Building Your Dream Home in Omaha, Nebraska

While everyone’s vision of their dream home varies, a few key things that remain consistent in regards to dream homes are the design, craftsmanship, and logistics of building them from the ground up, start to finish. As the process generally isn’t a walk in the park, largely due to so many working parts of the project, the future homeowners must stay patient and make sure that the entire operation is managed and performed by experienced professionals in the industry. This will ensure an exceptional finished product that fits all specifications to a T, along with helping to establish an accurate timeline to keep everything on track and moving forward. Fortunately for those in the Omaha area there are many options in regards to these professionals and their practices. By focusing on starting effectively, successfully designing, strategically financing, and integrating trades, before you know it the idea that was once your dream home will be reality.

Successfully Designing

Design typically is either the best or worst part of the process for the future homeowner. Being that there are so many choices and decisions to make, seeking out the right business professionals in the Omaha Metro really does prove to be a beneficial decision when all is said and done. Saving you both time and money, you’ll most likely be making choices on whom to work with on both the interior and exterior facets of the house.

Interior Design
With everything that goes into the interior design of your home, particularly for those who are starting with a blank slate, there’s a lot of ground to cover. Whether it’s flooring, backsplashes, decorative accents, or all of the above, tile will likely be a big part of your interior design. The always-evolving tile industry is hard for a consumer to keep up on trend and industry-wise, so having a professional at your service is ultimately a wise decision. Locally owned and operated by professionals who specialize in tile work, Modern Concepts Tile is a company that makes sure the job is done right, step-by-step. Striving towards producing a great outcome for their clients, they make sure that no corners are cut, standing behind their work with pride every time. Modern Concepts Tile makes sure to keep clients in the loop as well. Going through their process with clients step-by-step ensures that clients are comfortable and informed over the course of the project at-hand.

As far as building your dream home, Modern Concepts Tile advises towards investing money in the master bathroom and kitchen because they are the two most focal points in the home that will add value. For those who are thinking ahead years down the road, aiming for a future return on investment, it’s critical to stay alert regarding industry trends that if incorporated can add value and interest to the home when it comes time to sell. Mike Prendergast of Modern Concepts Tile specifies, “We specialize in custom tile work that can add stunning appeal to your home. With all of the options available in tile products, there are endless combinations of tiles and designs that can really make areas of your home become works of art as opposed to just being functional living spaces. From natural stone to glass mosaics and numerous different styles of tile and patterns, we can help you design a style and look that you will love as your own. We also pride ourselves in doing all work above industry standards so that your product will last a lifetime.”

As previously mentioned, trends in the tile industry are always evolving so Modern Concepts Tile takes it upon themselves to keep up on these for the clients. Heated floor systems have become more and more popular and can definitely be a great selling point in a home. Leveling systems are something that have become more necessary, as plank tiles have grown so much in popularity. These leveling systems will ensure that even with large tiles on an uneven floor, your floor will turn out perfectly flat. The durability of grout is always a concern for customers, and as such, there are multiple options for grout available now that there are stain, mold, and mildew resistant materials to give you comfort in knowing your products will last longer and be easier to keep clean. As a company, Modern Concepts Tile frequently goes to classes and seminars that are put on by their distributors to keep themselves up-to-date on new products and materials that will allow them to produce the highest quality and performance.

Being a wealth of knowledge about everything in the wood flooring industry, Heartland Wood Floors thrives off of the benefits they offer company-wide, including: showroom, personal service, quality craftsmanship, and continued commitment.

Yet, as for building a home, Dan Morrison of Heartland Wood Floors explains, “There have been studies that say wood flooring nearly always adds value to your home. Not only does it provide a return on investment if installed, but it also adds great visual appeal.”

As a business, Heartland Wood Floors has been seeing the trends of wider boards and textured flooring, in addition to hickory flooring to add something different to the home. One thing they specify on for general homebuilding is the sooner decisions are made, the better. This is because at times high demand materials are harder to get.

Having been in business since 1992, Ceramic Tileworks Center is a wonderful resource to consult with any questions about interior features of the home. With over 250,000 square feet of product in stock, they offer no huge lead times in ordering material for your next in-home job, whether it is countertops or tile.

As far as what’s been most in-demand for residential projects recently, Jason Tidblom of Ceramic Tileworks Center responds, “An investment in your new or already existing home that will add aesthetic appeal is porcelain covering for your floor, and a lot of people have picked up on that and been requesting it lately. This is the most durable floor covering available too, with many different styles including contemporary looks, as well as wood and slab looks. Customers like this tile because it is easy for them to maintain and both the quality and longevity is incredible.”

