Fireside Chat
Choosing the right home is one of life’s important decisions. In an effort to provide you with the most insightful home information, the staff of Designer Dream Homes™ went directly to those who know homes best—their creators. In a casual, comfortable setting, Paula Powers asked Frank Betz, Don Gardner, AIA, NCARB, and Dan Sater, AIBD, CPBD—three of the nation’s top residential designers and architects—what would be helpful for you, the prospective new homeowner, to know while making that vital choice. Here is what they happily offered.
DDH: HOW MANY YEARS OF EXPERIENCE DO YOU HAVE, OR HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN IN THE INDUSTRY?
DAN: I’ve actually been in the residential construction industry and in the design field for over 20 years.
DON: I started designing homes in the mid-1970’s and launched my business in 1978.
FRANK: Frank Betz Associates was incorporated in 1976.
DDH: WHAT IS YOUR DEFINITION OF A HOME?
FRANK: A place where people can live in comfort and where they can relax and entertain.
DON: And where family growth is stimulated.
DAN: A home is not in defining the physical structure but in the way that structure shapes and nurtures the family residing within. After all, a house is just a house, but a family makes it a home.
DDH: WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT DESIGNING NOW THAT YOU WISH YOU WOULD HAVE KNOWN WHEN YOU STARTED?
DON: I have found over the years that in order to provide the designs that individuals truly desire, I love to be part-investigator to find what they are looking for and part-psychologist to provide the environment in a home that will stimulate positive family growth.
FRANK: Over the years, I’ve definitely refined how to best use available space.
DAN: I wish I would have better understood the discerning use of massing and elements in design; however, the experience of the journey traveled is a reward in itself.
DDH: HOW DO YOU KEEP YOUR IDEAS FRESH?
FRANK: Talking to individuals and builders all across the country and listening to what they want and need in a home. We try to incorporate the trends in the industry into our plans.
DAN: One of my biggest passions is book collecting—not just any books, but architectural books. In my travels I eagerly look for some local or previously undiscovered architectural reference book to add to my collection. Another passion is travel. I recently visited a home I had always dreamed of seeing—“Boldt Castle” in the Thousand Islands chain of the St. Lawrence. The highly detailed architecture was beautiful, but even more inspiring was the story behind the home’s construction. All homes are defined more by the lives behind them than by their actual edifice.
DON: I generate ideas by talking to individuals, whether they be clients, builders, developers or realtors, and using creative license as an architect to develop spaces, room relationships, elevations and detailing with a combination of currently available materials and products.
DDH: WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER TO BE THE FIRST STEP IN THE HOMEBUILDING PROCESS?
DAN: I suggest a client address and analyze the needs for a new home as defined by the site, restrictions, and most importantly, their family and lifestyle. Unless a home design satisfies those needs, all that follows will be grossly inadequate.
DON: For many individuals, the first step is choosing their dream home plan. I recommend that land/site selection be an integral part of the plan selection process in order for their dream home to take maximum advantage of their property.
FRANK: I think the first step is selecting a design that is going to best fit a person’s lifestyle.
DDH: HOW CAN A PROSPECTIVE HOMEBUYER GET THE MOST OUT OF A HOME?
FRANK: Again, pick the design that most fits their lifestyle. Modify it, if necessary, to make sure that they will enjoy being in the home they’ve chosen.
DON: Yes; and secondly, they need to place as much emphasis on the builder selection process as they do the design selection in order for the overall process to be successful.
DAN: Only by carefully considering the proper first steps as mentioned and following through can a homeowner enjoy the satisfaction of a well-fitted home. Too often we take shortcuts that give only brief benefits at the expense of lasting value.
DDH: WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF CHOOSING A PRE-DESIGNED HOUSE PLAN OVER CUSTOM?
FRANK: Pre-designed home plans are less expensive. Most plans can be modified to meet a homebuyer’s needs.
DAN: A custom home design from our firm would cost a minimum of $25,000, whereas a pre-designed plan could be purchased for as little as $600 from Designer Dream Homes™. The other tremendous benefit is time; finding a plan that meets your needs is such a time-saver as well as less stressful to you and your family.
DON: My architectural firm consists of licensed architects that normally charge anywhere from 8 to 12 percent of the construction cost to design a custom home, depending on the complexity of the design. The prices in Designer Dream Homes™ are only a fraction of custom cost.
DDH: IN REGARDS TO HOME DESIGN, WHAT WILL WE SEE MORE OF IN THE FUTURE?
DAN: More thoughtful, timeless exteriors, open flowing spaces that accommodate the families within, more meaningful value-added features and rooms with real purpose rather than serving some outdated tradition.
FRANK: I foresee more computer-controlled environments.
DON: More creative and innovative designs catering to specific lifestyles. Space relationships and shapes with purpose will encourage family togetherness and stimulate peace of mind and a sense of comfort.
DDH: IF YOU COULD PERSONALLY TELL A PROSPECTIVE HOMEBUYER ONE THING, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
DON: If you’re planning on building a new home, the quality of pre-designed house plans has dramatically improved over the past decade as a result of the efforts of a few firms in the business. Chances are you should be able to find a design that comes close to conforming to your needs and lifestyle, and you can always have the plan modified to your specifications.
DAN: Select a design that best fits your lifestyle and don’t be so concerned about resale. This is YOUR dream home, not somebody else’s.
FRANK: Enjoy your home and make it your own.
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