When Debbie and Ken imagined building a custom home, they saw more than a place for themselves. “My husband and I wanted to build our forever house on a large enough piece of property so that both our boys could also build near us if they choose to,” Debbie said.
Finding enough land around the Charleston, West Virginia area for potentially three homes would make the search challenging enough. Not to mention, Debbie and Ken wanted to stay close to city life. “We were looking for a lot of acreage, which is hard to come by unless you go really remote,” Debbie said.
A months long search for land
Finding land to build on is one of the most challenging parts of a custom build, especially finding and evaluating raw land. For Debbie and Ken, their search stretched into weeks, which soon became months.
“We had been searching for vacant acreage for several months and were not finding anything that met what we were after,” Debbie said. But they stayed persistent, knowing that the one car ride, one social media post, or one phone call they needed might happen at any moment.
“One day we hopped in the car and just started driving when we spotted 20 acres for sale by owner on a country road,” Debbie said. “We lucked into 20 acres on the outskirts of Winfield, West Virginia and it’s only about 12 minutes to I-64.”
Thanks to their patience, Debbie and Ken found the amount of land they wanted, and the secluded-yet-close-to-town setting they dreamed of. Now it was time to plan the build.
Choosing the right custom homebuilder
Having already renovated several homes, Debbie and Ken decided to hire a builder. “We are getting on in years and chose to have a custom home built for us,” Debbie said. But their renovation experience meant they had high standards. Not to mention, Debbie is an interior designer who had a specific vision in mind.
“We met with six different builders and ultimately chose Schumacher Homes to build our house,” Debbie said. “Schumacher Homes beat all the competitors in price, process, and we believe also in quality.” But more than that, Debbie and Ken had control in designing the exact home they wanted.
“We liked the idea of choosing the floor plan, features, and fixtures right out of the gate and having a set price,” Debbie said, adding they had peace of mind knowing the price wouldn’t change unless they made a structural or design change during the build process.
“We chose the Pompano III house plan because we wanted a one-story house with around 2,000 square feet,” Debbie said. “As a designer, I knew I could customize this floor plan into the exact house that we wanted.”
Designing a modern-farmhouse-meets-mountain home
The Pompano III met Debbie and Ken’s must-haves, which included an open-concept floor plan with all main living areas on one level. That would make their home feel “roomy, but not too big since it’s just the two of us,” Debbie said. They also prioritized an attached garage, and large porches for enjoying the natural surroundings.
But Debbie and Ken still had plenty of changes to make. “We majorly customized the original floor plan, which is an option with Schumacher Homes that really drew us in. We wanted a modern-farmhouse-slash-mountain feel to our home since we were building on a mountain in the country,” Debbie said.
To achieve that look and feel, Debbie and Ken made plenty of customizations, including:
The bonus room above the garage was a last-minute decision, too, that meant moving several walls to create a 4’ wide stairwell from the hallway. “We decided to add the bonus room about a week before framing began and our Schumacher team graciously worked with us to make it happen,” Debbie said.
Moving into their new home
Just like their search for land, Debbie and Ken had to exercise patience during their build. “It was very exciting when we saw the framing going up and the house really took shape. Unfortunately, we were about four-and-a-half months into our build when the COVID-19 pandemic struck,” Debbie said. “But our Schumacher team worked hard at keeping the build rolling.”
Again, they were rewarded for their patience. Debbie and Ken’s custom build felt like home the minute they walked in. “We love our new home, it is exactly what we had envisioned and we rest in the fact that it is a very well built home,” Debbie said. “It is truly a sense of ‘home’ when we walk through the door.”
So far, their favorite space is the living room and kitchen. The open-concept floor plan helps Debbie and Ken feel connected to every guest when family and friends come over. They’re also thankful for adding the bonus room above the garage, which has become their next favorite space. “It is a multifunctional room that was a tremendous addition to our home,” Debbie said.
The porch space has been a hit, too, allowing Debbie and Ken to enjoy their land. “We love the serenity of the property plus there are more house seats available for both our boys and their families to build. We never hear road noise or the hustle and bustle of the city. We have wildlife all around us and we love it,” Debbie said.
About Schumacher Homes
Schumacher Homes, based in Canton, Ohio, is America’s largest custom homebuilder, with operations in 32 markets in 14 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 showcase homes displaying the latest in architectural and product trends. Stop in today, be inspired and receive your no obligation price quote.
