Client Spotlight – Bercher Homes

By: Ashley Hollifield

In 2010, Dale Bercher did what most in metro Atlanta would not attempt at that time: he left a secure position at a leading homebuilding company to start his own company. In the depths of the Great Recession, when very few homes were being built, Dale struck out on his own and created Bercher Homes.

The whole team ready for another great
year of building and selling Bercher Homes

From that new beginning, Dale has gathered a great team at Bercher Homes that is now capitalizing on the demand for new homes. Bercher Homes builds semi-custom homes in Cobb, Cherokee and Fulton Counties. The homes range from the $300s to over $1 million. Their primary focus is on West Cobb County, where they have an acute understanding of what move-up buyers want in that market.

How it all began

Dale Bercher grew up in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He started doing construction while in high school – picking up odd jobs and working for builders. His father was in real estate and Dale became familiar with the inner workings of the trade. In college he started his own building company where he would take on small remodeling jobs.

After getting his degree in construction management from LSU, he and his wife Becky moved to Atlanta where he began his career with Centex Homes as a warranty technician. During his 13 year tenure there, he became Division President. In 2001, a COO position opened up at Traton Homes and Dale believed that it would be an ideal fit for him. He spent eight good years at Traton Homes before deciding to start his own homebuilding company.

View of the kitchen that highlights the use of an
island as a centerpiece and focal point
of the room.  This is just one of the many attractive
features that Bercher Homes offers.

Looking Forward

When forecasting this year’s activity Dale’s approach is “cautious optimism.” He says his biggest challenge will be, “Finding the right dirt at the right price.” The land cost determines the price point of the house. Based on years of experience, Dale and his team understand what homebuyers want, and what they will pay for. This allows Bercher Homes to pass on land deals whose numbers don’t work out, and pounce on those that do.

Quality in Motion

Allen McCloud and Brad Evatt are builders for Bercher Homes and each come from different homebuilding backgrounds. Allen’s background includes working with his father as a high-end, luxury home builder in Marietta for many years before coming to work for Dale. His expertise is in detailed craftsmanship and building rapport with his clients. Brad Evatt came to Bercher Homes with a lot of experience in semi-production homebuilding. Brad explains that he is now able to slow down a bit and really get things done perfectly.

Coffered ceilings and arched openings are very
popular with homeowners in today’s market.
These are just an example of the features that
Bercher Homes is proud of.

When asked what makes a Bercher Home better than other houses in the same price range Allen says, “It is our willingness to please the customer, our attention to detail, the high quality of the materials we use, and the experience level of the people managing the project.” Brad Evatt is steadfast in his philosophy about building, explaining, “You should build a house like you are building it for your parents.  It is most people’s biggest investment, and you have to keep that in mind.”

James Tillman is the Purchasing and Estimating Manager at Bercher Homes. James brings valuable expertise from stints at local homebuilding companies. He describes some of the items that their homeowner clients are asking for, including open kitchens with flat panel cabinet doors, gray-toned wood flooring, and outdoor living spaces.

Great house designs and floor plans are a big part of Bercher Homes’ success. Their target market, which is move-up buyers, really respond to their designs. And, their homeowner clients like the ability to make custom changes that fit their family’s lifestyle.

The view from the kitchen of one of Bercher
Homes’ most popular floor plans showcasing
how easily one room flows into another

Dale added that many of their house plans forego two-story family rooms in favor of a bonus room on the second floor. The additional space can be used as a media room, children’s play room or home office. This feature has been popular with their clients.

Bercher Homes continues to innovate with more house plans. James Tillman explains, “In this business, innovation is very important because homeowner tastes change constantly.” 

Strong Relationships

Bercher Homes strives to be a company that is based on strong relationships – with its employees, clients, trades and suppliers. They’ve developed partnerships with Trades and suppliers who are like-minded and set the same high standards for the houses they build. James, a big proponent of effective Trade relations, says that their strong relationships with their Trades help in all aspects of the business, from budgeting through the completion of the home.

When asked about his basement contractor, Dale said, “Herbert Construction exhibits great planning on the front end. The foundation is so critical and the robotic total station guarantees the accuracy of the foundation every time. They really take pride in getting the job done right.”

