The Importance of Having a Good Relationship with Your Home Builder
Choosing the Right Builder for your Kansas City Home
The success of your home-building experience depends as much on the people you work with as it does on the design and materials. Building a home isn’t just about following blueprints; it’s a collaborative journey that requires open communication, trust, and a shared vision. That’s why having a strong relationship with your builder is essential. When your builder takes the time to understand your needs, values, and goals, the process becomes smoother and the results more meaningful. Here’s how working with the right people can make all the difference.
Partnering with Good People
When asked why he and his wife, Morgen, decided to choose Kala instead of the other builders they considered, Kansas City homeowner Sush Govindan revealed that the people involved made all the difference.
“In our first meeting, David told us that this was a relationship, so let’s go through the next steps and make sure it’s a good fit for everyone,” he said. “We could tell that the whole team really cared about that. They were great throughout the process. That was especially important during COVID because things came up that we couldn’t plan for. You can go with a builder that is just about the project and then moves from one thing to the next. But there is a way to build lasting relationships with people and help them achieve what they want to through their home. That’s what David and his team did.”
Building Trust
While getting a house that meets your expectations and sticks to the specs you agreed on is key, building a home requires you to forge a relationship over a year or more. So you shouldn’t enter it lightly, as the people part of the equation is just as important, if not more so.
“We have friends who just finished building a home, and they won’t even speak to their contractor,” Morgen Govindan said. “Whereas we trusted Kala throughout the entire process and still trust them now. They’re a great group who care about people and what they do. The team really listened to us the whole way through and saw how we live our lives, so the house reflects what we care about and our values.”
Making a House a Home
During the planning stage, it’s essential that the homeowner, builder, and architect quickly come together around a singular vision.
The Govindans worked hand-in-glove with their architect and Kala to design a home that would enable them, their children, and their family and friends to live in a certain way. This would ensure that their house would be more than just a dwelling, but a reflection of the things they feel are most valuable in life.
“We wanted to build community and hospitality, so we talked to David and Keith about different hosting areas outdoors and inside where people can feel like they're part of something but also have their own spaces,” Sush said. “We had to do this
with the environment in mind, like natural light coming in through higher efficiency windows so we’re not having energy leak in and out. These concepts came together well in this house.”
Doing the Details Right
In any home, getting the big things right matters – whether that’s expertly installed windows, continuously insulated walls, or long-lasting framing. But when partnering with a builder that prioritizes quality and craftmanship, the little stuff should also be just so. This involves careful planning and taking the time to do everything right on the building site.
“What we've really appreciated is the level of attention to detail,” Morgen said. “In the Passive House process, things have to be planned out and done really methodically. I don't think that was something we would’ve valued at the time when we were wanting to get in, but it's something we really value now.”
