Builder/Architect
Greater Rochester Edition

Woodstone Custom Homes, Inc.

Timelessly Appealing and Quality-First Custom Homes

By Scott Crane

George and Ira Gershwin collaborated on hundreds of songs that were popular hits in their day and have survived to become enduring classics to music fans several generations later. George, the musical genius, wrote timeless tunes, while Ira penned lyrical poetry to match the melodies. Together, they created a body of musical scores more powerful and enduring than just a tune or a stanza.

Brothers Jeff and Doug Smith use timber and stone, arranged with precision and skill, in their approach to the art of home building in much the same way. Their individual talents, when combined in the home building profession, produce more than mere houses, but timelessly classic homes in well-planned neighborhoods, enhanced by the natural beauty of the landscape.

Woodstone Custom Homes was established in 1978 with the brothers' collaboration on the construction of a single home that had to satisfy the most demanding customer they knew--Jeff. Jeff's home was an unqualified success in both design and execution. The brothers' diverse backgrounds and talents, when focused on home building, produced impressive results. Together, they identified an unmet demand for "quality-first" homes in the $300,000 to $700,000 price range and made that the core of their business. Within a decade, the Chamber of Commerce had voted them among the top 10 businesses in Monroe County.

Doug has over 30 years of custom home construction and finish carpentry experience. Jeff brought to the business his MBA, and acute analytical and financial experience gained while with a major research firm. Jeff's analytical background makes him a natural for working with buyers, from pre-planning through the execution of their plans. On site, Doug is there to manage construction details. The brothers have truly cooperative and complementary functions, yet completely understand each other's roles, Doug enjoys working in the field and sheepishly admits that it was several months before he saw the new Woodstone offices in Bushnell's Basin after a move. Jeff, adept at the business details of building and developing, confesses that he prefers the warmth of his office during the winter, but also keeps daily track of each house in progress. Their cell phones keep them in instant contact, but they are so attuned to each other and to their flow of business that information sometimes seems to be conveyed telepathically.

Jeff and Doug recognized early on that in order to succeed in the market niche that they sought, they had to maintain loyal and capable subcontractors and specialized craftsmen. Most have been building Woodstone homes since the company started, many work exclusively on Woodstone projects, and all have a deep understanding of quality expectations. Jeff and Doug see their relationship with contractors as a partnership, with a common goal of excellence. This emphasis on quality makes the job of marketing specialist Norma McMann much easier. She knows very well the value that is built into a Woodstone home because she has owned one herself for many years.

The majority of Woodstone's new homes fall within their traditional niche market of well-designed, larger-than-average homes of highest quality construction in the $300,000 to $500,000-plus range. Even in the high-end market, budgets are not unlimited and buyers seek the most house value for their investment. Woodstone has met the market challenge of competitive pricing by maintaining a very efficient operation with low overhead through computer pricing and scheduling, keeping in close contact with buyers, yet never compromising on materials or workmanship.

One of Woodstone's keys to success is that they have the financial strength to purchase and develop their own sites, allowing them to be totally involved in subdivision design, site planning, and land improvement. Recognizing that man and nature must co-exist, they were including dedicated green space in their developments long before recent zoning mandates, and creating neighborhoods where traditional, contemporary or Tudor-style homes can be totally compatible and complimentary. By developing their own sites, they also regulate the pace of home starts, so that their skilled craftsmen can move comfortably from one Woodstone project to the next, insuring consistent quality, while typically completing 10 to 15 residences per year.

