Advantage Framing and the builders who may have been complicit in their alleged scheme have cast a dark shadow on an entire industry.   The hiring of illegal immigrants that work for slave wages and denying those workers any benefits is not only unfair to them, it is also unfair to the other workers that have to compete with them.

In previous blogs we have been critical of “component framing” which is precisely how Advantage Framing constructs a home.  Our evaluation was based on quality or shall I say lack of quality, inherent in their process.  Now, we have some thing else to be critical of.  If any good comes from this situation it will be that our competitors price advantage based on low wages, no benefits and no taxes for illegal workers will disappear once and for all.

The man cave is to most men, that special place where the guys can just get away and distance themselves from those little annoyances like lace pillows and satin drapes.  Stretching out with a cold one, or two, turning off Downton Abbey and turning on the big game are almost therapeutic to the modern male. So ladies please don’t stand in the way of one of the few physic rewards available to the modern man- a cave of his own. Oh, and yes ladies you too can have a space all your own- it’s called the rest of the house!

Building science is a relatively new field and the latest strategies for building energy efficient, comfortable healthy homes has not been widely disseminated; that is why you need a builder who has more than an opinion about the best insulation strategies for the money.

And while we’re at it, there is one question that comes up frequently and it is about “how many HVAC systems a home needs.”  The simple answer is that there is no simple answer.  There is, however, some good guidance on the subject.  Homes above 4,000 square feet that will have a finished basement or a large bonus room above the garage should have a separate HVAC system, dedicated for these areas.

Anyone contemplating the construction of a new home will have to confront a great number and variety of choices during the building process.  We’ve attempted here to present just a few of those decisions and our best advice, too.

Starting with the foundation there is a decision that you and your builder need to face, will you “dump proof” the foundation or will you “waterproof” it.  Dump proofing calls for a tar like product to be sprayed on the exterior below grade surface.  Dump proofing is good as it provides a very basic resistance to subsurface water and dampness.  It is the way things have been done for decades and is inexpensive to boot.

Waterproofing is a much superior product and is a type of membrane that is applied by spraying and rolling; it is thicker and more resilient.  Over a long period of time waterproofing will provide superior performance and will help keep basements dryer and more comfortable.

Although the new building codes do not require waterproofing, Covenant Custom Homes uses it on every home we build.  As you might expect, waterproofing is more expensive then damp proofing but it also comes with a 25 year warranty.  A responsible builder will at the very least allow you to upgrade to waterproofing if they are not.

New home builders are actually experiencing a robust market; perhaps, the best market since 2006.  We builders are equally surprised at the suddenness and ferocity of the turn around; if I can be so bold to declare it a turn around.  As reported in some recent blogs, inflation in construction costs and materials are very much with us again.  Likewise, big discounts, if not all discounts on lot prices is now a thing of the past.  Most concerning, the number of lots being created by developers is, for the time being, less then the number of lots being sold.

In both Mills Farm and Glen Abbey, two subdivisions where we build there are hardly any lots not already owned by the core builders.  That means that some buyers will be forced to build with the particular builder who owns the particular lot.

We are only mentioning this to make our clients and friends aware of the current state of the new home construction market in Leawood and Southern Overland Park.

Our best advice for folks who are in the market for a new home, is to move before the situation gets worse.  If you or someone you know is searching for a great “deal” on a home in Southern Johnson County then we suggest a thorough search through the resale market accompanied by an experienced real estate agent.  If you still would like a new home then we would love to show you how Covenant Custom Homes can help your dream become a reality; so why not give us a call at 913-451-9471

One of the hot new trends showing up in the Covenant Custom Homes play book is the use of  ”metallic’s” in a variety of materials.  This of course goes hand in hand with generally lighter and brighter color schemes and cleaner and simpler lines.  Metallic influences add not only sparkle but drama and richness that can be either bold or even subtle.

Tiles with metallic glazing are showing up in backsplashes and accents in both kitchens and baths.

Chrome, nickel and stainless steel hardware are quickly replacing the dark bronze hardware that has been holding sway for many years.

Gold, copper, and especially silver glazes are being applied over a variety of painted finishes.

Bright metallic and chrome nail heads are decorating transitional furniture pieces and wall decor.

Along with the rise in metallic’s comes the growing trend in mirror tiles, particularly in furniture, accent pieces and even backsplashes.

Our very own in-house design team at Covenant Custom Homes has included a number of metallic design cues and accent pieces in our “Piedmont” model in Mills Farm Estates.  Most rewarding is the very positive reaction we have received these past few weeks since we opened this beautiful new model.

