Builder - November 2008 - (Page 144)

LASTWORD “It’s fair to say that the industry came out of previous low points with signiﬁ cant changes, and I feel that modular, and particularly our company, has a terriﬁc valueadded proposition that will have an impact.” JERRY SMALLEY PRESIDENT AND CEO HAVEN CUSTOM HOMES LINTHICUM, MD. s a custom builder, Haven Custom Homes offers a high level of design and precision, works with the nation’s leading architects, and has provided product to some of the most architecturally demanding neighborhoods in the country during its 35-year history. What’s surprising is that the company is (and always has been) a modular builder, producing near-complete homes inside a factory serving 25 Eastern states. “This notion that Haven Homes is a custom builder that just happens to employ the modular technique really distinguishes us,” says Jerry Smalley, who joined the company in January 2007 as part of an executive team installed after its acquisition by Wind River Holdings. Haven’s gross revenues will increase more than 20 percent from a year ago, that alone being a distinctive quality within an otherwise struggling housing industry.—Rich Binsacca A Q: How do you manage to build truly one-of-a-kind homes in a factory setting? We’ve adopted and us from any set plans and to A: We work from amethodsplanssystemsaathat allowintoto buildfrom our designofpartners, and any speciﬁcations, and we don’t take project production until it is completely procured. client’s or from database of plans 90 percent of what we build we never build again. Our homes demonstrate that modular and terriﬁc design are compatible. Q: Q: What’s the primary beneﬁt of going modular instead of site-built? We provide a large of contract that is speciA: quitecanvalue proposition.measureandthe home’s production in onerisk-adjusted basis, ﬁcation-certain, price-certain, delivery date–certain. On a a that’s How and why do your homes outperform site-built homes? dennis drenner/wpn We have to due to how we assemble our units. A:addresspeople be far more preciseofthan a site buildercan achieveenergy efficiency withhome And are starting to understand that they a better-performing and green building interests health, sustainability, and this method because we have more opportunities to accomplish those things [in a factory setting]. 144 ■ B U I LD E R nov e m ber 2008 W W W.BUILDERONLINE.COM http://WWW.BUILDERONLINE.COM

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Builder - November 2008

Builder - November 2008 Contents Editor’s Notes B-Mail Book It Missing Links Inside Story Top Shelf Green House Business Update Sales Strategies Industry Insight Products Tech Tools National Best Seiders' Economy Sifting Through the Ruins Cottage Industry Upside Down Ad Index Last Word

Builder - November 2008

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