Mark Johnson Custom Homes Blog

Wilmington, NC custom home builder Mark Johnson Custom Homes would like to introduce our readers to the Spring Lake plan designed by Sullivan Design Company. This is an affordable design to build. Contact Mark directly at 910.409.2421 for community specific pricing on your lot or ours.

A rocking chair front porch is perfect for southern sunsets and adds to the warmth and charm of this 2880sf home. The entry invites you into the comfortable living room with a full wall of windows and a coffered ceiling that compliments the fireplace and bookcases.

The chef’s kitchen is open to the living area and offers an eat-in morning room flooded by natural light. The oversized granite island holds a huge double bowl sink and is lit by hanging pendant lights. The 36″ gas range sets up the space for cooking the perfect meal and will handle entertaining of any scale.

The master suit will easily hold a king sized bed, it’s accompaniments and a sitting area. The master bath has a separate soaking tub and large tiled shower. A linen closet and separate water closet for the toilet complete this luxurious bathroom.

Hardwood floors warm the main living space and keep the open floor plan concept. The main staircase leads to a sitting area and 2 bedrooms that share a full bathroom. There is a second back staircase for access to the bonus room over the garage.

Energy Features include:

• 2×6 exterior wall construction
• R24 blown in fiberglass insulation (Bibs)
• Radiant barrier roof decking to keep attic cooler and reduce demand on HVAC system
• Attic framed knee walls to include air barrier
• Recirculating hot water system with a tankless hot water heater

Wilmington new home builder Mark Johnson Custom Homes has recently completed construction on a custom home in Wilmington. Click “The Belhaven” below to take a virtual tour of the beautiful 3,248sf home.

The Belhaven

Wilmington, NC home builder Mark Johnson Custom Homes would like to share with our readers a creative Halloween decoration idea from Southern Living Magazine.

We’re officially declaring Mason jars the ultimate multipurpose item. (Sorry, duct tape.) Southerners use them for everything from storing bacon grease to serving sweet tea. And now: as jack-o’-lanterns.

To create your own, paint jars of assorted sizes in desired color of acrylic paint. (One to two coats will do; paint that’s too thick will impede that lantern glow.) Add ghoulish features with black paint or permanent marker, and then spray with a clear glaze for a glossy finish. Pop in battery-powered LED lights and you have one jarringly spooky—and simple!—display.

Courtesy of: Southernliving.com

Wilmington, NC new home builder Mark Johnson Custom Homes is a team sponsor of the 2011 Cape Fear Heart Walk which will take place October 15th on the campus of UNCW. The event raises money for research and education efforts of cardiovascular disease and stroke. Our team hopes to see you there!

Cape Fear Heart Walk

Saturday, October 15, 2011 | Event Goal -$175,000

Campus of UNCW – Wilmington, NC | Registration at 9 am | Walk Begins at 10 am

Click Here to Make a Donation

Wilmington home builder Mark Johnson Custom Homes would like to share an interesting article, courtesy of environmentalleader.com, about the Empire State Building being awarded LEED Gold Certification. LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is an internationally-recognized green building certification system that was developed by the U.S. Green Building Council in March 2000. LEED provides building owners and operators with a framework for identifying and implementing practical and measurable green building design, construction, operations and maintenance solutions.

The Empire State Building has been awarded LEED Gold for Existing Buildings certification.

It is the tallest and almost certainly the best-known building in the U.S. to receive the award, according to Jones Lang LaSalle, the company that managed the retrofit.

Johnson Controls and Jones Lang LaSalle conducted the retrofit, and say the $20 million project is guaranteed to reduce the building’s energy consumption by more than 38 percent and should save $4.4 million in energy costs annually. The improvements also reduce carbon emissions by an estimated 105,000 metric tons over 15 years.

In January 2011, the Empire State Building Company agreed to buy wind-based carbon offsets totaling 55 million kWh per year from Green Mountain Energy, making the Empire State Building carbon-neutral.

In March, the window technology used in the retrofitting of the building went on sale for commercial use. The iWindow is a thin material frame which is installed on the inside of existing windows. This then improves the thermal performance of single pane aluminum systems.

Article Courtesy of:  environmentalleader.com

Wilmington builder Mark Johnson Custom Homes would like to introduce our readers to The Angelique, a custom home we are currently building in the Landfall community.

This client, currently residing in California, brought The Angelique plan to us from Southern Living House Plans. We purchased the plan and had a designer redraw it locally with changes.

