Build Your House Yourself University

Windows are one the few features that affect the appearance of both the inside and outside of your home.  They also majorly affect your home’s overall comfort and energy efficiency.   Windows provide natural light, ventilation, and views of your surroundings. Choosing the right windows for your new home is one of the most important decisions you’ll make.  This week’s mini lesson will be the first of a short series we’ll do on windows.  Today we’ll cover the different window styles and some quick tips to help you with your home’s window design.

Show notes at BYHYU.com

Because we go over so much information from week to week, it’s important to review that information to increase our chances of retaining it.  So, this week we have a semester exam. I’ll ask questions based on the mini lessons and interviews from episodes 21 to 39.  The questions and answers will serve as a review of some important points that you should have learned from each episode.

Show notes at BYHYU.com

A couple of weeks ago, I was interviewed by someone who was writing an article for realtor.com.  She wanted me to talk about what I call practical luxury. What I mean by practical luxury is something that’s an indulgence, not a necessity, but that you and your family will actually use on a pretty regular basis.  Gone are the days when the typical homeowners are adding luxurious features to their homes simply for bragging rights, or to keep up with the Jones.

This week we’ll talk about 2 practical indulgences for your master bathroom that, for most people, are totally  worth the splurge. We’ll cover radiant heated floors and bidet toilet seats.  These features will not  only make your bathroom more luxurious, but they can add value to your home and make it stand out among other homes on the market, if you ever decide to sell. Practical luxury is a current trend that I believe will continue to be important in new homes for many years to come.

Show notes at BYHYU.com

Do you assume that a traditional wood framed house is what’s best for you?  Granted, stick built houses with traditional wood framing assembled completely on site are by far the most popular type of homes built in the United States.  More than 82% of new homes built in the US are stick built.  But there are other types of construction that can result in a quality built home.  And some of those alternatives can give you a stronger, more energy efficient house that’s quicker to build than a traditional stick built house. 

In this week’s mini lesson, I’ll talk about stick framing, plus go over some the most popular alternatives.   They include panelized homes, steel framed houses, modular homes, and concrete houses.  I’ll give a brief overview of each type of construction.  You’ll probably be surprised by some of the advantages of the alternative building methods.

Show notes at BYHYU.com

Today we have the second part of a conversation that I had with Judy Bilyeu, the corporate marketing director of Metro Appliances and More.  Last week she told us about refrigerators and cooking appliances.  This week, she’ll introduce us to some the new trends in dishwashers, washers and dryers and plus some luxury appliances.   

Show notes at BYHYU.com

Today we have the first part of a conversation that I had Judy Bilyeu, the corporate marketing director of Metro Appliances and More.  She tells us about the newest trends in kitchen appliances, including a refrigerator that has a built-in Keurig coffee maker.

Show notes at www.BYHYU.com

This week’s mini lesson is a continuation of last week’s lesson on hardwood floors.  Today’s show will cover the pros and cons of pre finished hardwood floors versus site finished floors.   We’ll also discuss how various wood species, wood cuts and flooring finishes can affect the appearance and durability of your hardwood floors.

Show notes at BYHYU.com

Hardwood floors are one of the most popular flooring options in new homes. They add warmth and classic beauty and they can work with virtually any style of home—from a simple tiny house to a mega mansion, from a sleek, contemporary to a rustic traditional, and everything in between. 

This week’s mini lesson will cover hardwood floors and the flooring layers that support them.  It’s great to have pretty hardwood floors, but hardwood flooring that well-constructed will help you avoid squeaking, creaking and premature wear.

This week we’ll be talking about what type of material and construction is best for subfloors.  We’ll compare solid hardwood floors and engineered hardwood floors. And I’ll give you some secrets on how to prevent hardwood floors from squeaking and creaking.

Show notes at BYHYU.com

Choosing your kitchen countertop is one the more fun and exciting choices that you’ll make for your new home.  Choices should be made based on the material’s appearance, durability, maintenance and price.  This week we’ll cover the most common types of materials used for kitchen and bathroom countertops, including laminate, ceramic and porcelain tiles, solid surface options, like Corian, butcher block, stainless steel, concrete, soapstone, marble, granite, quartzite and quartz (Silestone and Caesarstone).  There’s a difference between quartzite and quartz, you know?  We’ll talk about all of those options in this week’s mini lesson.

Show notes at www.BYHYU.com

Did you know that most water heaters use more energy than all other household appliances combined? According to the US Dept of Energy, water heaters account for almost 17% of a home’s energy use.  Other sources say it’s up to 30% of the a home’s energy.  This week’s mini lesson will help you decide if a conventional, storage tank water heater or a tankless water heater is  the better choice for your new home.  And the choice is probably not as cut and dry as you think.

Conventional, storage tank water heaters are still the most common type of water heaters found in new homes. But tankless water heaters are steadily gaining popularity.  We’ll go over the basic information about how conventional water heaters and tankless water heater work, plus the pros and cons of each system.

Show notes at www.BYHYU.com