The Bones of Your New House: Why Construction & Exterior Materials Must Be the Very Best

When building a home, it’s very easy for builders to disguise inferior construction materials while charging top dollar. Most homeowners don’t have any idea what goes into pouring the foundation, framing a house, installing a roof, waterproofing it, insulating it, siding it, and so on. It is easy to cut corners at this stage because homeowners rarely see this part of the home, nor would they know what they’re looking at if they did.

Kevin Kruser, CMS Homes Sales Manager, says, “There are a lot of parts in a new home that can be cheaply made and hidden that most people aren’t aware of, which impacts the home’s comfort, longevity, appearance, and value. For example, instead of using 2×8 or 2×10 floor joists, which you’ll find in most new builds, we use 2×12 for greater strength and stability with less flex, removing the potential of a wobbly floor. Do we charge more for this? No.

“We also use better-quality insulation, thicker vinyl siding, and Tyvek-brand house wrap plus underlayment. Using a generic wrap without underlayment is a huge risk in Missouri with the heavy rain and storms we endure.

“Additionally, we keep an eye on our suppliers’ materials and upgrade them if we find a well-researched, better option. We don’t have to do any of this — nobody would know. We could follow minimum code requirements and call it a day … but we would know and eventually, our customers would know because their houses would show the inferior construction quickly.”

Examples of Elevated Building Materials & Exterior Features

These construction and exterior materials are our standard, no-up-charge materials and features that provide the best-quality home you can build, whether you choose to live in one of our beautiful communities, you build on your lot anywhere within 35 miles of Lincoln County, Missouri, or we help you find the perfect location.

• 2×12 floor joists for greater strength and less flex.
• Better-quality insulation and R-30 blown ceiling insulation for maximum comfort and energy efficiency.
• Thicker vinyl siding to better withstand temperature and weather fluctuations.
• Tyvek-brand house wrap plus underlayment to prevent moisture issues like mold and mildew, reduce energy consumption, and improve durability.
• Architectural materials, such as stone and shingles, are sourced from the highest-quality suppliers for longevity, and depending on which home plan and exterior design you choose, most are included in the price.
• Steel Overhead garage doors provide long-lasting durability.
• An energy-efficient, insulated steel front door adds beauty, safety, and soundproofing.
• Professional landscape package removes the burden of finding a landscaper and speeds up the beautification of your new home.

CMS’s Elevated Standard Interior Features

When building a home, the list of standard interior features is where homeowners see and understand what they’re getting. When you walk into a CMS Homes display home, you can see the type of flooring we offer, what our kitchens feature, what our banisters, baseboards, and mouldings look like, how beautiful the windows are, as well as the interior doors, bathrooms and fixtures, and all the details that make a house a luxurious, comfortable home.

We offer over 40 standard features, many of which are upgrades with other builders. Kevin explains, “As far as we know, no other builder in the greater Lincoln County area offers the design flexibility or high-end standard features that we offer.”

For example, homeowners can select from multiple interior door styles, rather than one or two. CMS’s standard Quaker brand windows allow you to choose one color frame on the exterior but keep the traditional white on the inside. Additionally, cabinets are rated good/better/best. Most builders use the “good” option to keep costs down. We chose not to do that. We offer only the better and best options.

Examples of our elevated standard interior features:

• Wood entry in the foyer offers an upscale look to your home.
• Select from multiple door styles to make the home uniquely yours.
• Our full-plywood, KOCH Cabinets come with soft-close doors and drawers and offer many paint and stain colors, as well as many different door styles to choose from, for the kitchen of your dreams.
• GE Energy Star appliances with the latest technology provide accurate and dependable results.
• Large master bedrooms are en-suite, and walk-in closets are included in most plans, a benefit with no substitute.
• Choice of custom wood bathroom vanities and cabinets, plus 42” mirrors above master bath vanity for added luxury.
• Moen Chateau bath fixtures offer an upscale design.
• Deluxe elongated stools make it easy for anyone to use the commode.
• $1000 lighting allowance for customers to go to the showroom and select from anything in the store! This really helps customize the home.
• First-floor laundry room for convenience.
• HVAC: LENNOX systems. Electric-only homes over 1,400 sq ft., are upgraded to Heat pump systems for optimum efficiency.
• 50-gallon, Energy Star electric or gas hot water heater to accommodate high water usage (depends on community).
• Low-E, double-glazed, insulated vinyl windows for max comfort and durability.
• Low-E, double-glazed, insulated vinyl patio doors for optimal inside temps.
• Two coats of Sherwin-Williams paint provide extra durability.
• Upgraded carpet and pad throughout the house for comfort and longevity.

Beyond Standard: Can You Customize Your Home?

One of the best aspects of building with CMS Homes is that the base-home models’ exteriors and interiors are completely customizable. You can build a home with our high-end standard features or make changes for an upcharge commensurate with the materials and construction costs. No matter what you select, we source the best products while working within your budget and timeframe.

CMS Homes Helps You Design Your Home with Ease

Our in-house designers eliminate the feeling of being overwhelmed, helping every customer get the details of their new home exactly right in terms of style and budget. Many people bring pictures from the internet of what they want, and we match or improve upon the option with a better-quality feature. Building a home is more carefree when you work with experts who have been doing it for decades.

Kevin adds, “We often have buyers come to us having been quoted a much higher price for a similar but lower-quality home. They are always surprised when they see what can actually be built within their budget and timeframe. Comparing home builders, the quality of their homes, pricing, and processes is a great way to make your homebuilder decision.”

Elevated Standard Semi-Custom Home Plans Await

When building a home, it is crucial to do as much research into the builder and the materials used to frame the house, build the house, and create an interior and exterior that will withstand the test of time. A new home is a massive investment, usually with 30 years of financial responsibility. It should provide the best return on investment and an elevated, luxurious home that’s comfortable to live in, without structural or design issues.

At CMS Homes, we offer dozens of elevated home plans with more durable, dependable, and higher-quality standard features at a comparable price. Our home plans are also fully customizable and built in an efficient, turn-key process. Contact us or visit a display home in Moscow Mills, Missouri, to learn more.