How to Use Online Review
Trust? Maybe. Verify? Always. It’s an old story and, unfortunately, still relevant today—in September 2011, Business Week reported on a Texas home improvement contractor who hired a writer to post 200 positive reviews on sites like Yelp and Google. The article went on to cite other examples and estimated the percentage of fake online reviews […]
What is Customer Satisfaction?
Research shows that good processes are key to a great building experience. The best builders know which experiences homeowners find most frustrating, and they work tirelessly to avoid them. Industry studies show that homeowners’ biggest complaints are about their builder’s processes, especially around scheduling, budget, work habits, and customer service. Smart builders use data from […]
Keeping the Authorities Happy
Your home builder needs to navigate a maze of government regulations—homeowners can help make the process easier A successful new-home build is a predictable one, with no unpleasant surprises. Predictability comes from good planning, as well-planned projects tend to stay on budget and on schedule. Good planning includes making sure the home will meet all […]
The Rhythm of Home Building
The construction of a new home has a particular rhythm, fluctuating from dynamic progress in the early stages, to a natural and expected ebb of activity as the house nears completion. Our clients find it useful to understand this tempo. They know what to expect and they can appreciate their new home as it takes […]
Key Questions for Your Builder
You’ve finally decided to build that dream house and have visited our model home or have directly contacted us. Now what? As a professional home builder, we are prepared to answer any questions you have as you make a purchasing decision, arguably one of the most important financial choices in your life. But while we […]
Internet Reality Check
Avoid the most common mistakes when searching for ideas on the web We all love the internet. It’s a bottomless source of ideas and inspiration for any project, and most people wouldn’t think of starting a new custom home before spending some serious time online. The internet is also a valuable resource for builders: it’s […]
Reducing the Cost of Regulation
Government rules take time, money and skill to navigate. That’s why you need a pro. Did the budget for your new home come in higher than you expected? Part of the reason may be that the fixed costs of building anything have gone up. By fixed costs we don’t mean building materials. While this year’s 170% lumber […]
Rethinking Home
COVID is causing changes in home designs and product choices Did you know that the half-bath became popular in the years following the 1918-1920 Spanish Flu pandemic? That’s because homeowners wanted to keep visitors’ germs out of the main bath. Did you also realize that Modern interior design first took hold in America during the […]
Solving The Price Puzzle
Custom home pricing is a complex subject. Here are some ways to think about it. Have you ever called a car dealership to ask how much cars cost per pound? You say that’s a ridiculous question? We agree. In fact, we expect the dealership’s sales staff would wonder what you had been smoking. The serious […]
Answering the Current Building Products Challenge
How to keep your new home on track amid COVID-related price spikes and shortages If you’re ready to start a new custom home, you may need to deal with ongoing fallout from the coronavirus-related economic shutdown. That means working with your builder to mitigate its impact. The problem, as we all know, started in March […]
Why Budget Poker Is a Bad Bet
Transparency about what you can afford is the only way to get the most house for your money Your new custom home is likely one of your biggest-ever investments, so you obviously need a builder you can trust. Ways to confirm trustworthiness include reading online reviews, calling references and confirming the builder’s participation in professional […]
The Perfect Kitchen
This imaginative and fun exercise will get you a space that’s just right for your needs One of the many benefits of a new custom home is that the kitchen can be perfectly tailored to support how you cook and entertain. A first step to getting that result is to think through the space in […]
Considering the ‘New’ Home Office
Societal trends are making this a must-have for many homeowners, but careful planning is the key to getting a space where you can be truly productive. Remote work arrangements have been on the upswing for a long time. Research firm Global Workplace Analytics figured in 2019 that there were 4.3 million telecommuters in the US, […]
What is an Organized Builder?
Investing in the design and construction of a new home is a daunting task, something most people do once or maybe twice in a lifetime. The last thing you need is a builder who doesn’t have it together. Why does that matter? Simply, homebuilding today is an increasingly complex endeavor, involving dozens of trade partners […]
Optimizing the Budget
The ability to ‘value engineer’ the project is one hallmark of an experienced pro. Stretching to get the most value for the dollar is a sport we all love to play. This certainly applies to building a home. It’s not unusual for the homeowners’ vision to be out of sync with the budget. Although this […]
Pretty Good Isn’t Excellent
Companies built for production work aren’t built for excellent work. On the surface, the difference between a production builder and a custom builder is simple. One builds the same basic house over and over, and the other builds a unique home for each customer. But the real differences go deeper. These two builder types are, […]
Showroom Etiquette
As a builder of high-quality homes, we strive to deliver something special to every customer. The days of “cookie cutter” housing are over! To insure that each home is unique, we rely on several resources to help our buyers fashion a house that reflects their individual tastes. One resource is the showroom. Many of our […]
Keep Projects on Track
Failure to make timely decisions is the number one culprit behind schedule and cost overruns. Homeowners play a key role in preventing these problems. Some homeowners find it a challenge to make their final selection of products and materials. It’s easy to see why—with practically limitless choices in countertops, fixtures, tiles, windows, and other products, […]
Working with a Professional Builder: Does it really matter?
How homeowners benefit from the established builder’s systems and relationships. Since the rebound of home building from the great recession, lots of new contractors have emerged as homebuilders. This has given home buyer more choices, tempting some to choose a contractor based strictly on price. Bad idea. It’s nearly impossible to compare apples to apples […]
What Type of Client Are You?
Successful builders are choosy about the people they work with. Here’s why. The best business relationships are those where everyone has high standards, both for themselves and for the other parties. This is certainly the case when building a new custom home—a complex, expensive and emotion-laden effort in which the homeowner and builder must collaborate […]
Effective Communication: Key to a Successful Building Process
Communication is important in all relationships, and your relationship with your builder is no exception. Effective communication between client and builder will reduce concerns and stress before, during, and after the building process. Here are some tips for keeping the lines of communication open at key points. When selecting a builder—The best time to explore […]
The Hidden Build Process
Understanding the construction process will help owners manage their expectations and emotions. Here’s a quick quiz… It’s four or five months into a new custom build. The home is weather tight, plumbing and electrical wiring have been roughed in, the insulation is in place, and sheetrock has been screwed to the walls and ceilings. The […]