When you've earned the right to design and build your dream house from the ground up, you deserve a home that perfectly fits your family's lifestyle and everyday needs, as well as your budget.

Madison Custom Homes Inc. is a custom luxury home builder in Central Indiana that understands how to match the life you lead and the unique home in which you live.

Our difference as a custom luxury home builder is that we spend enough time upfront to determine the most important needs of your family - before we begin designing or building your new house.

We also provide two Homeowner Programs, one of which gives you theoption to reduce your luxury home construction costs by as much as 10%.

We are a member of the Builders Association of Greater Indianapolis and the National Association of Home Builders. We can serve as your General Contractor, your construction Project Manager, or as your home building consultant. Learn more about Madison Custom Homes Inc.

View our Thorpe Creek Spec Home Floor Plan Gallery: Fishers, IN, Hamilton County Spec Home for Sale

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Custom Luxury Home Builder Central Indiana, Madison Custom ...

23 hours ago Dec. 21, 2013 - 1:30 PM PST

If we think about the homes that have a broadband connection today as the total addressable market for home automation, the home automation market size turns out to be around $8.8 billion at $100 spent per home or $880 billion at $10,000 for example in the U.S. If we are a little more conservative and say that only those broadband subscribers who use smartphones are targets, the range turns out to be about $5.63 $563 billion. In order to capture this opportunity a number of business models have come into play. While these are not new business models, it is interesting to see how this opportunity is being captured.

The Free approach: Here home builders are embracing the the art of negative margin by giving away connected devices for free as part of home sales. In doing so home builders appear progressive and invested in home innovation with the goal of attracting more buyers. One such example is KB Homes offering energy monitoring systems as a standard feature.

Building block sales: There is money to be made by providing the building blocks for IoT, be it sensors, hardware platforms or software. ConnectSense sells Wi-Fi enabled sensors, Axeda, Xively and others provide software platforms for IoT applications and companies such as Electric Imp provide hardware platforms.

Piecemeal: Here the manufacturer concentrates on one or a few devices e.g. Nest or August. Each manufacturer has its own app that lets you remotely and intelligently control devices.

Integration: The piecemeal approach lends itself to the rise of integration platforms. Hardware integration platforms such as Revolv and Staples sell hubs that can understand various protocols that home automation devices use. They additionally provide a smartphone app that can control various devices through the same app. Software integration platforms on the other hand such as IFTTT provide the ability to write rules that tie various devices together or connect the devices to other web services such as twitter or Facebook for e.g. using triggers and actions.

Subscriptions: Here cable providers such as Comcast network operators such as AT&T and some home improvement stores such as Lowes subsidize the cost of hardware or give it away for free in exchange for monthly subscription to monitor homes for security or setting up custom home automation rules as an example. This approach enables them to attract customers who may otherwise be unable to invest in automating their homes.

DIY: Before IoT became more mainstream, the rich and the famous built fascinating homes using custom service providers that build connectivity into the home. This business model will continue to exist but will account for a smaller percentage of the home automation market over time as IoT devices mature, become cheaper, easier to install and use.

The promise of double digit sales growth is attracting a number of players, big and small, to the home automation market. As competition heats up and prices decline, business models will evolve. But we will continue to see a wide spectrum of models in use as different players target different segments of the market. In fact players may adopt more than one business model to capture bigger pieces of the pie. Speaking of pie, happy holidays!

Seema Jethani is director of product management at Enstratius, a Dell software company.

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The business of home automation is enabling the internet of things

Submitted Diamond Custom Homes Capistrano model is one of three estate model residences nearing completion at Quail West.

Quail West announced estate model residences by McGarvey Custom Homes, Diamond Custom Homes and London Bay Homes are nearing completion in the private, 1,180-acre golf course community in North Naples.

The three new estate models are scheduled to be included in the group of 17 fully-furnished model residences showcased during the 2014 joint, single-site CBIA and LBIA Parade of Homes at Quail West Thursday, Jan. 23 through Sunday, Jan. 26 and Thursday, Jan. 30 through Sunday, Feb. 2. Hours Thursday through Saturday are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Visitors will be asked to pay a $5 admission fee to support the LBIA and CBIA foundation.

