Our Unique Approach
What we do is not nearly as important as how we do it. You may have heard stories of homeowners in conflict with their builders. Instead, we have created a "Team vs. Project" approach. The team consists of the client, the architect/designer, and Michaelson Homes. This synergy allows us to utilize all of the team strengths and enables us to work efficiently together, keeping the focus on the project, and eliminating internal conflict.
You Want the Best Results and the Best Value
We take time to get to know you, and to understand your unique project requirements. In this way, we can provide the best return on your investment. We believe that at Michaelson Homes we have the best professionals in the homebuilding business, from rough carpentry and handcrafted cabinetry to our subcontractors and finishers. No matter what phase of the project, we bring the best professionals in the Cincinnati area together for our clients. Internally it starts with our own core team. Read through all of our Team bios for more on the Michaelson Homes Family and see our Trusted Resources page for all of the subcontractors and vendors with whom we're proud to work.
"Marc, I wanted to send you a note to express our extreme satisfaction with the recent renovation. Kelly has specific tastes and I appreciate the hard work you did to provide alternative selections that we love and kept us in budget. Our home now is exactly what we wanted and we feel like we got a great value. Thanks so much."
- C. Bronston McCord
Everything is Custom and That Takes Commitment
We frequently tell our clients "you will never see this in another house" and that translates from room designs down to specific trim details. Our team approaches every project with the mentality that every homeowner deserves our absolute best thinking, not cookie-cutter solutions that make our jobs easier. Renovations, in particular, are filled with unseen challenges and require adaptability. That's why it's critical that our staff is highly skilled and has a commitment to providing detailed professional expertise. Every day on every one of our jobs, our team is solving problems and making sure that clients know their satisfaction is our #1 priority. Take a look through our Gallery to see some of our favorite projects. For each one, our team could most likely share a story, challenge or specific need to go along with it.
"Marc & Team - We can not thank you enough for making our house so uniquely us. Every nook and cranny was thought about - from the trim details to the custom vanity and pantry, down to the adorable slide in our daughter's room. I'm sure another builder would have never gone to this level of detail with us. It was important to us that we respected our home's age, while putting our own stamp on it and your entire team was right alongside us, coming up with ideas. We truly feel like we built this house. Even though it's nearly 100 years old, it's ours."
- Catherine & Casey Basil
No Surprises, Ever
Surprises are fun for birthdays, but not for complex, large-scale home-building projects. Having learned from years of experience, Michaelson Homes has created a project management system that helps eliminate the surprise factor for our team and our clients. Our process is built around weekly face-to-face meetings supported by an online project management tool. For us, the project management system helps track updates, timelines, items that need to be ordered and generally keeps our machine running smoothly. For clients, the face-to-face meetings provide opportunities for discussion, decision-making and questions. Our online tool gives clients anytime access to each project selection, from the ordering process through installation, and provides communication at every point along the way.
Our online tool is also the storage area for financial updates. Monthly draw requests are posted to each client's secure project area and email notifications are sent. Although clients appreciate the project management aspect of the system, it's our financial accountability that is much more important. Prior to commencing a project, an estimated, detailed budget is shared and discussed. Michaelson Homes establishes a fixed fee based on a percentage of the project with the fee varying based on the degree of difficulty and the time involved. Above that the customer pays the invoiced amount from our subcontractors or vendors and the applicable rates for our in-house staff. Clients receive a draw request that shows the line items from the agreed-to estimate. Each line item will have an amount incurred for that month. Included in the draw request is an actual invoice for each of the pertinent line items. The invoice shows what has been paid for that category. No surprises, 100% transparency. We feel that it's the best way to understand the impact of decisions and make sure we give our clients the accountability they deserve.
"Michaelson Homes added a room onto the second floor onto our nearly 100-year-old house. Although the project was done in the depth of winter and involved demolishing part of the exterior and interior walls, I worked daily from a home office in the attic above the work area. We also continued to use the kitchen immediately below the addition throughout the project. Marc and his crew kept their workspace clean and safe (our children were still preschoolers at the time), kept us well-informed, and were responsive, reliable, and courteous."
- Jim Bolin
