The 3 most common mistakes people make when building a custom luxury home, and the solutions

Published June 7, 2010 Home Building Issues Leave a Comment

People who can’t find what they’re looking for in existing homes for sale usually have two choices; either stay in the home they’re currently in or decide to build a custom home that has the floor-plan and amenities they want.  Having been a custom luxury home builder for a little over 22 years, I’ve noticed a couple common and consistent mistakes people tend to make when pursuing this direction.  It’s understandable in that deciding to build your dream home can lead to a euphoric state of mind

1.  People have a tendency to spend too much money on the lot or building site.  They don’t analyze the real cost of one building site verses another.  Costs like excavation, back-fill, trenching, how far are utilities, do I need a septic or is there sewer available (how much will a septic system cost…$10,000 or $50,000), are there any protected main fees to hook up to utilities, what municipality is it in (some areas of Tucson require additional engineering that add costs), and is the land flat and easy to build on or is it steep and rocky?  Some things are obvious, but some are not.  A great lot, from the standpoint of spectacular views, may be difficult to build on…and difficult just means more costly.

The solution to this is to choose a custom home builder who’s had experience building on various kinds of sites to get valuable feedback on what the real costs may be or the “build-ability”  of one site verses another.

2.  People also tend do things one step at a time instead of taking a team approach.  What I mean is they buy a lot, get with an architect and design a house, and then get the plans out to a builder or a couple builders, and then can’t believe how much it’s going to cost.  The builder is expected (or perhaps it’s just a hope) to be able to perform some type of magic and find subcontractors or suppliers that can build, say, a $1.3 million dollar home for $800 thousand.  Using all the lowest numbers and building a custom luxury home for the lowest possible price is fraught with problems (the topic of another blog or article entirely!)  Suffice it to say the client will not get what they’re expecting which can lead to years of problems.

It’s not that the architects are doing anything wrong.  It’s that they don’t know how much things cost, and are more motivated to produce a fabulous plan that the client is excited about and meets the entire wish list.  I think most architects are very aware of this and are trying to design a fantastic home within a client’s budget.  They would like to see their designs become reality as much as the client.  As I mentioned earlier, designing your custom dream home leads to a very euphoric state of mind.  It’s easy to draw lines and pick out what you want (well not that easy) but coming up with the budget to pay for all of it is sometimes very difficult or impossible.  I don’t recall what the actual number is, but it’s a fairly high percentage of custom homes that get designed and never get built.  The architect and engineers of course get paid because their work is done…they should get paid.

The solution to this common mistake is to assemble a TEAM of professionals from the outset: Architect, Builder, Interior Designer, and Landscape Designer.  Yes even the landscape designer.  How the house works on the site and interacts with existing vegetation as well as what landscaping will be done in courtyards and disturbed areas is critical to it’s “curb” appeal.  Unfortunately the landscape budget is the one that tends to get whittled down the most because it comes at the end of the project. People tend to think, “Oh I can do that a little at a time, just get me in the house”.  Experience has taught me that the house absolutely comes alive when a good landscape plan is fully installed and executed.  You landscape architects out there can thank me later.

3.  Lastly, people tend to pay too much attention to how much their home is going to cost per square foot.  It’s the most asked question custom home builders get, “how much do you build for per square foot”?  I think most of us can see it coming a paragraph away.  OK so there is a general range, but it’s very wide.  To select a builder based on the answer to this question or to cut back a couple feet on the size of a bedroom or another room, just to hit some home size target thinking it’s going to help the overall budget is, well, misguided.  The cost per square foot is an interesting number once the home is designed, all the ingredients picked out, and the home is fully totaled up.  It should not be used to skimp on room sizes.  Space is the least expensive part of the house (warehouse vs. structurally complicated and highly finished custom luxury home).  Difficulty of the building site (flat easy vs. steep rocky difficult), the complexity of the structure (spans, cantilevers, etc.), type of construction (frame, masonry, steel, alternative), and of course the finishes or ingredients (no I’m not just talking about gold faucets), are the main things that impact the cost of someone’s home.  Ingredients are everything from doors, windows, cabinets & built-ins, audio/video distribution and equipment, tile, granite, appliances, closet shelving and cabinetry, light fixtures, lighting controls, to pools, spas, water features, landscaping, and…oh yes…types of faucets, shower valves, body sprays, shower heads, steam showers, whirlpool tubs & valves…just to name a few.  A custom luxury home has a lot of stuff.  There’s more cool stuff available all the time…and during that euphoric state I mentioned earlier…you want it all.  In the audio / video home theater category alone a person can easily spend $50 to $150 thousand.  So you see, evaluating the cost of a home by guessing at the cost per square foot is fool hardy.  It’s like comparing a red Ford Taurus (do they still make that car?) to a red Ferrari…they both kind of do the same thing…well you know what I mean.  When I’m asked how much I build for per square foot; the only true answer I can give is, “It’s up to you”.