Those attending the 2014 Parade of Homes at Quail West will tour model residences base-priced from the $700s featuring interiors by Southwest Floridas best interior designers. In addition to the estate residences by McGarvey, Diamond and London Bay, the 2014 Parade will feature furnished models by Stock Signature Homes, Florida Lifestyle Homes of Fort Myers and Castle Harbour Homes.

McGarveys 5,068-square-foot under air Hayworth estate model will be one of the highlights of the Parade. The residence features a great room floor plan with a grand parlor, formal dining room, study, four bedrooms, four full baths and two half-baths, a wet bar and wine room, a three-car garage with dedicated golf cart parking, a two-car garage, and an outdoor living area with a summer kitchen, bar, fireplace, pool and spa. The interior of McGarveys Hayworth model was designed by Arlynn McDaniel of Freestyle Interiors.

Diamond Custom Homes 7,463-square-foot Capistrano estate model features a mission style architectural design by Stofft Cooney Architects. The great room floor plan includes four bedrooms, five-and-a-half baths, a study, parlour, wine room, an outdoor living area with a summer kitchen and a covered lanai with retractable screens and a three-car garage with dedicated golf cart storage space. The great room is being finished with a beamed ceiling and five pairs of French doors leading to the outdoor living area. The Capistranos interior was designed by Lusia Lou Shafran, Principal Designer and CEO at Pacifica Interior Design.

London Bays 6,326-square-foot under air Brighton estate model features a great room floor plan with a wide gallery hallway, a formal dining area, study, four bedrooms, five-and-a-half baths, a spacious gourmet kitchen with a butlers pantry and cafe area, a large family room, a mud room, a walled courtyard leading to the homes grand entry, a two-car garage and a second two-car garage with storage. The Brightons classic coastal architectural style is inspired with British Colonial influences. A series of custom Hunter Green French doors are featured at the Brightons grand entry. Stained tongue and groove ceilings bring additional elegance to the entry and to covered outdoor living areas that include a loggia off the great room, a master retreat, an outdoor kitchen and a large gathering and entertainment area adjacent to a pool with glass mosaic water line tile and a stepped spillway. The Ralph Lauren inspired interior of London Bays Brighton model was designed by Melissa Allen of Romanza Interior Design.

The completion of the McGarvey, Diamond and London Bay estate models is the latest indication of the unprecedented surge in estate residence sales and construction at Quail West. More than 20 estate model, move-in ready, and private custom residences are currently under construction in the community. Quail Wests custom estate home sites with home and home site packages are priced from $1.8 million to more than $7 million.

Quail West has long been known for its prestigious estate residences, said Stock Developments Vice President of Sales and Marketing Claudine Lger-Wetzel. Even as the communitys residential offering has been diversified to include single-family villas and a broader overall selection, estate residences continue to be an important component of the product mix. There are few communities in Naples that are better suited to the estate home lifestyle than Quail West. Estate homebuyers continue to appreciate the value Quail West provides and the caliber of construction offered by our estate homebuilders.

Fox Custom Builders has begun construction of its fully-furnished, 5,669-square-foot under air Casa Bellissima estate model in Quail West. The four bedroom, four-and-a-half bath, two-story home includes formal living and dining rooms, a library, three wet bars, a large island kitchen with a countertop bar that provides seating for six, a breakfast nook, a family room, an upstairs leisure room, a two-car garage and a three-car garage. The residence also features a spacious outdoor living area with an outdoor kitchen, fireplace, pool and spa, as well as two second floor rear balconies, a walled landscaped courtyard and a covered walkway off the master bath with an outdoor shower and trellis. Base floor plan and fully-furnished pricing for the Casa Bellissima will be determined as construction progresses. Completion of the Casa Bellissima is anticipated in October, 2014.

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New estate models near completion at Quail West

Accepting the HOBI Award for Clark Construction of Ridgefield, Inc. are Gary and Ross Clark, flanked by association senior officers Henry Rozewski and Nort Wheeler.

Connecticuts remodelers and builders were honored with the Home Builders and Remodelers Associations Annual HOBI Awards recently.

This year, Clark Construction of Ridgefield, Inc. received two awards: Best Conversion for a renovation on an 1800s home where a dated 70s pool addition was converted to interior space; and Best Construction Website, awarded for clarkconstruction.net.