Tidblom also encourages clients to not be afraid to incorporate different ideas into their home that aren’t necessarily considered common. He says that going with your gut will pay off in the end.

Exterior Design
While the inside of your dream home might be where you are spending most of your time, it is important to place an equal amount of focus towards the outside of the home, as it will be the first impression anyone will have of it along with being a potential area for spending time and entertaining.
Greenery and landscaping can add great curb appeal to your dream home, but on top of that, it is beneficial to consider the nighttime lighting of the exterior of your home too. It will not only take your property to the next level and showcase the beauty of your home and the landscaping you install, but in drawing attention to specific areas, it also adds a higher level of security.

Natural Night-Scapes is the perfect business to turn to when it comes to incorporating a stunning lighting design into the landscape of your home. In custom designing the outdoor lighting and providing a demonstration that allows clients to better visualize the options and what the finished product would look like, they make sure each of the customer’s needs and requests are met. “During our initial consultation, we discuss the client’s style, characteristics of the property, and overall expectations,” explains Travis Lerdahl, owner of Natural Night-Scapes. “This is what allows us to determine our approach, because every property is unique and our designs are meant to enhance the key features while bringing everything together cohesively.”

Defining property boundaries is a necessary part of every building project, and accuracy is paramount. Land surveying in particular is one of the more pivotal tasks to get done in the very beginning stages of building your dream home because if there are any errors in where the property lines are charted it can be expensive and time consuming to correct, creating a domino effect with consequences across all other aspects of the project.

If you are looking for a company to hire on for this task, Land Survey Inc. is able to provide hands-on information for the property owner, assuring that the plans are on track. Utilizing GPS instruments that cut down time and also increase precision, Land Survey Inc. offers essential land surveying services for new construction plots including boundary surveys, ILR’s for title companies, and topographies. “The property corners are the basis of beginning to build,” advises Toni Montana, owner of Land Survey Inc. “It is also very important to know the zoning requirement so you don’t go past what the city and/or county requires. If you’re considering building a home, contact us as early on in the process as possible. We will walk you through every requirement and also provide the ground work that will be needed. In fact, it makes us happy to help assure that everything is on track by providing a wealth of hands-on information to our clients.” She adds, “A word of caution: when building a home, acting as your own general contractor can sound attractive, but the average person who doesn’t have any formal training or working knowledge can easily end up spending more and experiencing unnecessary delays. Just work with someone who knows the process, it will save so much money and headaches.”

Strategically Financing
Interestingly enough, the financing of a home seems to be one of the more intimidating tasks for homeowners to approach. However, leave it to the professionals and you’ll be in good hands here too. Our local banking professionals who focus on mortgage lending offer plenty of experience and make it a point to be available to their clients whenever needed, assisting with any financial needs and questions that arise throughout the entire span of the project and oftentimes even after the construction is completed. With interest rates constantly fluctuating in addition to all of the other variables that are taken into consideration, it is critical that you as the homeowner seek options for loans and any other sort of help you can get in regards to building your dream home from a financing standpoint.

Anyone looking to build a new home should sit down with a trusted local bank such as Pinnacle Bank to get pre-approved and to discuss financing options and questions. The majority of the time, the builder takes out construction financing, but it is becoming more common for buyers to take out their own financing instead of the builder. Discussing the pros and cons of each option is important. Additionally, most homebuyers are interested in discussing down payment options, understanding total costs and knowing what their payment range will initially be and once taxes are fully-assessed on new construction. Home buyers looking to build new should understand that there may be overages above and beyond the initial price that they have agreed upon. Likewise, they should have a firm grasp of how that can affect their loan amount, appraisal value, and the required funds they will need at closing. For instance, a home’s purchase price may initially be $400,000 but once upgrades are selected throughout the build, they may have additional overage costs due to the builder of $10,000. If the property appraises for $400,000, most banks lend based on the loan to value the appraisal value or purchase price. There could be an issue with how to pay for the additional $10,000 and the buyer may have to come up with that in cash at closing. So it is important to discuss these potential hurdles up front to understand how to address and avoid potential issues. Homebuyers should select a lender that they trust and that is available to meet and answer questions to reduce the number of surprises that can surface during this process. Pinnacle Bank takes an education approach in making sure their clients understand all options so they can select the best fit for their situation.

