Homes Northern Utah

February 15, 2016

Planning for Future Savings

Custom Home, New Home Owners, Purchasing Budgeting, Building, Cache Valley, Homes Northern Utah, Housing industry, Mt. Sterling Custom Homes

The beautiful thing about building your own custom home is you’re able to make decisions that will help impact your future savings. Making a few smart choices when designing and building a home will lead to tens and even hundreds of thousands of dollars saved in a lifetime. Here at Mt Sterling Custom Homes, we are dedicated to helping you make those decisions that will be in your best interest and help you save tons of money on your future utilities bills. By considering the following options, you will be able to save more money in your new Mt Sterling Home.

1. Use LED Lights

Using a LED light bulb instead of a normal incandescent light bulb, you will be amazed at how much money you can save. According to the Energystar.gov website, LED lightbulbs save up to 90% of the energy of old light bulbs. By using these lights in your home, you can expect to save a huge amount on your electricity bill. We can help you can make decisions while designing your home that will help you see these benefits. We suggest that people should do this not only to save money, but to also do a small part on helping create a greener society.

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2. Insulate Your Home

For those who live in the intermountain west, we know that heating in the winters and cooling in the summers can be a huge cost for homeowners. By insulating the openings of doors and windows, this can help keep the heat or cold air inside. If you couple this with managing your thermostat to make sure that when you aren’t home or during the nights you can save a bit on heating or air conditioning. While other builders will offer insulation upgrades at a premium, Mt Sterling Custom Homes goes above and beyond to ensure that your home is air tight from extreme temperatures. We have thermal tested our homes to ensure our practices keep your windows, doors, and walls as a barrier from the elements.

3. Save on Hot Water

We understand that very few people like jumping into a cold shower. Not every homeowner is willing to sacrifice their warm showers, but did you know that you can save on your water and gas bills by making smart shower head purchases? By installing shower heads that use less water, you will be able to save on both the cost of heating the water and the water itself.

shower-head

These are three easy ways to help you live comfortably in your new custom home, yet save money on your utilities. Be sure to ask us about other ways to save when designing your home! At Mt Sterling we have small tips that will help you save money in the long run.

January 15, 2016

Why build a custom home?

Benefits, Custom Home, Decorations, New Home Owners, Purchasing Benefits, Budgeting, Building, Custom Homes, Design, experience, Homes Northern Utah, Planning

In today’s world, everything is made the same, from technology to cars to food. Everything is put on a conveyer belt, assembled the exact same way, and shipped off to the masses. It is rare to have something that is truly unique. That is why a custom home is so exciting. You have the opportunity to make something that is only yours. No one else will have the same home, it is genuinely exclusive to you!

Customization is key. The range of products that you can choose from is almost limitless. You get to choose the layout of the home, special features to set it apart, and even the specific material that is used. Everything is up to you. You can pick the most up-to-date technology that can make your home stand out in the modern era and make life much easier and more fun. Green building or sustainable building is also important to make sure that you can do your part in saving the world (as well as your wallet).

Found that amazing neighborhood close to a park or the school? Want to be close to your workplace or family? Great! You have the freedom make sure you are in the perfect location. Part of a custom home is placing it exactly where you want to be. Location is almost as important as the home itself. The location that you select will insure that your home really is ‘home sweet home’.

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Another important aspect is time. You have the chance to spend as much or as little time working on the home as you want. You can choose from featured homes or create a brand new home from scratch. This gives you the power to be as involved in the creation of your home as you want. You have the flexibility to customize every square inch of the home or work on the big picture aspects and leave the rest to our talented team of drafters and interior designers.

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Mt. Sterling is the premier custom home builder in Logan and northern Utah, so building with us carries many advantages. The most important is that you pay exactly what you expect to pay. Before we do anything extra, we make sure that it is what YOU want. We also customize a personalized home owner’s manual that is unique to your specific home. After the home is completed, we walk you through it to make sure you know exactly how to maintain it. We want to help you feel comfortable and confident in every aspect of the upkeep. And before you move in, we help celebrate your big day with a move in event. It is a special opportunity to build houses and we want to help you take the first steps towards making yours a home full of happy memories. Mt. Sterling goes above and beyond every step of the way.

