No matter what your situation, we can help answer your questions or solve any myths you may have heard. Some customers have built a home before. They have a location with home plans and are ready to build again. Some have a location but no plans. The majority of our customers, engage us at conception. Regardless of where you are with your vision, we can help you produce the best possible home within your budget. We take into consideration all contributing factors that defines the price of your new home…architectural design, home site topography, and the requested products in your home, i.e., design features, appliances, hardware and fixtures.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much are your homes per square foot?
Dividing the cost of a home by the A/C square footage of the home arrives at the price per square foot. This term is used by people in the real estate market for a comparison of one home to another. It sounds like a good concept, but every home has thousands of components and should not be compared in this way. One must evaluate the homes features, design and products to do an equal comparison. We build homes that range from $500,000 to $3,000,000 and up. This range is for the home only and does not include land or site development. Schedule a meeting with Jim Boles to discuss your needs and he can show you the process he follows to develop your budget.
Where do you build?
We will build anywhere in the San Antonio and Boerne area on privately-owned property and developed neighborhoods such as:
| Boerne | San Antonio |
| Bridlegate | Anaqua Springs Ranch |
| Champee Springs | Bentley Manor |
| Cordillera Ranch | Bergenplatz |
| Coveney Ranch | Canyon Springs |
| Deer Meadow Estates | Champions Ridge |
| Diamond Ridge | The Dominion |
| Estancia | Hollywood Park |
| Fair Oaks Ranch | Huntington |
| La Cancion Ranch | Shadow Canyon |
| Menger Springs | Shavano Park |
| River Mountain Ranch | |
| Stone Creek Ranch | Other Cities |
| Tapatio Springs | Alamo Heights |
| Threshold Ranch | Bandera |
| Water Stone | Canyon Lake |
| Village Greet | Sisterdale |
If you do not own your own lot, we can help you find one that fits your needs and budget.
However, in fairness to all clients, each project’s location will be limited by the existing projects and commitments that we have at that time. Call Jim Boles today to determine his availability to build your dream home.
How to start building a home?
Call Jim Boles and schedule a time to meet. Building a home is an experience and we want you to get to know us, understand how we do business and why our customers are very satisfied. From there, we can guide you towards your final goal.
How do you insure that my home will be built with the highest standards?
Engineering: First we collect soil data from your site by core drilling at the location of the home. Then this site specific data is provided to a local structural engineering firm who is engaged to design both the foundation and framing of your home. Finally during the construction process, the engineering firm will inspect both the foundation and structural framing to insure both have been constructed to their specifications.
Our Team: We hire the best tradesmen and artisans many with which we have very long-term relationships. We are very proud to say some of these relationships extend as many as 16 years.
Knowledge: Throughout the project, we use additional quality checklists that we have developed throughout our 16-year building tenure for just this purpose. These proprietary tools are an important part of providing our customers with a well-built home. Let Jim Boles share these tools with you at a time that is convenient for you.
Continuing Education: Annually, Jim Boles engages in continuing education through programs and visits with other builders, consultants, and industry professionals. Through these sessions, our successes and failures are shared, as well as challenging each other with new and old ideas.
What are standard options and upgrades?
Some builders use these terms to describe the standard products they use to build a home. These terms do not apply to us. Before we can tell you what your home will cost to build, we need to know what you want in the home. Therefore, nothing is standard or an upgrade, your home is per your specifications, not ours.
What is a change order?
A change order is a requested change to your plans and constructions specifications after you have approved and signed your contract. This clarifies and confirms the changes and any additional costs, if any, that will be incurred, you will be provided with a written description of the required materials and products that are required to perform this change for which your signature is required. The total sum of these changes can easily exceed most clients’ expectations. This is the number one complaint we hear from people that build with other custom home builders.
With our process, we have been able to contain costs and most often times stay within budget when our clients make changes. Come visit us to see how our process is put to work and the results we have achieved.
What is an allowance?
