What Builders Taught Us This Year: Our Top 10 'Builder in 5' Quotes
Story at a Glance:
- Over the past year, our Builder in 5 Q&As asked some of the country's leading custom home builders and designers about process, philosophy, and hard-won lessons.
- We've gathered 10 remarks that stayed with us, capturing what it takes to build successfully in today's increasingly complex housing landscape
- Each highlighted reply links to the full Q&A for more on the builder behind the quote.
Over the past year, we've asked some of the country's leading custom home builders and designers about their process, philosophy, and hard-won lessons.
We've gathered 10 remarks that stayed with us, capturing what it takes to build successfully in today's increasingly complex housing landscape. Each links to the full Q&A for more on the builder behind the quote.
1. On Leadership & Trust
“You gain trust with clients—and get better results from your team—when you’re willing to admit what you don’t know.”
— Michael Sauri, TriVistaUSA Design + Build, Arlington, Va.
This is a lesson Sauri learned early on, when a big job went sideways and forced him to lay off most of his team. Sauri says he had been operating as if he needed to know everything himself.
The decision he made coming out of that was to "embrace my ignorance, get curious, and ask for help." Since then, he says, he's been much more comfortable seeking out the right expertise. Read more in Sauri's Builder in 5 Q&A.
2. On Innovation
“Most American houses are still built with the same basic materials and methods used in George Washington’s day..."
— Sam Fertik, Carbon Custom Builders, Pound Ridge, N.Y.
Coming from outside construction may explain why Fertik questions industry norms.
He describes his team as "students of building" continuously working to master new methods and contemporary construction practices. And it's a mindset he believes more of the industry needs to adopt.
His homes are built with a concrete core and steel framing, with a goal of making the complete structure more resilient and a smarter solution for areas facing wildfires, hurricanes, or earthquakes.
Hear more from Fertik in his Builder in 5 Q&A.
3. On Craft vs. Technology
“The more advanced the tools become, the more valuable the human touch feels.”
— Margie Lavender, Kligerman Architecture & Design, New York City
Lavender was our first Builder in 5 with an architect. Her Manhattan firm is known for their residential work that reinterprets tradition with modern detail.
And While Lavender says the future of custom residential design lies in integration between technology and craft, she calls out the growing appreciation for the handmade.
The next generation of luxury homes will be places where innovation enhances, rather than replaces, the poetic aspects of daily life, she says.
Read the full Q&A with Lavender.
4. On Going Full Service
“Bringing all services under one roof only works if you’re as committed to running a great business as you are to building great homes.”
— Frankel Design Build, Houston
Second-generation builders and brothers Scott and Kevin Frankel say it's a big responsibility to manage all key services in house, from land acquisition to architecture, construction, interior design, and ongoing home care.
But it's also their biggest advantage. While it requires a heavy investment in team building, culture, and processes, the benefit is that it eliminates hand-offs, miscommunication, and competing priorities that can slow down or compromise a project, they say.
Hear more from the Frankels in their Builder in 5 Q&A.
5. On Business Fundamentals
“Many great builders struggle not because of craftsmanship, but because of poor business structure.”
— Danny Spears, Captex Construction, Austin, Texas
This theme surfaced repeatedly across interviews. Talent alone isn't the issue. Spears says firms need more than construction expertise, they also need solid business fundamentals: budgeting, contracts, risk management, and client communication.
Focus on building a reputation before a brand, prioritizing quality, reliability, and transparency, even if it means slower growth. Spears says.
Read more in our Builder in 5 Q&A with Spears.
6. On Spec Strategies
“Market values change from street to street, and often on different sections of the same street as well.”
— Clay Wooten, Wooten Built, Winter Park, Fla.
Wooten knows spec homes. A sale of his spec home last spring broke Metro Orlando's price record.
He notes that a common mistake others make is building in markets they're unfamiliar with and misjudging budgets: either under-investing, which fails to meet buyer expectations, or over-investing, which eats into margins.
Hear more from Wooten in his Builder in 5 interview.
7. On Designing for the Market
“Getting too caught up in your own tastes versus what the target market wants can be self-defeating.”
—Clay Wooten, Wooten Built, Winter Park, Fla.
Another gem from Wooten. But don't take it as criticism against a focus on design. Wooten says he works closely with architects and designers to make sure each home has its own kind of beauty, often focusing on creative colors and finishes. But it's done by catering to the market rather than his own aesthetic.
The payoff, he says, has been excellent. Read more in Wooten's Builder in 5 Q&A.
8. On Prep Work
“Preconstruction is where everything is won or lost.”
— Sherwin Loudermilk, Loudermilk Homes, Atlanta
Most builders skip over preconstruction too quickly, eager to break ground. But they haven’t done the work to set the project up for success, Loudermilk says.
Preconstruction is where you align the client's vision with a realistic budget, instead of designing something beautiful only to find out later it’s well over what they planned for. That sort of backtracking is what costs time, money, and morale, Loudermilk says. See more of what this IBM exec turned custom builder had to say in his Builder in 5 Q&A.
9. On Quality vs. Innovation
“Never compromise on quality while trying to push the envelope.”
— Mads Jepsen, Scandic Builders, Baking Ridge, N.J.
Jepsen founded his firm in 2000, with a focus on environmental impact, integrating renewables, recycled materials, and low-impact systems from the start of every project.
He says his approach balances innovation with careful product vetting and value engineering, ensuring clients get the best possible performance without sacrificing quality for the sake of something new.
Hear more from Jepsen in his Builder in 5 interview with us.
10. On Ethics
“When you build with integrity and the right methods ... that lets you rest easy at night.”
— Brandon Edwards, Element Construction, Bluffton, S.C.
Brandon Edwards serves a global clientele ranging from second or third homeowners to retired couples building their forever homes, to families investing in vacation compounds.
For Edwards, a focus on building with integrity and the right methods isn't just about exceeding client expectations. He says it's about creating a legacy of quality that lets you rest easy at night. Every decision, from material selection to construction technique, must be made with the utmost care.
Hear more in our Builder in 5 Q&A with Edwards.
Taken together, these 10 remarks can serve as useful points of reference as you plan for 2026. Catch up on our entire Builder in 5 series.
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About the Author
Pauline Hammerbeck
Pauline Hammerbeck is the editor of Custom Builder, the leading business media brand for custom builders and their architectural and design partners. She also serves as a senior editor for Pro Builder, where she directs products coverage and the brand's MVP Product Awards. With experience across the built environment - in architecture, real estate, retail, and design - Pauline brings a broad perspective to her work. Reach her at [email protected].