A Builder's View

Centric General Contractors is delighted to announce the launch of our new website.  We redesigned the site with you in mind, streamlining menus, simplifying navigation, building a responsive layout, and providing more information about our company.

In today's very connected world, it's hard to find an industry that is not being touched by technology in some way. In a lot of ways, construction is late to the technology game but its transforming the way we do business.  From BIM to robotics, construction practices are evolving. One of the very exciting innovations gaining steam is the drone.

The Internet of Things is truly changing our business on many fronts.  One of the areas experiencing tremendous shift is custom home design and construction. From design ideas to smart home systems, anyone can gather information to conceptualize their ideal home. Most of you would agree, there is no shortage of information on the Internet. So the problem is not whether you have information at your fingertips rather where do you go to gather ideas. 

Fortunately, our team is in front of great resources everyday and came to the conclusion that we should share. Without further adieu, we've pulled together our latest curated list of our favorite resources—to help inspire your custom home projects.

Let’s imagine you are in the process of planning your dream home. If you could walk through your home prior to construction, would you? Do you think you’d make any changes?  I know I am opening up this post with a lot of questions but I cannot help but think your answer would be a resounding, “Yes!”

Today, virtual reality is taking the world by storm. Also known as immersive multimedia, virtual reality creates a highly visual, computer-simulated, 3D environment. This technology creates sensory experiences where individuals may perceive themselves within an imaginary world. The Oculus Rift, a virtual reality headset, brings this immersive experience to the general public. Originally designed for gaming, the Oculus headset is affordable and proves to be an incredible asset for a lot of industries including design and construction. The headset replaces a computer or television screen and allows users to see an environment that completely surrounds them. When a user turns their head, looks up or down, they are under the illusion they are in the environment. 

Plan your next custom home remodel project with these exciting apps! Whether you’re completely transforming your home or making a few updates, you’ll want to make sure your renovation or addition is performed correctly. 

This post offers up a great list of apps to help you:

1. Gather ideas for your ideal space
2. Consider home’s layout and traffic flow
3. Gain a 2D or 3D perspective
4. Situate the space with furnishings
5. Visualize different material options
6. Perform material quantity calculations
7. Develop an initial project budget.  

Go through the list and gather the tools you’ll need to make your dream home a reality!