The solution to this is to be aware of everything that goes into a truly custom luxury home and select your builder at the outset of the design process to work with you, the architect, and interior designer to help keep you headed toward a target budget.  More importantly, develop a realistic budget with some wiggle room so you don’t push the edge of the envelope.

LJ McCreary

Principal, McCreary Homes, Inc.

McCreary’s Luxury Custom Homes

Published May 26, 2010 General , McCreary Homes Leave a Comment
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Whether you are thinking about remodeling or building a new custom luxury home, McCreary Homes can and will assist you every step of the way to achieve the home of your dreams. If you are looking to upgrade to chic modern elegance, or integrate electronics and lighting into your whole house, we have innovative ideas down to the slightest detail that will make your new home a reflection of your life.

McCreary Homes has established an excellent reputation for more than 20 years as Tucson’s leading custom luxury homebuilder. McCreary is very good at building custom homes, with many repeat clients for whom they have built second and third homes for.

“We first learned about McCreary Homes from a satisfied client. LJ McCreary has subsequently built two Tucson homes for us. We never gave consideration to using another contractor when it came to our second home, due to our tremendous satisfaction with the performance of McCreary Homes on the first project. Throughout both of our projects we were always kept in the communications loop…no surprises, and the realistic budget process came in very close to our initial expectations. We would not hesitate to use LJ to build our third home!” Barbara Provus and Fred Wackerle

Mr. McCreary is one of the most outstanding contractors I have had the pleasure to work with. His construction quality is top notch and the end result is a showcase worthy of any high end owner. John McAfee

“Allie and I are very happy to have the chance to say how pleased and satisfied we are with the house you built for us. The house is going on nine years old and we have never had floor cracks, wall cracks, ceiling cracks, twisted beams or any of the things we observe in other houses. The 48″ front door stills swings easily. I hope you are busy, doing well, and building houses like this for many others. You are absolutely a credit to the building profession.” Best regards, Allie and Jim Wittenberg

“Pam and I wish to express our deepest thanks and appreciation for the beautiful two story addition to our Tucson home which McCreary Homes recently completed. The quality of the workmanship was in keeping with your promises. You fulfilled our expectations by leaving nothing to chance in the planning, preparation and performance. The professional manner that you and your staff demonstrated made the entire building experience less than stressful for us, particularly since we were usually at our Wisconsin home during most of the process. It was certainly reassuring to know that we could reach you by telephone at nearly every hour. We appreciated the willingness you exhibited to always be available to discuss those changes, options and adjustments which always are present in the construction process. Obviously, this letter is intended to demonstrate our satisfaction and to unequivocally recommend your company to anyone who is planning to build a home.” Sincerely, John J. Carter

Contact McCreary Homes for more information or to set up a free consultation, McCreary Homes will be there to work with you and guide you through the process of creating your dream home, one step at a time. Call 520-240-7200 or visit www.mccrearyhomes.com

McCreary Homes Inc. turns 22

Published May 18, 2010 General , Tucson Custom Home Market Leave a Comment

McCreary Homes turns 22 this year!  But LJ McCreary is not resting on his laurels.  He just enrolled in the Mastery Impact coaching program to further update his companies systems and processes and gear up for the upcoming rebound in the custom home building business.  Mastery Impact is a program available through E-Myth Worldwide, a company started by Michael Gerber more than 20 years ago.  LJ’s vision is to not only build homes that owners will be thrilled with when they’re complete, but to take it a step further and create a custom home building system where owners will be thrilled with the home building process.  We’re very grateful that our business has thrived for the last 22 years and are excited about where our business is going.  To make the home building process as wonderful as the completed project will take systems, focus and implementation.

