Things to Consider When Choosing a New Home
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Up-front Choices

New homes offer the greatest choices and flexibility in design and construction. The most cost-effective time to incorporate such choices as more insulation, tighter construction, high-performance windows and proper flow of conditioned air is when the home is being built. After the home is completed, fixing problems in these areas is much costlier.

• For example, rooms above garages are common areas for comfort complaints. At time of construction, the changes needed to ensure comfort might add $500 to $1,500 to the price of the home ($3 to $10 on your monthly mortgage payment). In contrast, making these changes to an existing home might well cost $5,000 to $10,000.

New Home Choices Have Lasting Effects
 

Decisions made as your new home is designed and built will have long-lasting effects. Beyond the direct benefits for you and future owners, your high-performing home will also provide valuable benefits for future generations and the environment as a whole. Lower home energy use means:

• Less need for new power plants, electric transmission and gas supply lines.
• Preserving limited supplies of coal and natural gas for our children and grandchildren.
• Less air pollution and fewer “greenhouse gas” emissions.

Building Codes and Performance

Building codes do not guarantee that a home will perform well. Codes set only minimum standards for various parts of the home. New homes can “meet code” yet still have problems with comfort, indoor-air quality, durability and energy use.

Beyond meeting all code requirements, a high-performing home incorporates whole-house design approaches, quality components, higher levels of craftsmanship, and careful inspection and testing.

Read on: The evolving art of home building

Last Updated: 12/18/2004