Welcome to Our Blog
New Home Cost: Cheaper than Expected?
“When the price is higher, people tend to focus on the things that make it higher. When the price is lower people tend to focus on things explaining why it’s lower,” William Poundstone wrote in his book, Priceless. Which do you want? Prospective buyers touring your...
A Great Elevation Helps Make the Sale
Prospective customers rule you “in” or “out” based on your homes’ exteriors. It’s a fact. Overwhelmed by too many choices, buyers use shortcuts to narrow the number of home builders they will consider. One of those shortcuts is your elevation designs. Photographs can...
Design Concept: Rear Foyers
Problem: Most families enter their home through the garage, but once you get inside, where does your stuff go? Where do you hang your jackets, stash your shoes, backpacks, handbags, etc.? And, when you leave in the morning how can you make it more convenient to get...
From plan alterations to locating a builder in your area, find the resources you need for making your new home a reality!
5 Green Choices that Won’t Break the Bank
Eco-friendly home upgrades can be beneficial for a variety of reasons for both you and the environment. From installing new systems and appliances to reducing our waste, every green choice we make helps us create a better environment for the planet. It’s important as...
Tailoring Solutions for You – Design Basics’ Concierge Service
Adding new home plans to your portfolio is risky. Will the design attract buyers? How much will that home cost to build? Design Basics’ Concierge Service is designed to help you minimize such risks. We know what is selling in terms of home design. Based on your goals...
If Your Suitcase is Always in the Way!
Always on the go? Then you're sure to appreciate our Travel Center option, designed to keep everything handy and make packing a snap! You know where your suitcase has been...so you're probably not going to want to pack it on the clean bedspread! Our travel center was...
Design trends, articles, and other resources to help you make important decisions about your new home design and included amenities.
Building a Stronger, Safer Home
How your choices affect the cost of your new home. People expect their new home to be a strong, safe, well-built structure. After all, isn’t that what building codes are for? Well, the answer is YES...and NO. Building codes do establish some minimum performance...
Healthier Home = Healthier Household
How your choices affect the cost of your new home. With all four children plus mom suffering from asthma and allergies, Paul and Cindy opted to invest $3,000 in a high-performance air filter and air purification system when building their new home. They feel it was...
Green and Energy-Efficient Homes
How your choices affect the cost of your new home. “People don’t buy a new home because of the energy efficiency, though they’ll brag about that later,” according to home builder Hugh Fisher in Warwick, Rhode Island, referring to his net zero-energy ready homes at...
Home designs and amenities to make your home ‘live’ the way you live.
Beyond the Basics with Tricia Baker
Describe your responsibilities at Design Basics. As the plan alterations designer, I’m responsible for incorporating changes to plans in accordance with customer request and architectural specifications. I also review existing plans to identify how the design could be...
Celebrating Women in Construction
Design Basics’ Executive Vice President, Natalie Wendling, is featured in the “Celebrating Women in Construction” section on Page 20 of the latest issue of Home Builders Association of Greater Des Moines' Blueprint Magazine! Read more about her experience as a woman...
Lumber Association Partnerships
Design Basics, LLC, is pleased to announce our partnership with the Northwestern Lumber Association (NLA), serving Iowa, Nebraska, and South Dakota, and the Mid-America Lumbermens Association (MLA), serving Arkansas, Kansas, and Missouri. With preferred access to...