Jonathan Hammond looks back at the different kinds of homes we have built, from historic remodels to new construction spec homes. He reflects on the joys and challenges and looks forward to adding more custom homes in the future.
Historic Remodels In the Beginning
When I started remodeling old historic homes in Chattanooga in 2016, I started with a large two story Victorian home that we still own. I was mesmerized by all the details and fell in love with the idea of fixing up a historic home. Restoring the old floors, rebuilding the original door and window trim, and figuring out how to keep it old and make it modern at the same time began to really stimulate me.
And people loved it! The homes we brought back to life were a huge hit and people were genuinely excited to buy and live in them.
But then fatigue set in and I didn’t enjoy spending days coming home covered in coal soot or crawling in an old nasty crawlspace. Why didn’t we just start hiring that stuff out? Well, that’s a good question. Because it’s so difficult that no one wants to or is capable of doing it. And when I lay on the floors and spend time getting dirty in a home, it gets more intimate, and I instinctively know what to do.
Shifting Focus to New Construction Homes
So we decided to lay that work aside and focus on new houses for the time being. We love building spec houses and putting them on the market and awaiting a buyer who loves and respects the home. When that happens, it is amazing. When it doesn’t, it’s a disappointment. At the end of the day, we are contractors who build things in exchange for money and so we would never be ungrateful for the completion of a successful project, but we truly desire our clients and buyers to enjoy the process, which we found wasn’t always the case like it was with the older homes.
I have learned that the best possible contracting business for me is one that allows me to build amazing products in conjunction with clients who have vision and joy in the process. At the end of the day, our work shines and the clients who enjoy the work are grateful and ultimately satisfied.
Custom Home Building
We have done our fair share of custom home building, and we love the process of working with clients in this way - it seems to be a good balance for us and our clients. When we think into the New Year, we want to open up space in our schedule for more custom builds with new construction clients.
That’s where you come in. People tell us over and over that they would love for Hammond Brothers to build their dream home one day. Well, maybe 2023 is that “one day” for you.
Are you building a home in 2023? If you would like to talk with Hammond Brothers about building your custom home, give Jonathan a call at (423) 641-1182 or contact us on our website.