5 Reasons Why Quality Materials Matter
When looking to build your own home, sticker shock can be a real problem. From buying land to picking individual fixtures, the prices can certainly add up if you’re not careful.
But on the other hand, when you’re building your dream home — the place you’re going to want to spend many years (decades, even) as the center of your family — spending the least amount of money isn’t always the smartest decision in the long-run.
At WillowTree, we’re committed to quality building materials that will give your home the kind of look, feel and durability you’re looking for over the long haul. Here are five reasons why quality materials matter.
1. Creaking is awful.
These days, houses are framed with treated lumber (2x4s) that are eventually covered with large sheets of plywood or a similar kind of board for the walls. You’ll want good, quality lumber that is structurally rated to carry the weight of the home. If it isn’t properly installed, low quality or otherwise not weatherized, it could warp or crack due to moisture. At best, that means awful creaking sounds. At worst, it could mean serious structural integrity problems.
2. Bad subfloors mean bad floors.
Some builders cut corners by using less-expensive particleboard for subfloors in new houses. While cheaper than oriented strand board (OSB) or plywood, particleboard is flimsy and moisture-absorbent, which is bad for mold, degradation and more. Even poor quality plywood or OSB can spell disaster for your flooring — low quality materials can lead to sagging or warping hardwoods or cracking tile.
3. You don’t want to be too cold (or too hot).
Apparently 90 percent of homes in the U.S. are under-insulated, and apparently that’s because most homebuilders install the bare minimum when it comes to insulation. That not only results in your home leaking cool air in the summer or warm air in the winter, but it means the money you spent on insulation is more than eaten by energy costs. Proper and sufficient insulation saves homeowners an average of 20 percent on their heating and cooling costs.
4. Pipe leaks can be house-killers.
Your plumbing system is one of those things in the home you can easily forget about, because for the most part, you’ll never see it. The pipes that run throughout your home are key to the overall function of the house, and can be a real nightmare if things go wrong. While PVC pipe is the lightweight, lowest cost option in homebuilding, it can warp at high temperatures and may crack during installation. Instead, PEX or copper piping can be a more expensive option — especially the copper – but the peace of mind comes in their durability, lifespan and tolerance to heat. Leaks or bursts will ruin your home, so skilled installers with the highest-rated products are a must.
5. …And so can roof leaks.
Sure, it’s obvious that really bad roofing materials (or very poor installation) will lead to leaks in the home. But homeowners often forget that even if they have a properly installed roof, poor materials could end up costing them a lot more in the long run when they have to replace them. Many builders use 3-tab asphalt shingles, “the absolute cheapest product.” And they’re cheap for a reason, according to Roofing Annex: “[T]hey just don’t have enough strength to last. … We know that if a homeowner just spent 20 to 25% more they would have been much happier with the look and longevity of a dimensional shingle. That’s a $4,000 roof job versus a $5,000 roof job that adds to a home’s value.”
Of course, from light fixtures to shower doors, door knobs to window panes, there are an endless number of ways quality products will help your home stay the crown jewel of your family for decades.
Give WillowTree a call to begin dreaming up your custom home project, with the confidence and understanding that it’s going to be done with quality.