The conversion is highlighted by a repurposed lower level that adds quality space to the home; open, bright rooms full of custom features not often found in antique homes. Theres a sunny playroom which was designed as a flex space that can be used in limitless ways. The lower level also includes spacious guest quarters with an en-suite bathroom, with a large shower and modern floating vanity.

The guest quarters is also a multipurpose space which can function as a home office or work-out room should the additional bedroom no longer be necessary.

One of the crowning achievements of the project is that the conversion respects the integrity of the original antique home while incorporating the best of contemporary materials, said Gary and Ross Clark. Building on clues from the original styling led to a felicitous pairing of old and new. The clients are ecstatic with the balance that was achieved between classic and fresh touches.

The Clark website won for its eye-catching images, easy navigation and quality content. Its inviting and welcoming, like a warm handshake and a friendly greeting, creating a very strong first impression, the Clarks said.

Users are able to quickly and easily find the information they need. There are useful in-depth articles, such as Avoiding Change Orders and The Three Bid Myth, along with interesting and informative blogs which are posted regularly, keeping visitors coming back for more.

The site has a Portfolio section, featured remodels, and a section called Production Stories detailed walk-throughs of noteworthy projects using drawings, computer renderings, pictures, and descriptions.

Clark Construction at 51 Ethan Allen Highway, design-build remodelers since 1987, handle projects ranging from whole house renovations, additions, kitchens and baths to basements.

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Clark Construction is honored with home builders award

12/19/2013 - West Side Leader

Installed as the HBAs 71st president was Scott Strayer, of Helen Scott Custom Builders, of Clinton.

Strayers grandmother was the associations first female president in 1984 and the evenings installing officer, according to HBA officials.

Strayer also won the Builder of the Year award for an unprecedented back-to-back win. The award has been given annually since 1971 and is voted on twice by all HBA members. First, they vote for the overall best builder. Then the top five vote-getters go on a final ballot, and the membership is asked to vote from one through five, with each vote weighted. The criteria are a high level of customer satisfaction and strong business practices as related to trade and supplier relations.

Other senior officers and Board members for 2014 who were installed are: Vice President Julie Oliver, of the Testa Cos., Cuyahoga Falls; Secretary-Treasurer Peter Paino, of Paino Building Corp., Kent; Past-President Todd Ederer, of Ederer Construction, Akron; and trustees Richard Bancroft, of Miller Bancroft Development; Julie Brandle, of Metis Construction; Bob Doherty, of Wolff Brothers; Eric Goff, of Goff Builders; Jacob Grimm, of Brothers Grimm Landscaping; Tim Harp, of Naragon Snow Removal; Pam Keenan, of Kingdom Title; Bill Kremer, of Kremer Realty; Fred Langguth, of Graves Lumber; John Toomey, of Point View Development; John McCarty, of Dutch Heritage Homes; Brian Miller, of Stoneworks; Steve Miller, of Rembrandt Homes; Ric SirLouis, of Home Sweet Homes; Jeff Tucker, of Tucker Building and Design; Elaine Tuttle, of Andersen Windows and Doors; Andrea Hyatt, of Revere Title; and Dave Williams, of Williams, Welser, Kratkowksi and Cann.

In addition, the HBA presented the following awards during the banquet:

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HBA holds Installation and Awards Banquet

Steve Farmer,construction superintendent for M/I Homes Division, caulks an exterior light fixture at a home under construction on Magneta Loop at the Estates of Auburndale in Auburndale on Wednesday.

LAKELAND | Local home builders slowed their pace in November, but 2013 will still go down as a rebound year for the construction industry.

A total 1,776 single-family home permits have been recorded in Polk County through November, the area's highest sum since 2008, when 2,226 permits were counted. Construction activity is already up more than 37 percent from last year, even with one month to go.

"We've had a real surge. We saw a pretty dramatic pickup, probably starting mid-summer," said Mike Hickman, a Lakeland-based custom home builder. "We'll have at least eight homes in the works for the first quarter (next year)."

Polk recorded 111 home permits in November, five fewer than the year before and down from 154 permits in October. November's total does not include permitting figures for Lakeland, which were unavailable Wednesday.

New home construction has been on a strong uptick this year. Unsold existing homes have been in short supply, and many of Polk's distressed properties have been snapped up by investors and other buyers, which has caused median values to rise and helped stabilize the market.

