louis area one can find a good lot at a decent price.  One might look in the St. Charles or O’Fallon area of the metro.  Be sure to pass these questions along to your real estate agent, the seller and experts in each field. 

All things considered, a new custom home built well can last for generations.  A custom home gives you a chance to pick out what will be constructed and where you will break ground.  Every area has a reason to stay for decades and can be a good investment.  Most plan on staying in their new house a long time so time is not an issue, but doing your due diligence is always good.

·        Location, Location, Location.  Does the area have a good location you can plan your future?  Are the school districts good or what you expect? Are there any nuisance noises nearby? (Highways etc.)  Are you within an acceptable distance from hospital or fire station?  Some may not apply to you now, but think a few years down the road.  This can also affect the value of the custom home.  These are all good questions and can depend on your location.

·        Has a licensed contractor deemed your location “buildable”?  Having access to power, water and your cities central sewer system are most likely important to a land buyer.  Are these still valid in around 3 years; was the PERC test (Percolation test) performed on the soil? How long will the PERC test be valid?

·        What rights will you have on this land?  Make sure you will have clear title of the land.  Make sure there are no Liens, easements, right of way, or any other restrictions. Also it’s important to know if it is part of a HOA (Home Owner association) or any local laws.  Any local laws or building restrictions, including endangered species laws (or violations of any kind) may deem your plan a bust.   Know all the laws before you build or find someone who does.

·        What mineral rights, safe drinkable water or other will the owner of the new plot of land have?

·        What Access will you or others have to your new lot?  Will builders be able to access your site?

·        Will the Zoning allow your future House or Structure(s)? 

·        Is the size of the lot big enough for your home or buildings?

·        Is your lot located near or in a Flood Zone?  Flooding in any area near your property can be hazardous; make sure if you decided on an area to have an escape route.  Flood insurance is also important to consider.

·        Will any clean-up be needed from the previous owner?  This could include anything from toxic chemicals to any toxins that may be required to clean-up before the build.  If the land is purchased, these costs can become the buyer’s responsibility.  Find out what the costs are before purchasing any land.

These may seem like some daunting questions.  You, your realtor, or lender may have more questions which should be addressed by a professional in that field.  A well-built custom home is worth asking these questions and can save you down the road from questions you or your future renovator may have.  A good expert, in each area, will be able to answer these inquiries or know another expert who will.  It’s not a bad idea to jot down a few answers to these questions and who answered them.

A List of Things to have During a Winter or Severe Storm

Winter in St Louis is here whether we like it or not.  Here is a partial list of what you should have on hand in case of a severe or winter storm.

•  Radio
• Cell Phone with Charger – Preferably a fully charged cell phone is recommended
• Food for at Least 5 days (canned nonperishable long-lasting food is best)
• Water – Filling a Bathtub is an alternative to buying water                   
• Batteries – For Radios or any electric device in case of a power failure. 
•  Salt – Not all salt is created equally; make sure it won’t damage your driveway or walkway or harm your pets.
• Snow Shovel and Car scraper 
•  Blankets and Winter Clothing in case of a power or heating outage.
•  Working Fire Extinguisher
•  Working Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Tester
• First Aid Kit 
• Any necessary medication

Hopefully you won’t need any of this anytime soon.  Missouri weather, however, is unpredictable. 

If you know a storm may be coming, it’s best to store all your supplies where you can easily get them.

You probably have some items on the list, if you know a storm is coming get as many items where they can be easily obtained in case of an emergency. 

If you choose to have generator backup power, remember not to use if wet or to use indoor as some can cause harmful fumes (carbon monoxide poisoning).

6 Things to Know before your Home Renovation

Preparation can help you and your contractor save time during your future remodel.  These are just a few tips to consider before you take on your construction project.

