Spring is on its way... Already!

The start of the new year has been a whirlwind of activity for us. We have obtained the construction rights to several building lots in Utah County and have built a partnership with Bank of American Fork to help our clients obtain the financing you need for the new construction and remodeling projects.

The addition of these new business partners enables us to provide additional solutions to help solve your needs and desires and better serve you.

It is an exciting time to be in business. Things are still difficult in the construction industry but the market appears to have stabilized somewhat and new construction and land development is moving forward again. We have personally seen an increase in clients moving forward with their project planning and also starting their projects. We are especially thankful for each of you, your business, your referrals, and the help we have received so we can continue to grow and better serve you, our clients.

We have also been busy working on two renovations and permitting a new home. We are updating our blog and our Facebook page with information about these projects. It is a great time to get your new home built or your remodeling/addition project started before the summer rush begins.

If you would like to discuss your upcoming project(s) please call Matthew Harper at (801) 472-1211.

10% Home Design Discount

With the housing market in Utah stabilizing and beginning to grow slowly again the cost of construction is also begining to creep up slowly. If you are thinking its time to move forward with you project in the next several months get the ball rolling now to take advantage of the lower materials and prices before they begin to rise next spring and summer.

To add a little extra motivation we are offering a 10% discount on our new home and remodel/addition design services between now and December 30, 2011.

If you would like more information about building and/or remodeling your home give us a call ar send us an email.

Completed Foundation

The foundation and drain system work is completed and we have moved onto framing the basement and building the new stairs. If feels good to have the basement "space" in and move on to making it part of the home. We have added several pictures to the album on our Facebook page.

Warmer Weather is on its way

The spring weather has kept the ground wet and prolonged the ski season and made for adventurous working conditions on our projects. It looks like warmer weather is going to prevail over the next few weeks and summer is on its way. The basement addition in Park City is moving along nicely. We will finish pouring the foundation this week and begin installing the drain system. We will add more pictures to our Facebook page later today. Other projects are also moving forward. We are building a large retaining wall and landscape in Springville, and will be starting a historic restoration on part of a home in Provo soon. We are also beginning the preliminary work on remodeling another home in Provo and adding an elevator. We appreciate your continued support and interest in our work and projects. If you have been thinking about starting your project we still have capacity to add additional work to our schedule and would be pleased to take care our your home building and remodeling needs. Thank you for your patronage and for all who have expressed their interest in our services. The first of our summer BBQ series is this Saturday April 23. The Address for the BBQ is 359 N 200 E American Fork, beginning at 1 pm. Several of you have already sent an RSVP and we appreciate all you who want to attend but have conflicting plans. We will have other events throughout the summer that are available to all our friends and clients and hope you can make it to some of them.

Question: I know I want to build (or remodel) but I don't know where to start. Can you give me some direction about where to begin?

We have many clients and potential clients approach us with and idea in mind of what they want in their new home and/or remodel but aren't sure how to move forward with their idea. We recommend beginning with conceptual designs (sketches) and spending time looking at other homes or projects you like and don't like. You will learn as much or more about what you want in your home from the things you don't like as the things you do. This is a good time to meet with your builder and ask him for recommendations about where to go to look at design ideas and what works well and what doesn't. He should have access to design centers, recent projects you can look at, tickets to home shows, and suppliers who will provide samples for you. It may seem a little early in the process to be looking at material samples but knowing what type of materials you like and want now will help you focus in on the perfect design for you and your home. It will also help eliminate costly changes later on in the process.
Your builder will also be able to help you get a feel for what a given project may cost and ways to maximize its value.
After you have a conceptual plan put together you can begin to move forward with the final design process. Your builder should also be able to provide you with the professional design services you need.

Please feel free to contact us with your questions (801) 472-1211

2011 Home Building and Remodeling Outlook

The past several months have been an economic roller coaster for many and have brought trying times for all. We have been fortunate to have weathered the storms both natural and economic and hope you have as well. The economic ebb has provided the opportunity for you to be able to move forward with your new home, remodeling projects, or restoration in ways that were not available last fall and probably won't be available in the future. While market prices for materials continue to fluctuate most materials prices are still low but may rise significantly throughout the year due to increased oil and gas prices and inflation. Building lots are still available for 50% less than in the past but the existing inventory of lots is being bought up and prices may start creeping up as the inventory continues to diminish.
New home projects are now more cost efficient than they have been in the past several years. The price of materials has dropped to more reasonable rates and labor rates have also dropped with the lower demand on contractors’ time.
Many builders and remodelers have closed their doors and/or shifted their market focus over the past several months. At Harper & Company we have taken the time to expand our resources and increase our capabilities to better serve our clients and their needs. We have teamed up with suppliers, subcontractors, and real estate professionals who provide excellent service and value for their products.
We have teamed up with suppliers who are committed to provide the best materials for the best prices on the market. Rocky Mountain Power and Questar Gas are still providing significant rebates for improving your home’s energy efficiency. We have also teamed up with EnviroWise Consulting to provide Energy Star certified projects for our clients.
Add these factors together and this spring is one of the best times to build a new home, add an addition, remodel your kitchen, finish your basement, or restore that old brick bungalow you love.