An inviting neighborhood is made up of unique individual homes, and each Woodstone home is carefully planned with the buyer in mind. The process starts with Jeff, who describes his initial role as that of a consultant to the buyer. He assists the client in determining a realistic budget range, house size, lot location, features required, and other amenities desired in their "dream home." This all-important preplanning process develops parameters for the eventual design. Once ready for the architect, both builder and buyer have sorted out most details. Jeff and Doug have established such effective communication in 20 years of working with their architect, that once they describe the client's wish list in detail, the architect translates that list into drawings that will become the sinews of the buyer's "dream house," all fitted within the preset budget. This constructive preplanning process insures that there are neither disappointments nor surprises later. As the construction phase proceeds, Woodstone provides continued client support through the use of a professional interior decorator to help coordinate all selections in the house. Professional assistance throughout the home building experience makes for a seamless production process.

The majority of Woodstone homes are built on contract, but their goal is to maintain a model home to showcase available products and help buyers to envision design options. The difficulty, according to Jeff, is to hang onto the models. No sooner have they finished a model than an impatient buyer falls in love with it. These brothers surely know what sells! After discussing specifications and needs with dozens of prospective home buyers each year, Jeff has an excellent grasp of demographic trends and is constantly assessing and reevaluating the market. He has identified essential and non-essential amenities and can help a buyer make an analysis of investment versus return in value. Jeff encourages buyers not to compromise on quality of permanent built-ins like windows, kitchen cabinets and fixtures. He advises that finishing touches like a "focal point" light fixture or hardwood floors can easily be added later on.

Woodstone's traditional market has been single-family homes in the southeast suburban towns including Pittsford, Perinton, Victor and Mendon. Woodstone developments include Pond View, Autumn Ridge South, Barony Woods, Hidden Oaks, Oakbrook, Lancashire Hills and Autumn Ridge, the first subdivision to conform to Pittsford's 50 percent green space requirement, with 33 acres of dedicated green space, including hiking trails for the 33 homes. Current plans include a new subdivision in the Town of Pittsford, with over 100 home sites on 165 acres.

Recently, Woodstone has ventured into luxury townhomes and patio-style homes at Hedges Lakeside Villas. These amenity filled smaller homes are part of a community that offers a clubhouse, tennis courts and swimming pool, and are a response to today's changing lifestyles. These homes, as well as their smaller homes in the Smethwick Court section of Lancashire Hills, have proven to be so successful that Woodstone expects to adapt the design concepts to a portion of their new Pittsford development. They foresee an increasing demand for smaller luxury suburban homes for empty nesters who want less maintenance and the freedom to take extended vacations. These homes on smaller lots will sell from the mid-to-high $200,000 range and complement the balance of the development, which includes Woodstone's larger, more traditional homes.

If this growing market entails fine-tuning of designs, it does not change Woodstone's high level of quality and use of the latest technology. This includes regular use of efficient and convenient gas fireplaces, energy-wise high-efficiency zoned heating, and category 5 wiring for integrated telephone/ cable/alarm systems. Many components of Woodstone homes are built using engineered lumber, often more expensive, but superior in structural strength and stability, and some homes have state-of-the-art automated lighting systems that

adjust all lights at the push of one button. Woodstone also recognizes the importance of building in future capability and often will return several years later to complete preplanned project phases such as a lower-level family room or state-of the-art home theater. The same contractors and suppliers are used on the million-dollar homes as well as the smaller homes. The size of the home and the level of detailing are the variables, but the quality of materials and workmanship of Woodstone Homes is always superior, no matter what the price of the home.

The Rochester area has many fine builders and very high standards for custom homes, but Jeff and Doug Smith have set the bar very high. Hundreds of dream homes have been made to come true under their sharp eyes and adept hands. Like the Gershwins' "Rhapsody in Blue," the Woodstone homes of today are destined to become the distinguished classics of the next generation.

For Further information, call Woodstone Custom Homes at (585) 586-0953.

"As homeowners with little building experience, we appreciate that you and every contractor took the time to listen and create exactly what we had in mind. The pride each has in his workmanship is truly apparent and makes us feel that you cared as much about the finished product as we did. Your tremendous patience and constant cheerfulness brought us through to a beautiful end result. We are very proud of our Woodstone home, and you should be too!"

-Karen and Wayne Parry