• Make sure your contractor is licensed.  Each state has its own set of rules set by the state they reside in.  Without a licensed contractor, your city or town local inspector may not issue a permit forcing work to stop on your property. 
• Look for the Company or Contractor on the BBB (Better Business Bureau).  You can see how many complaints they have (if any) and how they were handled by the business, customer and BBB – if you can do this here:  http://www.bbb.org/stlouis
•  Have an idea or plans for your contractor from you or your architect.  Not all plans will be approved by the city or location you live in for necessary permits, but hiring an architect or general contractor may increase these odds.  Stick to these plans, be prepared for a change work order from your contractor if you or the contractor decide something different has to be done.  For example, you change a door way or fixture.  These may seem like small things but to your contractor they are not.  Also make arrangements (living etc.) for when the construction work is to be done.
• Make a budget.  Try to stick within that budget allowing for some overages.
• Plan for overages due to unforeseen circumstances or when a homeowner changes their mind.  This is usually due to an upgrade to plans or to add something your contractor had no idea about.
• If you change your mind, be prepared for a change order from the contractor.  Time is Money.  Your contractor is no different.  It is standard in the industry to issue these change orders if any modifications are made.

How much will it cost to remodel my home?

I am often asked many questions before a home remodel, but the one that comes up most often is "How much will my remodel cost?".  The answer to how much your home remodel will cost depends on a variety of factors including material costs, the size of your home remodel and how well your home can blend with your desired design outcome.  The best advice I would give a customer is to come up with a budget and general design idea and ask a contractor in your area if this remodeling project can be done for your budget amount.  You may want to also ask if your project may go over your budget slightly and if so, by how much?  These costs can also depend on changes you will most likely want during your project.In retrospect you should never expect a contractor to give you a "ball park" figure on a large project, as from the time that a "ball park" figure is given until the time that design concepts are built, the price will most likely increase dramatically. Your contractor should obtain the correct information as far as design concepts, measurements, and sometimes an architect' preliminary drawings for larger projects. Your contractor will charge a minimal fee for these things. Once your cost is estimated you may wish to change certain parts of your project to meet the budget that you have allowed to spend.

Second question " can I recover my home remodeling investment" -- No one, not even your contractor, can guarantee any return on investment for any home remodel.  At best, its an educated guess from past experience; but as we all know real estate prices can change drastically for many reasons. However, when you purchase a property you should look at the value of the homes in your neighborhood and the longevity of the value. Your real estate professional will help you by providing you with comps for that neighborhood that will help you to make the decision whether a remodel project will at least hold its value.

Thirdly "can I cut costs by doing some of the work myself". There are few processes in construction that customers can perform themselves to save money. Some are minimal constructive demolitions, clean-ups including removal of waste generated from project, and painting.  Otherwise unless you are a construction professional yourself you should let your contractor handle most of the construction processes.

When do I need my flat roof replaced?

Hi there and welcome to Klein Developments Blog on Flat Roof Replacement. Lets look at this project with a special point of view.

First, please lets look at the most common question, which is is my flat roof leaking and how do I know? Our answer to this is often time we do not know that our flat roofs are leaking. The reason for this is that there are typically so many layer applied to a flat roof that the leaks may take some time to show us visibly the evidence of a leak. Because of the layers that have been applied over the years (as much as 8 layers in 80 years on most flat roofs in our area) we cannot identify where the leaks are coming from and also which part of our home that they may be leaking into. In our profession, we find that most of these flat roofs with multiple layers of roofing actually leak into your exterior walls (brick). When moisture enters the brick walls it takes time for you , the home owner to see, but after you notice it is too late for the fact that once moisture is in the brick wall it will use capillary action to spread through the mortars and brick. Capillary action of this spread of moisture could take up to five years before you will notice, but once it has happened your wall are already deteriorating. With this we suggest you contact a qualified contractor to inspect your roof at least every five years.

Secondly, lets look at how many layers of roofing that you may have on your flat roof. For replacement of that flat roof , by code and insurance company standards, you may not have any more than 2 layers. The reason why the code and insurance company want this is that more than two layers on your roof are causing too much of a dead weight load ( in other words too much weight sitting on the framing structure of the home.

So now lets look at your flat roof, how many layers are there, what indication shows that it needs replaced, and if by the standards, how much will it cost for replacement. For replacement costs, the tearing off of the old is quite laborious (if you can imagine cutting off as many layers as 8), then you have to figure out if the decking holding up the 8 layers is deteriorated (which will be an unforeseen cost) and then which type of material that you may wish to re-install on your roof.

The next part is which material would you like. We have several different options. Maybe a metal roof with a special insulation underneath to conserve energy in you home, maybe a rubber room (EDPM) with the insulation also, or maybe a bitumen (torchdown--not a mop) to secure your new roof.

