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Tour of Homes Winners Announced

The results are in!

The Scott County Tour of Homes presented by the Scott County Home Builders Association concluded on August 25th and we're pleased to announce that Ball Homes took home six awards from the event. 

Our popular Manhattan II floor plan took home awards for Best Kitchen and Best Merchandising.





The Jackson II took Best Exterior.



The Baldwin floor plan received the award for Best Floor Plan.



The Cavanaugh II took home awards for Best Kitchen and Best Overall.





We were so excited to be a part of this great event and to showcase our plans with other great builders in Scott County.



For more information on these plans, visit our website, or stop by the Open House every weekend from 1-5pm.

And The Results Are In....

Here at Ball Homes, we recognize the importance of the trust a homebuyer places in us as their chosen homebuilder. Few decisions in life are more important than determining the company who will build your home--the safe haven for your family for years to come. Because you’ve entrusted us with the construction of your home, we strive to maintain that same homeowner confidence throughout the entire homebuilding process.
We value our customers by being sensitive to their needs and providing a quality product that represents a good value.  At our core, we are dedicated to making customer service and homeowner satisfaction our main goal. This is only possible by receiving input from our customers. After the closing of a home, we send out Customer Satisfaction Surveys to each of our homeowners. We value the comments, suggestions, and remarks that people give us. By getting customer feedback, we can gather information about the practices that are working, the procedures we can improve upon, and the home options people are looking towards.
Out of the responses we received from the Customer Service surveys in Q1 of 2013, 98% of homeowners say they would recommend Ball Homes to other home buyers. For us, these results not only mean that our homeowners love the quality of their Ball home, but that they also put their stamp of approval on our product and are willing to tell others about it. Essentially, these people have become part of our sales team by telling others that building with Ball Homes is the right choice. Our customers are our biggest marketing tool and these results demonstrate our dedication to providing the highest level of customer satisfaction.
We want to thank all of our homeowners. Without you, we wouldn’t be where we are today. We genuinely believe that the greatest compliment you can give us, as a home builder, is a referral. If you have any questions about the home building process, please contact a Ball Homes Specialist today!

How Much Does A New Home Cost?

How much does a new home cost?How Much Will A New Home Cost?
This is one of the most frequently asked questions we get when it comes to building a new home. Unfortunately, it is also one of the few questions that we can’t answer very specifically. Think of it like this:
·         Can you tell me how much it costs to take a vacation? Well, are you planning a weekend getaway to a cabin in Gatlinburg or a week-long cruise to the Caribbean?
·         How much should I expect to spend on a new car? Are you planning on getting a Kia, a Lamborghini, or something in between?
·         What is the average cost of a dinner for two? If you plan on hitting up the local fast food place, your bill will be a lot less expensive than it would be at Malone’s Steakhouse.
The problem with asking open-ended questions like these is that there are so many variables that go along with each question that it is nearly impossible to give an accurate answer without getting more information first.
The same is true when it comes to calculating the cost to build a new home. Are you looking for a 3-bedroom home, or do you need 4 (or more) bedrooms? Are granite countertops in your kitchen a “must have”, or would laminate countertops work for you? Do you have to have hardwood floors throughout your house, or is carpet your preferred flooring choice? Because everyone’s wants, needs, and wishes for their home are so different, it’s hard to give a one-size-fits-all price for how much a new construction home will cost.
We have found over the years that the typical amount of upgrades people choose for their home are around 15-20% of the base price of the home. That means, if the house you choose has a base price of $200,000, the typical amount of upgrades will be between$30,000- $40,000. Of course, that number could change, depending on the individual preferences of your home. If you and your family decide that a walk-out basement, an upgraded kitchen, and an elegant master suite are on your must-have list, then you can expect to pay more, possibly 25% or higher, than someone who has different desires for their home.
We know that buying a new home can be confusing. We are here to help you plan and design your new Ball Homes home within your budget. If you have questions about the costs for a home you are considering, we would be more than happy to discuss it with you. Contact a Ball Homes Specialist today!

Top 3 New Year's Resolutions


Tonight, everyone will be celebrating the end of 2012 and look forward to 2013. For many people, the new year means a fresh start and a new outlook. For a majority of people, a new year means new resolutions: pledges to make a change in the upcoming year for a better life. We’ve narrowed down a list of the three most common New Year’s resolutions and included some tips on how to help you stay focused in 2013.

1. Get In Shape
There’s no doubt that Get In Shape/Get Fit/Lose Weight/Get Healthy is one of the top New Year’s resolution on many people’s list. Why not let your home help you keep your resolution? Losing weight starts with being more active! Use the bonus room in your new Ball Home to put a treadmill or weight machine. Take advantage of the many walking trails and parks around your subdivision, like Chilesburg or Notting Hill. Getting out and getting active around your community is a step in the right direction to leading a healthier life!
2. Get Organized
Many of our popular floor plans offer sizable closet spaces, attic areas, and storage options; make the most of them! Install space saving shelving in your garage so that everything has a place. Use large plastic bins to store holiday decorations, sports equipment, and out of season clothing items. Reorganize your bedroom closet to make sure you aren’t keeping clothing you never wear. If you haven’t worn an item in the last 6 months, chances are you probably don’t need it. For tips on how to organize your kitchen, read our previous blog post.
3. Save More/Get out of Debt
Saving more money throughout the year starts with changing small habits, and the best place to start is by cutting energy use in your home. To save on your utility bills, lower your thermostat before you leave for work. Install compact florescent bulbs in your lamps. Switch off your electronics and lights when they aren’t in use. Utilize your fireplace instead of turning up the heat a few degrees. If you really want to take a big chunk out of your debt this year, why not look into refinancing your home? With mortgage rates at historic lows, now is the time to refinance and save money on your mortgage payment. Contact a loan officer at Walden Mortgage for more information on your refinancing options.

From all of us at Ball Homes, we wish you a very happy New Year and we look forward to what 2013 has in store!

How To Read a Floor Plan


The floor plan is the heart of constructional drawings.
From the type of house to the size of the house, a floor plan reveals area, structure, stair location, door and window locations, room layout and so much more. Floor plans can be confusing at first glance, so here are a few pointers to help you understand what you’re seeing.
For starters, look at the floor plan as a whole. The floor plan is drawn from a perspective view, which means that it’s as if the roof has been lifted off and you’re looking down into the house from a bird’s eye view.
Next, locate the front entrance to the house. Visualize opening the front door and walking through the house. Follow the flow down the halls and walk spaces. Go to each room on the floor plan. The living area, kitchen, dining area, bathrooms and bedrooms are all marked, as well as any special rooms such as the utility room or office, like this example shown of the Manhattan Expanded floor plan. Below the room label is the room dimensions. It is listed in feet and inches with the width first and the length second.
 
Doors and windows are two of the most important elements shown on a floor plan. Each door and window is given a location and size. Windows are shown with three parallel lines in a wall and doors are typically shown as a straight line perpendicular to a wall and an arc that connects this line to the wall. The great thing about showing a door like this is that you’ll know which side has the hinges and which room the door opens into. This is good to keep in mind as you think about furniture placement.
The next thing to look for is ceiling height. Some plans will have the ceiling dimensions on the plan itself, underneath the room dimensions. Other plans will have symbols on them. For example, in the Cavanaugh II floor plan, the master bedroom has a double trey ceiling marked with two squares of dotted lines. Other plans, like the Monroe plan, have vaulted ceilings marked by crossed dotted lines.



If you would like more information on our catalog of floor plans, contact a Ball Homes Specialist today!