Winter might not seem like the best time to begin the new home construction process – and it’s an understandable assumption. Frigid temperatures and snow piles, after all, do not necessarily conjure up images of an active homebuilding scene in the Chicago area.

But truth be told, there are some significant advantages to launching the homebuilding process during the winter season. By kickstarting the effort in wintertime, you can line up scheduling, permitting, and design, immediately initiate construction when the weather does break, and enjoy your new home before the cold air returns.

Advantage #1: Beating the Rush
Spring generally brings a flurry of activity into the market from eager buyers. By starting the home buying process in winter, however, you beat others to the punch. You get an early jump on securing the lot, home plan, and exterior design you want; minimize the risk of permit delays; and stand at the front of the line when the weather enables excavation and foundation work to take place.

Advantage #2: A Pinch More Planning Time
A winter start allows you to firm up plans and finalize details before construction even begins. This way, you avoid wasting the best months for construction on planning and selections. You have a bit more time to consider materials and finishes as well as any custom features you desire.

Advantage #3: A Smoother Process
With plans and selections in hand, Gallagher and Henry can order and secure materials for install. Once temperatures allow for a multi-day stretch, crews can begin site work, including excavation and installation of the foundation. Thereafter, the trades can work in earnest, capitalizing on spring’s mild weather to move forward with construction with the help of added daylight.

Advantage #4: An Autumn Move
The typical Gallagher and Henry home takes 6-7 months to build from the time you sign your purchase agreement. Beginning the new home process in winter positions you to celebrate fall holidays like Halloween and Thanksgiving in your new home. With a fall move-in, you can also settle into your new home and the community at a time in which you can still be outdoors, walking the neighborhood and meeting neighbors.

For good reason, the kitchen is considered the “heart of the home.” A common convening spot for meals, entertaining, family discussions, and an assortment of other life endeavors, the kitchen is the home’s premier multi-purpose, memory-making space.

Given how much we demand of our kitchens, we need to consider function and design simultaneously so the kitchen can deliver. In its Lifestyle Series homes, Gallagher and Henry fosters this through thoughtful planning and savvy interior design that makes the kitchen a beautiful, functional, and safe space. Here’s how:

Workspace Solutions

For adults and kids alike, the kitchen has long been a common workspace for paying household bills, tackling a work project, or completing a homework assignment. In its recently released ranch plan, the Fremont, Gallagher and Henry emphasized workspace with two kitchen islands as well as a semi-private chef’s kitchen. Having multiple workspaces in a common area of the home has become even more critical given the rise of remote work and e-learning in the COVID era. Notably, the Fremont’s dual islands provide added storage space and seating.

Savvy Storage

Speaking of storage, it’s critical to a kitchen’s functionality. Without generous storage, a kitchen can easily become a cluttered mess that leads to inefficiencies and a frenzied atmosphere. In its Eden home plan, Gallagher and Henry prioritized storage in the kitchen area with a full wall of cabinets extending some 11 feet, a kitchen island, and a butler pantry. As assortment of upper and lower cabinets in varying configurations, meanwhile, can accommodate different servingware, gadgets, and kitchen aids.

Lighting the Way

Given how many different daily tasks take place in the kitchen, lighting cannot be an afterthought. In Gallagher and Henry’s Danbury plan, a window over the sink and nearby sliding glass doors flood the kitchen with natural light, while recessed lighting ensures a bright environment that illuminates the entire kitchen area. Gallagher and Henry also installs additional pendant lighting over the kitchen island and a chandelier over the dinette space to bring added flair and practicality to the kitchen.

Functional Style

With its Lifestyle Series homes, Gallagher and Henry have amplified opportunities to merge design and function. Consider hardwood flooring. While hardwood flooring certainly contributes to an overall design aesthetic, adding texture and warmth to the kitchen, it must be durable enough to withstand the rigors of kitchen traffic and daily use. By making hardwood flooring a standard feature in its Lifestyle Series home kitchens, Gallagher and Henry enables homeowners to select a style that suits their tastes while ensuring homes have a practical, purposeful solution for everyday living.