Each year CUSTOM HOME honors 15 custom builders with Pacesetter Awards for achievement in the business of custom home building. This year’s winners once again represent the best in the business. Rick Schwolsky, building editor of BUILDER and former custom builder, and the editors of CUSTOM HOME had the difficult task of making the final selections from among a field of 60 entries. Each of the winners successfully demonstrated an outstanding track record in one of five categories: management, customer service, marketing, design, and innovation. The last category focuses on builders who think outside the box, create new opportunities and better ways to run their firms. We proudly add these 15 builders to the custom home building hall of fame. Their distinguished accomplishments help set the standard for the entire industry.
Larry Jordan
Embassy Development, Albuquerque, N.M.
Type of business: design/build
Years in business: 5
Employees: 1
1996 volume: $3 million
1996 starts: 8 custom homes
Larry Jordan is fast, very fast. In the crowded Albuquerque market, his ability to build a custom home about three months faster than the competition gives him a major edge with clients.
He picked up his pace working in commercial construction where “everything is time-related.” he says. “Residential work is a lot easier to schedule if you’ve done commercial work.” In fact, he credits most of his success as a custom builder to his scheduling prowess.
As much as possible, he books more than one trade at a time on each job. “Our homes are never empty,” he asserts. And as soon as a sub finishes a job, Jordan cuts a check. “Most builders pay in 30 to 60 days,” he explains. “But if you pay subs on time, it keeps them happy and they work faster.” The average 3,500-square-foot home takes him only about three to four months to build, or nearly three months less than the competition.
Jordan believes his speed gives him a double advantage in his market. His clients love it because they don’t have to carry their construction loan as long, which saves them interest. And he loves it because he can build more houses a year and spread his overhead wider. Fast and steady, he’s convinced, wins the race.