Mt. Sterling makes sure to use the most current techniques and quality materials to insure that your house is truly a work of art. We have established craftsmanship and expertise as well as years of practice to make your home a reality. Your home is going to be exactly what you want, where you want it. It won’t be just another conveyor belt house, it will be your own customized home.

November 15, 2015

5 Bathroom Ideas You’ll Love

Architect, Custom Home, Decorations, New Home Owners Building, custom home, Custom Homes, Homes Northern Utah, Lifestyle, Mt. Sterling Custom Homes, northern Utah homebuilders

Whether we like to admit it or not, bathrooms are one of the most important rooms in our homes – and often of the most neglected when it comes to style and design. If you’re creating your ideal bathroom or simply revamping your current one, here are some ideas that can help make your bathroom the best room in your home.

Feature Floor Tiles

Tile

Gone are the days of linoleum or basic brown tiles. Bring in variety with multi-colored or patterned floor tiles. If you aren’t sure your style is that vibrant, try going with stone tiles – many have several colors naturally that are still different, yet more subtle.

Under-counter Lights

Looking for a high end look for a great price? Not only do under-counter lights mean you’ll no longer have to turn on the light while on your midnight visits, but by placing lights under your counters you help brighten up your bathroom and draw attention to your vanity as well. This feature can look especially stunning when used with a floating vanity.

Free Standing Bathtub

Pulling your bathtub out of the wall can make it the focus point of your bathroom. Find a style that will fit your bathroom decor already – a more curved tub brings softness, while angular tubs can make bold statement. Claw-foot tubs are a well known and loved classic, and can bring a rustic or vintage feel into the room.

Large, Walk-in Showers

walk in shower

The majority of people start their day in the shower. It’s where we relax, come up with our best ideas, and sing our hearts out. By making it larger, more welcoming, you’re sure to make your daily shower one of the best parts of your day. Try using oversized glass panes surrounding it, or floor to ceiling tile or stone.

Double Your Shower Heads

While you’re envisioning your shower, the most important part is your water flow. Double shower heads are becoming more and more popular, and waterfall style shower heads have been a luxurious choice for the past few years By adding one (or both) of these options, you’re sure to create a shower you’ll never want to leave.

If you’re building your own home it can be a little overwhelming to figure out what you want. Our staff at Mt Sterling Custom Homes would love to help you with the process of designing your custom bathroom – as well as the rest of your home.

August 28, 2014

What to Look for in a Home Builder

Custom Home, New Home Owners Homes Northern Utah, Mt. Sterling Custom Homes

northern Utah custom homes

Building a custom home isn’t like paying for a carpet cleaner or hiring a babysitter.

Building a custom home is a tremendous long-term commitment for all parties involved. The reality is you’re spending hundreds of thousands of your hard-earned dollars to build a house that you and your family will live in for decades. Because of this, it is essential to select the right home builder for your project and your goals. Unfortunately there is a lot of dishonesty in the home building industry. With dozens of available home builders in Cache Valley, Utah, how can you decide who is the best for you? Today we will discuss five criteria for you to pick your personal builder of northern Utah custom homes.

1) Does the Builder Put Your Interests First?

This can be difficult to gauge, but have several meetings with your prospective builder. Ask for referrals of past clients and follow up with those individuals. What are your builders’ intentions on the project? Is the builder accommodating your needs, or are they pushing an agenda? You want to find a builder that is anxious to meet your expectations and consult with you at every stage in the project.

2) Is the Builder Honest?

Honest goes beyond saying the right things. Honesty is transparency in construction. Honesty is including you on all decisions and giving you frank updates constantly. If something goes wrong, the builder shares that update with you and describes exactly what will happen to correct the situation. This can again be gauged by contacting past customers or consulting consumer reviews online. Be sure to consult credible review sites and keep an open mind to potential bias.

3) Is the Builder Realistic?

