Custom Homes
When deciding on building a custom home and choosing a builder, clients must ask the following questions:
From a builder's perspective, what are benefits to building in the area vs. buying a pre-existing home?
Building a new custom home is an incredible rewarding experience. Clients get to see their hard-earned retirement go into something that will pay back on multiple levels. Building a custom homeallows clients to create the perfect floor plan by addressing their needs, wants, must haves' and desires. You can dream it, we can build it!Today's custom homes are built on an entirely different level of customization. Builders take into account and measure a home's energy performance, its comfort level, a focus on a healthier home. We focus on high efficient hvac systems, the latest achievements in window technologies, expanding foam insulation (Icynene, certainteed. Du pont, behr). Today's custom home builder is highly educated and certified to balance and weigh the "science" that goes into the construction of a home. We pay close attention to the home's thermal envelope (how well it is insulated and sealed from the harsh exterior environments.) We measure r-value, air flow-cfm, thermal bridging, combustion, and voc's. All extremely important details that go into todays' custom homes. Achievements in today's products and materials are highly engineered and tested to offer a much higher level of low maintenance, durability, and appearance.
It's been said that a house should fit its user. How do you incorporate buyers' wants, needs and personalities into the home you build for them?
It is an enjoyable experience for the client and the builder. No two custom homes are the same. today's successful builder must master the art of knowing and understanding their clients. A professional custom home builder is a physician and an artist. We are trained to diagnose a client's lifestyle (how they live, their daily routines, what gives them satisfaction, their dislikes), we listen. Then we create and orchestrate the perfect plan, layout the journey before our client's eyes and in the end we construct the perfect home and the perfect cure for our clients.Like each home they make, each home builder is quite different from one another. What advice do you have for future buyers looking to connect with the builder that is right for them?
It all starts with a referral. When a past client tells a friend or new member how wonderful their home building experience was with their builder it speaks volume. Then when that person gets to view the home and sees the incredible detail, craftsmanship, and the drama in their testimony about their builder. No marketing can beat that. When a buyeris interviewing a builder, i have my clientsapply three basic questions and core value challenges to my competitors. 1)"The integrity test", 2) "The leader of the pack", and 3) "The money tree"- "The integrity test" Buyers interviewing builders first apply this test. This test comes with some basic questions and they follow the lines of; what makes up the morale character of this particular builder, is his word good, is it honorable, does his reputation and his past referrals paint an impeccable career. When you look into his eye's do you see honesty and sincerity? when building custom homes at this level a large amount of a buyer's retirement is being spent. Every dollar has to be accounted for and the level of trust a buyer puts into a builder is in-measurable. Integrity is all that separates the good guys from the bad.
- "The leader of the pack" Well is he? When choosing a builder buyers need to ask themselves is this builder the a leader in market. This is where the buyer measures the builder's creativity level, their design imagination, and gets the builder to reveal their passion for building. Does this builder build some of the best and most incredible custom homes in the area. Do they set the bar higher than the rest. Is this builder know for breaking the "the standard mold" and constantly pushing creativity to a new level. Are they the trend "setters" for the area.
- "The money tree" Applies the test of does this builder think money grows on trees and feels there is plenty of it and can spend it loosely. This is where the buyer measures the "value" a builder brings to the table. A buyer must be looking for a builder that can stretch a client's hard earned retirement dollar as far as they possibly can. A successful builder has to be a great negotiator with vendors and subs, at times a bull dog fighter. In the end the buyer is looking for the most value for their investment and the builder they chose should be the best at the game.
For clients that need more guidance in the home building process, how do you help them connect with their dream house?
A great builder knows what is cutting edge, the hottest trends and should be able to present a theme or style to each individual home. Capistrano homes starts a collage of pictures, magazine articles, architectural and design books. Clients review their "homework assignment" and come back with the likes and dislikes. 9 Times out of 10 there is a photo/photos that portrays the client exact desires. Know we have a defined theme of the overall home, and then we present our clients with options showing the different price points, styles from subtle or extreme. Some clients' needs direction every step of the way; some know exactly what they want. Capistrano homes also provides in-house design services. We design most of our projects. We also use 3d animation and renderings to show our clients conceptual ideas. A very powerful tool in aiding the client's wishes.What tips could you offer to clients in the home-building process to make it successful and exciting?
Have the clients come up with a list of what they want, need and the desires. What would be an awesome feature to have. Then try and incorporate them into the home.What makes your homes unique from the rest in the area?
They just are. I never had a desire to be just an ordinary builder; everybody loves something new and different. I enjoy bringing my talent and creative imagination to the table. Having a desire to build a super high energy efficient home that requires less utilities to run is an incredible achievement. It is very rewarding when you hear your past client's testimonies that the home capistrano built uses 40-70% less utilities than their neighbors.Where does your inspiration come from for each home you build?
A desire and passion to "want" to build incredible unique homes. I am a science and numbers guy. When you add my expertise as an energy efficiency expert, certified bpi auditor, you get a home that has a comfort level like no other and a platinum reward when it comes to running efficiently. It is very rewarding when you hear your past client's testimonies that the home capistrano built uses 40-70% less utilities than their neighbors.What is your favorite part about working in this industry?
Taking a piece of dirt, an empty lot, "nothing" and in less than a year turn it into something incredible that will last for over a century.