Welcome to the G&K Development Blog
The goal of the Georgiou & Kelly Development, LLC Blog is to educate every potential customer about the home building process.
Even through current economic conditions, commitment to quality workmanship and superior customer service has allowed our business not only to survive, but grow. We work closely with you to design and build residential projects within your budget and schedule.
If you have any questions, please click the “Contact Us” link above for more information.
New Year…New Habits…New Houses
New Year…The New year is upon us and I have been delinquent in keeping up with my blog. Most of that reason is because we were busy building new homes and commercial build out projects. G&K Development has been fortunate to continue to keep busy and have done that through diversification. We moved rapidly through the holidays and now here it is…a New Year. The market in northwest Indiana where we call home has continued to improve and noticeably improved to where national tract builders have started to move into the area. The low-interest rates and the depletion of spec homes has almost created a seller’s market.
New Habits…My resolution is to resume and continue with this blog,be more proactive and continue to be involved. Persons ask how we have survived the downturn and are still here…here’s a few reasons: Participate in your community, attend networking events, host business after hours, volunteer for your local chamber, and be VISIBLE! G&K continues to obtain most of its work via networking and referral. We do still bid against others for our work but our reputation and quality help us to win the project.
New Houses…As I said, the rates are low, the federal government will eventually deal with our fiscal crisis, and now is the time to build a new home. Market shift is moving back to a seller’s market and continued improvement in home prices in northwest Indiana continue to rise. Trends are showing material prices increasing and demand increasing. Don’t get left waiting on the sidelines and enjoy your new home in 2013.
The New Home: Progress Report #11
The New Home is looking good! Not much has changed on the exterior since the last progress report which happened almost a month ago. The inside however…
Kitchen cabinets and appliances have finally made there way into the home. The rough-ins (also known as all of the lines, vents and hook-ups for the appliances) have been installed for months, but now the rooms are beginning to look furnished. The cabinets arrived stained, unlike many of the doors and trim in the house, and are ready for counter tops to be installed in the near future.
You can see the structure where the stove ventilation will be installed, but all the pieces currently rest where the refrigerator will be placed. Another term you might hear builders use, besides rough-ins, are the trimming out of the wires and vents and connections. For example, outlets have been installed as part of the “trimming out” process. The wires and box behind the outlet are the electrical rough-ins.
The stairs to the second floor are starting to look more finished. The black, wrought-iron, decorative balusters have been installed. The main pillars providing support (the newel posts) have also been placed. The main stairs and trim await staining in the near future.
One of the future homeowners requested that I take a look at a the landscaping, specifically the yard between the properties. The homeowner was worried this berm (pictured as the raised mound of dirt) was too large for the property. A berm, generally, is a raised space of land that separates two areas. In landscaping, the berm is designed to separate properties and aid in drainage of the yard. Trees, bushes, flowers may be planted along the berm on your property to camouflage or beautify the space.
I photographed the berm for the time being and will be discussing with Steve Kelly about regrading the entire space.
Choose your home builder wisely – chicagotribune.com
Choose your home builder wisely – chicagotribune.com
I always find it helpful when someone hits the nail on the head with an article that focuses and summarizes my thoughts on a subject. Attached is an article that recently appeared in the Chicago Tribune Friday Homes section. I can’t emphasize enough what is involved in choosing a builder for your new house. There must be more involved than asking the oft-repeated question “how much will it cost per square foot” and having a successful experience based on a discussion of dollars only. I will spend anywhere from 40 to 80 hours with a home building client when we build them a new house. You need to develop a rapport with your builder and trust. Quality, education during the process, and follow-up are all part of the equation in having a succesful experience with your builder.
The New Home: Progress Report #10
In about a three week period, The New Home has had its driveway and walkways poured in concrete. The brick and siding has been completely finished. The only thing missing at this point in construction are the final beams to support the porch and the exterior lighting of the home.
The front door is also awaiting final detailing by the painters.
The drywall in the living room has been completed and all of the scaffolding taken down. This means the painters were able to come in over the past couple of weeks and begin (and nearly finish) the painting.
Floor trim is still marked out in several of the rooms and much of the wooden trim pieces are, at this point, being stained in the garage. The painters have been able to continue their work in most of the other parts of the home, like this bedroom.
Choosing a lot to build a home on – chicagotribune.com
Choosing a lot to build a home on – chicagotribune.com.