This particular floorplan is called the Brunswick B. 

To see other floorplans from Bercher Homes visit
www.BercherHomes.com

Allen McCloud stated that “Herbert Construction is first class, prompt and organized. The quality is the best I’ve seen for basement contractors.”  Brad Evatt describes Herbert Construction as, “A great company. You do not cut corners and we never have to worry about the job being done right. That’s really good for our framers. It is done efficiently and is very professional in appearance.”

James Tillman agreed, stating, “Herbert Construction puts the best product out for the price. We know the foundation will be done correctly, so there is always peace of mind in working with them.”

We at Herbert Construction feel the same way about the houses that Bercher Homes builds and the folks on their team. We are very thankful for the opportunity to work with each of them. It is a pleasure to be their foundation specialist.

Client Spotlight – Whale Ventures

 

During the development process of turning raw land into a subdivision for new homes, a detention pond is constructed to manage stormwater.  Often, these detention ponds require a concrete wall, which is something that we specialize in.

We recently completed a concrete detention pond wall in the City of Roswell for our longtime client Whale Ventures.  Whale Ventures was founded by Bill Hale in 2000.  Bill and Mark Nichols, Whale Venture’s Development Manager, chatted with us recently about that detention pond project and the general state of building in Metro Atlanta.

Herbert Construction Co.: Bill, how would you describe what your company does?

Bill Hale: We work for a select group of builders and developers.  We work hand in hand with their staff to evaluate raw land’s feasibility for future residential subdivisions. Our work starts even before the land is purchased.  We assist our clients as they make the purchase; we guide the engineer through the development of the land; we assist in permitting and putting together developmental budgets, and lastly, we hire and manage the subcontractors for the site development.

Mark Nichols:  Bill has been in this business all his life.  Clients come to us because of his expertise and experience.

 

 Mark Nichols (left) works with Bill Hale at Whale Ventures to develop land for homebuilding companies.

HCC: Your clients contact you before they’ve purchased the raw land?

Mark: Yes, we act as a consultant very early in the process, identifying any hidden problems, and we help them through the entire development process.  You could say that our job is to resolve any problems that our clients have.

HCC: Bill, what did you do before starting your company?

Bill: Before Whale Ventures, I was a Development Manager for several Atlanta area builders and developers. Before that, I was the President of a Grading and Pipeline Company. And, my Dad was a pipeline contractor, so I grew up around bulldozers and tractors. As a matter of fact, there’s probably not a tractor around that I can’t run.

Concrete pedestals in the level spreader reduce erosion by
dissipating the stormwater as it leaves the retention pond.

HCC: Why do homebuilders choose to work with you over other people that do what you do?

Bill: Because of our track record.  Banking institutions tend to feel more comfortable if they know we are involved in helping a client who wants develop a tract of land. They know that we’ve already addressed potential problems with the site.  And, they know that we’ll develop the project on time, and on budget.

HCC: Who are some of your clients?

Mark:  We work with lots of companies, but some of our key clients are Ashton Woods Homes, Edward Andrews Homes, Ryland Homes and FrontDoor Communities.  The Webb Street Detention Pond project that we did with Herbert Construction is a FrontDoor Communities project.

HCC: During the Great Recession, many Atlanta homebuilding companies downsized or eliminated their land divisions.  Is this still the case?

Bill: The vast majority of local homebuilders eliminated their land divisions during the downturn.  Some have added staff back, but many of them rely on our services to work with their in-house staff.

Mark: When our clients are busy, they tend to overwhelm their own people. That’s when they come to us.

HCC:  What are some of your biggest challenges with the work you do?

Bill: Hands down, the biggest challenges we face on an ongoing basis are the ever-changing municipality inspections.

Mark: When the economy collapsed in ’07, a lot of neighborhoods were left incomplete.  The local cities were left holding the bag on these subdivisions that weren’t finished.  Now, they are being stringent up front so there are no loose ends. Because the municipalities are so cautious, everyone has to jump through a lot of hoops for financing documentation.