LJ recently agreed to volunteer his services as general contractor for the Tucson Wildlife Center.  He’ll be supervising the construction of Southern Arizona’s first full-service wildlife hospital.    The Tucson Wildlife Center is an all volunteer, non profit organization which rescues injured wild animals, treats, rehabilitates,  and when possible, re-releases the animals back into the wild.  For more information on how you can help this organization go to http://www.tucsonwildlife.com/

Speaking of wildlife, on a visit to Sabino Canyon for a family hike,  as we were riding the tram up into the canyon we were warned about stalking mountain lions which have been sited in the canyon.  If you are hiking in one of our many wildlife areas, and come across a mountain lion, remember the following:  Maintain eye contact at all times.  Do not run.  Do not crouch or bend over.  Try to seem larger than you are.  Wave your arms and throw sticks or rocks.

The real estate market in Tucson is picking back up.  Regardless of the national media, we must remember REAL ESTATE IS LOCAL. I heard someone tell a group “There is no national weather forecast….same with real estate…it’s all local.”

The Southwest is a wonderful place to live, explore and experience.  If you’ve never been to Tucson and Arizona, make plans to visit soon!

For those of you who have to good fortune to live in our beautiful city, why not take time from your hectic schedule and make plans to enjoy one or more of our unique outdoor destinations.  Visit Sabino Canyon, hike the Douglas Spring Trail at the east end of Speedway, or visit Tucson’s Desert Museum.  The Saguaros are starting to bloom; the desert and drive are beautiful.

We at McCreary Homes appreciate our good fortune to live in such a beautiful city and state with so many opportunities available to each of us.  We’re thankful for our wonderful customers, family, and friends who have supported us these past 22 years. We wish you all the best.

Recently completed modern home in Tucson

Published May 17, 2010 Completed Homes Leave a Comment

At McCreary Homes we’re proud to announce that a home we recently built was selected to be featured in “LUXE Interiors and Design” magazine.  LUXE can be found at www.luxemagazine.com It was a challenging, and rewarding project. Creating unique and beautiful homes is what we love to do….and our clients love the results.  If you’d like to view some of the other homes in our portfolio, or talk about building your dream home, please give me, LJ McCreary a call at 520-240-7200.

The home is located in Sabino Mountain Estates in the beautiful Tucson foothills.  Photos are attached below and the article’s text follows.

“For the London-based homeowners of this 7,310 square foot glass walled structure, the rugged terrain and cactus dotted slopes of the Sonoran Desert seemed like the ideal place to break ground on an exotic vacation retreat.  But for architect Kevin B. Howard, principal of Oro Valley-based Kevin B. Howard Architect’s Inc., the spot was all too familiar. “I’m always interested in how clients choose places to retire and build a home,” Howard says.  “I’m a native of Arizona, so I don’t look at it as an exotic place.  But when you think about it, the environment is actually very unique.”

And so as a testament to the land itself, Howard created a visual masterpiece for the English couple, showcasing the spectacular views through expansive glass windows and a unique design that marries both form and function.”  I wanted the home to both look and feel as though it belonged in the setting,” Howard says.

To accomplish this goal, the architect incorporated a neutral, earth-toned palette and a combination of smooth and textured materials–primarily stucco, glass, steel. And split-face masonry—as the bones of the structure. “you have two aspects of the design,” Howard says.  “Part of it feels light and floating, and part of it feels heavy.  The purpose was to have them compliment and balance each other.”  Although the fusion of diverse materials lent to the home’s clean-lined, contemporary appeal, achieving the look was a bit stickier.  “Split-face masonry is a really rough surface, so when it comes in contact with a smooth window frame, it can be tough to create a flawless transition,” says builder LJ McCreary, principal of Tucson-based McCreary Homes, Inc.

Throughout the home, several features were integrated to serve both aesthetic and functional purposes.  Inside, city and mountain views take center stage through floor-to-ceiling dual paned windows, meticulously oriented to block and overflow of sunlight into the home.  Howard also incorporated exterior cantilevered overhangs in both stucco and steel to further shade the interior living spaces from the sun.  To enhance the scenery and increase the surface area of the property, the architect extended the home’s footprint.  “Right at the edge of the flat grade, there were extreme drop-offs,” he says.  “So we built terraces that cantilever out past those boundaries.”

With minimalistic details—such as the staircase that seems to float effortlessly between two massive split-face block walls—speaking volumes, the home’s architectural distinction is apparent to both the homeowners and architect.  “The home achieves a good balance between being different and blending in with its surroundings,” Howard says.  As for the owners, who craved a home that would honor the exotic Arizona landscape, they couldn’t be happier within its glass walls.  “My favorite space is the great room,” says the husband.  “I like the feeling of being both within the home, and yet still a part of the desert.””