Being located in northwest Indiana, I am able to enjoy a wealth of many local articles and bits of wisdom that appear in the Chicagoland area. Here is another excellent article recently posted in the Chicago Tribune Homes section about selecting a lot to build on. If you are searching in a specific area, a local builder can be of great help in deciding which lot to purchase. The article “advises recruiting a contractor before securing the lot”, which I wholeheartedly agree. Many builders will offer their advice and comments on various subdivisions, lots, and areas. They will also recommend what to watch out for and consider when picking a home site, usually at no cost to you. As a builder with years of experience, take advantage of that expertise and learn from it.
The New Home: Progress Report #9
A week after the brick work on the front of The New Home began, the front-facing brick facade has been nearly completed!
The brick layers have set up some scaffolding to finish up the eaves of the home and other high up, hard to reach areas. For the most part, the brick work has been completed.
Drywall in the garage has been completed at this point. The garage is used by the builders to complete other smaller construction projects needed for the home’s completion. For example one of the primed oak doors is resting against the wall here awaiting staining.
It’s also of import to note that the drywall used in the garage is somewhat different than that in other areas of The New Home. On the side facing the living areas of the home, the drywall is of a fire-resistant grade. The door that will be installed between the driveway and the home’s entryway will also be fire-rated. These precautions ensure that if a fire were to start in the garage (there is more of a likelihood considering the cars, the flammable materials stored in garages and other factors) then the fire would have a harder time burning through as quickly.
Painting and the end of drywall installation should be featured in the next progress report. Thanks for reading!
Shop for quality and value when choosing a builder – chicagotribune.com
Shop for quality and value when choosing a builder – chicagotribune.com
This article showcases a dialogue about the essentials of developing a relationship with your home builder during the selection process. At G&K Development, we strive to bring quality and value to your new home. Our advice would be as follows: be sure to ask for references, look at examples of their work, weigh the relationship you are establishing, and review the contract and warranty. Also, assess the chemistry of the relationship such that you will be able to work through issues and concerns without losing your cool. We always try to make the home building process as stress free as possible. You can (and should) genuinely like your builder — all our customers do!
The New Home: Progress Report #8
It’s been about two weeks since Progress Report #7 and The New Home is just starting to have some serious brick work done. As I’ve mentioned in other posts on the blog, some subdivisions have rules that will affect the design or construction of your home. In this case, the owner was required to have brick on the front side of the home. The color of brick or material used to protect the other walls was not specified.
All of the siding has been installed on the back and sides of this home within the past two weeks though.
Pardon my thumb in this photo! I wanted to show how far drywall has progressed in two weeks. You’ll notice the top row of living room windows are currently obscured. This isn’t the ceiling pictured. The drywallers have created a scaffolding floor in order to safely drywall all of the home’s spaces.
The view on top of the scaffolding shows that the drywall has almost been completely finished, at least in this space.
And this view from one of the second floor windows looks like a mud pit. Well, it’s actually the currently visible space in which the septic field resides. Since The New Home is located in an unincorporated subdivision, it was mandatory to build out a septic field to eliminate waste and gray water.
Check back in a week for a new progress report!
The New Home: Progress Report #7
The following photos were taken by me a little over a week after Progress Report #6. In the last progress report the house had its roof entirely coated in protective tar paper to prepare for the shingles. Now, the shingles are nearly complete on all the roof surfaces.
All of the framing and most pipes and ducts needed for utilities have been installed at this point. Insulation has arrived (you can see the package, unopened, on the floor). In the next week or two, insulation and drywall will be nearing completion.
The front door has also been installed. The door has been primed and will eventually be painted red. The rest of the oak wooden doors which will be installed throughout the rest of the home will be arriving within the next week.
Home Builder Q&A: Winter Building
Steve and I look forward to answering any questions you might have about the construction or building process. Email your questions to info@gk-development.com and we will provide you with our best answer and any relevant advice.
Q: Can I build a home through the winter?
A: Yes, as long as the foundation is poured before the ground freezes. We usually estimate that you will need to have the foundation set sometime before December 15th. We started construction on our Parade of Homes house in the winter and were able to complete the entire project on time.
These photos are from the construction of our 2010 Parade of Homes spec house. The foundation was placed before the ground froze and allowed us to work through the winter months.
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