Pearce Construction
Its All in the Details
by Danielle D'Adamo
Whoever said no one gets it right the first time never met Dave Pearce. With 33 years of custom building experience and 24 years as business owner, Pearce has made his mark on the industry by producing quality homes at a reasonable price. Locally owned, Pearce Construction targets upscale luxury buyers in the Reno Metropolitan area. "I grew up in the construction industry," says Pearce. "It's really all I know."
A veteran of the industry since 1979, Pearce began as a carpenter in Santa Rosa, Calif., building custom homes with a well-known builder. A few years later, he joined the company as a partner. Later, he took it over and moved the company to Reno, Nev. "We found a niche here and started something that was a little different than most custom builders," he says. "We have a real flair for designer assistance."
Pearce found that many clients needed assistance in the design selection process and decided to bring in a full team of designers to give his company a competitive edge. These qualified designers have full working knowledge of scheduling and of the construction industry to help buyers with selections and interior decor such as cabinets and lighting and plumbing fixtures.
"It's a perfect blend," Pearce explains. "Quite honestly, I couldn't imagine any custom home built now without the assistance of a designer who fully understands the construction process."
Redefining Customer Satisfaction
For Dave Pearce, it's not enough to offer a beautifully designed and custom built home. He goes a step further in guaranteeing a seamless process of communication between the architects, designers and the customer. Pearce is known for staying within budget and working closely with home buyers every step of the way, demanding the process to be as client-centered as possible and assuring the highest level of quality, service and personal attention.
"It's the level of detail that truly makes us stand out," Pearce says. "The buyer knows that they can pretty much get whatever they ask for from any builder, but they know we don't cut corners on items that they can't see."
From the initial meeting to the final walkthrough of a new home, Pearce Construction goes above and beyond in caring for their customers. When a home nears completion, Pearce sends a superintendent to inspect the details to the same level as the designers. The designer and superintendent visit each other's job site to cross-reference the other.
Whereas some builders sacrifice quality, Pearce uses copper materials and high-end window products. All framing materials are engineered products, so the moisture content is already predetermined. "We do a lot of things in the homes that builders wouldn't even consider," he says, "such as soft water systems, hot water circulation systems, high recovery water systems, and low-e glass all comes standard."
Currently, Pearce Construction builds in five communities but primarily works in Montro, Nev. With 80 to 90 percent of homes sold in 2007, Pearce expects to close 10 homes this year. "That's our niche," he explains, "we're the go-to builder in there. Our clients are designing their dream homes and putting everything they have into it. That's where we come in."
Pushing Through Hard Times
Unlike many builders who are greatly affected by today's market conditions, Pearce says he didn't even realize there was a building recession until seeing that his competitors were slow to build. Pearce continued to start new jobs and remain busy. "The homes we do take 16 to 24 months to complete," he says, "and during 2005, we had so many new contracts that we didn't slow down. We're still just finishing homes we started on before the housing situation changed."
Pearce implemented specific marketing strategies that were put into play in early 2000. He targeted architects at Lake Tahoe, handled the marketing internally and began seeing two or three jobs trickle in at a time. Pearce also remained steadfast on not dropping the home price. "Our percentage markup is exactly the same as it's always been. We're not lowering at all."
Another strategy that kept Pearce afloat during the slow market was to clear all his debt. "The one thing I learned many years ago is to always plan for a rainy day. During 2003 and 2005, we were in a position to pay everything off so we didn't have any interest carried on the land."
Pearce bought a building and paid cash for it, so there is no mortgage to worry about. He was able to borrow money from the bank when he didn't necessarily need it and set it aside in lines of credit. By planning ahead four years ago, today he is in a very strong cash position.
"That's the one thing I focused on over the last 10 years," Pearce says. "I made a point to reduce my debt. These building booms don't last forever, so when they do slow down, you can't be in a position where you're sitting on a product and paying huge interest."
Great Expectations
Although Pearce currently builds in the Reno area, he is looking to the future for opportunities to expand to Lake Tahoe. "That will long be a desired area for families to move to with the ongoing changes taking place in larger cities. We can only hope that the recent changes in the building industry become more stable and we don't see the double and triple digits of inflation come back again."
Staying true to his word, the company has been busy starting a new subdivision called Maison at Montreux. Exemplifying high-end luxury, a predominate number of the homes are designed in a French-European style architecture and priced at over $2 million. The community's exterior elevations will have a couture-country style with pitched stone roofs. Pearce also boasts using a lot of concrete and copper.
"We are extremely excited about this new development," says Pearce. "We expect to see a few reservations by the end of the year, but we're not counting on it. Because people want to feel, see and touch, they're waiting for the grand opening in spring of 2009."
?With a new community in the works and 16 years of custom building experience, Pearce Construction has certainly earned its reputation for integrity, fair pricing and a dedication to excellence.
Danielle D'Adamo is Assistant Editor of Nevada HB Magazine.
- Corporate Office: Reno, Nevada
- Market: Nevada, Lake Tahoe and California
- Homes per Year: Six to 10 homes built each year??Price -Range: $2 to $5 million
- Founded: 1984??What home buyers should know: Our interior selection and design department is second to none. We assist our customers in the design construction and occupancy of the custom home of their dreams. We commit to providing personal service to meet and exceed your expectations for both product and process.
- What trade contractors should know: We strive to develop relationships with our trade contractors and consider them partners in all the work we do together.
- Why you stand out: Our staff has been trained to efficiently complete every detail that comes across their desks in a timely manner.
