Building Greenworks Cover Story April 2010

Its good to come home

C&M Builders delivers quality, the wow factor, and unparalleled customer satisfaction.

When you find your dream house, you just know it.
Joe and Debbie DeJongh found theirs when they stepped through the door of award-winning C&M Builders Carolina National model home. It took their breath away. Now that they own a home almost identical to the model, it still does.
When the DeJonghs decided to build their dream home, they launched a two-year search. They looked and looked, but nothing seemed quite right.
We were almost starting to settle on houses that didnt have everything we wanted, Joe says.
Then they visited C&M Builders Carolina National model home, a four-bedroom, four-bath, reverse story and a half with a three-car garage. It was love at first sight. Debbie told her husband, This is the one.
We went home and we couldnt believe there wasnt anything we really wanted to change, but just to be sure, we went back the next day.
I sat there thinking, I could enjoy coming home to this.
Not long afterward, Joe and Debbie scheduled a meeting with Chad Buck, owner of C&M Builders, to discuss the possibility of building.
As we met with Chad and walked through the model, he explained all the options and the building process, Joe says. He worked diligently with us to make sure we were onboard with our options, costs, and the overall process.
Chad did everything to make sure we were happy with the house. Thats why I like to come home to it. Our dream home is so comfortable and fits us well, and we plan to live here for a long time. Every time Debbie and I step through the door, Wow, we love the home that C&M Builders built for us.

A natural-born builder

Chad Buck loves to get that reaction from his clients. C&M Builders strives for the Wow factor in all homes regardless of the price range. The company prides itself on our customers positive feedback.
A lot of the people who tour our model homes say, I can see myself living here, says Chad.
Thats because C&M Builders works diligently to offer homebuyers want they want with the quality and value they demand.
Chad literally has building in his blood. He grew up working summers and weekends in his dads home building and electrical businesses in Wyoming.
It was a family business, and in a family business you learn quickly you do whatever it takes to get the job done, he says. I learned about good work ethics and hands-on building that continue to benefit me today.
When construction of new homes slowed in the 1980s, the family moved to Kansas City so Chads father could work as an electrician. Chad graduated from Olathe South High School before the family moved back to Wyoming to build homes again. Chad worked in the home building business and completed an electrician apprentice program. Chad aspired to enter the commercial construction field and attended Central Missouri State University at Warrensburg, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Construction Management. After graduation, he soon earned a position with one of Kansas Citys premier companies, J.E. Dunn Construction, and was assigned to several large projects in Colorado. After several years with J.E. Dunn, Chad had the opportunity to return to Kansas City and operate his own home building company, his first true passion.

Floor plans buyers want

C&M Builders is self described as a semi-custom homebuilder building throughout Kansas Citys most desirable communities. Our main attributes are floor plans that are loaded with features and amenities that todays families are looking for. The flexible home designs, attention to detail and affordability are what make C&M Builders a top choice for homebuyers. Whether a customer is looking for a two-story, story and a half, or a reverse story and a half, C&M Builders floor plans are among the most popular in Kansas City and offer their clients an exceptional value. With more desirable features standard, customers feel they get more bang for their buck, says Chad. We are adamant when it comes to our detail and quality. We design the majority of our floor plans, and offering unlimited options which gives us the edge customers are looking for. Every open, spacious, flowing floor plan achieves the warmth of home with features like high-end wood cabinetry with custom finishes, extensive crown and trim mouldings, and lots of extra touches like archways and niches. Outdoor living spaces feature screened-in decks with fireplaces, and large patios for entertaining family and friends. Customers value the high-quality attributes standard in C&M Builders homes, and the option to customize additional features without having to spend a lot of extra money.

Value and Green

Value is also how Chad approaches Green Building.
We ask our customers what green means to them, and then we design a package around that, he explains. He talks to every customer about upgraded heating and cooling systems and insulation, explaining that monthly utility savings will easily pay for the energy saving packages. Rebates also help lower customers costs.
To Chad, green also means continually looking for products that are green and affordable, as well as having systems in place that minimize waste and make the best use of materials and lessen the negative impact on the environment.
For example, our panelized framing process, where all the walls are assembled in the manufacturing facility where they are protected, greatly reduces the amount of waste and delivers a superior product, he says.
Chad Buck is a Certified Green Professional and is working to expand building green practices and Energy Star Rating into every C&M Builders home. Chad describes this as the use of engineered wood products, which are more environmentally sustainable, Low E windows and exterior house wrap reduces energy loss, and the use of products that improve interior air quality.
Green Building once thought to be very costly can now be achieved affordably.

Award-winning quality

Steve and Amy Sage had been looking to build a home for three years, but they were very nervous about the process.
Im in the home improvement industry, and Ive heard all kinds of horror stories about building your own home, Steve says. Ive had nothing but trouble with builders in my business and personal life. That changed when the Sages encountered Chad Buck.
When I first met Chad, I was thinking about buying one of his models, Steve says. It seemed like you got more for your money with C&M Builders.
Chad worked with the Sages to modify one of C&M Builders floor plans to create a home that fit their lifestyle. The only surprises they had during design and construction were good ones.
I was impressed with Chads hands-on involvement throughout the whole process. If we had questions or needed to meet he was always available. Justin Bradley, C&M Builders Construction Manager, was also very hands-on and the weekly communication with us was appreciated. Steve says.
Justin was continuously on the job and kept an eye on every little detail and the quality of our new home, describes Steve.
Everything went as scheduled. Chad and Justin were incredibly helpful and really knew what they were doing. Chad and his crew were very professional.
Several other homes were being built in their neighborhood at the same time the Sages home was being constructed.
I watched all my neighbors missing timetables and having problems, Steve says. I didnt experience any of them with C&M Builders.
The Sages were delighted with the quality of the materials and workmanship in their new home, which exceeded their expectations and that of their previous homes.
He is delighted that his home took Best Custom Home Award in Kansas City Homes and Gardens annual awards issue.
Im just a regular guy who has done well, and honored that my home was judged with the best, Steve Sage says. That is a testament to the people who built it.

