Brian Troxel

Brian Troxel believes communicating is the key to a pleasant home building experience—for clients, staff, and subcontractors. He gets that experience off to a good start with a detailed schedule that is regularly modified and e-mailed or faxed to all interested parties. Troxel even factors in finicky Michigan weather by including forecasts on the weekly updates. He’s so committed to creating and managing a smooth schedule that he notifies his key tradespeople as far out as four months prior to upcoming jobs. This allows them to put Troxel’s projects on their calendars far enough in advance that they’re sure to be first priority. “The job I signed this morning is already in the computer, and people have been notified that it’s coming up,” says Troxel. “And we already have a project completion date that we can give to the customer.”

The flow of information doesn’t simply cover dates, however. Troxel knows that if his trades know ahead of time what to expect when they show up, they will come to a jobsite with the right tools and support. “Vendor/subcontractor packets are sent out prior to trades showing up on site,” he explains. “For example, a trim carpenter gets appliance and flooring information so he knows what trim goes where and what he needs to consider in each room.” Other useful details, such as a map to the location, jobsite specifics, and contact phone numbers, are also in the packet. Troxel also endeavors to give well-prepared trades a well-prepared site. He avoids stacking up too many people on the job at once and makes sure all necessary materials are at hand. “This allows trades like tilesetters and painters to take the time and space they need to do their job quickly and meticulously.”

Homeowners receive a manual in sections that are pertinent to the phase of the job so they’re not overwhelmed with information. All of the data, from client communications to vendor relationships, is assembled into a company-wide “electronic workbook” for each house. The workbook tells the job story including initial client contact, estimating, specs, scheduling, change orders, accounting, and post-construction service. Workbooks are reviewed after project completion, so Troxel’s staff can spot positive and negative trends from job to job. “I’ve realized that home building is an art,” says Troxel, “and I try to treat the process with care.”