Tilting the focus towards benefits in building opposed to buying an established home, Jesse Ostdiek of Pinnacle Bank explains, “Buying a new home can offer a homeowner more financial stability in that unexpected repairs or expenses are unusual. With an established home, unexpected expenses are more common. A homeowner is more likely to need to save on the side for repairs or improvements to items such as mechanical systems, appliances, roofing, siding, and windows. Much like owning a used versus new car, a new homebuyer should be prepared to make investments in an established home to keep it functioning properly. Typical life expectancies may vary depending on quality of materials, but generally speaking, roofs with asphalt shingles last between 15 to 25 years, air conditioners 8 to 15 years, dishwashers 9 to 12 years, and stoves a bit longer at 12 to 15 years. With new construction, you likely will have less unexpected out of pocket expenses. In addition to possible repair and improvement costs, buying new may include lower initial taxes while the home is still valued on lot taxes. Once the county fully assesses the property with the new home present, taxes will increase. Since it is common that more new builds happen in new neighborhoods in suburbs, developers of these new neighborhoods usually form Sanitary Improvement Districts (SIDs) in order to build streets and add sewers and power. SIDs then can levy taxes against those homes to pay back funds used to build the neighborhood infrastructure. New homeowners generally pay higher taxes in SIDs than established neighborhoods in order to pay back the costs of creating the neighborhood. Even though taxes may be higher, homeowners get to enjoy newer infrastructure and amenities like parks and trails.”

There are essentially two different options when it comes to financing a new home build. The homeowner can take out construction financing or have the builder carry the financing. If the homebuyer takes out financing, banks will require a very thorough construction plan with costs, timeframe, and will want to review the builder’s qualifications. The homebuyer then pays interest on the loan over the course of the build cycle. Homebuyers with construction financing control distributions along the way in stages as the build progresses, which generally means a bit more work on the homebuyer side. In addition the homebuyer pays costs on the temporary construction loan and once again once the home is complete and permanent, financing is taken out. This is referred to as two-time close.  So taking out construction financing and permanent financing at the end may result in higher overall loan costs. In turn though, the purchase price of the home may be less since the builder does not have to factor in financing costs on their end. Most banks prefer the builder take out financing as they are most familiar with the process, but Pinnacle Bank is set up to advise and approve buyer-carried construction financing.

Along the same lines, buyers should do plenty of research on both the construction and financial aspects, as there is no such thing as being too prepared or reviewing too much information when it comes to building a home.  Ultimately just knowing your options and doing your research can be important.  Many people may be out looking for land before really determining their options on builders and financing, which isn’t necessarily the wrong thing to do; however, keep in mind that not all builders are created equal and it is important to know whom you will be dealing with as early on as possible. There are many local builders who will finance the home and construction of the home without requiring the client to do so on his/her own, and it is an option worth considering for a variety of reasons.  It is also worth mentioning that there are now long-term interest rate locks available so that if the project takes up to a year, the buyer can still lock in at today’s rates, which remain quite low.  Also, there are many ‘rehab’ loans available for clients that they may not be aware of which will allow them to finance in repairs on an existing home.  This is great for people who are trying to sell their homes in order to build a new one.  The most consistent advice from the professionals in the industry across the board is to know what options are out there in terms of financing and to partner with the right builder.  Furthermore, there are those people out there who think that building a home and managing the project on their own is a good option. While there are a select few who may be capable enough to get the job done, it’s honestly making life exponentially more difficult in the long run. Simply partnering with the right professionals will not only minimize the propensity for costly mistakes but will also ensure that  the entire experience as smooth as it can be from start to finish.

Integrating Trades
For the little, last-minute tasks that typically become big tasks, or for critical jobs that will be performed later on in the process by subcontractors, there are many businesses in the area that work towards helping clients build new homes by contributing with a specialized trade or skill. These niche services can range from the interior and exterior items we’ve already covered on to technology installation and integration, conducting home inspections, and moving all of your treasured belongings into your new home.  Furthermore, if you’re feeling up to the task on specific jobs, instead of investing in the equipment that you likely don’t have just lying around in your personal collection, there’s a local resource you can use for equipment rental too!

When looking to buy a new home, remember that companies like Engineered Controls represents a whole host of smart home products that will improve your home’s comfort and help you operate your home more efficiently. From the most state-of-the-art Wi-Fi enabled thermostats and zoning systems, to whole-house air cleaning systems, whole-house humidification and dehumidification systems, Zigbee and Z-Wave wired and wireless home security and video systems; everything is geared to make homes more energy-efficient and secure.

