Don Lofstrom — Franklin
Company Name: Cedarwright Custom Homes
Describe your enthusiasm for building: I’ve been building Lindal Cedar Homes for 10 years with homes now in three states—Tennessee, Kentucky, and Alabama.
Building background: I started in construction building geodisic domes and custom adobe homes while in graduate school in Las Cruces,
New Mexico, back in the 1970s.
What was your favorite aspect of this project? My favorite part of this project was bringing the outside in with walls of glass, large acccordian doors opening up to large decks.
What makes a home more “livable”? A liveable home has “gathering” spaces in which a family can eat, play, and work together.
Your largest building challenge: Our challenges seem to always revolve around extremely difficult building sites with steep slopes and limited access.
How has building homes changed since you entered the profession? People have become more environmentally conscious and truly want more environmentally conscious and energy efficient and low maintenance homes.
What is your favorite part of building a home? I really enjoy seeing the client’s reaction to the building as it progresses from a foundation to a finished product.
Are you involved, hands-on, in the design process? In almost all cases I am involved in the design process, suggesting ways to improve
the living spaces and flow of the home.
Do you build in specific developments? We will build anywhere within 200 miles of Franklin.
Price range of homes you build: $350,000-$1,450,000.
Contact Information: 615/ 604-3443, http://www.lindal.com/cedarwright.
Rogan Allen — Nashville
Company Name: Rogan Allen Builders
Describe your enthusiasm for building: I’ve been a builder for more than 35 years and I love my work. I started as a carpenter and kept doing that for 25 years while owning my own company during that 25 years. I was attracted to home building because as a child I loved watching homes go together and it seemed like instant gratification.
Building background: The first 15 years, primarily historic renovations, the last 18 years new homes and large renovations in Green Hills, Belle Meade, and Hillsboro Village.
Your favorite aspect of the project shown here: The library we built was fascinating because of the complexity of the trim detail in walnut and the overall size, 5,000 square feet.
What makes a home more “livable”: Good design combined with good craftsmanship and attention to detail.
Your largest building challenge: One home 13,000 square feet that was up a very narrow driveway on top of a mountain. The library pictured was part of a 14,000 square foot addition to a home. Most of our jobs include very specific details.
How has home building changed since you entered the profession? It has become more streamlined with more amenities. You need to be able to speak Spanish to really build a home today.
Your favorite part of building a home for a client: Giving the client a quality project while helping them understand the building process.
Are you involved in the design process? Yes, I’m very involved, especially with material selection.
Do you build in specific developments? I build in Green Hills and Belle Meade
Building project price range: $1 million to $4 million.
Contact Information: 615/ 269-9644, http://www.roganallenbuilders.com
David Patton — Goodlettsville
Company Name: David Patton Construction
Describe your enthusiasm for building: We absolutely love seeing our customers dream come to reality. It’s exciting to walk them through the entire process of conception to completion. I can’t think of a more gratifying profession that we have been enjoying fulltime for over a decade.
Building background: I started building part time more than 20 years ago and decided 10 years ago to build full time. Since then we have built a number of great homes both custom and speculative. Our primary focus is in custom building. We have a 2007 Parade of Homes to our credit that won 3 awards and was the first one sold after the Parade. We achieved the Certified Builder designation by the Home Builders Association and have been featured in a number of local magazines, newspapers and news stories.
Your favorite aspect of the project shown here: The 2007 Parade of Homes was an education within itself. We learned time management as
well as the need for constructive criticism from the most knowledgeable source, the customer. We learned how to work together with competing contractors and built many new friendships. I guess the best part of all was meeting the local residents.
What makes a home more “livable”? The term “livable” is all relevant to the customer. What’s livable to me may not be your taste. This is why we build custom homes. We promise to make it “livable” to you.
What has been your largest challenge as a builder? We had a site once that had bad soil and excavating it to a point of finding solid ground was a challenge. We worked for a solid week digging and then back filling with clay and flowable fill to reach a certain level required by the engineer. We always lean to the side of caution. We want the homes we build not to be marginal; we want them to be the best.
What is your favorite part of building a home? Our favorite part of building without question is seeing the customer get excited when their dream finally becomes a reality. A lot of hard work that finally pays off.
Are you involved in the design process? We are involved in the daily process on every job. We only build a certain number of homes each year so that we can maintain the quality that our customers have come to expect. We try to be on every job at least once a day our self.
