Laundry Mudroom Door to Master Closet | Mebane NC New Homes

Universal design. Aging in place. Accessible: Laundry room checklist for your new construction home

Posted by Travars Built Homes on August 29, 2020

Looking for a universal design / aging in place laundry room checklist for your Chatham County new construction home? Find everything you’ll need in a new, aging in place home, from doorway widths to accessible features and layout recommendations.

Experts at Travars Built Homes are certified to build aging in place style new homes. Contact us to get started on next steps for your universal design new home.

Appliance configuration

When you choose your appliances, it’s important that they be front load, for easier loading. We strongly suggest getting a matching pedestal from the appliance manufacturer. Or ask your custom home builder to create a 12-15” platform for the equipment to sit on. Stackable appliances are not universal, as neither appliance will be at the ultimate height to avoid bending and stretching.

Size

Your builder will look for a way to have a 36” wide doorways and 5 foot diameter of open space in front of the washer and dryer. If the laundry is located along the hallway, it will need to be at least 4′ wide.

Wendell North Carolina New Homes | Dog House Under the Stairs

Location

Keep your laundry room on the main floor for accessibility, unless your home will have an elevator.

Storage

Cabinetry over the top of the washer and dryer may not be as useful to you as cubbies or shelves at an accessible height. Check with your builder about reconfiguring the laundry room if necessary, to allow for the kind of storage you need.

Convenience

Some plans allow for a washer and dryer in the owner’s suite closet. Others can be built with a door from the owner’s suite or closet directly into the laundry room, which also has another entrance. Tell your builder what your needs are – some plans can be modified to relocate the laundry room or add extra doors.

Chapel Hill Modern Farmhouse | Black and White Laundry Room

Task Management

Consider where you will be doing the laundry, as well as where it will be folded and put away. Do you need a table in the laundry room? Countertops can be built at varying heights. Hanging rod? Pull down ironing board? Sitting area? Your builder will take a look at the plans, to make sure there’s knee room and a 36” wide circumference, for full accessibility.

All of these features can be designed and built in for accessibility by a custom home builder.

Lighting

A universal, aging in place feature that’s important in your laundry room and throughout your home is appropriate lighting. In addition to LED lighting, ask your builder for extra lights if there are areas where you need additional illumination. Consider motion detector lighting for convenience when your arms are full so lights can operate automatically when you come and go. If there are work stations, think about under cabinet lighting, flexible track lighting, or even natural light from windows or doors.

Flooring

One way to help eyesight in an aging in place design is to change flooring color in the laundry room to differentiate from surrounding areas. There are a lot of great tile choices in a huge variety of styles and colors when you work with a premium custom home builder. Consider cork, too.

Talk with an experienced NC builder

Make sure to talk with a custom home builder experienced with universal design who is flexible enough to meet your goals in design/building your home with the features and convenience you need. Contact Travars Built Homes to get started.

New Custom Homes For Sale

MOVE IN READY. IN PROGRESS. COMING SOON.

Bristol Walk at Big Bear – COMING SOON NEAR JORDAN LAKE

35 Big Bear Rd, Pittsboro, NC | 2.5 Wooded Acres | $1,394,000

4626 Sq Ft Under Roof | 3568 Heated Sq Ft | 4 Beds | 4 Baths | First Floor Primary Suite & Guest Suite, 3 Car Garage

Get Floor Plan Flyer

Ruskin Place at Fox Oak

Fox Oak Lot 4, Pittsboro, NC | 4+ Wooded Acres | $1,427,000

5979 Sq Ft Under Roof | 4328 Heated Sq Ft | 4 Beds | 5 Baths | Main Floor Primary and Guest Suites

Get Floor Plan Flyer

Chatham Farmhouse at Silk Hope Gum Springs Rd

5491 Silk Hope Gum Springs Rd, Siler City | 1.9 Wooded Acres | $747,000

3067 Sq Ft Under Roof | 2438 Heated Sq Ft | 4 Beds | 3.5 Baths | Main Floor Primary and Guest Suites

Get Floor Plan Flyer

Carolina Cottage at Silk Hope Gum Springs Rd – Under Construction

5545 Silk Hope Gum Springs Rd, Siler City, NC | 1.51 Wooded Acres | $752,000

3,272 Sq Ft Under Roof | 2,405 Heated Sq Ft | 4 Beds | 2.5 Baths | Main Floor Primary Suite

Top trending features: Wonderful gathering spaces with chef kitchen as focal point.

