The Art of Custom Podcast

Season 2, Episode 1: Meet the Schapers

We're back! In Season 2 of The Art of Custom podcast, we will be taking a deeper dive into the custom home building process. Follow along with clients Rick and Meredith while they build their dream home in St. Louis's Historic Dogtown Neighborhood.
In this season, we'll talk about each part of the custom home building process. We will be with them every step of the construction process from designing the home through moving day!
Follow along on The Art of Custom Podcast Homepage - see pictures and videos of the process.
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S2, E2: A Newsworthy Discovery During Excavation

Demolition and excavation are officially underway at the Schaper home. We started with the demolition at the property, removing the home that was in disrepair. The next step was excavating the lot to prepare for construction.
The lot in this historic neighborhood held a number of surprises for our crews starting with clay soil that has to be improved before it can withstand building. The build turned newsworthy with the discovery of a mine shaft and a historic cistern. The cistern turned out to be a time capsule holding Prohibition-era bottles and artifacts.
The Dogtown neighborhood, known for its rich clay soil, has a long history of brickmaking and industry. Many of the challenges we unearthed on this lot were tied to that history.

Finding the Perfect Piece of Land to Call Home

Finding the perfect piece of land to call home can be one of the more challenging steps in building a custom home. But having the right home building team in place can simplify the process and, more importantly, help to ensure you buy the right piece of land for your goals. One of those important team members is your realtor.
In this episode, we talk to Jan Hibbs, Vice President of Hibbs Homes and Realtor with Coldwell Banker Gundaker in St Louis, MO, and JanaLee Jacobson from Berkshire Hathaway in Park City, UT about the lot search process and how to find the right land to build on.
Jan, JanaLee, and Kim talk about what factors you need to consider when deciding where to look for land, maneuvering the challenges of land scarcity in the current market, and what to consider when designing your custom home to get the best resale value.

The Art of Custom Home Architecture

You've found your land, you have your builder - now it's time to start putting pen to paper to turn your vision into a design.
Working with an architect to design your dream home is one of the most exciting parts of the custom home building process. And today we're talking to two of our architect partners about how that process works. Jeff Day, a leading high-performance architect in St Louis, and Jamie Walker, a leading designer and architect in the Northern Utah region, join us on today's show.
Get some insights into what's coming in home design, the evolution of post-COVID home design, and tips on how to find the right architect for your project. Listen NOW!

Custom Home Construction Budgeting & Financing

For most of us, our homes are the most significant investment we will make in our lifetime. Building a custom home is one of the best ways to get the most out of your time living there, and we want to make sure you get the most financial value from your home.
Today, Kim talks to a few experts who can help you figure out how to make sense out of the dollars and cents in your construction budget. Drew Padgett, our senior estimator at Hibbs Homes will start things off by talking about how to make the most of your allowances and some of the terms you'll run into while building your new home.
Later, we're joined by Trisha McConkey, one of our lending partners in St Louis, and Ace Allak from People's Home Equity in Northern Utah. Trisha, Ace, and Kim will demystify the construction lending process and help you get an idea of what to expect when you begin the construction financing process.
Listen to previous episodes and download our Construction Lending Guide by visiting www.ArtofCustomPodcast.com

The Art of Custom Home Construction

It's time to get down to business and start turning some dirt! Today we're talking all about construction and all of the challenges and opportunities that come along with building a home that has never been built before! 
Hibbs Homes Director of Construction, Chris Pedigo, and Marketing Director, Melody Meiners, join Kim in the studio to get into the details, expectations, and some of the unexpected parts of building a custom home.

High-Performance Home Building 101

In part two of our series focusing on everything between the studs in your custom home, we talk to experts who weigh in on green construction techniques, the benefits of building a high-performance home, and how we measure just how well your home is built.
Get your primer on what to expect when building and living in a high-performance home!
SHOW NOTES 

The Art of Custom Home Design

Details are at the heart of custom home building, and sometimes the details can be a little intimidating for our clients. Today we're talking about the finishing touches that make your custom home truly one-of-a-kind. From managing the process to design idea, joining us to explain the process and trends are Hibbs Homes in-house designer, Anna Entringer, and Kiley Blackwell, one of our design partners in Park City, Utah. 
Later, Stephen Landcaster from Pella Windows and Doors talks to us about windows and doors and their impact on your home's efficiency and design.

The Art of Smart Home Technology

Almost every home has a smart device of some type, but what makes a home truly “smart”?
 
Today, we are talking with the smart home technology experts about how to make your home more convenient, accessible - and safe! - by implementing a connected smart home strategy during construction!
Learn what the smart home experts and builders do to help keep your home from aging out as new technology comes along and how custom home builders work with low-voltage electrical, sound, and AV equipment suppliers to create a high-tech home that stays ahead of the curve.

Designing Your Home for All Ages & Stages

Planning a home that will be comfortable no matter where life takes you doesn't require a crystal ball. In fact, you don't have to drastically alter your design vision to make your home more accessible at all stages of life, it just requires a little bit of design know-how and a building team who can help you finesse your plans.
Today, we're speaking with two of those universal design experts and sharing one story about how adaptive home design can make a world of difference.