Here are a few photos of the home…

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McCreary Homes Make Happy Home Owners

Published April 24, 2010 McCreary Homes Leave a Comment
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McCreary HomesMcCreary Homes has been building for Tucson’s luxury home market for more than 18 years. From old world charm to sleek, modern elegance; integrated audio and video to whole house automation, lighting and electronics, we have perfected the unique details that will make your new home a reflection of your life.

What Our Customers Say
“We first learned about McCreary Homes from a satisfied client. LJ McCreary has subsequently built two homes for us in Tucson. We never gave consideration to using another contractor when it came to our second home, due to our tremendous satisfaction with the performance of McCreary Homes on the first project. Throughout both of our projects we were always kept in the communications loop…no surprises, and the realistic budget process came in very close to our initial expectations. We would not hesitate to use LJ to build our third home!”
- Barbara Provus and Fred Wackerle

Mr. McCreary is one of the most outstanding contractors I have had the pleasure to work with. His construction quality is top notch and the end result is a showcase worthy of any high end owner.
- John McAfee

“Allie and I are very happy to have the chance to say how pleased and satisfied we are with the house you built for us. The house is going on nine years old and we have never had floor cracks, wall cracks, ceiling cracks, twisted beams or any of the things we observe in other houses. The 48″ front door stills swings easily. I hope you are busy, doing well, and building houses like this for many others. You are absolutely a credit to the building profession.”
- Best regards, Allie and Jim Wittenberg

“Pam and I wish to express our deepest thanks and appreciation for the beautiful two story addition to our Tucson home which McCreary Homes recently completed. The quality of the workmanship was in keeping with your promises. You fulfilled our expectations by leaving nothing to chance in the planning, preparation and performance. The professional manner that you and your staff demonstrated made the entire building experience less than stressful for us, particularly since we were usually at our Wisconsin home during most of the process. It was certainly reassuring to know that we could reach you by telephone at nearly every hour. We appreciated the willingness you exhibited to always be available to discuss those changes, options and adjustments which always are present in the construction process.”É “Obviously, this letter is intended to demonstrate our satisfaction and to unequivocally recommend your company to anyone who is planning to build a home.”
- Sincerely, John J. Carter

More McCreary Homes testimonials

Renovate your home to take care of the folks…a personal reflection

Published May 18, 2009 General , Personal news , Tucson Luxury Renovations 1 Comment
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In a recent posting regarding renovations and additions I mentioned one of the benefits of remodeling is to be able to care for your parents instead of having them move to a nursing facility.  We did this to our home several years ago.  The level of care we’re able to provide my mother has made a big difference for her.  She’s 91 and in good health except for her vision.  Being able to have her own “apartment” attached to our home makes life a little better.  Our kid’s (18 and 22) stop buy for dinner, she can sit out on the back porch in Tucson and enjoy the weather, and she has friends that stop by and visit.

LJ McCreary

McCreary Homes, Inc. and Tucson Luxury Renovations

The phones are ringing….Benefits of Custom Luxury Renovation

Published May 12, 2009 General , Home Building Issues , Links to Cool stuff , Tucson Custom Home Market 2 Comments
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I received a call today from someone who has owned a prime building site in Tucson and is now ready to build.  Another call several weeks ago to extensively renovate and update his home is further evidence that people are ready to make it happen.  This brings to mind a quick thought for those who can’t quite find the resources or are on hold for a new custom home.

A custom luxury renovation may be the answer.  You can update that tired worn out kitchen and take advantage of all the new technology and appliances that are available today.  Stone or granite counter tops are one of the many man made stone or quartz products with antibacterial properties.  Or perhaps turn your master bedroom and bath into a real master suite.  Detached guest houses allow a person to create a separate private environment.  Give guests their own private retreat.  If they stay a little longer than planned…it won’t matter.  Perhaps a place for mom and dad as they grow older and need a little extra care and you don’t want to have them go into a nursing facility.

The other great thing about building a detached guesthouse is you can accommodate a media room, kitchenette, wine cellar, work out room, private office, or other space that may be difficult to fit into an existing floor plan.  Sometimes it’s difficult (i.e. expensive) to get the traffic patterns to work out right when dealing with an existing building.  You could spend more money trying to “marry” the new spaces you want up to you’re existing floor plan than you would if you just detached the area. Connect with a breezeway or porch cover.  Design it in the same architectural style as your home.