Get Floor Plan Flyer

Chandler Trace at Hamlets Chapel – COMING SOON

4025 Hamlets Chapel Rd, Pittsboro, NC | 1.5 Wooded Acres | $980,000

3,793 Sq Ft Under Roof | 2,770 Heated Sq Ft | 4 Beds | 4 Baths | Main Floor Guest Suite & Owners Suite

Top trending features: Three car garage. Guest suite on main floor, plus Princess Suite with private bath and walk in closet. Includes both a Media Room and a Bonus Room.

Get Floor Plan Flyer

Teesdale at Henderson Tanyard –

SOLD

Pittsboro, NC | 5.9 Wooded Acres

3,992 Sq Ft Under Roof | 3,188 Heated Sq Ft | 4 Beds | 4 Baths | Main Floor Primary Suite & Guest Suite

Top trending features: Private entrance to laundry room from first floor primary suite. Guest suite on main floor. All bedrooms ensuite. Spacious open living with extended height ceilings.

Get Floor Plan Flyer

Riverstone at Fox Oak, lot 5 –

SOLD

Pittsboro, NC | 4.2 Wooded Acres

3,883 Sq Ft Under Roof | 3,089 Heated Sq Ft | 4 Beds | 2.5 Baths | Main Floor Primary Suite

New Custom Homes For Sale North Carolina

Top trending features: Gorgeous curb appeal. Great layout. Wonderful kitchen. Craft room designed for work or play – in addition to a big bonus room!

Get Floor Plan Flyer

Get more information about available homes here

What is Design/Build: Working with a Custom Home Builder

Posted by Travars Built Homes on March 23, 2019

Next month, a panel discussion led by Furniture, Lighting & Decor Editor-in-Chief Diane Falvey brings together four experts to talk about leveraging expertise among architects, builders, and designers when building custom homes.

During the panel, “Common Ground: Finding Synergy Among Architects, Builders and Designers,” Phil Travars and Andrew Travars of Travars Built Homes will be talking about the ins and outs of working with a design/build custom home builder in North Carolina.

“Having a clear understanding of the thought process around building a custom home can help everything go smoothly, from design through construction,” said Phil Travars, Owner and Builder at Travars Built Homes. “It’s a great opportunity to talk directly with experts from across the industry.”

About 75,000 people from across the country and internationally are expected to attend the bi-annual Furniture Mart event represented by more than 100 countries, for architects, designers, furnishings buyers and others looking for the latest information and products for homes.

The Travars brothers were asked to participate in the event to share their thought leadership about home building and designing together with CIRCLE Design Studio, LLC Principal Architect John Dorlini and Principal/Owner Theresa A.C. Dorlini.

How to Build a Custom Home | New Home Builders

Topics about the custom home build process are expected to include:

How designers and builders work together compose a custom home.
How creativity can create excitement through different points of view.
What to look out for when choosing a custom home on a budget.
What to think about as you integrate designs for furniture, lighting, fixtures and finishes into your new home.

“This is a great opportunity to bounce around ideas for your new home, if you’re considering a custom build,” said Andrew Travars, Builder and Designer at Travars Built Homes. “We put a lot into making each home unique – this panel will help explain what it takes to create through design/build.”

Travars Built Homes builds new custom homes in Chapel Hill, Raleigh, Durham and the surrounding region. Get information about building a custom home:

Top 4 Ways to Boost Curb Appeal of Your New Home

Posted by Travars Built Homes on February 1, 2019

Love the layout, hate the exterior of the custom floor plan you want to build? Change it! Here are 4 ways to increase curb appeal in the Chapel Hill area by considering different exterior materials for the build of your new home, with pros and cons.

Custom Home Exterior Material Example #1: Vinyl Siding

If you want to save money, vinyl is an exterior material worth considering. Be sure to take your time with your color selection, and take a look at all the options.

