RIDGE CREEK CUSTOM HOMES
612.250.5820
ridgecreekcustomhomes.com
To what do you attribute your company’s success?
Never quitting or giving up! Ridge Creek has always built a great house and made sure the customer was satisfied—but when the market crashed we were faced with a tough decision. Do we dig in and push through it or quit and start over? It was a decision that my wife and I didn’t take lightly, we had to have faith that everything was going to be ok. And as we have stayed steady building great homes and working with our trade partners to overcome this adversity, we have been blessed in return. During this lull we were able to reinvent ourselves and become not only a great builder but also start a real estate company with full-time agents helping our clients. We’ve also started to buy and develop our own lots and small communities. I am always the “silver lining in the storm cloud” guy and the crash was the best thing that could have happened to Ridge Creek. We were able to grow our faith on the truth and learned to be more flexible and stay focused on “Happy Ridge Creek Homeowners!”
How can a prospective client make sure they’re comparing apples to apples when receiving different quotes?
Tough task and more like comparing apples to oranges to bananas. Every builder is unique and has their own way of designing and building homes. Budgets (and quotes) are important, of course, but what will be most important is finding the right builder to have a relationship with throughout your home building journey and beyond. With us we consider it a lifetime relationship (at least the part of your lifetime you’re in the home!). Spend time with the builder to really get to know him or her and tour a model or previously built home to see the craftsmanship.
What are some indications that a builder does quality work?
Ask for a variety of client references and reach out to these people! For example, clients who closed on their new home three+ years ago; clients who closed on their new home a few months ago, and clients who are currently in the process of building. If they have great things to say about the builder—good indicator. Be sure to ask the builder detailed questions about the mechanicals and structure of the home (know what’s going on behind the walls!). Also find out what types and brands of building materials they use and, of course, what type of warranty is included. Lastly, ask what local affiliations they’re part of…we are members of the local and National Builders Associations, which means we adhere to a higher level of building standards and practices.
What advice do you have for someone who will be building for the first time and feeling overwhelmed by the whole process?
When buyers are overwhelmed, we find that making selections is what brings on the most anxiety. We have a designer who works with EVERY client of ours, regardless of price point, which instantly alleviates most of the new home jitters. The design team, along with our sales and production team, keeps clients on track in regards to selections, budget and decisions that need to be made throughout the process. We try to keep it as simple as we can and our very first step is actually an orientation meeting where we go over the timeline for the entire process along with key decision dates and their overall “to-do list” from start to finish. Most importantly though, make sure you choose a builder that you feel comfortable with both personally and in terms of their overall process. This also relates back to our point on comparing builders—be sure to choose a builder that you have a good rapport with since it truly is a journey and long-lasting relationship.
Who has been the biggest influence in your life?
This is a tough one for me to answer. Growing up without a father figure, I had a lot of people that spoke into my life. My grandfather is definitely a big part of who I am; he taught me that any job you do is worth doing right the first time or don’t do it at all. This has helped me to stay focused on high achievement. In 2010, I joined a group of business owners with strong Christian values. Their mentorship/friendship has been priceless in teaching me to live in victory not only as a business owner but also as a husband and father. Having their guidance in my life has taken my high-achieving spirit to a whole new level. And of course my risen savior Jesus Christ has had the biggest influence in my life!