These are all things to consider when you wish for repair or replacement of your flat roof. We hope this is helpful and please contact your BBB rate contractor for proper estimates and guidance that will help you have the best job performed with the best prices.

Five essentials that make up a great Man Cave

We all want our own 'space' to get away from the daily grind and relax.  Heck even Batman had a man cave.  Ok, he is a fictional character who was always saving the world and a fictional millionaire also, but you don't have to be a millionaire to get your own affordable man cave. 


First of all, lets look at what kind of space you have to create your man cave. What are your essential needs in this man cave? These needs will require a certain amount of space to build your man cave. For instance, would you like a bathroom, a bar, an entertainment system? All of these will require a certain amount of space to make your man cave a comfortable area.

Lets take a look at a bathroom for instance, do you want a 1/2 bath (toilet and hand sink) or a full bath with a shower. Is there a bathroom already available in the area where you want your man cave? If not, then we have to look at the cost of the plumbing and electrical to install a new bathroom. You may wish for a walk in shower in this bathroom. These items are going to designate how large of a space you may wish to have for your mancave.

Now lets look at another popular item for your man cave....a bar. Wow, you may need a refrigerator and or a wine cooler, a sink for washing small dishes, a microwave for warming snacks, and a serving area. You may even also wish for a kegerator. All of these will constitute the amount of space needed for the bar area of your mancave.

Another item to consider on this space of your mancave is your entertainment system. You may wish for a large flat screen TV to watch movies and games on and a sound system to work with the TV. These will require a certain amount of space which we need to incorporate in to the man cave design area but also require a certain amount of behind the wall wiring. Also you will want a comfortable seating area for your family or guests, so keep this in mind for the size needed for your mancave. As a matter of fact you may wish to incorporate an island with bar stools and a drink ledge over the seating areas. And speaking of the entertainment area in your mancave ---are you going to have smokers, like cigars and cigarettes? You may wish to have an adequate ventilation system to accommodate.

Other ideas from man caves that we have built previously are saunas, Jacuzzi's, and large walk in showers. Look for a good contractor in your area to give estimates for your man cave, however we always recommend searching through the Better Business Bureau to find an accredited, qualified contractor to serve your construction needs.

Voila! Its that simple!  Extra tip: Want to sell your wife on the idea?  How about a trade off and giving her a space she can enjoy -- either a new bathroom jacuzzi or a home addition with outdoor living space are great options.

Storm Damage Repair

Hi, and Welcome to Klein Developments Blog on Storm Damage Repair. We are often asked questions on some of the following issues.

1: My roof was damaged in a storm or tornado and I do not have insurance, what should I do? Unfortunately, this problem does not allow much of a remedy as the storm damage repair expense will be "out of pocket".
However, depending on the extremity of the storm or tornado watch closely for your area to be considered a "state of emergency" or disastrous storm area. You may then be eligible to apply for local government grants or loans to repair your storm damaged home.

2: I have insurance on my home, but now how do I proceed with collecting the correct amount of money to fix my storm damaged home? This can be a grueling process, however these following tips may help.

A: Report the damage to your insurance company immediately, schedule for your insurance company to meet with you to access the storm damage, and be prepared to immediately perform temporary repairs that may keep elements from your home such as wind, rain, etc.

B: Call your local Better Business Bureau and ask for 2-3 Accredited companies that you may call and get estimates. You will need these estimates to prove the real cost of your storm damage repairs to your insurance company, otherwise they will most likely give you a sub-standard generic cost for the repairs. Never sign a document stating that you agree with the insurance company's cost until you have acquired the Accredited Contractor's Estimates. Even though the insurance company may not agree, be prepared to pay your chosen Accredited Contractor a deposit or Down Payment (normally 1/3 to 1/2 down is Ok as they will procure that money to buy the repair material needed but also this should be clearly stated in a Signed Contract). Should you choose a BBB unaccredited Contractor, be aware of paying very much of a deposit.

C: The insurance company may require inspections as work is being performed before finalizing payments for storm damage repairs.

Klein Developments hopes that this information is helpful and wishes a speedy recovery for your home and its storm damage repairs.