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Straight answers for Utah County homeowners
What things cost, the permit and ADU rules that actually apply here, and how to hire a builder you can trust. Written plain, by the person who builds it.
How much does it cost to build a custom home in Utah County?
What a custom home costs in Utah County: how the price gets built, why lots and finishes swing it, the allowance trap, and why the cheapest bid rarely
Basement apartment and ADU rules in Utah: what is now legal
Utah changed its ADU law. What you can now build as a basement apartment, what your city can still restrict, and the egress detail that trips up most
Design-build vs. hiring an architect and a builder separately
Design-build or hiring an architect and builder separately: what each path costs you in money and headaches, and why one contract removes the finger-p
How to tell if a contractor bid is real
A lowball bid is a top reason homeowners go over budget. How to read a bid, the allowance trick to watch for, and the questions that expose a fake num
What does an owner's representative do, and do you need one?
An owner's rep is someone on your side when you are not the expert. What they check, when they pay for themselves, and when you do not actually need o
Building on a hillside lot in Utah County: what to know first
Slope changes everything: the geotech report, the buildable-area rules in cities like Alpine and Highland, and why a view lot costs more before you dr
Where to spend and where to save on a Utah County remodel
A Provo builder's rule for a Utah County remodel: spend on windows, countertops, appliances, and the bones, and save on cabinets and finishes.
The best upgrade for a Utah home: windows
Danny Bird spends on windows first. Why new windows change a Utah home the most, how casement windows capture mountain views, and what it does for res
High-end looks on a budget: a Utah builder's real tricks
Real tricks a Provo builder uses for a high-end look on a budget: white oak slat walls, a plaster look from drywall mud, thin brick, and smart applian
Renovating an older Utah home: why the plan always changes
Why a remodel plan always changes: a flooring lot that did not match, outlet holes turned into pendant lights, and why the best builders adapt instead
Does adding a bathroom pay off in a Utah County remodel?
Beds and baths drive the comps in Utah County. How adding a bathroom and a bedroom in a remodel helps absorb the cost and when it pays off for your ho
Why ceiling height drives home value in Utah County
Nine to ten foot ceilings are the new-construction baseline in Utah County. Why ceiling height drives value, and how filling a tall vault adds usable
Pre-wiring a Utah remodel: the cheapest upgrade that pays off later
While the walls are open, pre-wiring every room back to one spot costs a few thousand dollars and saves you from tearing into finished drywall for yea
A paint palette that still looks good in 15 years
How to pick paint colors that still look right in 15 years. Stay neutral on the walls, let furniture carry the color, and watch how tones bleed room t
Interior designer or your builder? Who designs your remodel
Do you need an interior designer, or can your builder handle the design? How Danny provides color, layout, and sourcing as part of building your Utah
Building without a basement in Provo's river bottoms
In Provo's river bottoms the water table is high, so homes get crawl spaces, not basements. Here is how you gain square footage up instead of down.
Big sliding glass doors in Utah: what to know first
Big multi-slide glass doors look incredible, but aluminum and wood-clad age very differently in Utah weather. What to know about warping and upkeep fi
You don't have to remodel all at once: phasing a Utah reno
You do not have to remodel everything at once. How to phase a Utah reno, do the ~80% that matters now, and leave the rest watertight for a later phase
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