This coming June, Habitat for Humanity affiliates across the country will build 250 homes in the span of one week as part of Habitat's 2012 Home Builder's Blitz. The Merrimack Valley Habitat affiliate will build two houses on Market Street in Lawrence as part of this nationwide event.  All of the labor and materials for these homes will be donated by local builders and vendors so that the homes can be built at no cost. As member's of the Board of Directors for the Merrimack Valley Habitat, we are overseeing the team of builders who have come together to donate their labor and expertise and recruit additional contributors to this endeavor. It is so rewarding to work with our industry peers to provide affordable housing to two hardworking and deserving Lawrence families. For more information about this project, check out the most recent issue of Merrimack Valley Habitat's quarterly newsletter.

On November 4th, our client, Christine Barensfeld, and her project of restoring a historic farmstead in Boxford, were featured in the Home Front section of the Wall Street Journal. The team that worked on this project included Howell Custom Building Group, Benjamin Nutter Architects of Topsfield, MA and Preservation Timber Framing of Berwick, ME. Check out the full article here.

A select number of Boxford's premier homes open their doors to the public for this much anticipated North Shore event. The Home Tour is a significant fundraiser for the trust, which supports the long-term needs of the Boxford schools by funding grants in the areas of innovative teaching tools and professional development.

As Boxford residents ourselves, we know that families come to the town seeking its exceptional school system, and the Boxford Elementary Schools Trust is a key factor in the school's ability to maintain such high standards. Our company is always happy to contribute to this important fundraising event. Tickets are available online at: Boxford Homes Tour.

We are very proud of the fact that one or more homes that we've built or renovated have been part of every one of the B.E.S.T. Homes Tours to date. This year we have two homes on the tour. Both homes were built as "spec" homes (meaning built without a particular owner in mind) by another building company.We customized these homes for the current owners to give them the personalized function, charm and character you'd only expect when constructing something from the ground up.

Click here for a preview of one of these homes and to enter our Watch Win and Go contest.

Cozy reading nook with views to outdoor oasis

Tough economic times and a collapse in the real estate market have made many homeowners nervous. Those who've long aspired and saved towards building their "dream house" are sitting anxiously on the sidelines, watching and waiting for signs of recovery. For many, the wait has been long enough. Instead of risking a big loss on their existing properties, a lot of savvy homeowners are turning to custom home builders to come up with solutions for transforming their existing homes, to see how much of their dream they can achieve in their own space, without the risk and investment of starting over.

Our team is answering the call. Take a house in point, that will be featured during the upcoming Boxford Elementary School Trust (B.E.S.T.) Holiday Homes Tour on Saturday, November 5, 2011.

Back of house BEFORE

Back Exterior AFTER

This 1990's "spec" home (meaning built by a developer without a particular owner in mind) was built in an upscale neighborhood in Boxford, MA -- prime real estate for a young family of five, with easy accessibility to their family-owned business on the northshore, as well as town schools and community recreation. However, the traffic flow, the lack of dedicated leisure space and the luxurious but impersonal aesthetic feel of the home left the homeowners wanting a better fit.

Breakfast Room BEFORE

Breakfast Room AFTER

Watch how our team, working with architectural designer Laine M. Jones of West Newbury, MA and ND Landscaping of Georgetown, MA turned this luxurious, but mass-produced house into this family's custom-dream-home-come-true.

Video: From Spec to Spectacular: Before & After Home Tour

Go: You can walk through the home for yourself during Boxford's B.E.S.T. Holiday Homes Tour on Sunday, November 5, 2011.

Win:  Enter our contest to win $1500 in Preconstruction Services--we'll evaluate the feasibility of renovation solutions and explore design ideas and budgets for your home!

Howell Custom Building Group has been serving home owners, architects and designers north of Boston for over ten years, and we pride ourselves on creating a stress free, risk free experience for our clients. One of the ways we do this is by providing accurate and detailed cost information up front, before construction begins, so homeowners can achieve their goals within their budget. Company owner Steve Howell has a background in project management at one of the world's leading global technology companies, and he has put that knowledge to work for clients.

One of the greatest frustrations for homeowners about to embark on a home remodeling or new construction project is getting accurate cost information. Realizing this, Steve drew upon his experience in software development, project management, and cost estimating to develop a proprietary estimating system that we call "Buildsmart". What differentiates Buildsmart from the estimating systems used by other builders, is that it draws from a database of actual costs on prior projects, as well as material costs that are regularly updated by our material vendors, making it incredibly accurate. Using Buildsmart, we have averaged less than a 1% variance between our final estimated and actual construction costs. What does that mean for the customer? It means we don't surprise them with unexpected costs or change orders during construction, due to an inaccurate or low estimate. Decisions can be made during the design phase to keep a project within budget.

Additionally, BuildSmart provides designers and homeowners with unprecedented flexibility in seeing how their choices in design and materials effect the final cost estimate. Buildsmart tracks changes, so as decisions are being made, and the design develops, they can see which specific items changed,  and decide where to make modifications to keep the project on budget.

If you are planning to build or remodel a home in the New England area, contact Howell Custom Building Group today!

See more images of our work in our Portfolio.

• Lower cost of electricity—91 percent
• More efficient use of electricity—69 percent
• Decrease one’s environmental impact—57 percent
• More easily monitor electricity use—55 percent

According to the CEA, only about 10.2 million homes out of 119 million in the U.S. are participating in energy management programs this year. The low participation rates can be attributed to a lack of awareness about such programs.

If you have questions about how to make your home more energy efficient in the Boston area, call Howell Custom Building Group at 888-609-8150. We are Certified Green Professionals (CGP) with the National Association of Homebuilders. This exclusive designation indicates that we are knowledgeable about strategies for incorporating green building principals into homes using cost-effective and affordable options.

Information from EH

Image from Creative Commons

ifarm is a project we've been working on for the past two years along with Topsfield architect, Benjamin Nutter; and Preservation Timber Framing, of Berwick, Maine - a company that specializes in the traditional repair of steeples, barns and timber frame homes. ifarm's owner is restoring the property in the hopes of creating a working farmstead accessible to the public. While specific plans for the farm's use are still to be determined, the project is a labor of love and sustainability at a time when so many rural farmland parcels are being sold and redeveloped for housing and other commercial purposes.

ifarm in 1850

The 17 acre farm consists of an 18th century classic New England farmhouse as well as a 19th century carriage house and barn. While this project is different from the typical projects we are involved with, it is fitting for us because of our passion and knowledge about antique timber frames, and because it is located in the town in which we live- we are proud to be part of preserving our hometown's history. It has been a fascinating, challenging, and rewarding project to be a part of and we are grateful to the farm owner for including us.

To celebrate the restoration of this classic New England agricultural icon, the design and building team is inviting the public to view the restoration work that has been done, and to learn about the architectural significance of, and history behind the buildings.

Tom Hubka, author of "Big House, Little House, Back House, Barn: The Connected Farm Buildings of New England" will be the featured speaker, at 3 p.m. Tours of the buildings will be given throughout the day and refreshments will be served. The event will take place rain or shine and children are welcome. To register, click here. For more information, contact Susan Howell, 978-989-9440 or visit our website at HowellCustomBuildingGroup.com.