Q. Please walk us through your custom home building process, from inception to completion. How long does the process take, from start to finish?
A. The process of building a custom home starts with listening. We sit down with our homeowners and listen. We listen to what is important to them. We listen to their life story. We listen to what they need from a home. From there we take their vision and bring it to life, first with custom home plans then with the actual construct. Building a custom home takes thoughtfulness, preparation, and skillfulness, all of which are integrated into a Frazier Home.
The process typically takes 12 to 15 months, depending on the home size and complexity. Design time can take several months to get the design right. That’s the big component of construction actually — sitting down, being thoughtful, intentional, designing a home our clients will enjoy, hopefully for the rest of their lives.
It’s a longer timeline because it takes time to build quality. It takes time to get the elements correct. We specialize in quality, in taking the time to do it right the first time. That’s why we limit the number of homes we build each year. We don’t want to rush or scramble to build your home. We want to build your home with intent.
We’ve never built the same house twice.
Some ideas may come from another home. One homeowner may love how we integrated the kitchen and great room, so we might bring in that element. But it’s all from scratch. If you want your kitchen next to your gymnasium, we can do that. If you want the kitchen on the top floor of your construct, we can do that as well.
Q. What are the top three things a customer should know before beginning the custom home building process?
A. A customer should understand the time commitment needed for design and selections. They should know their style, take time to understand their own tastes. They should have an idea book, inspirational ideas, a starting point. Lastly, a customer should understand their budget; be definitive. It’s OK to say, “I have X dollars to spend.”
Q. Do you have a dedicated design center with a professional designer? How do you help your customers choose the right materials for their home?
A. We have a selections coordinator, Kaylee Arvin, who works with our professional designer partners to help customers make every selection, from exterior paint colors to cabinets and trim. We work with our clients’ schedules and keep them on pace with the construct. Homeowners will find themselves anywhere from a quaint boutique selecting fabrics to a large plumbing design center selecting fixtures.
We look for uniqueness, and we love bringing creativity into each of our homes.
Q. What is your favorite part of the process?
A. My favorite part of the process is watching a dream come to pass. We are blessed with the opportunity to build someone’s “HOME.” Let that sink in. This is where someone will wake up every day; this is where they will create lifelong memories. This is where they will spend part of their life. They will have their children there. That’s special to me. The journey is my favorite part of the process, watching dreams come true, day by day.
Q. What trends are you seeing in Cincinnati?
A. In Cincinnati and throughout the tri-state, people are becoming more energy conscious. Energy conservation is paramount right now. The trend is to conserve energy so that future generations can enjoy this wonderful planet and great country.
We see homeowners wanting better insulation; they want solar panels. That trend is being brought in from California and other areas where they have to conserve water, where they have to have low-flow toilets and faucets.
I am on the board of the Ohio Residential Construction Advisory Committee — we create building codes for Ohio. Energy conservation is something we are looking into. Our goal is all net zero energy homes in 10 to 15 years.
Q. Do you have primary areas where you prefer to build?
A. Frazier Homes builds throughout the tri-state. We limit the number of builds we start each year so that we can focus on quality and a homeowner’s wants and/or needs. We work for the client, we build for the client, and we bring our brand to the client, near or far.