Top customer service

C&M Builders is no stranger to winning awards. Most recently, C&M Builders was honored by winning Best Custom Home Award and the Best Empty Nest Award from Kansas City Homes and Gardens Magazine. C&M Builders consistently wins top awards for Pick of the Parade, American Dream Home, and Distinctive Plan and Design, thru contests held by Kansas City Home Builders Association. C&M Builders is judged on workmanship, quality, and floor plans against other top builders in the Kansas City Metro area.
Almost anyone can win an award once in a while, but winners continue to repeat their accomplishments year after year, said Jerry Ratway of Weber Carpet.
For Chad, its about much more than winning awards. He feels that what distinguishes C&M Builders is customer satisfaction. He achieves this by providing the best quality, best customer service, best floor plans for the best price.
Chads main focus is on doing things right. He describes this as a tried and true process of working very closely with vendors, subcontractors and our customers to provide a relaxed and enjoyable experience. The key to a successful project is having a proactive team, open communication and involving the homebuyers throughout, Chad says. He knows customers want to be part of the process and he has worked hard to earn a reputation for C&M Builders as one the most hands-on, and client friendly builders in the Kansas City area. One of the lessons Chad learned from his father was to use quality craftsmen in the construction of his homes. He has developed long-term relationships with his subcontractors, and many of them work exclusively with C&M Builders.
There are a lot of guys out there who can do OK work, but I want the guys who do exceptional work.
Chad and his family live in Creekmoor, one of the neighborhoods where he builds homes. Chad and his wife Melissa, son Dalton, and young twins Hailey and Landon, enjoy walks in the evenings, and often check on their homes under construction and visit with existing homeowners.
Chad has put together an office staff that values a team approach, cares about clients and is passionate about customer service, and he seeks out developers who share his high standards and ethics.
As a result, he says, a lot of our customers tell us that their experience with us was much less stressful than they had experienced in building a previous home.

A home that fits

Ron and Nancy Paul lived in a nice house in Overland Park. When you looked below the surface, the construction of their former house did not compare with the 3,400-square-foot, four-bedroom home C&M Builders built for them.
We are on a hill that overlooks a pond, Ron says. When we first started with Chad, he did a ground survey. We ended up putting 23 piers under the house to keep it stable. Hes very thorough. From the foundation on up, all the subs were just excellent. When the rough-in carpenters were putting in the framing, you could look down a wall, and all the studs lined up perfectly. Ron and Nancy picked The Wellington Plan that had the features they wanted and then customized it to suit their needs. The house had to be narrowed by 4 feet to fit on their lot, and the Pauls approved the new plan room by room.
Ron makes custom golf clubs and wanted an area of about 700 square feet where he could work.
C&M Builders was very adaptable, he says. Ron got his workroom in the basement area under the suspended garage and Chad customized the dining room to accommodate Nancys prized china cabinet.
The Pauls also found Chad and his staff, were very easy to work with and liked that they were included as partners in the building process.
When we did our initial sit-down with Chad, he drew a chart that looked like a wave and said, Heres where you are going to have some anxieties. He was well equipped to counsel us. He has done this enough that he knows the emotional experiences people are going to have when making decisions in building a new home, Ron says.
When Ron and Nancy walk in their front door, they can see the spectacular view of their back yard and 3-acre pond. The open floor plan designed by C&M Builders and the attention to detail and quality was a major factor in selecting Chad as their builder.
One particular detail the Pauls love is the generous use of mouldings that gives the house a very rich quality. Ron was amazed that most of the features that give the house a high-end appearance were not add-ons but were part of the standard design.
Chads wife Melissa, who does much of the interior design for C&M Builders, assisted us in picking colors and coordinating much of our selections.
She also did a great job of faux painting the kitchen island, Ron said. Chad and Melissa are a great team.

No place like home

If you are a client of C&M Builders, your part of an exceptional group of people who are proud to show off their new home and eager to recommend C&M Builders. Chads ethic comes from his strong Christian faith and the business values he learned from his father. He is very active in his church and community. Chad serves on the Raymore Planning and Zoning Commission and is the South Council Chairperson for the Home Builders Association.
Chads whole philosophy is embodied in the phrase, Its good to come home.
That means you pull into the driveway and you leave your worries behind knowing you have got a well built, quality, home where you can enjoy family and friends.
What I really enjoy about home building is seeing customers eyes light up, Chad says. I want to achieve the wow factor, so they can be as proud of their home as we are.
If you have a good home, and a good experience building it, after a hard day of work, you will truly feel, theres no place like home.

We would love the opportunity to show prospective home buyers our homes and point out the real value in our approach to home building, Chad concludes.

C&M Builders and their new homes sales agents would like to invite you out to tour their model homes and communities.

For more information on building a home with C&M Builders or to preview homes currently available, please visit their new website, cmbuildersinc.com, or give them a call at (816) 322-8118.