You want a builder that under promises and over delivers. Collect proposals and decide if what is promised sounds realistic. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Realistic home builders tend to be more experienced and more professional. Less experienced entities will low ball their estimates and overpromise on delivery.

4) Is the Builder Timely?

This is particularly important for you and your family: does the builder meet deadlines? In construction there are always delays, but in general will the builder work hard to complete your project to the highest quality within the time frame given? This includes project milestones throughout the entire building process. A builder that uses subpar subcontractors will likely deliver a subpar job to you. Being deadline-driven is another mark of quality and professionalism that you want building your home.

5) Does the Builder go Above and Beyond?

Needless to say, it isn’t enough to ‘just’ meet expectations. The builder should go outside of the norm to deliver a quality project that is a relatively easy and enjoyable experience for you, the homeowner. Look for evidence of superior service when you are weighing out your options.

This list is just the beginning. Put lots of thought and consideration into selecting a home builder. At Mt. Sterling Custom Homes we invite you to put us to the test and discover how we meet and surpass all five of these criteria. We value our customers and love helping them secure the home of their dreams. Learn more about our Cache Valley custom homes at our website here.

August 12, 2014

The Four Largest Cities in Northern Utah

Custom Home, Neighborhood Homes Northern Utah, Mt. Sterling Custom Homes, northern Utah customer homes

most trusted northern Utah home builder

Where will you build?

So, you’re building your first custom home. This step is as big as it is terrifying. Needless to say, you’ve spent countless hours and late nights planning every small detail for the project. What is as important as the house you’re building is the location in which you choose to build. Utah has dozens upon dozens of pleasant cities that are affordable and family friendly. How can you possibly choose? As custom home builders in Cache Valley, Mt. Sterling Custom Homes invites you to consider the four largest cities in northern Utah for your building project. We’ll briefly discuss each city and what it has to offer to you and your family.

West Valley:

A large suburb of the main Salt Lake City area, West Valley is Utah’s second-largest city with a population of 129,000 people. West Valley is a perfect location if you want access to a big city without actually living in the big city. West Valley is just a short 25 minute drive from the SLC international airport and a 15 minute drive (give or take) from downtown Salt Lake. The city is extremely popular with young families and enjoys a median household income of over $45,000. All this combined with close access to world-renowned ski resorts will give you a dream location for your home.

Salt Lake City:

Of course we have to touch on Salt Lake City, the shimmering international jewel among a relatively unpopulated western United States. Salt lake is as diverse as it is international. Salt Lake has everything from affordable apartment living to inner-city condos to beautiful historic home estates. Salt Lake is home (a home) to dozens of national corporations including the likes of Goldman Sachs, Associated Foods, General Electric, RC Willey and Deseret News, giving plenty job prospects. Salt Lake is consistently ranked in national polls for being a low stress city with its quality of life and job opportunities. The city features a beautiful downtown area with attractions such as the State capitol, Temple Square and the LDS Church conference center.

Provo:

Provo has seen tremendous growth over the last two decades and houses the world’s largest private religious university: BYU. This makes Provo in large part home to some 30,000 students living on or south of the campus, but don’t let that dissuade you. Provo is a short 15 minute drive from Utah Lake, a 20 minute drive from Sundance Ski Resort and a 45 minute drive from Salt Lake International Airport. The city contains a vibrant underground music scene that has developed into a free rooftop concert series every summer. Family friendly and close to endless outdoor recreation, Provo has become a hot destination for young families and young entrepreneurs.

Orem:

Last but not least is Orem, a neighbor to Provo and home to its own four year university. Orem is close to the highway as well as Utah Lake and countless other outdoor attractions. Orem is part of Alpine School District, one of the best in the state of Utah. The median household income is $52,000 leaving many job opportunities for young families and aspiring professionals. At its core Orem is a great city for young families that want access to all that Utah has to offer.

Based on our list, what city fits your family the best? Northern Utah is a great area to build a custom home. As home builders in Cache Valley, Utah, Mt. Sterling Homes is excited to be part of your project and make your dream home become a reality. Reach out for a quote or consultation today!