iNest Newsletter

Why Buy A New Construction Home: Interview with a Home Builder

Dena Kouremetis
A veteran of the homebuilding industry, Dena Kouremetis is the foremost real estate columnist specializing in new home issues, trends, products and designs. Her columns appear in the New York Post as well as other newspapers throughout the U.S.

Outlining some of the reasons to consider new construction when looking for a home, Why Buy New is a series of articles that will deal only with the new and the shiny – the straw that helps to stir the American economic soup as well as one of the most tangible illustrations of the American Dream – the new home.

The expert source for this edition, John Slaughter, is a veteran builder who has earned the title of vice president of construction for Northern California’s newest active adult community, Sun City Lincoln Hills. With 1,000 completed Sun City homes already under his belt, Slaughter helps lead the effort to provide 5,000 more homes in the months and years to come for the Del Webb golf course community.

D.A.: If you were to speak in generalities, why would you tell people to buy new construction?

Slaughter: There are so many reasons, but I’ll try to boil it down to the basics. For one, buyers have so much choice with new home construction. They can choose the exterior elevation, the color palettes inside and out, and outfit the house with the latest in new home options and products, while taking advantage of the latest designs.

One of the biggest reasons to buy new, however, is the quality of new construction. Since the Uniform Building Code was updated in 1997, builders have had to follow very strict guidelines in home construction, especially in the West and Northwest where earthquake safety standards must be observed. Out here, we use much more structurally supportive products than we ever did in years past, with pre-manufactured wall panels (products like Strong Walls®, by Simpson Strong Tie) which are fastened with bolts and hardware to enhance the shear wall capability.

D.A.: Why don’t you see builders talking up features like this in their advertising?

Slaughter: Things like this are usually not even touted as reasons to buy, probably because they are those un-glamorous ‘behind-the-walls’ types of components that aren’t all that interesting to the average buyer. I think, though, that if homebuyers knew how superior these new products were, they would feel great about buying new construction instead of an older home.

D.A.: Does a structural product like this have other advantages as well?

Slaughter: Yes. Because they are so much stronger than conventional walls, they allow much more design flexibility, such as windows, archways or pillars, to be incorporated into their construction. Before wall systems like this, shear walls had to be solid.

D.A.: With energy costs skyrocketing, what do new homes offer that older ones may not in terms of energy efficiency?

Slaughter: Now here’s an area where things have really gone through a metamorphosis. Many states have adopted very strict guidelines for energy efficiency in new homes.  Here at Del Webb, we routinely add radiant-barrier roof sheeting, a product that looks a lot like aluminum foil, to our homes, that reflects radiant heat from the roof to keep attics cooler. This type of product has only been around for a few years.

Windows are probably one of the most changed products in terms of energy efficiency in new homes. Now many builders install dual-glazed windows that reflect heat – called Low E Squared glass – that almost acts like sunglasses for your home. Combined with the newer vinyl window frames, homes are much more weather-tight and energy efficient than ever before. Here in California, we have what are called ‘Title 24’ energy guidelines, some of the toughest in the country, so we have had to look at all kinds of new home products to help us meet and exceed these standards. The result is a savings on energy costs and the protection of environment all at the same time.

For HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) systems, product manufacturers develop more energy efficient units with each passing year. Many new homes are now ‘zone-controlled.’ This is accomplished with multiple thermostats and a computer chip that senses too-hot or too-cold zones in the house and proceeds to open up or shut down certain vents in the house and balance the temperature. Vented fan systems can be added to pull in the cooler outside air and save the homeowner on air conditioning costs, without having to open up the windows when it gets cooler. Homebuilders are adding solar options as well.

As for plumbing lines, we are using a terrific product made of aluminum and plastic that has bendable memory. It can be run up a wall, across an attic and down another wall with fewer fittings, making it much less susceptible to leaks. We like to install products like this and be among the first builders in the area to routinely use it.

D.A.: What about other products in new homes?

Slaughter: Where do I start? There are no-tarnish door, bathroom and kitchen fixtures and hardware in all kinds of interesting metals, new solid surface countertop materials, like Silestone®, that looks like granite without the high price tag, a variety of laminate flooring options, the latest in appliances and cabinetry and lots, lots more.

Some of the products installed in new homes are actually safer and healthier than in older ones, such as environmentally safe paint and electronic and electrostatic ventilation systems that help with allergies and air quality.

Electrical options, such as the new structured wiring, programmable lighting, networked and distributed computer, video and audio systems are much more easily and inexpensively installed when homes are new.

Summing Up:

It is said that a new home is one of the last truly handmade products. Thousands of skilled tradesmen build the more than 1,200,000 new homes in the U.S. each year, complemented by the millions of new home products being manufactured to complete and enhance them.

The National Association of Home Builders conducts research and educates homebuilders in new construction methods, seeking ways to raise the bar on new home construction standards and find cost-effective, environmentally friendly ways for builders to continue to provide homes to a wide range of family types and lifestyles.

iNest wishes to thank Del Webb’s John Slaughter for his generosity in granting this interview.