Bill: Of course, like anyone in construction, we face other challenges as well.  Weather plays a big role in what we do.  And these days, there are just not enough site development contractors to keep up with the volume of work.  There simply aren’t enough qualified pipe and grading contractors still around.

 

Our robotic total station layout instrument ensured
accuracy and sped up the construction of this unique wall.

HCC: What were some of your challenges specific to the Webb Street Detention Pond project?

Bill: As you know, we ran into a lot of rock during excavation of the pond.  That modified the engineering of the concrete footings.  It also affected how we handled the sequence of construction.

Mark: The concrete detention pond was on the side of the hill and right up against the stream buffer.  It was very tight and required a lot of coordination between the grading contractor, the engineer, and your company.

HCC: What is your outlook for the Atlanta housing market in the next 12 months?

Bill:  Based on the current level of new projects in the pipeline, there is a lot of demand.  We are as busy now as we were in 2005.  As of today, we have 1500 residential lots under contract management.

Mark: I think the next 12 months will be a bit crazy. It feels as though everyone is jumping in right now.  The hottest areas for growth in Metro Atlanta are Forsyth, North Fulton and Cobb Counties.  It’s a good time to be in construction in Atlanta!

Multiple angled corners and sloping walls
were required due to the tight site conditions.

HCC:  Herbert Construction Company has enjoyed a long relationship with Whale Ventures.  How would you describe our company to others?

Bill: I always recommend Herbert Construction for all concrete wall jobs. If it’s poured concrete, I always rely on your company.  Your staff has the ability to figure out complex situations – like working with unsuitable soil – and then adapt quickly.

HCC: How does your company benefit by using Herbert Construction Company?

Mark:  With the Webb Street project, there were a lot of unknowns.  Being interactive with our subcontractors is crucial to the success of any job.  Herbert Construction always responds quickly.  At the end of the day, we save time and money with Herbert Construction.

Bill: Bottom line: we rely on Herbert Construction Company, because we know it’s going to be done right!

HCC: Thanks for your time, Bill and Mark.  We appreciate all of the business you’ve provided over the years, and we enjoy working with you on your development projects. 

Client Spotlight - Windsong Properties

 By:  Christine Barrett

Steve Romeyn and Jeff Shaw in front of the
storyboard for their Heron Pond Subdivision.

If you were to drive along the corridor where Cherokee County borders Cobb and Fulton Counties, you would see that The Great Recession is on its way out, and that new home construction is back. On that same drive, you would see signs for Windsong Properties – advertising many of their new active adult communities.

Windsong Properties recently celebrated its 10th anniversary, and is one of Metro Atlanta’s leading active adult Homebuilders.  Herbert Construction has had the pleasure of working with Windsong for several years.  We recently met with the two Co-Owners, Steve Romeyn and Mark Carruth, and Windsong’s Purchasing Manager, Jeff Shaw, to discuss what makes their niche so special.

Mark Carruth is pleased with
the outlook for 2014.

Baby Boomer Movement

While the Baby Boomer generation moves into the active adult category, many homebuilders see opportunities.  However, once involved in that arena, they soon realize that it is very different from first-time or move-up house construction.

As Baby Boomers themselves, Steve and Mark prefer to think that their customers are seeking a specific lifestyle, and are certainly not included in the stereotypical term “Senior Living.”

Windsong homeowners live in communities that offer low maintenance homes in great locations with exceptional amenities.  Best of all, their neighbors are on the same path in life. 

“We really just have two different types of buyers,” explains Steve.  “The first buyer already lives within five miles of the new subdivision in which they want to purchase their new home.  They’re ready to downsize and want a home that requires less maintenance.  But, they want to go to the same Church and keep their existing friends.  They don’t necessarily want to be snowbirds, but are at the point in their life where they can say ‘It’s time for me.’”

“The second type of buyer,” Steve explained, “is moving to Georgia from farther away because they want to be closer to their Grandchildren.  In this case, Grandma is definitely driving the home buying decision.”

The popular Monterey plan is available
in three Windsong subdivisions.

Mark described the reason for the homeowners’ move, “Our buyers typically begin thinking about an active adult community as a result of two different life events.  There is a catalyst that makes them ready to buy.  The first is the Health Event.”  Mark describes this as the homeowner waking up one day and realizing they may not want to live in or maintain a two-story house.

