While building a custom home is different for everyone, the process is normally spurred by two similar desires for every customer: location and flexibility. For Wanda and Keith, these two needs were their driving forces for building a custom home. The couple had a large family and knew that building a custom home would allow them to have their dream home on already-owned land. Keith’s family had farmland that had been in the family for over 50 years and the pair knew that’s where they wanted to build.
After deciding that it was time to build their forever home to accommodate their large family, Wanda and Keith began to speak to builders in the Cincinnati area to find a good fit. As first-time home builders, it was important to the couple that they worked with an experienced and organized builder. “We spoke to many other builders,” Wanda said, “and we really felt that Schumacher was able to help us build exactly what we wanted.”
Why did you choose Schumacher Homes?
“We felt the price and the quality materials they would be using was along the lines of what we were looking for.”
From the beginning, Wanda and Keith felt at peace with their decision to build with Schumacher. Their customer coordinator, Erin, was a huge part of that feeling. Erin worked her hardest to make sure every need was met, and all questions were answered. Wanda was out of state during the beginning stage of choosing the family’s future home, but Erin was patient and never made the couple feel rushed. “We were never rushed through a meeting,” remarked Wanda, “even when there were what felt like hundreds of decisions.”
Choosing their builder was only the first step in building their dream home on the family farm. Next came deciding on the plan that would work best for their family. The couple has 12 children, and seven of them still lived at home. That meant the final floor plan would have to have plenty of space for everyone.
Not only did Wanda and Keith need space, but they also had specific future needs they wanted to account for. Keith has Multiple Sclerosis and the couple wanted to have the first floor set up so that if the time came, they could easily live mainly on one floor.
After looking at several different plans, the couple settled on the Aberdeen American Tradition. The plan had a great foundation for what they were looking for and with a few changes was able to be the perfect plan for their current and future needs.
Taking advantage of the farm views was something Wanda and Keith both wanted from the beginning. Wanda remarked, “We added A LOT of windows.” The property had beautiful views and the new home needed to be able to embrace them. To meet that wish, over a dozen windows were added throughout the home including in the Owner’s Retreat, Great Room and several bedrooms.
Lynn, the builder on this project, helped make sure all the wish list items were met on the family’s design. Wanda remembers meeting Lynn and knowing right away their build was in the right hands. “He provided so much care to every step.” The custom Aberdeen plan also included a walk-out basement and additional patio doors to continue making the most of the property. To plan for possible future needs, the family also converted the first-floor bath into a full bath.
With the perfect plan in hand, the building was ready to begin. Wanda and Keith were able to keep a very close eye on the progress as they chose to live in campers right on the property. This allowed them to watch the progress daily.
“Lynn was so on top of the build,” Keith remembered, “it was as if his own family would be living in the new home.” Having Lynn on their team meant a close eye was kept on the process and any issues that occurred were dealt with carefully and with attention to detail. A bonus for the family was the home was finished just in time for the children to go back to school, which was sooner than expected.
What is your favorite room in the new house? Why is that?
“Our favorite room in the house would be the living room by the fireplace. We have huge windows with beautiful views.”
Walking into their new home felt like a dream come true for the entire family. Even several months after the build was completed, the feeling has stayed true. “Our house is absolutely beautiful,” Wanda said, “every day we wake up it feels like we are on vacation.” Having a beautiful home was something Wanda and Keith had always dreamed about, and both agree that their custom Aberdeen is not only beautiful but also well worth the money spent.
Looking back, the couple remarked, “both our builder and customer coordinator made us feel as if we were their only customers.” Building with Schumacher Homes took away all the worry and stress and provided Wanda and Keith with the perfect family home thanks to their great team.
About Schumacher Homes
Schumacher Homes, based in Canton, Ohio, is America’s largest custom homebuilder, with operations in 25 locations 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.