Pros: Want a more custom look? You can dress things up with shutters, gable vents, corbels or column wraps. Vinyl can be cleaned with power washing and typically would not be repainted at a later date.

Cons: Some communities do not allow vinyl exteriors. Vinyl siding may fade – with darker colors absorbing more sunlight than lighter colors. It can also expand and shrink with temperatures.

Custom Home Exterior Material Example #2: Vinyl Siding and Veneer

A small amount of stone veneer and picture frame details around the windows can make a big difference. The stone water table provides another texture for this home, and won’t break the bank if the amount of stone is kept to just enough for a water table and column base. If you are doing exterior selections, consider picking the stone first. Then choose roofing with a similar color scheme, such as Drift Wood or Weathered Wood shingles.

Custom Home Exterior Material Example #3: Fiber Cement Siding With Stone Accents

The curb appeal of this fiber cement and stone home does a very nice job of blending multiple texture types and materials. The medium blue shakes seen on the face of the garage wall break the patterned straight lines. They also pull the color right out of the stone veneer below. The light blue lap siding on the sides and rear of home and complementing white picture frames around the windows, gable vents and gutters combine to make a well balanced exterior. The Mackenzie seen just below follows this formula and also looks great!

Pros: The mix of materials and colors make this home feel custom and comfortable. Adding stone to the front but keeping the other 3 sides of the home in fiber cement saves on cost.

Cons: Fiber cement costs more than vinyl. Stone veneer costs more than fiber cement.

**Request a build price for the Mackenzie, here.**

Custom Home Exterior Material Example #4: All Brick and Stone

The classic look of full brick veneer creates curb appeal so compelling that some entire communities require it. This full brick home is even more interesting due to the brick color choice and the stone front accent on the garage face.

Pros: Bricks are sturdy and durable, typically requiring almost no maintenance other than occasional power washing.

Cons: That low maintenance and solid look comes with a higher price tag than most exterior materials.

Get information about building a custom home with Travars Built Homes – including more ways to create a cost effective new home in North Carolina.

Request Floor Plans

Find floor plans with the features you’re looking for, in your North Carolina new custom home.

View new home tours in our photo galleries, including examples of:

Modern farmhouse interiors
Colonial, craftsman, and contemporary exteriors with stone, brick, board and batten, and more
One story, two story, main floor master, and multi-generational layouts

Custom home photo tours

How to modify custom house plans

3. A larger shower in the master bathroom (and no tub)

Doing away with the tub isn’t for everyone – what do you prefer? One (larger) shower, or a “traditional” tub and shower combination?

Master Bathroom with No Tub | Custom House Plan

4. A bigger pantry with custom-height wood shelving, sink, microwave, and other personal touches

Modern Farmhouse Walk In Pantry
| Custom House Plans

5. A sun room or screen porch

North Carolina’s climate is great for sun rooms and screen porches that can be used year-round, especially when you add a cozy outdoor fireplace or outdoor kitchen!

6. A secret passage, secret pantry, or hideaway

Secret passageways can be tucked is so many places! Check out these ideas, with a secret door:

Under the staircase (leading from foyer to living room)
Between upstairs bedrooms
From the master closet and home office (using a Murphy bookcase door)
From the master closet to an expanded coat closet

Murphy Door Bookcase | Custom House Plan

Secrete Passage in Bedroom | Custom House Plans

Chatham County NC Custom Homes | Secret Passage in Closet

Secret Passage Under the Stairs | Custom House Plans

Build On Your Lot

Looking to build a custom home?

Whether you already own land — or are still exploring your options — Travars Built Homes can help you move forward with confidence.

We’re an award-winning custom builder with a strong local reputation, deep regional expertise, and a process built on trust, transparency, and personal involvement from the builder himself.

Custom Homebuilding, Made More Personal

At Travars Built Homes, custom doesn’t mean complicated. You’ll get:

Flexible Floor Plans – Choose from hundreds of plans you can personalize, or bring your own.
Upfront Build Packages – We provide detailed pricing based on your land, selected plan, and design preferences.
Builder-Led Communication – You’ll meet directly with our builder — and always know where things stand.
A Local Approach – With deep experience in Chatham, Alamance, Orange, Wake, and neighboring counties, we understand how to navigate site conditions, permits, and local requirements. Whether you already have land or are still looking, we offer guidance at every step — from reviewing site readiness to helping you evaluate potential property.

