7 Fireplaces for NC new homes

Make winter days cozy with the inviting warmth and ambient glow of flickering flames in your custom home fireplace.

The type of fireplace you choose (gas or woodburning), style of surround (slate, brick, stone, marble, tile, or other material), and mantle can make your fireplace the focal point of the room — whether it’s in the great room, master bedroom and/or bath, keeping room, rec room, screen porch, or anywhere else.

Here are 7 fireplace design ideas for your North Carolina new home:

Fireplace Idea #1: Brick character

The solid character of brick is a popular choice for fireplace surrounds in NC new homes. It has a hint of outdoor living and adds color. See how it pulls together this shiplap and wood.

Brick Fireplace Built Ins | Mebane NC New Homes

Fireplace Idea #2: Stone tradition

The tradition of stone can add a feeling of comfort and strength in your fireplace surround. See how amazing it looks surrounded by lanterns, beams and natural light.

Chatham County New Homes | Beam Ceiling

Fireplace Idea #3: Soft tile

Soft tile like this NC custom home fireplace surround is designed to blend with the grey walls around it. Dark blue ship lap above, ceiling fan and lots of windows around the fireplace make this corner of the home very appealing.

Durham Custom Home Builder | Fireplace Ideas

Fireplace Idea #4: Two-sided brick

Two-sided brick for a see-through fireplace emphasizes the importance of this custom home’s central point. The towering floor to ceiling structure provides a feeling of warmth to the entire living area, across several rooms.

Chatham County NC Custom Homes | Two Sided Fireplace

Fireplace Idea #5: Slate surround

The simplicity of a slate surround goes well with today’s emphasis on clean, straight-forward designs. It adds to the black and white look you see in this NC new home, that is extremely well received.

Fireplace Idea #6: Built in bookcases and cubbies

The classic personality and functionality of cubbies and bookcases surrounding the fireplace is still a highly sought after look. Ever popular shiplap adds to the theme you see here that’s punched up by the grey tile you see in this NC custom home.

Chapel Hill Modern Farmhouse | Living Room Built Ins

Fireplace Idea #7: Wood tones

This custom NC home punctuates the light and airy feel of lots of open space, natural light, cubbies and cupboards by pulling out hardwood tones in this stone fireplace surround and flagstone hearth.

Let us know what look you like best. Find other fireplace photos you’d like to emulate in your new home build? Bring them to your custom home consultation meeting with Travars Built Homes.

Homes without a fireplace: When is it better to leave out the fireplace?

Not every floor plan offers a fireplace. Travars Built Homes can add a fireplace to your plan. Or we can build your home without one.

Cost: Perhaps you would rather use the cost for a fireplace on something else in your home, like a chef’s kitchen.

Lifestyle: You may want to use fireplace space for something else inside your home, like a wall full of cubbies or large entertainment center.

Ask your build on your lot general contractor what’s possible in your plan.

Wendell North Carolina New Homes

Talk with the NC custom home builders at Travars Built Homes about what it takes to build in more options. Get started:

White Farmhouse | Mebane NC New Homes

Build On Your Lot: Frequently Asked Questions

How to Build a House on Your Lot in North Carolina

Own land? Still searching? These questions help answer what to look for when you choose your lot, purchase your land with a licensed real estate agent, decide where to place your home, and select a custom home builder to construct your North Carolina new home.

Knowing what to ask can help ensure you know what it takes to build your new home. Here are some of the most important questions about land, lots, parcels, and homesites that enable you to be informed and prepared.

Contact Travars Built Homes to learn more about how to build a new custom home on your land.

What’s the best size lot for a new custom home build?

The best size lot for a new custom home build is determined by your floor plan, community covenants if applicable, local build requirements, what kind of septic/sewer system is required, whether you need a well, and other mandates. We will go over all of that with you, when we know what and where you’d like to build.

Here are more questions to ask about lot sizes:

  1. How can I find out how big my lot has to be, for a specific floor plan?
  2. Why do I need a bigger lot to have a side load garage?
  3. I own several acres – can I put my home wherever I want on my land?

Will the builder look at the lot I am considering purchasing prior to me buying it, and give me his perspective about what it will cost to build there?

When you build with Travars Built Homes, an on site assessment is part of our standard process. We will talk about the fit of your floor plan to your lot, your driveway, and other site specific build imperatives.

Here are some common questions we can answer, after we take a look at your lot together:

  1. How much does it cost to clear trees and shrubs off my lot?
  2. What is the difference between a soil scientist and the county doing a soil evaluation?
  3. What is an improvement permit and why do you need to get that for me that before the build permit?
  4. If a septic permit only allows 3 bedrooms, is it possible to have 4 bedrooms?
  5. How many bathrooms can I have in my home?

What kind of slope does my lot need to have for a walk-out basement?

Most basement homes in NC are walk-out, set into a slope of about 6 feet over the course of the home. We can add a basement to nearly any floor plan, but the the look of the home can change depending on the direction of the slope. Before selecting a home with a basement in the floor plan, talk with your builder about placement of your home.

Here are more common questions we’ll help answer related to site conditions:

  1. What is the difference between a sewer and a septic system, and how does that impact costs?
  2. What is the difference in maintenance and build cost for a conventional septic system versus an engineered system?
  3. What is the build cost for a well? How deep it will be?
  4. What is a community septic system, and how does that work? What is a grinder pump and how much does that cost?

Will the lender combine the lot purchase and home build cost into one loan, or do I need to buy my land and home separately?

Your lot purchase and the construction of your home are typically bundled into one transaction with a construction to perm loan, so you do not need to buy the lot before you build. Read more about NC new home financing and construction loans here.

Where can I learn more about how to buy land in North Carolina?

Work directly with a real estate agent with expertise and experience in lot and land purchasing. Kelly McNabb, NC REALTOR® at Costello Real Estate and Investments, can help get you started.

Kelly McNabb
REALTOR®/Broker (919) 391-0315 Costello Real Estate & Investments
kellym@costellorei.com kellymcnabb.costellorei.com

Here are the kinds of questions Kelly can help answer for you, in tandem with Travars Built Homes:

  1. Has the perc test been done on this lot? Is it possible to build a home on land that does not perc? How does that work?
  2. What does it mean when a listing says “water nearby”? How can I find out what it will cost to hook up to that city/county water source?
  3. What can I do if the lot I want to purchase is land locked?
  4. What do I need to know about flood plains?
  5. If I want to have a future pool, what does the builder and the county need to know about that?
  6. What is an impervious surface and how does that impact my build?
  7. What do I need to know about setbacks and easements?
  8. What is the difference between a lot survey and a plot plan and who handles that?