As I approach 25 years in the custom home building business, I’ve found myself reflecting on past projects, past clients, and the many experiences I’ve been fortunate enough to have along the way. Though there is one question that keeps coming back to me.
Why did these clients trust us with their dreams?
Was it something we said? Something we did? Or simply a feeling they had?
I’m still not entirely sure of the exact answer, but my gut tells me this: our clients knew how important their dreams were to us. They knew we would treat those goals with the care and respect they deserved.
One thing all of our past and current clients have in common is that they worked extremely hard to get where they are. For most people, the opportunity to build a custom home or cottage is the result of a lifetime of effort, discipline, and sacrifice.
We’re incredibly fortunate to help bring those dreams to life, and we don’t take that responsibility lightly. This reflection led me to another question.
What about the people who didn’t build with us?
Some we never hear from again. Others we hear about through the grapevine. And every so often, someone reaches out after their build is already complete.
While I can’t speak to every situation, the stories we do hear are often disappointing. In fact, if you asked 10 random people about their home or cottage building experience, I’d be willing to bet that most would describe it as a bad one.
So how is this possible? How can there be so many builders delivering poor client experiences—and still staying busy?
More often than not, the answer is price.
People want to believe they can get equal, or even better, value for less money. And to be fair, the most expensive option isn’t always the best one. But the old saying “you get what you pay for” exists for a reason. In this industry, it usually holds true.
None of this is new information. Most people already know it. Yet one question continues to stick with me.
Why are people selling their dreams to the lowest bidder?
For everyday purchases, choosing the cheapest option can make sense. Many of our most successful clients became successful precisely because they were smart and disciplined with money.
But building a custom home or cottage is different. This isn’t just another purchase. This is your dream. It’s the reward for decades of hard work, and it deserves more than an average approach.
I think part of the issue is that many people don’t fully understand what happens after they accept the lowest bid.
At first, they hire a general contractor at the lowest possible price. That contractor then has to break the project into smaller pieces and push each one out to subcontractors—often selecting whoever will do the work at the lowest cost.
Those subcontractors, in turn, are forced to hire the cheapest labour they can find just to make their numbers work. This leads to inconsistent quality workmanship and a poor experience for the client.
This isn’t about bad people. It’s about bad incentives.
When a project starts with a race to the bottom, the outcome is almost always the same. It begins with a strong salesperson promising the world at a discount and ends with you, a hardworking family, not receiving the value you’ve earned through a lifetime of effort and sacrifice.
So how do you make sure you’re getting the value you deserve?
Slow down. Ask more questions. Do the research that gives you confidence in your decision.
Before choosing a builder, take the time to—
• Ask for recent references, not just hand-picked ones
• Understand how your builder selects and works with their trades
• Take note of pressure tactics or rushed decisions—those are red flags
• Look for alignment in values and expectations, not just a low price
• Remember that this is a long-term partnership, not a short-term transaction
One of our recent clients had one of the best approaches we’ve ever seen. Instead of asking, “Can you give me a few references?” he asked, “Can you provide the contact information for the last 10 people you built for?”
That’s a very different question.
Anyone can curate their best references. But the 10 most recent projects tell the real story. He called every single one. No shortcuts. He wanted to be absolutely certain that the builder he chose would care about his family cottage the way he did.
We handed over the keys just before Christmas. And today, if you ask us for a reference, he’s proudly on that list.
You’ve worked hard to get where you are. Don’t sell your dreams to the lowest bidder. Take the time to find a builder who will partner with you, respect the weight of the decision you’re making, and deliver the value and experience you’ve spent a lifetime earning to share with your family.
