Searching for homes in Colorado Springs can be a bit overwhelming. We’re a growing city with so many options. Handcrafted Home Mortgage is here to make it easier! You may have seen our Neighborhood Spotlights, but we’ll also be giving you “Builder Spotlights”, to help you explore all of the new home builders here in Colorado Springs.
This Builder Spotlight is about SAINT AUBYN HOMES. Saint Aubyn homes have been built in several different neighborhoods, including Lorson Ranch, Meridian Ranch and Star Ranch. We visited St. Aubyn’s model home in Lorson Ranch, and spoke to the community manager, Mark Ewell. We wanted to get a feel for Saint Aubyn homes and what they are all about. Here is what we discovered!
HHM: I am here with Mark Ewell- he is the community manager here at Saint Aubyn homes in Lorson Ranch. I just have a few questions to ask him today. Hey Mark, what sets your company apart? And what makes you guys special?
Mark: Thanks for asking. When Jared St. Aubyn started the company, he did it with the intent of building a home that had in it the included features he felt people really wanted. He used to work for a builder that built a very basic house- and he believed he could build a home that had in it all of the stuff that people really wanted. The whole purpose of the company was to build a home with a lot of included features that a lot of builders charge extra for. So that’s what sets us apart- a great home with a great value, with all of the things you really want.
HHM: How many years have you been in business? How many homes have you built?
Mark: We’re the largest private builder in Colorado- we celebrate our ten year anniversary later this year in September. We have built over 1,000 homes here in Colorado Springs, and over 6,000 homes across Colorado. So we are not a new builder- we’ve been around for a little while.
HHM: What are the energy saving features of the homes that you build?
Mark: We’ve recently upgraded to include 93% efficient furnaces, as well as more efficient water heaters in all of our homes. We do a Tyvek home wrap, 2x6 exterior construction and we do extra insulation in all of our walls. Of course, double-paned and insulated windows. The homes are now so tight, in terms of the way they’re built, that we now have to add an additional fan to circulate fresh air in from the outside in order to keep the air inside fresh. That is how tight they are in terms of energy efficiency.
HHM: On average, how long does it take to build a home?
Mark: I’m going to give you a two-part answer to that question. If you came in and said you want to build a home that hasn’t been started yet and you want to pick your own lot to start from scratch- we’re running 4-5 months on something like that. I typically do have homes either in progress already where you can get in and choose almost everything or choose some features and colors. We almost always have spec inventory available, where you can come in and do a 30 day close, as well.
HHM: What does the inspection process look like for key times in the construction process?
Mark: There’s a few different layers to that. The first one, of course, is the Pikes Peak Regional Building Department. They come in and do inspections throughout the process at several different stages to make sure that the home meets code and that we’re building it in the way we promise to build it. In terms of our process, in addition to being prepared for those, we have two major quality control points during the process. The first one is after the major construction of the home is finished before drywall starts. We go through and do a 30 to 40 point inspection on several different items to make sure that they’re all done correctly. Then, after drywall goes up and the rest of the interior of the house has been done, we do an additional management walkthrough where the manager inspects the home to make sure that it meets St. Aubyn’s quality standards. In terms of buyers, we do two formal walkthroughs on the home. The first one is about a week out before closing. You’ll come in and inspect your finished home and walk through with one of our superintendents. That’s when the blue tape goes up- they go through and put blue tape on items that need to be done. Then after we’ve taken care of those items, before closing, we go back through to check that we did everything and sign off on final completion of the house. If you’re building a home, you can come out and see it anytime. A few buyers do select an outside home inspector- that is an option as well. Not very many people do, because of our warranty program. But that is an option as well.
HHM: How many different floorplans do you offer?
Mark: We have over 15 different floorplans. We have two-story and ranch plans. Most of our ranch plans do come with a finished basement- one of them is built on a crawlspace. We have two-story plans with either unfinished basements or finished basements as an option. There are also some of our more entry-level options that are available on a crawlspace. The buyer can choose colors, finishes and features along the way.
It was a pleasure speaking with Mark Ewell, and we are definitely impressed with Saint Aubyn homes! Their model home in Lorson Ranch is stunning and worth taking a peek. Stop by and give Mark a shoutout!
If you want to build a home and need help with the process, please start by reaching out to us at Handcrafted Home Mortgage. That is what we are here for! We will get you pre-qualified and help you along the way with the building process.