Do you build in specific developments? We build within a 30-mile radius of Nashville.
Price range of homes you build: $300,000 and up. We have an unlimited license.
Contact Information: 615/ 859-0240, http://www.davidpattonconstruction.com.
Barry Sullivan — Nashville
Company Name: Sullivan Design & Construction, LLC
Describe your enthusiasm for building: I grew up in the building industry with my Dad and Uncle, as they started Sullivan Brother’s Builders when I was 7 years old. I have been a builder on my own since 1987.
Building background: I came into the business from a hands-on standpoint, rather than from the business side. From an early age, I worked with my Dad in all aspects of construction.
What was your favorite aspect of this project? My favorite part of working with customers on custom projects is cultivating good, working relationships that usually end up as friendships. This particular project was our second together so we already had a great rapport. The customers and I, as well as our Interior Designer, Lauren Evans, all worked hands-on to end up with a truly custom project, in which we incorporated site-built, custom-built-ins, workspaces, functional closet systems, custom lighting, and a gorgeous, functional kitchen that fits their busy, everyday life. In the end, my ultimate satisfaction is seeing the customer’s dream become a reality.
Your largest building challenge: My largest building challenge is and has been trying to build a superior home at a competitive price, and now to try and incorporate sustainable designs and elements, as people are increasingly aware of their benefits.
How has building homes changed since you entered the profession? The industry as a whole has changed, somewhat due to the ever advancing technology and resources that are available not only to builders, but to the customer as well. Technology can be an asset at times; however it can also present problems that were never encountered 20 years ago. Also, the recent downturn in the market has created a lot of
uncertainty in the industry.
What is your favorite part of building a home? As the home progresses, I really enjoy seeing the client get excited. Project
after project, it takes the client’s excitement to keep me from taking my profession for granted. That’s what motivates me.
Are you involved, hands-on, in the design process? Absolutely! We’re not just builders, we provide a service. Lauren Evans, our interior
designer, and I work with the clients hands-on to make sure we’re listening, understanding, and addressing their wants and needs.
Lauren provides assistance with selections and design within SullivanDesign and Construction that most companies our size are not able to
offer.
Do you build in specific developments? Currently, we have sold our inventory homes in our development, Stable Acres, in Fairview,
Tennessee. We are concentrating on custom projects in and around Williamson County, and have one-acre homesites available in Stable Acres, as well.
Contact information: 615-533-4788.
Danny Guy — Hendersonville
Company Name: Second Generation Construction, Inc.
Describe your enthusiasm for building: We build dreams! At Second Generation Construction, our first priority is the satisfaction of our clients. We keep our clients informed and give them the personal attention that they deserve, just like a member of the building team.
We’ve been building for more than 17 years, and one of the big attractions of being a builder is seeing the progress at the end of a hard day’s work.
Building background: I’ve been building custom homes for more than 17 years, and I began as a framer more than 20 years ago, and framing
is the main structure of a home. I know how important the structure is and have the vision to design unique homes to fit every family’s needs.
What makes a home more “livable”? We design our homes around each family. They all different and have different needs and wants
that we meet by making them the center of the home plan we create. Recently, many families have wanted large livingrooms and kitchen
areas for family time.
What was your favorite aspect of this project? As in all Second Generation homes, the ceiling work and craftsmanship are seen throughout the home.
What has been your largest challenge as a builder? I don’t know if you could call it a challenge or just great experience, but the Parade of Homes in 2007 is what comes to mind. We met lots of great people and, in five months, built an award-winning home of which we’re very proud.
How has building homes changed since you entered the profession? Homeowners have more opportunity in choosing how their home will look and in its design and detail. They are very involved from the beginning of the process to the end.
What is your favorite part of building a home for a client? Knowing that we have been able to make a family’s “dream come true.” We enjoy working one-on-one with the clients and at the end of the process, we have new friends.
Are you involved, hands-on, in the design process? Very much so. With our background we can see beyond just plans. We use every aspect of the home to its fullest ability to fulfill the client’s wants, needs, and dreams.
Do you build in specific developments? Currently at Fairvue Plantation, Savannah, Cleveland Hall in Mt. Juliet, and Albion Downs.
Price range of homes you build: $150,000 to $1.5 million.
Contact Information: 615/ 206-1500, http://www.secondgenerationhomes.com