Many homeowners make common mistakes when deciding which floorplan best meets their needs. Ask yourself the following questions to decide which floorplan is ideal for your family’s current and future needs.floor plans for new homes

1. Does this floorplan address most of what we lack in our current home?  Have you found that your laundry room is too tight and a large mudroom would enable you to store all family members’ outdoor wear, sports equipment, etc. and help you get the kids ready to leave more efficiently? Are you tired of lugging laundry up and down the stairs and want a laundry room on the second level to save yourself time and muscle strain? Ascertaining whether or not the new floorplan solves most of the issues related to your current home’s floorplan and size will enable you to choose an ideal layout.

Ponder why you originally considered building a new home. Perhaps you lack ample storage space in your current home or have decided to start working from home and require a private, quiet home office. If you’ve had children since your last move, is your goal to obtain more space for entertainment such as a theatre, game or craft room?

Spring cleaning your home’s interior will keep it fresh and clean all summer long. Here are the ABC’s of cleaning the inside of your home.devonshire 20

Attics – Look for any signs of insect and critter colonies. If you see any tunneling in the wood frames, contact a pest control company immediately. Most insects can be easily removed using a total release fogger, also referred to as ‘bug bombs.’ For minimal infestation, bug bombs are usually successful with controlling insect infestations. For major infestation, contact a professional exterminator. Proper insulation and ventilation are your best defense when dealing with mold growth in the attic. Search for mold which usually appears in gray or black blotches. Since mold can be extremely dangerous, contact a professional if you encounter any.

​A little spring maintenance will maximize the longevity of your home all year long. Here are four steps to ensuring your home’s exterior is protected.

​Last week, we revealed two current eco-friendly garden trends—microgreens and raised garden beds. As promised, here are two more trends worth checking out should you wish to go green while saving some green this spring.

​An ‘environmentally-friendly’ water feature sounds like an oxymoron because one could easily assume using water for aesthetic appeal is wasteful, however water features can enhance and complement the environment. An eco-friendly water feature is self-sustaining and requires minimal maintenance. While one must initially fill the feature with a lot of water, the fountain or waterfall feature itself requires much less water than would the grass it replaced had it not been installed. Homeowners can incorporate a variety of fish and aquatic plants without investing time and money into becoming a knowledge expert. Lastly, water features are an ideal way to enhance the local ecosystem as birds, butterflies, frogs and more species than one could possibly imagine are attracted to them.