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Their Story - The Crawford Family

Why did you decide to build a new home as opposed to existing? We found the west Omaha area fit our lifestyle very well.  Once that was determined there is so much building going on that the selection of price, quality, style and location of new is quite wide.  While new can cost more per square foot there is no extra cost of remodeling or repair that is needed. How did you choose your home builder? We had the opportunity to take a great deal of time shopping the area.  I can't even begin to guess how many houses we saw so we felt we knew the market quite well.  We settled on Royal Homes for a number of reasons.  Quality of materials and workmanship were high on the list.  The people who built the house all seemed proud of and conscientious about their work.  Most were frequently employed by Royal.  The overall designs were practical and user friendly.  The houses were tastefully designed with quality details everywhere.  Of the many houses we saw around the area there were many that were very eye-catching and impressive on the first visit but the closer we looked little flaws became evident.  With Royal it was the opposite, the closer we looked the better it looked.  That was the difference maker.  Finally it is worth mentioning that after we bought the house the accessibility and prompt followup on any question or issue that arose was and is outstanding. What did you enjoy about the process? Why? We enjoyed sorting through the wide variety of styles, locations and costs to determine exactly what we wanted. What was a challenge you encountered and how did you work through it? Jane and I first had to make sure we were both looking for exactly the same thing before we got serious.  We couldn't find the right place unless we knew what it should look like.  Keeping the emotion out of the process to make sure we didn't stray from our objective was also a challenge.  To help with this we had a firm list of must haves and a secondary list of likes. What advice would you give to someone considering building a new home in Omaha? Start the process by looking at areas, designs, builders etc. on your own before contacting a realtor.  I think that best assures knowing the whole landscape of what is available before getting specific.  Then find a realtor that is knowledgeable and represents a quality firm to zero in on the right place.

Picking the Perfect Paint Color and My Top Five Neutral Paint Color Picks That Look Good in Every Home

Hi, Build Omaha Readers! I'm Sarah Stewart, author of the blog Life on Virginia Street. I'm an Omaha-based insurance executive by day and a blogger/DIY-er/home decor enthusiast by night and weekend. My husband and I have built two homes and we are now updating our current new-to-us home to make it our own. I will be sharing tips and tricks I have learned over the years on a regular basis here at Build Omaha. Thanks for reading along!

When building a new home, the list of decisions you have to make can seem overwhelming at times. Cabinets, lighting, flooring, paint colors, upgrades... and the list goes on.

Although paint color decisions may seem minor (how many names and variations are there of beige paint?!?), picking the right paint color can set the right mood in your new home.  By starting with an excellent base color, you can always add accent colors down the road to help limit some of the upfront choices you need to make during the build.

If selecting a paint color seems daunting, try some of these tricks to envision how the color will look in your home.

• Most paint lines can mix sample pots of paint for a few dollars. Pick up some large white poster boards and cover with the paint color you are considering. Let's face it - most paint chips are not large enough to really get a feel for the color. Tape the poster boards in different rooms throughout your home to see how the color looks in a variety of lighting situations. This small investment will be invaluable in selecting the color that is right for you.
• Don't forget to compare your paint samples with cabinet/backsplash/flooring selections to ensure colors you are trying to avoid aren't pulled out when compared to one of the other choices (white is particularly a tricky one).
• If you find a color you love, but your builder uses a different paint line, don't worry! Typically paint colors can be color-matched by other brands. I still like to get a sample of the color-matched paint though, as I feel some lines match better than others. Make sure it is the color you are going after!
•  Leverage Pinterest, Google or other search engines. I have selected a variety of paint colors for our home, simply by searching out paint colors online and seeing how the color reads in other homes.

Following is a list of a my top five neutral paint color picks that seem to work well in most homes.

• Behr Castle Path
• Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter
• Sherwin Williams Agreeable Gray
• Benjamin Moore Stonington Gray
• Behr Wheat Bread

If any of these colors are too saturated for you, simply ask the company to do a 75% or 50% saturation of your color (or whatever ratio you would prefer). This keeps the tone and color the same, but simply lightens it.

For additional paint color ideas, feel free to visit my blog, Life on Virginia Street.

Join Us for Our First Annual Build Omaha Show

This weekend Build Omaha will be holding the first annual Build Omaha Show- a new event concept to the Omaha area. No where else will Omaha area residents have the opportunity to meet twelve local home builders along with many other companies focused on new home construction all under the same roof. All booths will showcase the latest and most innovative design trends as well as aids to help consumers considering building a new home. 

The Build Omaha Show will be hosted at the DC Centre Omaha, near 120th and Maple, Friday March 7 through Sunday March 9. The hours are Friday 10am-7pm, Saturday 12-7pm and Sunday from 12-5pm.

The event will include significant giveaway items and discounts in new home building, as well classes held throughout the event to educate the public more specifically on the aids ad trends in new homes. 

“Class topics will include design tips and tricks from local designers, the current technology innovations in security and temperature control including the up and coming Google Nest, as well as the way to get the most bang for your buck when it comes to loan options. There truly will be something for everyone.” said Jerry Torczon, Build Omaha President.

Tickets for the Build Omaha Show are $4 per person and available in advance online at www.buildomaha.org.  Tickets will also be available for $5 at the door, payable by cash or credit card. Children under the age of 5 years old are free.