Starting a new build is always exciting. Turning dreams into reality is what The Catskill Project is all about.
How does that happen? – No, we don’t have a magic wand which makes it all happen overnight.
But what we do have is the skill to execute on this admittedly complex process; we take the vast majority of the myriad necessary steps off our clients’ shoulders, while inviting them to be involved in choices which ensure that the house they move into is a true expression of their upstate dreams.
So how does it actually happen?
For starters, before we could sell a single home, we engaged with the local town planning board and obtained our subdivision approval. We had to build Manor Falls Drive, our common access road; work with the local land engineer, complying with stringent stormwater runoff regulations (our retention ponds, bioswales and raingardens ensure that the introduction of impervious surfaces doesn’t generate a single extra drop of runoff from the property); and invite our future neighbors to comment on our concept in order to seamlessly fit into the surrounding natural and community ecosystem. It takes respect for both nature and its inhabitants to be good neighbors!
So, when we start our conversation, dear client, you will benefit from all this background work done on your behalf.
This also includes the four models BMA, or Buck Moorhead Architect, designed for you to choose from. The overall aim of the design is to offer “modern rustic” homes to our clients. A contradiction in terms? Not if you look at the four beauties BMA conjured up!
Much goes into the choice of your model.
Will you be a year-rounder or more of a weekender/holiday resident? Do you need two or three bedrooms? Do you prefer your primary bedroom on the first or second floor? How about a three-season room, potentially with a deck above? And how about an accessory structure? That could be a one-story garage of a two-story building, offering anything from additional living space to an artist studio — or indeed simply additional space which you will end up using for a purpose yet to be determined. Our residents thus far have made pretty much the full gamut of these respective decisions. We are not surprised – your home is to be your sanctuary and needs to fit your purpose just right.
The choice of site for your home is another important decision.
Do you like views, privacy, water features? How do you plan to engage with your immediate surroundings? Do you have pets (yes, we do allow chickens or bees, of course as long as they don’t interfere with their neighbors!)? Both the house and the site need to be an expression of who you are and how you intend to live at the Project – And we find the process of determining the perfect site for you truly rewarding.
Then it’s on to selecting from the list of choices available to customize the look of your home.
Of course, should you simply go with the base model you will move into a beautiful, high-quality, high-performance residence, but most people choose to put their mark on the final product. Do you like polished concrete or wood floors? Sheetrock or wood ceilings? There are a number of choices including external siding, kitchen appliances, plumbing fixtures, type and color of tiles, and more. The list is not endless or overwhelming but aims to give the buyers the ability to make the home truly theirs. It is so much fun to eventually visit our clients’ finished homes and be impressed with their choices: the homes have a common narrative of course, but they equally end up having their distinct individualities.
Once you have dreamed up and described your home with us it is Showtime!
Come as often as you wish to see the progress as the final product takes shape. And before too long — 12-18 months from contract closing — there is your home in all its beauty, integrated into its surroundings, ready to provide much more than shelter to you for years to come.
Only a few choice lots remaining – Contact us today to request a brochure before the remaining spots are gone.