Did you know that Bost Homes is a member builder of the invitation only National Custom Builder’s Council? This group comprises some of the most effective, innovative, and quality-oriented builders from non-competing markets throughout the country, offering its members an opportunity to share openly and learn from each other’s experiences. The NCBC Leadership Team, or company owners, meets annually in alternating member markets allowing each member builder to show the Council their homes and the unique challenges and opportunities that they face. Every 3 years the NCBC holds a meeting that’s opened up to company team members, spurring greater synergy between various job capacities within the custom home building process.

The San Diego coast near Ocean Beach.

This year’s meeting was of the latter type, so Jim Sherman, our most experienced Project Manager, and I, our newest hire, were able to accompany Rex and Brenda for the experience. The conference took place from Oct. 2nd – 5th in downtown San Diego where we spent 3 days diving into specific topics of discussion and presentations ranging from building science and estimating to digital marketing. The building firms in the council vary in size, experience, technology utilization, and general processes, making these meetings highly resourceful toward discovering a range of new techniques and methodologies.

A notable presentation was given by the team at Beck Building Company out of Vail, CO., on the subject of estimating best practices and compiling accurate budgets even in the face of highly complex projects with many moving parts. We want to send a huge thank you to Andy Beck and his team for not only offering tremendous insight but for moderating the three days of meetings as well. Andy and his team truly exude excellence.

Another informative presentation was provided by California Consultants on the overall subject of building science encompassing water infiltration, building envelope, energy conservation design, and rapidly evolving building codes as we move toward a more sustainable future. I must say this presentation was a perfect warm up for my HERS (Home Energy Rating System) certification course which I tackled the week following our return.

I provided the final presentation on the subject of utilizing digital marketing. Many NCBC members were interested in improving their day to day marketing efforts on the web and I was happy to share my knowledge and experience.

Hill Construction Company, a luxury builder and member of the NCBC, was our host in San Diego, thus we spent the second half of Tuesday touring some of their projects from Coronado to La Jolla. It’s always interesting to see how homes are built 3,000 miles away in a completely different climate (and in a market where $1,500 per sq. ft. is not unreasonable). We want to thank Ryan Hill for hosting our group and showing us warm Californian hospitality.

The Superintendent of an ultra modern home being built by Hill Construction on Coronado explains a detail of the specifications to Rex and me.

Jim (left) and Randy Kurtz of Kurtz Homes in Naples chatting while exploring the first home on our tour.

Check out this idea: Between your master bedroom and your home office, an opening to the sky with an aromatic eucalyptus tree stretching toward the sun. Now that’s a peaceful commute to work!

On the second floor, an opening in the ceiling with a planter box below will house a living tree upon completion. The Nana Wall behind it, which is part glass wall part pocket door, can open completely blurring the boundary between indoors and out.

In total there were about 40 folks present at this year’s conference. We all thoroughly enjoyed getting to know each other, sharing industry insights, and cutting loose a bit at the end of each day. The dinners were off the charts delicious and fellowship was warmly flowing from dawn till dusk. We are extremely grateful to be included in such an empowering group of fellow builders and friends from around the country and we highly anticipate next year’s meeting!

Rex and Brenda on the home tour provided by Hill Construction Company.

As a total aside, I am super grateful that I was able to join the team on this trip, which was my first trip to California. I flew in two days early to visit some old friends and soak in the Californian lifestyle, including jumping off a rock platform into the Pacific!

A group of college students jumping into the Pacific at Sunset Cliffs. I had no choice but to join in on the fun.