Once upon a time, we had enough space in our house. One kid, two bedrooms, and all was right with the world.
Since that point though, the family has continued to grow and we have continued to be more and more pressed for space. We are pretty much at maximum capacity around here and the third kid hasn’t even made her grand arrival yet (editor’s note: the third kid has arrived!).
Two Options for the Beaverhausens
Way I figure, we have two options – Either build an additional bedroom or move.
I’m not going to lie, neither really sound like a glorious option to deal with, having a 2 year old and a newborn, but…either way, there’s an uncluttered light at the end of the tunnel.
Looking for a House
We initially decided to look for houses in the area. Our realtor was painfully accurate when she called Beaver the ‘Wild West of Real Estate.’
The houses come and go really, really fast around here and you need to be ready to jump the second the listing gets posted.
We were not as ready as we thought and had to let a few would-have-been-perfect houses pass. Since this baby will be here in a matter of days, we are at a stand-still for an undetermined amount of time. Let’s talk about other options.
The Other Options
How about adding a bedroom to the house?
I started asking around for recommendations for a good contractor. Someone who is capable of doing this level of major construction.
In the past, we have had some pretty significant issues with incapable contractors, so we knew this process would need to have the most qualified person on the job. I am not going through that again.
A friend of mine had her kitchen completely redone and it turned out beautifully. She and a few others pointed me in the right direction.
Enter Best Builders
Greg Best, owner of Best Builders in New Brighton, knows his stuff. He holds a degree in construction and has been in the field for over 20 years (and while unrelated to construction but still proves the point that he’s a knowledgeable kind of guy, he played for the Pittsburgh Steelers in the early 80s).
Meeting with Greg and his team made us feel confident that we had found the best around.
We started this whole process with Greg and Mike coming to our house to take a look at our current space. We had an idea of what we thought we looking for and it easily translated to them.
They were able to draw up what we wanted in an extra room and give us a very detailed explanation of the process and the costs. No loose ends. No unanswered questions. And I will tell you…I called them a lot.
They were very professional and patient through the process, and we haven’t even started construction yet!
Building Custom Homes
Now, the other (and more significant) side of the Best Builders operation is the custom home side. I’m not talking custom homes like what you have been seeing pop up in the County recently, as in.. here is the floor plan, what type of flooring would you like? I’m talking custom custom.
They customize everything – literally the entire process.
Best has Biba Circle, a Re/Max agent, as part of their team on hand to find you the perfect lot.
She will work for you to ensure you find the lot that fits your budget and then the whole Best team will work together to make sure the lot will fit the house, and the house will fit your needs.
They will even assist in the sale of your current house. They focus around this general area – Eastern Ohio, Western PA, and most recently into portions of West Virginia – so they are really familiar with where the hot spots are.
I don’t know about anyone else, but I was most certainly not aware of how this process worked. The thought of building new always seemed so overwhelming before I spoke with Greg and Biba. Now, while it definitely is still a process, it is one that has the potential to be (dare I say!) enjoyable.
I mean, this is your home we are talking about. It should be an enjoyable process! This has opened up an entirely new option for us. No more looking for a house that fits. Now we make it fit. That sounds like a way better option.
More Information
The Best Builders website is full of detailed information; everything from a more detailed explanation of the process to some sample floor plans, to a list of testimonials. It is the perfect place to get acquainted with Greg and team, and to see some pictures of their work.
I’m sure you will agree that the homes are gorgeous! They are really easy to talk to, so don’t hesitate to reach out to them directly with questions. I whole-heartedly recommend the entire Best team for your new home or the updates in your existing home.
