Is your Home Too Airtight?

There has been a lot of talk lately about folks worrying their new home is built too tight. The story goes something like this. A couple saves their money to build their dream home and they find a custom builder who specializes in building “tight” homes. (The benefits being energy efficiency and improved air quality.) And because this is the new way to build homes, the incremental cost increase is just that-incremental. Unfortunately, they soon discover “because the home is so tight” mold is growing, the air is stale and the kids are starting to get sick! So what gives?

Before we get to that answer some context and history is in order. Back in...

Insulating During a Remodel

It seems like every time I ask a client if they would like me to look at their insulation while I provide an estimate for their kitchen-renovation project, they look at me like I am speaking French! And yet, every time I go to the doctor they check my weight, lung sounds and blood pressure, stick probes into my ears and down my throat, sensors on my chest and back, asks me about my lifestyle habits and pretty much check me out head to toe before we even talk the specifics about why I am there in the first place!

In other words, as patients, we have been educated to accept that in order for the doctor to make a sound evaluation of the issue at hand, they will first n...

At Nautilus we understand there is virtually an unlimited number of questions you can ask your builder when interviewing them for construction of your renovation project or new home. At the end of the list, what you will learn is that Nautilus is the only builder in Savannah that will give you what you want most: Price Security, Schedule Security and a good warranty.

Guaranteed Estimate!

Easy. All day long. At Nautilus, we think every project should finish on budget. Isn’t that what the contract price is for? Allowances are simply another way of spelling change order and since those are a disaster for everyone, we don’t do allowances. And since most folks agree it’s kinda ha...

Blurring the Lines

At Nautilus Luxury Homes, we are ready to help you update your home into the dream home you have always wanted. Or we can turn that beautiful lot by the marsh into the masterpiece you have dreamt about in Luxe Magazine. And to accomplish this, within your budget and time frame, our design and engineering team will “blur the lines” with our two favorite design elements that will take your breath away when you walk into your home and look out across the living area.

The Kitchen is Not an Island

If you need to open a door to enter your current kitchen or if you have to leave the kitchen to talk with someone in the room next door, it’s high time you updated your...

Nautilus Homes would like to share with you a glimpse of how technology is shaping the way that leading edge custom home builders will be doing business in the 21st century.

According to constructionworld.org there are “3 Tech Predictions” that are already being adopted into the industry and we think you may get a “kick” out of them… or at least a good laugh!

At a minimum, we hope you enjoy them.

Drones

Drones will and are already making an impact through improved project evaluation via aerial surveys and building surveillance.

Rather than paying for security personnel, drones are able to take its place, saving companies time and money.

Drones can also be used for...

It has always been the Nautilus way to save our clients valuable research time, so we have scoured the web and asked the experts what this year’s hottest design trends will be.

From Forbes, to House Beautiful and Remodeling magazines, to Consumer Reports, and lastly, Houzz and Trulia, this is the best of the best for the year ahead. Enjoy!

Stainless Steel is out and Brass is in!

Whether its appliances or hardware, say goodbye to the shiny metal finishes of the 80’s and the stainless steel of the last ten years.

- Polished or satin brass and bronze knobs, knockers, pulls, and faucets are back in a big way.
- Matte-finish appliances in dark hues bring an element of drama into the kitche...

It is YOUR window to look through…

After attending local and national builders shows we end up getting several calls a week from different building material suppliers all wanting to sell me its product, especially window manufacturers. But at the end of the day all that matters is that YOU like the view looking out of your house, when you look through that window.

When Nautilus builds or remodels your home, we will only be working with you for a short period of time. Then after your house is built, you have moved in and you are celebrating your one year anniversary, you will be looking through those windows for the rest of your life. We want to make sure you love your home, so we are go...

How do we define sustainable?

- Something you can afford.
- Something that gives you value.
- Something that focuses on your priorities.

Nautilus is not the one defining sustainability, but rather the Nautilus client defines what is sustainable to their budget.

When asked to describe their luxury dream car, most people would describe a high end vehicle with a sleek design and a great entertainment system. The focus is usually on the visuals and the feel of the vehicle.

But do you know what is under the hood of your dream car?

The same concept applies to choosing the design features of your future home or renovation.

Many people do not focus on what you do not see in the house, which are the “b...

Part 4 of 4: Low Maintenance Products

In this final segment of our 4 part series, “Construction Essentials to Survive the Storm”, we look at low-maintenance products for your new or renovated coastal home.

While many of us very much enjoy working around and on our homes, most of us prefer to have this as on optional activity and not a requirement because our home is falling apart.

To mitigate against wear and tear, Nautilus recommends its top 5 exterior materials designed to withstand salty air, sand, and wind with little maintenance.

1. Sherwin William’s Duration exterior latex paint is hands down the best paint for coastal homes. But, since the durability of paint hinges as m...

Part 3 of 4: Wind Damage Protection

In Parts 1 & 2 of our series, we discussed strategies to protect your home from rising water due to flooding or storm surges and from water penetration through the roof and walls respectively.

This third segment is dedicated to safeguarding your home from wind damage that occurs with +100mph winds by looking at 3 critical components.

First, design and materials considerations for such protection include: an aerodynamic roof-line combination of hip/gable shapes and making sure all tie-downs on the connections between the roof and the framing are hurricane code compliant.
A quick internet search of storm damaged homes will show hundreds of images of destroyed ho...