Building a Modern Spec Home

I wanted to highlight a project that we completed a few years ago that did not fit our typical client profile. This is one of our very few speculative residential projects. Our client was a design savvy developer who had received a his Bachelor’s degree in Architecture from the University of Rice. At some point after graduating, he went into the family business (which was not in the field of architecture) and only came out to try his hand at developing modern residences after sensing that there were not many available to choose from located in neighborhoods that supported people in the upper mid-level income bracket.

I should write a post about the speculative builder market in the greater Dallas area – which is mostly quite terrible. A quick check online at the Dallas Real Estate Guide listed 62 custom residential builders (just on that site). These homes have generally been reduced down into byproducts based on formulaic spreadsheets of programming requirements and “available options”. In short, they all look alike with few exceptions. Some really great neighborhoods have seen great older, but smaller homes get torn down by these speculative residential builders, who then place a “for sale” sign in the now scrapped and empty lot. You want a home in this area? On this particular lot? You are going to have to hire me (the builder) to build it for you -

Speculative Builder: “Please, take your time and peruse this catalog of excellent floor plans….look at page 47, the “Tudor Renaissance Baroque plan #12b3″ is quite popular. We have already built 4 of those on this street if you want to look at one.”

Future Client: “Since this isn’t built yet, can we make some changes?”

Speculative Builder: “Of course you can, you can choose from these 3 brick colors.”

Future Client: “How long will construction take?”

Speculative Builder: “I can have it ready for you to move in next week!“

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Okay, so that’s a slight exaggeration (but probably only on how long it takes to build, the rest ahh..err… I’m sure is quite accurate). Yes, yes, – I know there are good speculative builders out there, I even know him. So before you send me a million emails complaining how unfair I am being, I’ll make you a deal: for every good speculative builder you throw at me, I will avalanche you with 100 that aren’t. But enough of that, back to this project.

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This developer sought to fill a few needs with taking on this project. He wanted to be a part of the design process – so a imaginary family was developed. This was to provide some guidance for room needs, square footage (both total and by individual room) and material palette. We had design meetings with the developer just like we have with every one of our other residential clients. We had the same conversations, reviewed multiple solutions, reviewed budget and construction schedule requirements. This developer hired additional consultants (interior design, lighting, landscape, etc.) to develop and address solutions on the front end rather than along the way. He would be acting as his own contractor and there are always learning curves when trying out anything based on realized practical events and results. Like most people who really want to learn about something, they get involved, read a book, and get dirty.

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From our end, this project, despite being speculative, was processed through our office just like every client based project. We went through programming, schematic and design development, produced a full set of construction drawings, and construction administration. In total, we have designed three projects for this developer and he has continued his evolution into a full time development and construction company. He has bid on several of our projects – which could have been weird since he was, and still is, a client. He has successfully been awarded a few projects although I think he has lost more – we don’t play favorites in this office.

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All images ©2010 CDS. Reproduction without permission strictly prohibited

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