From the Builder

Greetings and Happy New Year!

I am very excited and look forward to a new year, and I hope you are too. 2010 was certainly a much better year than 2009, and here at Hibbard Construction we are anticipating an even better 2011!

This year, Hibbard Construction is pleased to announce that we will be celebrating our 40th year in business. This is an exciting time for us, and I personally want to thank all of our customers for their business and support over the years. As a second-generation builder following in my father’s footsteps, I have learned the importance of integrity and craftsmanship in this industry. I look forward to continuing what my father started and celebrating his legacy and the reputation he has built for Hibbard Construction.

Home remodeling continues to be a “hot” trend among homeowners. The National Association of the Remodeling Industry has indicated that kitchen and bathroom remodels will still be the top remodel projects contracted in 2011 and will remain the best return on investment for homeowners. Energy efficient window and siding replacement will run a close second.

Innovative energy efficient technologies and materials are high on the list for home improvement as well. Homeowners are looking for ways to increase the energy efficiency of their home and save on energy costs overall. The cost of using these types of materials and technologies are becoming more and more affordable, and in some cases, have become comparable to “old school” methods and materials. It’s a good time for homeowners to take advantage of these new construction methods and reap the rewards and savings for years to come.

If 2011is the year you are considering a remodel project or building a custom home, give us a call, we would enjoy the opportunity to help you realize those goals. We sincerely enjoy helping folks make their dreams a reality.

Wishing everyone a happy and prosperous 2011,

Jeff Hibbard
 

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Make 2011 the Year You Became a Homeowner!

This is the season for New Year’s resolutions and if you’ve vowed to become a homeowner in 2011, the conditions are actually very favorable for you to make good on your goal.

Unlike a resolution to lose 30 pounds or hit the gym every weekday, becoming a homeowner is fairly attainable in the current conditions. That’s because both condominiums and single-family homes in the Treasure Valley are more affordable today than they have been in years, and interest rates are at record lows.
This isn’t the best news for sellers, of course. But, if you’ve vowed to stop paying rent, it’s great news for you.

According to the latest numbers from Housingtracker.net, the median sales price for combined single family home and condo listings stand at $144,800 as of January 17th, 2011. That’s down 11.2 percent from the median price of the same month last year. And remember, the median home price in 2009 was already down from the year before.

Inventory for the Boise area is down as well. With 4,178 units listed for sale, numbers this low have not been seen since June 2006. This was the beginning of the housing boom and about the time we saw home prices begin to rise dramatically and building of new homes exploded. If you have been waiting for the market to hit bottom, you may want to take these calculations into consideration. Remember economics 101, the law of supply and demand greatly influences the price of the product. Supplies are starting to run low, and as the economy has slowy been improving, the demand for housing will begin to increase. Home prices will again rise along with interests rates.

To read more, click here. 

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Planning a Succesful Construction Project Begins with Hiring the Right Contractor

Considering a home remodel in the near future? If you are thinking of hiring a contractor to do the job for you, it is important to have a plan before you embark on your home improvement journey.

It is no secret that the success of any home remodel project will depend significantly on qualified craftsmen, quality materials and an experienced contractor that can adequately deal with the unforeseen obsticals that almost always arise during these projects.

To ensure the most affordable and succesful outcome, it is vitally important to hire the best contractor for your project. Follow these steps to help you select the right contractor for the job.

Do your homework...
Start by getting written detailed bids from three reputable contractors. When comparing bids, make sure you are comparing apples to apples and not apples to oranges. It is in your best interest to ask lots of questions. This is where you will flush out the details that are most important in identifying the specifics of your project and the scope of work the potential contractor can perform.

To read more, click here.

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Mercy Housing Making a Difference in Nampa Neighborhoods

Hibbard Construction is proud to be one of the many partners with Mercy Housing, a non-profit, affordable housing organization whose desire is to change the face of affordable housing through quality community developments. Mercy Housing’s vision and mission have never been more important or more relevant than right now. Mercy Housing has been focusing it’s efforts in Idaho by purchasing foreclosed homes under the Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP-1) created by the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act in partnership with Idaho Housing and Finance Association (IHFA) and the City of Nampa.

The Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) was established for the purpose of stabilizing communities that have suffered from foreclosures and abandonment. Through the purchase and redevelopment of foreclosed and abandoned homes and residential properties, the goal of the program is being realized right here in Nampa.

To read more, click here.

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And the winner is....

Tawnya Nyman from Nichols Accounting won the e-newsletter forward contest.  In observance of Valentine's Day, Hibbard Contstruction chose a pair of movie passes as the prize for Tawnya.  Thank you Tawnya for sending our newsletter to your friends, family and collegues.  We hope you enjoy the movie passes!

Our e-mail client allows us to track how many times our newsletter is forwarded (without seeing addressess), so each month, Hibbard Construction will award a "special" prize to the person who forwards our e-newsletter to the most people.

Thank you to everyone who forwards our e-newsletter and for all the feedback.  We sincerely hope you enjoy the content and it is helpful to you.

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Another Hibbard Construction Project in Progress

    A new covered deck and patio                           Garage addition

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The homeowner wanted to add additional garage space to their existing two-car garage. We constructed a 624 s.f. single car garage with a 10’ x 8’ overhead door and a 14’ x 4’ parking pad. Care was taken to blend the rooflines and match all exterior finishes to give the appearance that the new structure had always been a part of the existing home and garage. This daylight basement home originally had a deck at the main level and concrete patio at the basement level. The homeowner wanted to expand both the deck and the patio to twice its original size and have the deck covered to increase seasonal usage. Trex© decking material was used to construct the new deck, handrails and all columns wrapped and painted. The deck cover was constructed so as to match the exterior of the home and painted the same color scheme. Can lighting was installed in the new cover and two sets of stairs were constructed that lead to the lower level.