The 3800 sf home has a washed and aged tumbled brick exterior that offers a feeling of old world European charm. The dark brown windows will match the gutters to contrast the soft and creamy white color tone of the home’s exterior. Soft arches on a courtyard wall will be lit by large carriage lights and softened by natural green landscaping, leading overnight guests to their own entrance and private suite. Walnut colored operable composite raised panel shutters will complement the pallet nicely.

The interior of the home will be a study of clean lines, layers of soft white with gray tones. The chef’s kitchen will be set with Thermador stainless appliances that will contrast white cabinets and a subway tile backsplash. For a little flair, there will be black granite counter tops with a complementing carrara marble island. Mini crystal and nickel chandeliers will punctuate the setting with a perfect amount of accent lighting.

We invite you to visit The Angelique on our Flickr page to view the construction progress.

Wilmington, NC home builder Mark Johnson Custom Homes values our clients’ feedback in an effort to grow and improve our business. Below is a testimonial from one of our recent clients.

“I would indeed recommend Mark Johnson Custom Homes, I already have. My design, worked out with the architect, required some imagination and attention to detail, especially in regards to building codes. The job was completed exactly as I wished and required considerable ingenuity.”

Virginia Baker

Wilmington builder Mark Johnson Custom Homes would like to share with our readers an article written by Carla Hill with RealtyTimes.com that gives tips for increasing the value of your home.

It is no secret. 2010 was a hard year for home values. According to Zillow.com, homes were expected to lose $1.7 trillion in value. This is an even greater loss than what was seen in 2009.

They report that “the bulk of the total value lost during 2010 was in the second half of the year. From January to June, the housing market lost $680 billion. From June to December, Zillow projects residential home value losses will top $1 trillion.”

Some of the largest losses in value were seen in the West. Los Angeles’ values fell by $38,000 over the course of 2010. And they are down a whopping $676,000 from the peak in the second quarter of 2006. Phoenix, Arizona, saw values falls by $36,000 in 2010. This is down $222,000 from peak times.

There were exceptions to this loss trend. The Boston metropolitan statistical area (MSA) gained $10.8 billion in value, while the San Diego MSA gained $10.2 billion.

Now, while you cannot protect yourself against market corrections such as these, you can take small steps to help increase your home’s value and make it more marketable. The following tips are meant to inspire and motivate you to treat your home like the investment it was meant to be.

1. Make Repairs: Homes require regular maintenance and repairs are a necessary component of homeownership. Procrastination gets you nowhere when it comes to home value. Stay on top of repairs as they are needed. And be sure to address large projects before placing your home on the market. For example, roofs are expensive to replace or repair. Many buyers will pass up your otherwise wonderful home when faced with roof issues.

2. Curb Appeal: Curb appeal is about first impressions. It is also about neighborhood values. Drive down a street lined with manicured lawns and well-maintained homes and the values are sure to reflect the care their owners take. On the other hand, streets with overgrown trees, junky yards, and chipped and faded paint are fighting an uphill battle in the values game.

3. Community Involvement: The classic quote from Chinese philosopher Lao-tzu says, “A journey of 1,00 miles begins with a single step.” This is especially true for improving the health and wealth of a community. Change starts with yourself. By becoming an active member of your community, you can inspire the change you desire. Family, friends, and neighbors will follow your lead of civic duty. How can you get involved? Run for city council, join the PTA, volunteer, and help organize fund raisers and events that inspire community togetherness.

4. Updated Kitchen: Kitchens are a real selling point. Outdated cabinets, counters, and appliances will stick out like a sore thumb to buyers. Be sure, however, that you research your comparables before beginning a remodel. You don’t want to price yourself out of the running. This means if while you love granite and travertine, other homes in your area are selling with laminate, you will probably not be able to ask for a drastically higher price that covers the price of the granite.

5. Updated Bath: Bathrooms also hold much of a home’s value. New low-flush toilets cost as little as $100. And tubs and showers can be easily replaced or resurfaced. Be sure, above all else, that your bathrooms are clean for showings.

6. Energy Savers: Buyers are looking for homes that are energy efficient. Low-flush toilets, solar panels, water filtrations systems, and insulated windows are all inexpensive fixes for energy zappers.

Consider these simple tips and decide for yourself what may help your home retain its value.

Article courtesy of: RealtyTimes.com

The right light – the right touch

Wilmington builder Mark Johnson Custom Homes would like to share an article courtesy of GEAppliances.com about lighting for your kitchen.