An allowance is a budgeted amount for a particular item, which is included in the contract price. This allows you to choose the items you select for your home after the contract is signed. You may choose to select items above this amount and pay additional overages or choose items for less than the set amount and receive a credit towards additional overages or at closing time. This is the second highest complaint of people that build with other custom home builders as they manipulate the allowances to lower the projected budget. Utilizing historical data and the information collected while consulting with our clients during the pre-build planning stages, we eliminate the majority of potential overages.
Energy Savings
Today, the building industry has very specific requirements for building materials and installed products with the intent of creating energy efficiency. Our homes not only meet these specific guidelines, but often times exceed the requirements producing cost savings to our customers long-term. Here are some terms that you should be familiar with:
R-Value
The R-value of building material is a measure of how well a product resists the flow of heat or cold. R-valve is determined by a laboratory test in which a material is sandwiched between a cool and warm surface. The ability of the material to resist temperature changes results in an R-value for that material. The way it works is simple – the higher the R-value, the better the material insulates.
Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER)
An air conditioning unit is rated for efficiency using the SEER value. Basically speaking, the higher the SEER value, the more efficient the unit. Today the minimum SEER level required for new homes is 14 SEER. There are complicated formulas explaining the level of efficiency difference between SEER ratings, however a simplified look at SEER efficiency is:
- A 6 SEER unit would run twice as long as a 12 SEER unit would for the same cooling.
- An 8 SEER unit would run 1 1/2 times as long as a 12 SEER unit would for the same cooling.
Thus, home owners that are concerned their energy expenses each month should consider investing in a high-efficiency A/C system. It will not provide you with short-term savings, but over time the investment can provide annual energy savings.
Media Filters
Media filters are filters used in the A/C system(s) of a home to clean the air. One filter per A/C unit is attached to the A/C unit in the attic. The filter is 4” wide and has filter paper installed from side to side. This provides more surface area for the air to be filtered through, in return giving you cleaner air. With the use of this filter, individual filters at each return air are not needed. One other advantage to the media filter over conventional filters is that they are recommended to be replaced two times a year versus conventional filters which should be replaced every month.
Radiant Barrier
Radiant Barrier is utilized when spray foam insulation is not used in the attic. This roof decking is an OBS product with a thin laminated layer of aluminum installed on the bottom side. This prevents up to 97% of radiant heat from entering the attic. Cooler attics equal less energy lost, thus allowing the A/C to run less.
Blown Insulation vs. Spray Foam Insulation
Batt insulation is fiberglass insulation cut and installed into wall cavities. Spray foam insulation is a superior product, providing the following benefits:
- Reduces monthly air conditioning/heating costs up to 60%
- Improves indoor air quality (reducing allergy & asthma attacks)
- Provides a quieter home
- Does not support or spread flame
- Kills mold on contact and reduces future mold growth
- Does not act as a food source for mold, roaches, or termites
- Cannot be damaged by water or floods
- Will not settle or pack down over time
- Does not sag or split when aging
- Will not allow air loss or air infiltration into your home
Fresh Air
The old saying of “a home should not be built too tight and needs to breath” is incorrect. Building science has never been quite as important as now. With the advancements in products and insulation changes there are options to deliver “fresh air” in a tightly-built home. When utilizing spray foam insulation we always incorporate a fresh air system to bring in outside air within the home to allow adequate air exchange.
Low-E Glass
Low-E is the abbreviation for low emissivity glass. It is a metallic film on windows used to reflect a significant portion of the long-wave radiation outside, reducing the entry of the heat from the sun. From the outside this film will give a semi-mirrored look in a red or green tint, however from the inside it is not visible.
Ridge Vent
Ridge vents are utilized when spray foam insulation is not used in the attic. Ridge vents are used to ventilate the attic. Instead of having roof turbines, the ridge vent, a maintenance free vent, is placed at the ridge of the roof allowing air to escape. As the air in an attic heats up, the hot air will rise to the top of the attic and escape through the ridge vent, as the air is leaving, outside air will enter the attic through the soffit vent, this allows for a continuous flow of air through the attic to keep it cooler. Ridge vents are available for shingle roofs and metal roofs only. Tile roofs use air hawk vents for this purpose.
If you have any another questions please contact us.