Let’s Build Where You Want to Live

We build across Central North Carolina — in established neighborhoods, rural acreage, small communities, and private family land. Wherever you want to live, we’re here to help you create a home that reflects your lifestyle and vision.

Request Information About Building Here

View Floor Plans

Custom Home Pricing

How much does it cost to build a custom home on your lot?

It depends on your parcel, your plan, and your preferences. At Travars Built Homes, pricing is transparent, builder-led, and tailored to your vision — starting with a detailed turnkey quote that includes typical site work like well, septic, clearing, and more.

How Do I Get Pricing?

Have a plan in mind? Send it to us.

Still exploring? Tell us what you want in your home — and your build budget. We’ll suggest floor plans that can align with your goals.

Your initial consultation includes in depth information for a complete build package. Your turnkey quote will include the build, typical site work allowances, and custom flexibilities. After a homesite evaluation with the builder, we’ll add site-specific considerations.

What Makes Travars Built Different?

Customizable Floor Plans – Browse our extensive online catalog, bring your own, or describe your wish list. We can customize nearly any plan — with in-house design support.
Beyond-Standard Features – Hardwood floors, premium cabinetry, extensive stone surfaces, energy efficiency, and more are already built in — with a “forever home” mentality.
Transparent Pricing – Your custom home quote is turnkey, with detailed specifications, generous customization choices, and transparent allowances — to help you make informed decisions.

What Impacts Custom Build Costs?

Every custom home is a unique project, shaped by your choices and your land. Total build costs can be further influenced by:

Architectural Design – Porches, rooflines, footprint and layout all play a role in the complexity of your build.
Selections & Finishes – The depth of detail in your quote will reflect what’s special about our upscale “standards.” Our design/build capability can further enhance the possibilities — such as expanded outdoor living areas, additional built-ins, or luxury elements.
Lot Conditions – Well, septic, slope, tree clearing, and driveway length are just the start of what we take into consideration as we evaluate your homesite together.
Permitting & Local Impact Fees – These vary by county and are factored into your site-specific estimate

You’ll work one-on-one with the builder — for guidance you can trust and decisions you can feel confident about.

Ready to Get Started?

Request a Quote Here

Browse new home photo tours by TBH, and search for floor plans by sq ft, beds, baths, plan type, and special features in our gallery.

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Find a plan you love

OR MODIFY YOUR LAYOUT

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Based in Chatham County, Travars Built Homes builders bring decades of award winning experience to outstanding custom home building.

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8 Reasons to Choose TBH

Learn what Travars Built Homes has to offer, including one-on-one design meetings with the builders.

Photo Tours

See inside Travars Built Homes.

View Homes

FAQs

Get answers to common questions about how to build a new home in North Carolina.

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8 Reasons to Build your Custom Home with Travars Built Homes

Get involved. Stay informed. Experience custom home building with TBH:

Direct communication with your builder team

When you build a custom home with Travars Built Homes, our team will keep you informed and involved to help you make the right choices:

Before you sign your purchase agreement
At your lot assessment, to determine the fit of your plan to your homesite
At your Team Plan Review, to go over your blueprints together
On site, for “walk throughs” at each major portion of the build
At custom home showrooms, to help with selections

Local custom home expertise

Phil and Andrew Travars – both recognized by Professional Builder Magazine as “Top 40 under 40” professionals in the nation in the new home industry – have decades of local experience:

Building custom homes
Establishing reputations with inspectors and building departments
Forming deep partnerships with vendors, suppliers, contractors and businesses
Finding solutions to help your build go more smoothly

Hands-on process to building a custom home

We create your home together – the way you want it:

Modifying your floor plan to expand, turn, tweak, or change things you’d like to do differently
Creating secret passageways, secret pantries or other hideaways
Including aging in place, accessible, or special needs features
Creating special spaces – bigger pantries, more storage, more outdoor living areas… let’s talk about how to create the elements that matter most.

Personal online custom home build portal

With 24/7 access to information about everything that’s happening with your new home construction, you’ll have continual visibility to progress logs, selections, photos, calendars, and interactions with your team.

