Oscar and Chelsea Hoosier LeDay had been looking for the perfect home, and decided the best thing for them to do was to build new.

The young couple located and purchased a spacious one-acre lot in the DeQuincy Five-Star subdivision near family.

“Land can be hard to find,” Oscar said. “The location and price was right for this spot, and because the lots are so large, this neighborhood isn’t crowded like some I’ve seen.”

The LeDays talked to others that have built homes and had a general idea of what they wanted.

“A lot of people said we should self-contract,” Chelsea said, “but we’ve never built before. and you hear so many horror stories….”

Finding out a baby was on the way catapulted the couple’s plan into high gear.

They chose Manuel Builders as contractor for their 2,500 square foot home.

“You walk into their design center, pick out the floor plan you want and they have samples that allow you to choose what you want – your paint, your lighting, your faucets, the handles on your kitchen cabinets,” Chelsea said. “If you don’t like the samples in the showroom — and they have plenty to choose from — there are other options available you can view online. We chose one of our lighting fixtures that way.”

If customers decide to do so, they can select flooring or appliances not available through Manuel Builders. The LeDays did. They also flipped the layout and opened up the open concept floor plan even more. They didn’t like Manuel Builders’ floor plan options for the master bath and closet area, but they weren’t sure what they wanted.

“The designer helped us work that out and we love it,” Chelsea said.

The kitchen takes center stage. Cabinets are all wood. Trim is generous. Countertops are granite. The white subway tile backsplash gleams.

The LeDays decided on a red stove, a built-in oven and microwave. The red stove pops, as do the red industrial-style metal stools and red accessories.

Oscar saw the red stove when they were in a local bookstore perusing magazines to get ideas for the house.

“I saw it and I thought, should I show her or shouldn’t I,” Oscar said.

“He’s the picky one,” Chelsea said. “We were pretty much on the same page throughout the selection process.”

Changes can be made after the estimate is completed, but those changes may add to the original price.

“Our house actually came in less expensive than the estimate,” LeDay said. “The final cost of the concrete work was under the amount quoted on the original estimate.

Oscar and Chelsea appreciated having what can be referred to by some as a hard bid for the price of their home. This is made possible partly by the upfront organization and selection process that’s finalized down to the last detail before the job begins. However, Manuel Builders goes one step further.

“If materials or the rate of labor increase during production, we hold to the bid price,” said Marie Watkins, a spokesperson for Manuel Builders.

“Our project manager, Ben, really stayed on top of things,” Oscar said. “He was always here.”

Manuel Builders has its own standards in excess of any parish or city standards.

“We send out our own inhouse licensed inspectors four times during every build,” said Watkins. “We’re not waiting for the city or parish inspector.”

This helps keep the job on schedule, as well as helps ensure quality. Painters and flooring personnel sign contracts to help ensure MB guidelines will be followed.

While Manuel Builders helped alleviate many stresses associated with the construction of a new home, the LeDays know that’s not what makes a house a home.

In order to save the money necessary to build the home of their dreams, they had to stick to a savings plan. Oscar’s parents allowed the couple to live with them for two years.

“We are grateful,” Chelsea said, “and we couldn’t have done it without them. But we were living in their house. Now we’re home.”

The couple is looking forward to decorating their home in their own style, developing their own routine and making a house into a home not only for themselves, but also for baby Isaac.

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