From the start, home building was more than a business to McStain; it was a passion fueled by deeply held beliefs. They believed, for instance, that they could build a better world by rethinking the very nature of community. They could create places where people feel more of a connection to each other and to the natural environment. They could create places where enduring value is more important than conspicuous consumption. Not just places where people live, but where their lives become richer.
This is their way of thinking. It’s what makes a better, more valuable home for you.
And it’s what makes their neighborhoods so … McStain.
Smart means it’s good for everybody… including Mother Nature.
Mc Stain has discovered an amazing synergy: environmentally-conscious building practices work together to create stronger, healthier, more energy-efficient homes. What’s good for the earth is also good for people. They’re using engineered wood products made from wood scraps. They’re using innovative building products made from recycled paper and plastic. And they’re helping to recycle land, too that are breathing new life into outdated and abandoned properties. Recycled products save trees and make better homes. Recycled land saves open space and provides an intelligent alternative to suburban sprawl. It all just makes sense.
The typical approach to neighborhood planning is to start with the number of homes you want to build and then alter the land (via earthmover) to accommodate all those homesites. But they begin with the land itself. They spend hours walking it, becoming familiar with its contours and points of interest. Their goals are to celebrate its special features, maximize open space and preserve view corridors. They consider who will live there and what they’ll want to see when they look out their windows. By letting the land dictate the character of the neighborhood, they allow each neighborhood to develop its own unique identity.
Beauty is in the details.
Chances are your favorite neighborhood is an older neighborhood, created when home building was more art than science. Sadly, many new neighborhoods suffer from what might be described as a lack of interest in the finer details.
At McStain, they understand follow-through. If they’re building a Craftsman Bungalow, you can be sure that the details will be true to the architectural tradition. And that it will look like a Craftsman Bungalow from the back and the sides as well as the front. They give a lot of thought to every level of your neighborhood experience—from its overall cultural context right down to the choice of door knobs. And they won’t even tell you how much time we spend fussing over the colors……
Check out McStain’s website. You’ll be impressed with them as a company from top to bottom.