Pricing reliability

The in-depth quote to build a custom home with TBH will include turnkey elements from site work to construction, based on your specific location. The depth of detail will help you know what to expect across the entire build process.

Third party certified energy efficiency

Enjoy cleaner air comfort and savings on your monthly utility bills with built in energy efficiency from roof barrier to HVAC, lighting, insulation, windows, and sealed crawl space.

Attention to detail

Our homes are built with exceptional craftsmanship, materials and processes you won’t find elsewhere at this price point. Our integrity adheres to the highest standards in the industry.

Extended 12 month custom home builder’s warranty

Take a tour. See up close the attention to detail in high quality materials, processes and craftsmanship – backed by integrity, strength, and warranty.

Tag: custom home chatham county

Looking for a universal design / aging in place laundry room checklist for your Chatham County new construction home? Find everything you’ll need in a new, aging in place home, from doorway widths to accessible features and layout recommendations.

Experts at Travars Built Homes are certified to build aging in place style new homes. Contact us to get started on next steps for your universal design new home.

Appliance configuration

Size

Your builder will look for a way to have a 36” wide doorways and 5 foot diameter of open space in front of the washer and dryer. If the laundry is located along the hallway, it will need to be at least 4′ wide.

Location

Keep your laundry room on the main floor for accessibility, unless your home will have an elevator.

Storage

Cabinetry over the top of the washer and dryer may not be as useful to you as cubbies or shelves at an accessible height. Check with your builder about reconfiguring the laundry room if necessary, to allow for the kind of storage you need.

Convenience

Task Management

All of these features can be designed and built in for accessibility by a custom home builder.

Lighting

Flooring

One way to help eyesight in an aging in place design is to change flooring color in the laundry room to differentiate from surrounding areas. There are a lot of great tile choices in a huge variety of styles and colors when you work with a premium custom home builder. Consider cork, too.

Talk with an experienced NC builder

Make sure to talk with a custom home builder experienced with universal design who is flexible enough to meet your goals in design/building your home with the features and convenience you need. Contact Travars Built Homes to get started.

MOVE IN READY. IN PROGRESS. COMING SOON.

Read more about new custom homes for sale in Pittsboro’s new Fox Oak neighborhood

Bristol Walk at Big Bear – COMING SOON NEAR JORDAN LAKE

35 Big Bear Rd, Pittsboro, NC | 2.5 Wooded Acres | $1,394,000

4626 Sq Ft Under Roof | 3568 Heated Sq Ft | 4 Beds | 4 Baths | First Floor Primary Suite & Guest Suite, 3 Car Garage

Ruskin Place at Fox Oak

Fox Oak Lot 4, Pittsboro, NC | 4+ Wooded Acres | $1,427,000

5979 Sq Ft Under Roof | 4328 Heated Sq Ft | 4 Beds | 5 Baths | Main Floor Primary and Guest Suites

Chatham Farmhouse at Silk Hope Gum Springs Rd

5491 Silk Hope Gum Springs Rd, Siler City | 1.9 Wooded Acres | $747,000

3067 Sq Ft Under Roof | 2438 Heated Sq Ft | 4 Beds | 3.5 Baths | Main Floor Primary and Guest Suites

Carolina Cottage at Silk Hope Gum Springs Rd – Under Construction

5545 Silk Hope Gum Springs Rd, Siler City, NC | 1.51 Wooded Acres | $752,000

3,272 Sq Ft Under Roof | 2,405 Heated Sq Ft | 4 Beds | 2.5 Baths | Main Floor Primary Suite

Top trending features: Wonderful gathering spaces with chef kitchen as focal point.

Chandler Trace at Hamlets Chapel – COMING SOON

4025 Hamlets Chapel Rd, Pittsboro, NC | 1.5 Wooded Acres | $980,000

3,793 Sq Ft Under Roof | 2,770 Heated Sq Ft | 4 Beds | 4 Baths | Main Floor Guest Suite & Owners Suite

Top trending features: Three car garage. Guest suite on main floor, plus Princess Suite with private bath and walk in closet. Includes both a Media Room and a Bonus Room.