“The second event,” Mark said, “is the Family Event where they are now retired and want to live closer to family, and particularly their grandchildren.”

How It All Began

Mark and Steve have each been building homes for more than 30 years. Mark Carruth is a 3rd generation homebuilder who originally had aspirations of becoming a physician.  It was while in college working toward his degree that he realized that he needed to pursue his first love, designing and building homes. Steve Romeyn has a History of Architecture degree from Harvard University, and started his building career in North Georgia, at Big Canoe.

The two met, not as builders, but as Dads.  Both had daughters who studied ballet as small children, and as any parent who has children that participate in activities can attest, there was a lot of time to talk while waiting. Over the years, they shared business philosophies, strategies, and stories.  A mutual respect and friendship developed.

Ten years ago, after a trip to Hilton Head together, Steve and Mark co-founded Windsong Properties.  During those ten years, they have built 360 homes.  They sold 29 homes in 2012, then almost doubled that number in 2013, selling 53 homes.

When asked about 2014, Steve said, “We are cautiously optimistic.  People are able to begin buying new homes again because of the improved resale market.  This has had a huge, positive affect on the new home market.”

Homeowner Preferences

Many of Windsong’s customers have had new homes built for themselves throughout other stages of their lives.  They are now ready to downsize and they approach this as though they are building their last home.  They bring with them their experiences and preferences from previous homes.  And, they are particular about what they want – and don’t want – in their new home. 

Windsong Homes feature stepless entries
for their active adult clients.

We asked Steve, Mark and Jeff what some of those items are that they want.  Some of the broad desires include the Master Suite on the Main floor, and upgraded plumbing and electrical fixtures.  Other, more specific, items include step-free entry into the house from the garage and front door, and wider interior doorways to allow for possible wheelchair movement.  Also, lever handled locksets on doors to enable easier access for arthritis sufferers.  Windsong installs rounded drywall corners on every home, which reduces accidental bruises that traditional square corners can cause.

The exterior of Windsong’s homes require less maintenance.  Their homes feature no wood on exposed areas, fiber cement siding, vinyl windows, and Sherwin Williams Super paint. Yard maintenance is provided with the association fee and most communities offer club houses. 

We asked Mark what he believes makes Windsong unique.  “We are focused on our buyers and their wants and needs.  The sales cycle can take years, so we are very relationship driven.  This is not just a transaction.” Mark said, “I attend every pre-construction meeting to meet the homeowners. I want to get the pulse of the buyer and find out exactly what they are looking for.”

That relationship continues throughout the building process. Homeowners get to know their on-site builder very well, and Steve attends every closing. “Our purpose and mission at Windsong is to improve the quality of life of active adults,” said Steve.

That dedication to their customers carries over to their employees as well. “Our #1 goal is employee satisfaction,” said Steve.  “We believe in four basic principles: 1. Honesty and Integrity, 2. Respectful relationships, 3. Teamwork, and 4. Continuous improvement.” 

Jeff Shaw, Windsong’s Purchasing Manager, and a 22 year homebuilding veteran, said, “When you have all those things working for you, you will have the best product.” 

Mark said, “This is our culture; it is how we treat people.”

Trades Play Important Role

That culture allows Windsong to attract great Trades to build their houses.  Jeff explains, “The other important component in being able to offer a great product to our customers is the relationship we have with our Trade Partners.”  When asked about his basement contractor, Jeff said, “Herbert Construction stays off my radar. When our field guys are happy with quality and performance, then I’m not getting calls to fix vendor issues, that’s a good thing!”

Steve was more specific, saying, “You guys are the best foundation company out there.  I would absolutely recommend you to anyone.” 

When we asked Mark about our company, he said, “When I think of Herbert Construction Company, the first thing that comes to mind is professionalism.  I am consistently impressed at how you approach this as a business, and not just another job.”  He added, “There are only a handful of other companies out there that have your level of professionalism.”

We at Herbert Construction Company feel the same way about Windsong Properties.  It is a pleasure to be their foundation contractor.  We share their optimism for a prosperous 2014.