A quality home starts with a well thought out, functional design. This may include a dining room the right size to fit the whole family for a family gathering. Or a great room comfortable for 20 of your closest friends to watch that big game. We see so many stock plans that people may think are perfect, but don't realize their car won't even fit in the garage. Or the TV in the great room is 9 feet up in the air. Every part of the home needs to be designed around YOU.
A quality home needs to perform. The number one purpose of a home is to keep the elements out. Water management is essential to a long lasting home, and it takes many well executed details to achieve. A common problem we see is builders relying on vinyl siding to keep water out. Vinyl siding is not water proof, and if the substrate below is not properly detailed, you will have rot. And typically it is not evident at first for the home buyer, but will surface years later when the builder is long gone.
Part of the performance is also the homes ability to maintain a comfortable environment inside. Energy efficiency including air leakage, R-Value, U-Value and moisture all need to be considered and managed properly, for a home that is easy to heat and cool. Moisture barriers and air barriers are different, and have different applications. Your builder needs to know where and how to use them to create a quality home.
Finally, a quality home needs to have craftsmanship. From the foundation, the mechanical systems, to the finish trim, if not executed well by professionals, problems will arise. Many will see granite countertops, wide trim, wainscoting and crown molding and assume quality, but it is the things you don't see that determine the true quality. A quality window trim is one that stays tight in all seasons, whether it is two and a half or six inches wide. A quality frame is one that resists building movement, whether it is 1,000 square feet or 8,000 square feet. And a quality heating and cooling system will perform well, have easily accessible filters, and not protrude into spaces like the garage or finished basement.
A quality home is made up of many parts, people and products that seamlessly work together, creating a functional, safe, and beautiful building.