It wasn’t long ago when a home builder’s biggest worry was whether they could build homes fast enough.
And today? Let’s just say we’re all waiting for things to stabilize, from land availability and mortgage rates to labor and material lead times, as well as the number of qualified home buyers.
Few understand these challenges better than Nick Prater.
The son of a custom home builder, Prater spends a big portion of his work week asking pro builders to sound off on their biggest frustrations, gripes, and worries. Prater uses the word “lively” to describe the chats.
Heads-Down Goal
“Back in the day, builders’ heads were down, focused squarely on building quality homes fast enough to meet demand,” the veteran industry pro says. “Times have changed. Now their heads are up. They’re looking for assistance from anyone who can offer it. It’s the job of building product manufacturers (BPMs) to ease their burden and set them up for future success.”
Alleviating that burden couldn’t come at a better time.
A Better Way Forward
A recent industry survey reveals 47% of residential general contractors and remodelers have tried a new product or brand over the past 12 months. More builders are now questioning their specification and procurement choices, seeking better ways to reduce costs, improve margins, and streamline construction in a challenging market.
As Director of Builder Sales for JELD-WEN, a leading manufacturer of windows and doors, he is focused on strengthening relationships with the nation’s top home builders. This role reflects JELD-WEN’s commitment to serving the builder segment with greater focus and agility. According to Prater, the increased level of direct engagement has been well received by both builders and customer partners looking for dedicated support.
3 Winning Factors
Why all the builder enthusiasm? What should builders expect from any BPM partner? Prater cites at least three factors builders should consider in a relationship:
- Dependability on Multiple Fronts. To keep faith with builders, Prater knows winning builder trust requires outstanding product and lead time certainty. “A cost-first supplier doesn’t cut it today,” he says. “Builders don’t want to hassle with uncertain lead times and warranty claims. Product dependability is the first of many requirements.”
- Single Source vs. the Wild West. Working across many markets and design styles, a national or regional builder can face inefficiencies from a complex, multi-vendor supply chain.
Prater describes a recent example: “A very large regional builder used different manufacturers in almost every market. Windows, for example, were over specified, causing purchasing managers to oversee hundreds of product variations. We implemented a pilot program to demonstrate the value of BPM consolidation as a way to cut costs, lift quality and simplify window and door procurement and installation. Now, they’re all in on a single-supplier strategy for all markets.”
- Listening and Learning. Prater admits builder chats are frequently a humbling experience. “There’s nothing like a direct, unfiltered chat between the factory and the builder. Yes, our dealers remain instrumental and vital. But there’s nothing like having a builder ask, ‘What can you do to help me?’ Builders should absolutely hold our feet to the fire. Every market and builder is different. It’s up to BPMs to do more to ease a builder’s burden and cement the relationship with improved product quality, delivery confidence and enduring value.”
As you weigh your options going forward, keep in mind all the ways BPMs can do more to help ensure your success.
Learn more about JELD-WEN’s support for residential builders.
