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There are parts of the homebuilding process — the large investment of time and money and the constant decisions required — that can be stressful.

But the experience doesn’t have to be overwhelming. When the buyer and the builder establish a clear line of communication up front and ask the right questions, the process can be smooth and successful. It can even lead to a solid friendship.

This was the case with Greensboro accountants Rob Vocci, 51, and Robin Vocci, 53, who recently moved in to their home in Hobbs Landing, a neighborhood near Friendly Center. The project was custom-built by Jennifer Strimple of Home Team Builders.

The Voccis knew what they wanted: Energy Star and green building certification; a low-maintenance lot and sustainable building materials; an open floor plan placing the essential living space on the first floor; and flexible rooms on the second floor that could be used for storage or finished later for more living space.

The end product is a green-certified home that’s five minutes from Rob’s office and close to entertainment and restaurants at Friendly Center.

The Voccis say they now have their dream home and have formed a bond with Jennifer Strimple and her husband, Eric, who splits his time between Home Team and the High Point Fire Department.

The four gathered recently in the kitchen of the Voccis’ home, interacting with the comfort and exuberance of old friends. Their rapport isn’t surprising — during the building phase Jennifer and Robin were in daily contact, and they still meet regularly for lunch. Another testament to their bond: The Voccis already have decided to entrust the project of finishing the flexible space on the second floor to Home Team.

“We liked the building process, because we’re going back and working with Jennifer,” Rob quipped.

The Strimples and Voccis say collaboration made the building process, and the finished product, a success.

No detail was taken for granted, from picking hardwood floors and the exterior gray mortar, to deciding on a direction for a door to swing, to creating a nook for a television, to the placement of
toilet paper dispensers.

The custom process allows buyers to make it exactly the way they want it to be, whether they’re involved every step of the way or they hand over the reins to the builder. “You can be as involved as you want,” Strimple said, adding: “It’s all in the trims, in the small details.”

Those details came up during the process, which started with lot choice in September 2008, followed by construction in December. The house was completed in early May, and the Voccis have already started making it a home.

“It’s designed for the way we live, and that’s what we wanted,” Robin said.

The experience motivated the two couples to answer questions about the building process and share their savvy with others considering a custom home.

The builder's perspective:

Q: How should a homebuyer go about choosing a builder?

Jennifer Strimple: “Anyone interested in building a custom home should interview several builders who build in their price range. The Greensboro Builders Association is a great place to find a list of ones you’d like to interview. You’ll want to choose someone you feel comfortable working with and feel you trust. It’s a very close relationship for the next several months.”

Q: What’s the first step in the building process? JS: “These days, the process needs to begin with the bank. Get pre-approved and find out the pros and cons of loans being carried by you or your builder.”

Q: What’s your first question for a buyer?

JS: “The best place to start is your budget. If I know what their budget is, and they know what their budget is, then there’s never any more guess work and you don’t run into conflict that way.”

She said other factors include the size of the house, whether people have children or not, the need for bonus rooms and basements, and
furniture considerations.

“It’s really just getting a feel for the way people live, for what they do every day and what their interests are.”

Q: What timeline should
buyers expect in a custom building process?

JS: “After obtaining financing approval and choosing a lot, you’ll probably spend four to six weeks in the design phase of your house plans, and then you can expect five to six months of actual construction of the home.”

Q: Is it possible to make changes during the construction phase?

JS: “Absolutely. Changes are almost always made during construction of a custom home. The cost impact (added or deducted) is written on a change order signed by both homeowner and the builder. Changes with a large cost impact could be requested to be paid at the time of their installation.”

Q: How can a homebuyer be involved?

JS: “A homebuyer will be very involved day-to-day with details in a custom building situation. You will be making many decisions from the beginning, like the design of your floor plan as well as decisions on finishes, details and material choices until the project is completed.”

Q: Has the abundance of information on the Internet helped or hurt the process?

JS: Technology has changed customers’ expectations, she said. Customers have learned a lot, and their knowledge makes it easier to explain things.

“Most of what we’ve encountered, people have gone to the right sites and found good information.”

Q: What advice do you have for homebuyers considering a custom builder? 

JS: “Be prepared to be very involved and able to make decisions quickly. Your builder is building your custom dream home and wants you to be 110 percent satisfied!”

The buyer's perspective:

(Editor’s note: These responses were submitted by e-mail from both Rob and Robin Vocci.)

Q: How did you choose a homebuilder?

Voccis: “We were referred to Jennifer Strimple by our Realtor. After a get-acquainted meeting, Jennifer arranged for us to talk to some of her previous clients and look at several homes she had built. However, the reason we chose Jennifer was based on an immediate feeling of compatibility. We believed it was very important to feel comfortable with the person who would be building our home.

“We instantly sensed that she shared our vision of not only what type of house we wanted to build, but also how we wanted to experience the process of building our home. It was obvious that Jennifer loves her job, and she wanted to share that enjoyment and enthusiasm with us. We wanted a builder who would be a true partner with us throughout the entire process.”

Q: How were you involved in the site selection, construction style and home design?

V: “We chose our lot based on its convenient location. We then worked closely with both Jennifer and our architect, Brandon Echols of Interlandi and Associates, to design a home that met our needs and fit our lot’s unusual dimensions. We had face-to-face meetings often, and a lot of communication occurred by phone or e-mail. The design phase of the process was particularly enjoyable for us. We spent many hours looking over floor plans and imagining ourselves living in the home.”

Q: How did you stay involved throughout the building process?

V: “We met frequently with Jennifer at the job site to discuss the work in progress. We also visited many vendors to make the myriad product selections (including lighting,
appliances and flooring) required during the construction process.

“We exchanged many e-mails and phone calls over the course of the building process. Jennifer was always available whenever we had any questions or issues.”

Q: What advice do you have for homebuyers considering a custom builder?

V: “First, make sure you choose a builder you feel you can truly communicate with; then take the time to reach an understanding about how involved you as the homebuyer want to be with the process. If you want to be a fully participating partner in the building process, make sure your builder understands this and is comfortable with that level of involvement. Establishing this at the beginning will prevent future misunderstandings and disappointments. Communication is the key.

“Second, spend as much time as you can during the planning phase of the process before any actual building takes place. The additional time you take early on to think about what you really want and need from your new home will pay off in the long run by avoiding costly changes and delays.”

Q: What was the most difficult part of the building process? The best?

V: “The most difficult part of the process was making all the choices required in building a custom home. The level of detail involved could be overwhelming at times, but the end result of a true custom home was well worth the time commitment.

“The best part was seeing it all come together at the end — the actualization of what began as basically a list of wants and needs.”