Building a custom home is a great investment into a home that is completely customizable, unique, and has great resale value. When building a custom home, it’s essential to weigh the pros and cons of various building materials to ensure that you’re making the best investment possible. The possibilities are truly endless and can make your home luxurious while greatly increasing its street and resale value. Below, we’ve outlined our favorite modern innovative materials to consider in building your custom home!
Natural Insulation Materials
Natural materials will make your custom home both modern and sustainable. Natural insulation materials can include cotton, straw, or hemp. Natural materials are a top choice because they produce a smaller environmental impact and are easy to install. Sustainability is an increasing preference for many home builders, leading strawbale, slate, wood shingles, and even bamboo materials to rise in popularity. Strawbale in particular is a great choice, as it’s built from the waste of the agricultural industry and provides great roof insulation, and is fire resistant.
ICF Construction
Homes made with ICF or insulated concrete forms are preferable to concrete homes, as ICF framing is far more energy-efficient, pest resistant, and durable than wood or concrete construction. ICF Construction pays off in the long run and is proven to give you an energy-efficient home. The construction process fits the blocks together in a puzzle to create an insulated space that’s energy-efficient and will save you money when it comes to heating and cooling costs.
Fiber Cement Siding
Fiber cement is highly customizable and can give the look of natural stone without the hefty price tag. It’s great in any climate and is rising in popularity for home builders. The look pairs well with asphalt shingles and can take the look of stone, wood, or even fiber cement board and batten siding. This high degree of customizability will also help you explore roof color and various exterior window trim ideas.
Light Hardwood
Pale, white, or bleached wood for hardwood floors is a great choice for homeowners who want a modern yet light and airy feel to their space. White Ash and Oak are great trees for this option. As an added benefit, light hardwood is easy to clean and maintain as the material hides dirt and scuffs quite well.
Glass and Transparency
While a full glass house may come to mind at first, you can incorporate glass in many more minor ways to increase natural light and give a modern feel to your home. Many builders install sliding glass panels between the living and outdoor entertaining space or use a glass wall to integrate the kitchen and outdoor dining areas.
Recycled Materials
Recycled materials can come in a wide array of shapes and forms, but make the house and construction process itself far more sustainable. This can include recycled glass countertops, steel siding made from recycled metals, reused soils from landscaping, or reclaimed bricks. The possibilities are truly endless, and the extent to which you’d like to see recycled materials integrated into your construction is completely up to you.
A custom home has a wide array of benefits including total personalization, unique touches, and the best quality materials out there. Looking to the future, custom home design is expected to continue to lean towards innovative building materials that offer both beautiful aesthetics and super quality and efficiency.
Andrea Erickson is a contributor to Innovative Building Materials. She is a blogger and content writer. Andrea is focused on helping fellow homeowners, contractors, and architects discover materials and methods of construction that increase property value, maximize energy savings, and turn houses into homes.