Lisa and Robert were already living in their forever home in North Carolina when opportunity knocked. Robert had been offered his dream job, but the family would have to move out of state.
They looked for homes in their new community for months, Lisa says, but none compared to the home they already loved.
“Rob was positive that building a home was the way to go, but I wanted to be able to move right in,” Lisa says. “I didn’t want to spend months in a small apartment with two teenagers and three dogs.”
But in hopes of having a dream home to go with Rob’s dream job, the couple dipped their toe in the water and began talking to builders. Of the three companies they met with, two made them feel pressured, Lisa says, and their homes didn’t have the wow factor she and Robert were looking for.
The third was Schumacher Homes.
“Schumacher was the only one where we didn't feel pressured to make an immediate decision,” Lisa says. “They also had the various model homes for us to walk through, and we literally did a tour of Schumacher sites in North and South Carolina to go through all the homes.”
Visiting the models and meeting with a New Home Consultant at Schumacher’s Greenville-Spartanburg Design Studio gave Lisa a new outlook.
“After that, I was convinced the temporary inconvenience of an apartment would be greatly overshadowed by building the home we really wanted,” she says. “After we signed the paperwork, I literally got in the car and cried from relief and excitement.”
The couple chose the Charleston Modern Farmhouse plan, which offers 2,400 square feet of living space on one floor, to accommodate Lisa and Robert well into retirement, and four bedrooms – enough for the family, plus one for their frequent guests. “Our home (no matter where we lived) has always been the place where family gathers, so we needed the additional living space,” Lisa says.
“I wanted an open floor plan with a mudroom and a large laundry, but what sold us on the plan was the office nook off the master,” Lisa says. “I am an adjunct history professor and need a space where I can work. This plan fit all of that, and well within our budget.”
The Charleston home plan also offered plenty of living space for future grandchildren, or aging parents.
“That is where the unfinished basement came into play,” Lisa said. “While we were thinking about grandkids, Schumacher had us think about our parents as well, and the potential that living space would provide for us to assist in caring for them if needed.”
For Lisa and Robert, finishing the basement was not an immediate need, but the couple now has a plan that would transform it into a self-contained living space, complete with its own entrance thanks to the home’s gently sloping lot, which allowed for a walk-out basement.
Lisa and Robert also personalized the home with some must-have upgrades.
“The biggest non-negotiable was the wall of windows in the great room,” Lisa said. “We live on the lake and wanted to take advantage of that view at all times.”
Other tweaks to the home illustrate the advantages of working with a custom homebuilder. The couple added vaulted ceilings and an exposed ridge beam in the great room and primary bedroom, a wall of built-ins, and two porches to maximize entertaining space and lake views.
Lisa admits the family’s temporary apartment life was chaotic, but seeing the completed house for the first time made up for it.
“I was away visiting my sister during the last two weeks of construction, so it felt like one of those reveals on TV, she said. “I walked in and it was even more beautiful than I had imagined – it was almost overwhelming.”
While it’s hard to pick a favorite room, the couple loves the home’s open kitchen and great room, where they can hang out with friends and extended family, enjoying the crowd without feeling crowded.
“It gives us plenty of space, but doesn’t feel empty when we don’t have people over,” Lisa said.
Lisa and Robert say they would gladly recommend building with Schumacher, and that the company’s process, and especially its people, make a potentially daunting undertaking far less stressful than people might imagine.
“We tell everyone how much we love our home, and how easy Schumacher made the homebuilding process,” Lisa says. “I was especially worried about coordinating all the spaces and still keeping everything on budget, which is where Darnell, our Sales Coordinator, was a godsend. His creativity and budget knowledge really helped keep us on track, and achieve the modern farmhouse look we were going for.”
As involved as they were in the homebuilding process, now that it’s finished Lisa and Robert say they’re still struck by the reality of living there.
“We still feel like we’re on vacation somewhere, because it’s almost impossible to imagine that this amazing home is ours.”
About Schumacher Homes
Schumacher Homes, based in Canton, Ohio, is America’s largest custom homebuilder, with operations in 32 markets in 12 states across the country. The National Housing Quality award winning company has built over 20,000 homes, customized to fit each family’s lifestyle, since its founding by Paul Schumacher in 1992. Schumacher Homes takes each customer’s inspiration and gives it a home. Each Schumacher Homes location includes a one-stop shopping design studio and model homes displaying the latest in architectural and product trends. Stop in today, be inspired and receive your no obligation price quote.
