click on the link to read the full issue G & A Spring 2010

On Friday, May 7^th, the Delaware Association of Homebuilders held the 18th annual Regal Awards ceremony to recognize the outstanding accomplishments of its builder and associate partners.  Billed as the “Black and White Gala”, the elegant event honored the best Delaware home builders for achievements in marketing, advertising, architectural design, interior merchandising, project management, and sales.

The Schell Brothers family of companies – which also includes Echelon Custom Homes, Echelon Interiors, Zero Energy, and Renew-Energy Smart Renovations – walked away with 30 awards, representing nearly one-half of the 65 prizes handed out to builders during the evening.   The scope of honors presented to Schell Brothers spoke volumes about the company, a small homebuilder in Sussex County Delaware, as the gracious group received recognition in nearly every category.  Seven awards went to the Schell Brothers/Echelon in-house marketing team, including best image campaign and best websites for both a production and custom builder.  Echelon Interiors walked away with three honors for model merchandising in new Delaware homes, ranging from condominiums to single family residences.  Several individual team members were recognized for outstanding performance in categories that included selections coordination, sales, and project management for Delaware new construction.  The grand finale of the evening was the announcement of the outstanding residential communities in Delaware, grouped by price range.  Schell Brothers took home three grand finale awards for Breakwater in Lewes, Independence in Millsboro, and Heritage Creek in Milton.  Independence received honors as the best active adult community in Delaware.

When asked to comment on receiving the unprecedented number of awards, Chris Schell, owner of Schell Brothers, was quick to give credit where it was due, “I couldn’t be more proud of our company than I am right now,” Schell said.  “This night really shed light on how far we’ve come as a company and how much we have accomplished together.  It’s been an awesome journey and this is just the beginning.  If we can achieve this kind of success in the worst real estate market in history . . . just think what we can do during the recovery.  This team is capable of extraordinary things.”

Every year, NAHB’s National Sales and Marketing Council recognizes creativity, excellence and innovation across several disciplines, including advertising, marketing, model merchandising and design. The awards, known simply as The Nationals, are the most prestigious honor in the business. As much as we wish we could feature all the winners, it’s impossible with 63 categories. This year, Professional Builder zeroed in on four categories that represent the central tools of every builder’s sales and marketing efforts — the sales center, Web site, model merchandising and advertising.

Best Interior Merchandising of a Model Under $500,000
MARINER AT LOVE CREEK, Lewes, DE
Builder: Schell Brothers, Rehoboth Beach, DE
Interior designer: Joni Hitchens, Echelon Interiors, Rehoboth Beach, DE

Mariner at Love Creek

With a client base that’s half year-round residents and half vacation-home owners, interior designer Joni Hitchens had to present an aesthetic that looked like a vacation getaway, but felt like home. She did it by blending traditional pieces in vibrant blues and greens, which were inspired by the community’s beach location.

“Most of my clients are bringing some pieces from home,” she explains. “They’ll use what they have, and maybe get a new sofa. We wanted them to be able to visualize their antique table if they put lime-green chairs with it.”

WHY IT WON: “It was more reminiscent of a home-y feel than an artificial model feel,” judge Dottie Paek says.

YOUR TAKE: Designers can over-merchandise to the point that customers can’t visualize how their own pieces would look in a home. If it doesn’t feel lived in, people get turned off.

~read full article

Fri, Feb. 5, 2010

Schell Brothers, a Rehoboth Beach-based homebuilder, received seven national awards for excellence in the home building industry in 2009. The company won five Nationals Awards program honors from the National Association of Homebuilders and two Best in American Living Awards sponsored by the association and Professional Builder magazine.
The Nationals Awards program includes the most esteemed honors associated with the building industry. The awards pay tribute to superior new home sales and marketing, and home design achievements. Builders across the country compete for the coveted national honors from the National Association of Homebuilders, emphasizing the level of accomplishment by Schell Brothers in Delaware. Nationals winners are the exclusive finalists for the ultimate Gold Awards, which will be announced at the Builder’s Show in Las Vegas, Nev., Jan. 19.
The Best in American Living Awards will be distributed at a press conference during the Builder’s Show, honoring Schell Brothers and other builders who have provided the most inspiring and innovative residential designs in the country.
Schell Brothers’ five Nationals Awards span a variety of categories, including home design and model merchandising, with two of the honors recognizing the achievements of the company’s affiliate: Echelon Custom Homes.