Teesdale at Henderson Tanyard –

SOLD

Pittsboro, NC | 5.9 Wooded Acres

3,992 Sq Ft Under Roof | 3,188 Heated Sq Ft | 4 Beds | 4 Baths | Main Floor Primary Suite & Guest Suite

Top trending features: Private entrance to laundry room from first floor primary suite. Guest suite on main floor. All bedrooms ensuite. Spacious open living with extended height ceilings.

Riverstone at Fox Oak, lot 5 –

SOLD

Pittsboro, NC | 4.2 Wooded Acres

3,883 Sq Ft Under Roof | 3,089 Heated Sq Ft | 4 Beds | 2.5 Baths | Main Floor Primary Suite

Top trending features: Gorgeous curb appeal. Great layout. Wonderful kitchen. Craft room designed for work or play – in addition to a big bonus room!

Next month, a panel discussion led by Furniture, Lighting & Decor Editor-in-Chief Diane Falvey brings together four experts to talk about leveraging expertise among architects, builders, and designers when building custom homes.

During the panel, “Common Ground: Finding Synergy Among Architects, Builders and Designers,” Phil Travars and Andrew Travars of Travars Built Homes will be talking about the ins and outs of working with a design/build custom home builder in North Carolina.

About 75,000 people from across the country and internationally are expected to attend the bi-annual Furniture Mart event represented by more than 100 countries, for architects, designers, furnishings buyers and others looking for the latest information and products for homes.

The Travars brothers were asked to participate in the event to share their thought leadership about home building and designing together with CIRCLE Design Studio, LLC Principal Architect John Dorlini and Principal/Owner Theresa A.C. Dorlini.

Topics about the custom home build process are expected to include:

Love the layout, hate the exterior of the custom floor plan you want to build? Change it! Here are 4 ways to increase curb appeal in the Chapel Hill area by considering different exterior materials for the build of your new home, with pros and cons.

Custom Home Exterior Material Example #1: Vinyl Siding

If you want to save money, vinyl is an exterior material worth considering. Be sure to take your time with your color selection, and take a look at all the options.

Pros: Want a more custom look? You can dress things up with shutters, gable vents, corbels or column wraps. Vinyl can be cleaned with power washing and typically would not be repainted at a later date.

Cons: Some communities do not allow vinyl exteriors. Vinyl siding may fade – with darker colors absorbing more sunlight than lighter colors. It can also expand and shrink with temperatures.

Custom Home Exterior Material Example #2: Vinyl Siding and Veneer

Custom Home Exterior Material Example #3: Fiber Cement Siding With Stone Accents

Pros: The mix of materials and colors make this home feel custom and comfortable. Adding stone to the front but keeping the other 3 sides of the home in fiber cement saves on cost.

Cons: Fiber cement costs more than vinyl. Stone veneer costs more than fiber cement.

Custom Home Exterior Material Example #4: All Brick and Stone

The classic look of full brick veneer creates curb appeal so compelling that some entire communities require it. This full brick home is even more interesting due to the brick color choice and the stone front accent on the garage face.

Pros: Bricks are sturdy and durable, typically requiring almost no maintenance other than occasional power washing.

Cons: That low maintenance and solid look comes with a higher price tag than most exterior materials.

Get information about building a custom home with Travars Built Homes – including more ways to create a cost effective new home in North Carolina.

Find floor plans with the features you’re looking for, in your North Carolina new custom home.

Start here to explore new home floor plans with our house plan search tool to find plans based on:

Looking for something special, beyond these trending favorites?

Let us know which plans you like best – and what else you need – as well as where you plan to build your new home and what price range you’re seeking.

We can conduct a personalized search for you in our vast database, beyond what you see here, to find more plans to think about.

View new home tours in our photo galleries, including examples of:

1. An open kitchen layout with large islands, built-ins, and window walls

2. Separated personal space with multi-gen, mother-in-law, or dual master layouts and amenities

Want to learn more about building a new home in Chatham County, North Carolina? Get started here:

3. A larger shower in the master bathroom (and no tub)

4. A bigger pantry with custom-height wood shelving, sink, microwave, and other personal touches

5. A sun room or screen porch

6. A secret passage, secret pantry, or hideaway

Looking to build a custom home?