If you’ve ever heard our President Rod Demlang talk about old homes, you’ve probably heard him joke about “crusty toenails” in the carpet. Of course, while it’s nice to know that no one else’s pet has been drooling on your floors, the benefits of building a new home go way beyond not needing to do some deep cleaning. Here are seven reasons why building a new home can be the better way to go.
1. Lower Maintenance Costs
One of the best parts of buying a new home is that it’s, well, new! This means that everything – from the appliances to the roof and pipes – is in tip-top condition. With average annual home maintenance costs in Milwaukee coming in at $4,902, maintaining your home can be expensive. Additionally, fixtures that are old, inefficient, or soon-to-need-replacement can drive up cost significantly. On top of higher maintenance costs, you can expect higher operating costs in older homes as well. For example, The U.S. Energy Information Agency found that a poorly insulated home – like one with old, drafty windows – can cost $8.60 more per day to heat and cool. That may not seem like a lot, but it can add up to over $3,100 per year!
2. Avoid High Costs of Remodeling
Remodeling presents yet another challenge and hefty expense to owners of older homes. Beyond regular maintenance, many homes on the market these days require significant remodeling to meet your style and needs. In Wisconsin, remodeling a large bathroom can cost $50,000-75,000 on average while replacing a rotted out deck starts at around $15,000 and can quickly climb north of $30,000 for low maintenance composite materials, and adding onto a home will turn into a six figure budget in no time! Even if you like the look of the existing home you’re buying, that doesn’t mean that you won’t be forced to go through a remodel. Poorly executed or not-up-to-code DIY renovations done by a prior owner can come back to bite you and turn small jobs into full-blown room remodels, and removing that old outdated wallpaper isn’t a job anyone wants to tackle anytime soon!
3. Decreasing Supply of Old Homes
These days, there simply aren’t as many old homes on the market. With how high interest rates have climbed recently, current homeowners who were able to “lock-in” a low interest rate a few years ago are not very interested in moving now and losing their low rate. This has caused a stark drop in the amount of older homes on the market, along with an increase in their price. Instead of fighting over a shrinking pool of old homes, it’s much easier to buy a new home with all the modern amenities and appliances you want.
4. New Homes Have Warranties
Another benefit of buying a new home is that it comes with a warranty, giving you valuable peace of mind knowing you can contact the builder if something goes wrong right after you move in. At Demlang Builders, we pride ourselves on this key benefit, and our trade partners are willing to stand by their products and workmanship long after you’ve closed on your new home.
5. New Homes Include Modern Building Advancements
When you build a new home, you get to benefit from all the advancements in home construction over the past few decades that can make your life not only better, but safer. For example, homes now are built with advanced engineering, ventilation, and house wraps that drive down heating and cooling costs by properly insulating your home as well as block mold growth by allowing moisture to escape. In addition, if you live in a place with radon, many new homes are built with radon mitigation systems, allowing your family to live safely without having to install one yourself. Additionally, simple things like low porosity solid surface countertops used in our builds make cleaning and disinfecting easier.
6. New Homes Are Filled with Better Technology
On top of better, more advanced building materials, new homes also come with better, more advanced appliances and technology. Whether you have a water-efficient dishwasher, a water heater that can detect leaks, or an HVAC system with smart programming, new appliances look good, save you money, and work better without needing parts replaced. This also includes entertainment and security systems that can be built into the home rather than retrofitted along the way.
7. New Homes Are Built with Lower Maintenance Products
Homebuilders know that customers don’t want a home that only looks great – they want one that won’t be a pain to maintain. That’s why it’s easy to find new homes with materials like LVP flooring, quartz countertops, composite decking, and low maintenance fiber-cement siding that look good the first time you walk through the home and stay that way for years to come. With the right materials, you can keep your home looking beautiful long into the future.
If you’re considering building instead of purchasing an existing home, Demlang Builders will be there for you every step of the way. Whether selecting the perfect floor plan for your family, choosing materials, communicating through the building process, or making sure that you’re happy once you’ve moved in, we are here to ensure you have a smooth, enjoyable building experience.
With a new home, you won’t have anyone else’s mistakes or messes to inherit, and you certainly won’t find toenails in the carpet. At Demlang Builders, we think that’s a pretty big deal, and your family will too. Contact our team today to get started!