Another good reason to renovate or add on is that you love your neighborhood.  You’d like a new house, but you don’t want to live anywhere else.  Everyone knows the three most important things in real estate….location, location, location.  There are fewer goods spots to be in, especially if your’e  in one of those cool old historic neighborhoods.  Or perhaps you live in a great place like Tucson Country Club, Ventana Canyon, La Paloma, or Skyline Country Club where there aren’t any more lots…or at least very few.  In fact, locations like Tucson Country Club and Skyline are of the age that renovation makes sense to increase the value of your home by updating. Contribute to the planet with energy saving and green technology.  Tucson Electric Power has a rebate program that pays for about 1/2 the cost of solar voltaic collector, and I believe they are now even buying back electricity. Or in the current market it may make sense to buy an old home in these great neighborhoods, remove it and build a new one. It doesn’t cost much to demo and haul off an old home.  That’s certainly not a new idea but there are some great deals out there right now and I know investors who are doing just that.

Stay tuned for more thoughts on Custom Luxury Renovation in Tucson

McCreary Homes is excited about expansion into this market.  We’ll soon have a website devoted to the benefits and cool things you can do without leaving your current address.  Check us out at www.tucsonluxuryrenovations.com

Take care

LJ McCreary

McCreary Homes, Inc.

The residential building market is loosening up in Tucson AZ

Published May 10, 2009 Tucson Custom Home Market Leave a Comment
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It looks like things are beginning to move forward again.  In recent conversations with architects, developers, subcontractors, and suppliers in the Tucson area one reoccurring comment is “we’re seeing projects loosening up and people are moving forward”.  Several prominent local architects have mentioned that they’ve gotten the go ahead to complete plans and finish construction documents on projects have been on hold for the past 6 months.  A local developer I played golf with this weekend is going to break ground on several model homes in June at a new zero lot line development.  One of McCreary Home’s future clients is also back on track completing architectural plans and moving ahead.  There’s a lot of pent up demand for building custom homes.   Architectural plans are complete for many high end custom luxury homes in Tucson.  Quite a few people put their dreams on hold when the economy and their portfolios took a down turn. You can’t hold people back…they’re going to find a way to generate what they want, be creative and move forward.

Local community banks are still in good shape because they weren’t involved in the high volume sub-prime lending that went on with large national lenders. As one executive at the bank put it “we’re in great shape…we’ve always concentrated on the basics…block and tackle”.  These small locally owned community banks are another case of small business coming to the rescue and being the real backbone of this wonderful country.  It’ll be nice when our leaders realize it.

LJ McCreary

McCreary Homes, Inc.

It’s been hot in Tucson, AZ

Published March 4, 2009 General , Tucson Custom Home Market Leave a Comment
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Clear blue sky’s and gorgeous evenings and mornings are what it’s all about in Tucson, AZ.  If there is a place to live and move to during these interesting times then Tucson is it.  Economically you don’t have to worry about staying warm.  It’s been in the 80′s and low 90′s the past week.  A little unseasonable, but should return to normal.  I’d take it any time compared to rain, sleet, snow, ice and freezing temperatures. This is the time to build a custom home in Tucson according to a recent speaker from Northern Trust Bank.  There has been a slight reduction in costs which are suspected to level out in the fall and then start an upward trend.  A possible marketing strategy for a land owner would be to build a custom home on their property that would be ready to sell in 18 months or so depending on the size of the project.  This would take advantage of lower costs to both design and build and would bring the home on the market just the right time for the recovery cycle.

Best regards

LJ McCreary

McCreary Homes, Inc.

Accenture match play golf in Tucson Arizona

Published March 2, 2009 General Leave a Comment
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We had gorgeous weather weather for the Accenture match play World Golf in Tucson last week.  It was a good week for golf and a good week for Tucson.  The Tucson Conquistadors put on an amazing tournament.  With weather like that and a venue as terrific as the new Ritz Carlton golf course we’re sure to attract more people to the the area who need to build a custom home.  Of course McCreary Homes will be there to take care of the most discriminating.

It was great to see Tiger Woods back.  Phil Mickelson, Ernie Ells, Camilo Villegas, Anthony Kim, all incredible players.  It’s unbelievable how far and how well all the guys on tour can hit the ball.  Rory McEllroy…at 19…wow what poise

As we’re all aware the housing market and economy overall is suffering.  My prediction, especially with last week (Tucson having the golf, rodeo, and spring training), is that when the housing market bounces back, the custom market in  a place like Tucson will be first.  We’re starting to see a glimmer here and there….permits up slightly in last month….a few reports  about subs getting more work and seeing building plans to price out come across their desks.  Optimism is something we need to project.

Best regards

LJ McCreary

McCreary Homes, Inc.

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