Good light helps make any kitchen safe and comfortable. Natural light is important, but think about the places that natural light won’t reach or light well. Consider cloudy days, and remember that much of the work will be done in the evenings.

As a rule, you should provide a mix of three lighting modes.

• Ambient light – For overall room illumination, typically provided by ceiling, track or recessed lighting fixtures. The number and placement of fixtures should provide even illumination without dark spots or “hot” spots.
• Task lighting – For shadow-free, concentrated lighting of food preparation and other kitchen work activities. Typically comes from under-cabinet fixtures or strips, or hanging fixtures such as pendent lights.
• Accent lighting – Contributes a decorative element and helps create focal points such as a dish display, a favorite painting, or an eating area. May come from high-intensity recessed or track lights, or hanging fixtures.

Each of these modes should be separately controlled, so the proper mix of lighting can be selected for each activity in the kitchen. Dimmers for ambient and accent lighting will enable you to alter the mood or look of the kitchen, as well as the overall lighting level.

And of course there is a choice of light type. Often a combination of these types is the best plan, utilizing the advantages of each.

• Incandescent – The traditional choice for its warm effect. Produces quite a bit of heat.
• Halogen – A brighter, “whiter” light for the same or lower wattage. Longer life than standard incandescent.
• Fluorescent lamps – Now includes a variety of colors and warmth, to create the same effects as incandescent. Lamps are available for use in all types of fixtures, as well as the traditional tubes. These use less energy; produce less heat, longer lasting.

Wilmington Custom Home Builder Mark Johnson Custom Homes would like to share with our readers a helpful article about how the proper use of programmable thermostats during cold winter months can help save energy and money.

Did you know that the average household spends more than $2,200 a year on energy bills – nearly half of which goes to heating and cooling? Homeowners can save about $180 a year by properly setting their programmable thermostats and maintaining those settings.

Did you know that properly using a programmable thermostat in your home is one of the easiest ways you can save energy, money, and help fight global warming? A programmable thermostat helps make it easy for you to save by offering four pre-programmed settings to regulate your home’s temperature in both summer and winter – when you are asleep or away.

• The pre-programmed settings that come with programmable thermostats are intended to deliver savings without sacrificing comfort. Depending on your family’s schedule, you can see significant savings by sticking with those settings or adjust them as appropriate for your family.
• The key is to establish a program that automatically reduces heating and cooling in your home when you don’t need as much. Use the programmable thermostat calculator to see what you can save with set-back temperatures that work for your family. The pre-programmed settings for a programmable thermostat are:

1. Keep the temperature set at its energy savings set-points for long periods of time (at least eight hours), for example, during the day, when no one is at home, and through the night, after bedtime.
2. All thermostats let you temporarily make an area warmer or cooler, without erasing the pre-set programming. This override is cancelled automatically at the next program period. You use more energy (and end up paying more on energy bills) if you consistently “hold” or over-ride the pre-programmed settings.
3. Units typically have two types of hold features: (a) hold/permanent/vacation; (b) temporary. Avoid using the hold/permanent/vacation feature to manage day to day temperature settings. “Hold” or “vacation” features are best when you’re planning to be away for an extended period. Set this feature at a constant, efficient temperature (i.e. several degrees warmer temperature in summer, several degrees cooler during winter), when going away for the weekend or on vacation. You’ll waste energy and money if you leave the “hold” feature at the comfort setting while you’re away.
4. Cranking your unit up to 90 degrees or down to 40 degrees, for example, will not heat or cool your house any faster. Most thermostats, including ENERGY STAR qualified units, begin to heat or cool at a set time, to reach setpoint temperatures sometime thereafter. Units with adaptive (smart/intelligent) recovery features are an exception to this rule — Adaptive recovery units are constantly calculating the amount of time required to heat or cool the house, so that it reaches that temperature when the homeowner programmed it. By “examining” the performance of the past few days the thermostat can keep track of the seasons. In this way, your house is always at the comfort levels when occupied, but saving the most energy when unoccupied.
5. Many homes use just one thermostat to control the whole house. If your home has multiple heating or cooling zones, you’ll need a programmed setback thermostat for each zone to maximize comfort, convenience and energy savings throughout the house.
6. If your programmable thermostat runs on batteries, don’t forget to change the batteries each year. Some units will indicate when batteries must be changed.

Article Courtesy of: www.EnergyStar.gov