The county's median sale price for existing single- family homes was $123,950 in October (the latest month available), up 14.5 percent on an annual basis, according to the Florida Realtors organization.

With demand returning, construction has resumed at a number of unfinished subdivisions across Polk. Winter Haven had 29 permits last month, versus 16 a year ago and 19 in October.

The increase "came from Lennar picking back up at Traditions," said Alicia Hurley, a permit technician for the city, referring to the neighborhood off Thompson Nursery Road. Builder D.R. Horton also has been working on new homes in Winter Haven.

"Everybody's picked up a little bit," she said.

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Rebound Year: In 2013, Polk County Recorded 1,776 Single-Family Home Permits

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U.S. home construction hits highest pace in 5 years

Harrisburg, PA (PRWEB) December 16, 2013

Costello Builders, custom home builders based out of Lancaster, PA, has recently launched a new development, Deaven Woods which is located in the Harrisburg area. Currently, Costello Builders have three other development sites all of which are located in the Lancaster area.

Deaven Woods consists of 35 large home lots surrounded by a beautiful landscape. Located in an intimate setting, a majority of these 35 lots feature rear tree lined yards and the potential for walk out basement construction. Deaven Woods lots range anywhere from $135,000 to $195,000 depending on the lots location and size. Additionally, lots vary in sizes up to 252 feet deep and up to 285 feet of frontage.

The homes in this development feature a unique combination of Old World European styling with timeless American design. Extensive stone and masonry work, trim and interior millwork are a few common elements that helps define Deaven Woods.

Deaven Woods is conveniently located near Harrisburg and Hershey between routes 322 and 81. It is also approximately 15 minutes from the Hershey Medical Center.

Costello Builders, a 25-year-old business based in Lancaster, is operated by brothers Dave and Tom Costello. Costello Builders is committed to providing personalized service through the entire custom home building process, and have completed many new home projects and developments in Central PA. Costello Builders have lots available in their new home developments or will gladly build a quality custom home on your lot.

The brothers and their team of designers and builders bring superior talent and experience to customers looking for excellence in craftsmanship in their new homes. Costello Builders is known for Fine Home Building and has won many awards including several First Place positions in both the Lancaster and Harrisburg Parade of Homes, and is a Fulton Award recipient.

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Costello Builders Launches Deaven Woods Development in Harrisburg

Menlo Park Custom Home Builders - San Francisco
Character - We want to be able to go home at the end of each day and be proud of who we are and the choices that we have made. In every aspect of our busines...

By: Chibi Moku

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Menlo Park Custom Home Builders - San Francisco - Video

HOME BUILDERS ASSN. PHOTOThe pool room and fireplace at the Blackledge residence in Biloxi, which won a first place for Kevin Taylor and Plum Homes in the 19th Annual Best of Mississippi Awards from the Home Builders Association of Mississippi.

BILLY DUGGER

The Home Builders Association of Mississippi recently announced the winners of its 19th Annual Best of Mississippi Awards.

Kevin Taylor of Plum Homes took home the Grand Award for the Blackledge residence in Biloxi for its style, creativity and craftsmanship. The 5,700-square-foot home has views of the bayous and gardens, custom double mahogany front doors, travertine floors, a custom stone mantle fireplace and a wrought iron staircase. The outdoor living space is 3,000 square feet and has a fireplace, water features, outdoor kitchen, heaters, a misting system and flat-screen televisions.

Other winners were:

n Wendy McDonald with Bay-Waveland Habitat for Humanity won a Merit Award for Single Family New Construction of a Custom Home with less than

1,800 square feet for the Affordable Green, Fortified Home Program.

n Barbara Levine with Habitat for Humanity of the Mississippi Gulf Coast won for Single Family New Construction of a Spec Home with less than 1,800 square feet for Habitat for Humanity Mississippi Gulf Coast's 1 Percent Pilot Program.

n Michael and Kimberly Fritz of Fritz Development won for New Construction of a Custom Home with 2,500 to 5,000 square feet for a Destiny Plantation residence.

n Rickey Copponex of Caliber Properties LLC won for New Construction of a Custom Home with more than 5,000 square feet for a waterside residence.

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Plum Homes wins 'Best of Mississippi'