There’s a simple, old expression; very simple in fact, and very old. “If all you’ve got is a hammer, then everything looks like a nail.” From the lessons that stem from this dog-eared truism, we can draw out a great many tips on how to choose a homebuilder, whether you have your mind made up about the kind of home you want to live in, or whether you are sorting out options, or even – and especially – if you are at the very beginning of the vision.
Let us start with the punchline. The best homebuilder for you is the one who hasn’t already got his mind made up. The part of the homebuilding process we value so very much – and the part where we are told we particularly shine – is in listening actively and carefully to our clients when they think aloud about what they want to experience in their home, from their home, and because of their home.
To See and Think and Feel
As a process for making sure that the conclusions you draw and the decisions you make are the ones that will finally work for you when you begin to choose a homebuilder, it is hard to beat stepping back from design and construction for a few moments and start with the end in mind. What do you want to see and think and feel in your home – when you wake up in the morning, when you sit down to dinner, when you relax on an ordinary evening with the family, when you entertain guests for a fun night or a special occasion.
That end state is the foundation on which to base all your questions, and all the answers you seek when you set out to decide on the best homebuilder for you.
A Sense of Understanding
When you talk with a homebuilder, do you get the clear impression that they understand you? When clients tell us that they got that feeling from talking with us, we are humbled. This sense of understanding gives us a lot to live up to, in every step that follows, from groundbreaking to the concluding walk-through.
Because our point of view began as designers, we find a clear aiming point to guide every decision and action that follows. It is the outcome where our expertise began. And so, taking great care in the beginning to understand the outcome our client wants to achieve – that is the start of the satisfaction and fulfillment they feel in the end.
Taking Time in the Beginning
Taking the time to look at examples and to think and talk together uncovers levels of detail that can’t be discovered in a hurry. We never think we know more than our clients about what’s good. What we contribute is how to bring it to life.
As designers, we’re people who love homes ourselves, as well as the craftsmanship and standards that make you reach further. So, we’re sensitive to the desires and dreams that take shape as people form their own vision of home.
The time we spend together in the beginning saves time and money all through the homebuilding process. Often folks feel that the fun of building their home began in these conversations – and that it grew rather than diminished as their home took rose into being.