Houzz’s 2013 ‘Best Of Houzz’ Award

Annual Survey and Analysis of 11 Million Monthly Users

 Reveals Top-Rated U.S. Professionals

 Palo Alto, California–  January 22, 2013 – Covenant Custom Homes of Overland Park, Kansas has been awarded  “Best Of Houzz” 2013 by Houzz, the leading online platform for residential remodeling and design. The family owned custom home builder in the Kansas City metro area was chosen by the more than 11 million monthly users that comprise the Houzz community.

The Houzz “Best Of Houzz” award for 2013 is given in two categories: Customer Satisfaction and Design. Customer Satisfaction award winners are based on homeowner members who rated their experience working with remodeling professionals in 12 categories ranging from architects, and interior designers to contractors and other residential remodeling professionals.  Design award winners’ work was the most popular among the community of 11 million monthly users, also known as “Houzzers,” who saved more than 124 million professional images of home interiors and exteriors to their personal ideabooks via the Houzz site, iPad/iPhone app and Android app.

“Houzz provides our customers a great tool to express the vision for their home,” said Michael Menghini, President of Covenant Custom Homes.


“Houzz provides homeowners with an in-depth, 360-degree view of building, remodeling and design professionals through images of their work, reviews and an opportunity to interact with them directly in the Houzz community,” said Liza Hausman, vice president of community. “We’re delighted to recognize Covenant Custom Homes among our “Best Of” professionals for exceptional customer service as judged by our community of homeowners and design enthusiasts who are actively remodeling and decorating their homes.”

With Houzz, homeowners can identify not only the top-rated professionals like Covenant Custom Homes, but also those whose work matches their own aspirations for their home. Homeowners can also evaluate professionals by contacting them directly on the Houzz platform, asking questions about their work and evaluating their responses to questions from others in the Houzz community.

No one likes to be the bearer of bad news but our best clients are clients that are well informed.  As we predicated last spring in this blog, building inflation is returning with a vengeance.  Here in Southern Johnson County, Kansas builders and tradesmen are busy and are having difficulty keeping up with demand.  Lumber prices are at pre-recession pricing, sheetrock material just went up 25% and just about everything else has gone up or is going to go up in the next few weeks.  The apparent reason for the price increases are many, but mostly seem to be the result of:

The devaluation of the U.S. Dollar

Hurricane Sandy and its devastation

Increase in lumber imports by China

What ever the reasons, it is not to difficult to see that the U.S. housing market and the local home building business were devastated from 2008-2011, and that even the modest demand we are currently experiencing has taxed limited and/or reduced capacities.  This situation does not appear to be letting up, so unless we fall into another recession this year, we can expect increased pricing on home construction materials and labor.  On the average $500,000 home you can expect about $10,000-$12,000 increase for homes started this quarter.  This on top of increases resulting in the new Overland Park building codes adopted Nov. 1.

It appears that for us builders, we either can have a difficult business when the economy is bad or a difficult business when the economy is better.  Go Figure!

Well it’s official, Covenant Custom Homes has completed and opened our new furnished model home in Mills Farm at 11518 W. 163rd Court.

First, our hats are off to Pat, our in house designer for an incredible job on this new home.  We’re not exaggerating when we tell you it’s the absolute best model we’ve ever built.

Pat’s vision for a home that could be fresh, innovative and “airy” but not radical nor trendy is exactly the final outcome.  Perhaps, most importantly, Pat chose a color palate that is neutral and right smack in the middle of traditional warmth and modern cool.  As Pat describes it;  ”People don’t want to get rid of all their furniture when they buy or build a new home so it’s critical to give them a current perspective that is pale neutral, this way they can utilize favorite pieces or family heirlooms without making them seem out of date.”

Our designer Pat, reminds us often that the secret to a great home is “layers of detail, design restraint and the avoidance of anything trendy.”  Most surprising to us is how Pat worked with a small budget and delivered fabulous, new transitional design motif.  Every stick of furniture, bedding and every accessory as well as area rugs was purchased new over a three month period.  Of course, we were even more impressed when in just one day, yes that ‘s right, one day, Pat placed all the furniture, bedding, accessories and area rugs and completed her masterpiece.  Well done Pat!

Currently, we have a “spec” home at trim stage which is scheduled to be completed in February.  This beautiful new home at 14155 Juniper, is a two story with a bonus suite and finished lower level with pub room, media room, game room and more. We have also dressed this great home with an innovative new front elevation and new hip roof plan.  The future owners will also appreciate the very private lot which faces west for those shaded afternoons in sunny Kansas.

Our decorator is hard at work making the final selections and directing the trim carpenters and cabinet makers as they complete the final fittings; of course we will be utilizing the hot “transitional” decor scheme and our new lighter and brighter color palate.

We hope you drop by Glen Abbey just east of Nall on 143rd street in Leawood (behind St. Michael’s Catholic Church.)