One of the most important benefits of a smart home is that homeowners can now take advantage of new and cutting-edge residential technology that improves their environment and living comfort, thus, reducing energy and providing increased safety and security. Today’s smartphones and wireless devices will keep homeowners connected everywhere.

From strictly a trend perspective, smart thermostats, such as Honeywell’s Prestige Wi-Fi Smart Thermostat and the Ecobee3, have become increasingly popular in both residential and commercial markets. These thermostats allow the monitoring of temperatures at home and in commercial spaces from mobile devices and PCs. The thermostats monitor humidity and temperature and alter cooling cycles, resulting in energy and money-saving opportunities. These thermostats are further advancing in terms of technology.

From a smart investment perspective, smart home technology will help save on the homeowner’s utility bill is what the typical homeowner should be looking for. It is no secret that heating and cooling account for the bulk of a home’s energy usage. Depending on the size of a home, utility bills can average over $1,000 annually and switching to a programmable thermostat is one simple way to save as much as $180 a year.

Advising clients on the topic of building a dream home, Pat Killeen of Engineered Controls states, “I would tell clients interested in integrating technology into a new home to make sure and do your research. There is plenty of information on the internet today that will make the average homeowner much more knowledgeable about what is available in the residential construction market than anyone realizes. Far too often we see homeowners moving into a new house only to find out that they did not get what they wanted. So the moral of the story is to get involved, ask questions, know what you want, and know what you are getting before the decisions are made by everyone but you, the customer.”

Whenever you find additional equipment or tools are needed in the construction process, Honeyman Rent-All is a wonderful source to utilize as they have just about anything you might require for the task at hand. Honeyman Rent-All offers air equipment, electric hand tools, painting equipment, and plumbing equipment, and that is just to name a few of the many. With the goal in mind of turning your project into a reality, equipment rental is one of the major divisions of the company. With a wide range of inventory and highly knowledgeable staff, they are ready to supply you with the equipment to make your project come together.

If a sunroom is included in your vision of your dream home, calling Malibu Sunrooms should be at the top of your to-do list. Being the leading sunroom builder in Nebraska, they believe that a quality sunroom is priceless. With high building standards and great product quality, Malibu Sunrooms will ensure that with a sunroom installed by them, you will experience years of relaxation and satisfaction.

Advising towards finding a technology partner that you believe is an expert in their field and will be available for years to come, Echo Systems recommends that those looking to build schedule a tour of their new showroom before actually beginning construction of the home. With nobody walking out unimpressed; rest assured you will have a head full of new ideas after visiting.

Echo Systems can also help consumers with the planning and integration of adequate Wi-Fi systems into their homes. With streaming and a multitude of mobile devices, the networks that worked well four or five years ago are totally inadequate for how a majority of us live today. Echo Systems often implements fully-managed, enterprise-grade networks in residential properties. They also can assist in laying down a comprehensive wiring infrastructure that will allow you to grow and change with your lifestyle demands and budgets. Above all, home technology can make your life easier and more pleasurable and the options are only growing in scope.

Doug Dushan of Echo Systems explains trends for the technology industry that Echo Systems makes sure to keep up on:

“Hidden technology is a rapidly growing area of our industry. Often there are two seemingly competing demands from homeowners. The first demand is to have the latest audio and video technology or smart home features available. The second demand is that everything that’s required should not interfere with the efforts that are being made to create a pleasing aesthetic. Fortunately, there are people with the expertise to deliver on both counts. This trend has been so significant, that the majority of our recently renovated $2.5 million showroom is designed to feature this type of technology.”

Another frequent trend that Dushan says Echo System has witnessed is expansion of technology into the outdoor living areas of new homes.

“Homeowners are spending more time and money making their outdoor lifestyle as comfortable as the inside of the home. Often this includes outdoor televisions or projection systems are implemented. Speaker systems that imbed in the landscaping, including buried subwoofers, are a popular choice. We also see demand for extending Wi-Fi systems to cover outdoor living areas.”

But, in whole, Doug Dushan advises, “It takes an investment to prepare for the future. The same is true in preparing your dream home for your future in it or for resale. Just as with financial investments, there are many levels available for everyone. Find the right advisor and start a conversation.”

No matter what your vision of a dream home is, the task of actually building it should be less of a burden and more of a journey to the perfect finished product. With the help of numerous local professionals, your dream will become a reality before your very eyes. With no job being too complicated or arduous for these businesses, the sooner you call them, the easier and less stressful your new dream home construction endeavor will be.