Design details and personalized options can make all the difference and help a builder stand out from the crowd.
As the housing market continues to swell, so does the competitive landscape. New developments can contain several competing builders in a few small blocks. This makes differentiating each home a critical task. Design details and personalized options can make all the difference and help a builder stand out from the crowd.
Using fire as a design feature
Boulder Creek Neighborhoods is a trendsetter in the Denver, Colorado, area. Often first to market with new and innovative products, the company is constantly looking for cutting-edge ways to distinguish its homes. At the International Builders’ Show (IBS) in 2012, Purchasing and Supply Chain Director Mike DiGiovanni saw the Heat & Glo REVO gas fireplace series and was instantly intrigued—the same type of reaction he aims to provide his prospective homebuyers.
So what exactly did Mike, a seasoned homebuilding professional, see? A 7-inch deep modern fireplace that can hang on the wall—and an opportunity to create a bold design statement in Boulder Creek’s homes. The REVO Series includes square, vertical, or horizontal models. All three models can hang on the wall, saving space and eliminating the need for a costly chase.
The Heat & Glo REVO stopped Mike in his tracks, and that got him excited. “I saw the REVO as a great addition to our Stapleton community,” he said. “It could expand our fireplace product breadth and be an ideal up-sell option for our smaller floor plans.”
Kevin Kraich of Rio Grande Co., Boulder Creek’s building materials distributor, was also with Mike in the Heat & Glo booth at IBS. He knew the modern design of the REVO series was appealing, but he also saw value in its simplicity. “For how quick these homes are going up, it’s really important for me to offer a simplified system for builders,” he said. “Since the REVO series doesn’t require any framing, it can be a late addition to plans…It’s actually full of options, but is quite simple to quote, plan, and install.”
Making an impact with homebuyers
The first REVO prototype shipped straight from Heat & Glo to Boulder Creek’s Stapleton community. To date, nearly 60 percent of the homes in Stapleton have an upgraded fireplace from Heat & Glo, with about half of those homebuyers opting for a REVO.
“The REVO is making a tremendous impact for prospective clients,” Mike shared. “Even if the homebuyers don’t select a REVO for their home, it really helps drive the conversation, and serves as affirmation for what we try to offer [personalization] here at Boulder Creek.”
The bottom line
Turning obstacles into opportunities is how businesses succeed. For Boulder Creek Neighborhoods, boosting its fireplace program breadth helped differentiate its homes from the competition. The company was able to provide more value to homebuyers, and bring more revenue into the business. It’s a winning combination on display in the new Stapleton community—and on fire with homebuyers.
For more information on the REVO Series, or to see the entire lineup of Heat & Glo fireplaces, visit www.heatnglo.com/TheRevo.