Awards were presented to Schell Brothers/Echelon Custom Homes in the following categories:
• Best On the Boards Award for single-family detached home for The Milton model by Schell Brothers at Heritage Creek, designed by Rebecca Fluharty
• Best Product Design Award for a custom home, the Robinson residence by Echelon Custom Homes, home design by David W. Dutton (GMB Architects & Engineers)
• Best Interior Merchandising Award for a model priced under $500,000, Schell Brothers/Echelon Interiors for The Mariner model at the Retreat at Love Creek, merchandised by Echelon Interiors
• Best Website for a Builder Award, Echelon Custom Homes, developed by Ivana Biela, Jeremy Bell and Mike Brown
• Best Clubhouse Award, Independence Hall by Schell Brothers at Independence, Pat Mulligan, project manager The 2009

Best in American Living Awards are recognized as the pinnacle of achievement in residential design.Schell Brothers received Best in American Living Awards in the following two categories:
• Gold Award for best single family detached home 1,801 to 2,400 square feet, for the Madison model by Schell Brothers at Heritage Creek
• Silver Award for interior design in best community facility 151 units and over, merchandised by Echelon Interiors.

Schell Brothers is a Delaware homebuilder committed to providing new homes with energy efficiency, craftsmanship and curb appeal in communities that have lasting beauty and value. In addition to building attractive communities, Chris and Preston Schell have set the standard for responsible land use and historical preservation in coastal Delaware.

THE MADISON MODEL by Schell Brothers at Heritage Creek earned a Gold Award in the category for best single-family detached home 1,801 to 2,400 square feet.

Schell Brothers/Echelon Interiors won the Best Interior Merchandising Award for a model priced under $500,000 for The Mariner model at the Retreat at Love Creek, merchandised by Echelon Interiors.

Rebecca Fluharty designed The Milton model by Schell Brothers at Heritage Creek. It won the Best On the Boards Award for a single-family detached home.

The Robinson residence by Echelon Custom Homes. Home design by David W. Dutton (GMB Architects & Engineers)

Best Website for a Builder developed by Ivana Biela, Jeremy Bell & Mike Brown

Henlopen Acres II

RB Yacht Club

Henlopen Acres I

]]> http://echeloncustomhomes.com/blog/homes-in-the-snow/feed/ 0 http://echeloncustomhomes.com/blog/what-to-look-for-when-searching-for-a-builder/ http://echeloncustomhomes.com/blog/what-to-look-for-when-searching-for-a-builder/#comments Tue, 22 Dec 2009 22:37:56 +0000 Echelon http://echeloncustomhomes.com/blog/?p=542 By far the most important factor when determining the quality of a builder is how happy the builder’s customers are with the builder. However, there are some other factors that a prospective home buyer should explore before choosing a builder. They are:

1. What is the builder’s financial situation? Many builders have been hurt by the housing downturn and are having trouble meeting their financial obligations. Financial stress has caused builders to cut back on their staff and operate their business with a skeleton crew, which means it will be difficult for these builders to build a quality home and provide adequate customer service. In addition, some of these builders are close to bankruptcy and may not be able to finish your home. To determine a builder’s financial situation, you can ask questions like: How much debt does your company have? How many unsold Spec homes do you have? Are you currently in any form of “workout” with any bank? Can I see a copy of your most recent company bank statement? Good financially sound builders will gladly answer these questions and provide you with any documentation you request.
2. Who specifically will be building my home? It is important that you meet the actual person or team of people that will be onsite as your home is being built. The quality of your home will be directly related to the skill and experience of the superintendent building your home. Many custom builders have owners who are experienced builders and good salesmen but these “owners” are usually not onsite as your home is being built. Make sure you interview the person who will actually be building your home before you contract with a builder.
3. Does your company have a dedicated customer service department with separate staff and equipment? Most custom home builders do not have a customer service department and thus will provide minimal customer support after delivery of the home. In our research, this was a major source of frustration for custom home buyers. With custom homes, it is inevitable that issues will arise that need to be addressed by the builder. Without a customer service department, it will be very difficult for a builder to provide sufficient customer support. Unfortunately, most custom builders do not have much interest in allocating resources to customers who have already paid them in full.

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Rehoboth Beach Christmas Parade 2008

LEWES – 78^TH OLD FASHIONED CHRISTMAS PARADE

Date: Saturday, December 5^th 2009 (rain date Sunday, December 6th)

Time: 5:00pm

Where: Begins at Lewes Ninth Grade Academy on Savannah Road and turns down Second Street ending at King’s Ice Cream Shop at Market Street. Culminates with the arrival of Santa.

~For more information please visit Lewes Chamber of Commerce~

REHOBOTH BEACH HOMETOWN CHRISTMAS PARADE

A local tradition, the parade will feature more music, more costumes and more fun than ever, with volunteers from the Fire Department, Police, Public Works and community organizations.

Date: Monday, December 7^th 2009

Time: 6:30pm

Where: The parade begins at State Road, travels east to the Boardwalk and the turns west and goes back up to the Convention Center.

There will be Christmas Party immediately following the parade at Convention Hall. Youngsters can chat with Santa and light refreshments will be served.