Building the Foundation for Continued Success

Customizing the best design options while building lasting relationships

In today’s construction market building a home and quickly moving on to the next project has become the status quo. Prioritizing profit above building long-term client relationships has also tipped the scales as the preferred way of doing business for many design-build and new construction companies.

C&M builders take the opposite view. They are dedicated to building long-lasting client relationships and investing in long-term relationships with contractors, which provides the cement on the foundation of this custom home construction company.

A locally owned home-building company celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, C&M Home Builders has also built a reputation as one of the leading custom home builders in the Eau Claire Area in West Central Wisconsin. Possessing expertise in what types of homes clients are looking for in this beautiful part of the state, C&M Home Builders has achieved long-term success spanning over two decades. With a focus on sustainability and open dialogue with its clients, C&M Home Builders has perfected its craft.

Listening to what its clients want and meticulously ensuring that every aspect of the client vision comes to life through superior craftsmanship and an experienced and committed team has propelled C&M Builders to the leading position it enjoys today in a highly competitive sector.

“We try to hit pretty much every demographic and every price point,” Filipczak adds.

“We have always prided ourselves on that. We can build multi-million dollar houses or some $270,000+ twin homes with the same exacting quality and energy efficient practices.”

A Sustainable Route towards home comfort

Filipczak acknowledges that always producing the same quality projects with the same advantages when it comes to sustainability represents a “better way of building.”

When it comes to providing green features Filipczak notes that “We try to focus on the things that don’t add a lot of money to the build, but are very efficient things to do, or just practices that make the house better and more comfortable.”

Although costly additions a few years ago, Filipczak relays that the prices have lowered somewhat and are therefore worked into the budgetary outlines of C&M Home Builder’s designs.

C&M Home Builders use FOCUS ON ENERGY® testing and certifications to achieve their energy-efficient goals. “Every single house built for the last 10 years we have had a focus on the energy program. We don’t build a house without putting it in. Every single house gets tested and certified so they can catch if there is any human error or mistakes- ENERGY STAR can catch anything like that,” Filipczak reveals.

The ability to detect any air leakage or where a house may be facing issues is covered under their energy program focus leaving the client with peace of mind and freeing up time to devote to the design elements best suited to them.

“This is what we have done for years and it has taught us how to build better and stronger homes,” Filipczak states.

Above any sustainability focus, however, Filipczak emphasizes the company’s primary goal which he articulates succinctly.

“Our focus is on comfort. Comfort is just as important as efficiency and a lot of the time the two go hand in hand.”

Constructing long-lasting relationships

While in the same boat as other local home-building companies across the country post-COVID, C&M Home Builders weathered the supply chain woes and sky-high cost of materials very well as others struggled and continued to regain their footing.

As Filipczak recalls, the company’s long-term relationships with third-party contractors and its focus on maintaining strong relationships with clients that last beyond the construction of their homes have propelled C&M Home Builders into an advantageous position.

“We have so many contractors we have been working with for years,” he says. “ I think of my electricians who have been with us for over 20 years since the first house I built. They are our core guys and they know our product and we know and trust them 100% on everything.”

This example illustrates, Filipczak points out, the importance of fostering and nurturing long-term relationships that provide stability even during a down market or through unexpected events.

“One way we have achieved that [loyalty] is that we have always paid them on time, if not early and they never have to worry about getting a paycheck from us or invoice and this goes a long way,” Filipczak describes.

Most of our contractors will tell you that we are best at paying our bills on time, or early and this is something that I have always stressed.”

“We have these relationships where we look out for our clients too,” he adds. Filipczak reflects and points to an example to help showcase C&M Home Builder’s relationship business model.

“I recently spoke with a couple who are purchasing a home from one of our developments—after we had already built two custom homes for them over the years. Their first home was one of our early custom builds, then we built for them again a few years later, and now, as they downsize, they’re coming back to us. Stories like that remind me why we do what we do.” he offers.

Not only has a focus on maintaining client interaction paid off for C&M Home building when it comes to their stellar reputation, but it has, Filipczak notes, led to “ A ton of second and third, fourth builds over the years.”

Structured to build a stronger future

C&M Home Builders maintains its top position in the local market in large part due to its employees equipped with expertise and deep-rooted home-building experience in the local market and C&M Home Builders is set to add to its staff roster.

“We have three designers on staff to design for us and they meet every client which is such a benefit to our customers because it is not up to them to go do all the different suppliers or manufacturers and figure out what is needed- someone is helping them.”

“We can take the client’s vision and fonts and show them exactly where we can find that same product or maybe something that is more affordable and has the same look,” Filipczak details.

The staff also use software to help streamline and increase overall efficiency in the home-building process.

“It enables us to track everything, and order it for you which is huge.”

Training the next generation of home builders

Filipczak is the first to acknowledge the realities of the current shortages in skilled trades labor. Anticipating a shortfall of young professionals entering the field has led C&M Home Builders to reach out to local high schools and colleges to recruit potential talent.

“We go to the Chippewa Valley Technical College and the high schools and we have a good relationship with them.”

“We try to get kids straight out of high school and we have done the youth apprenticeship program for years and are trying to bring kids in through that.”

Beyond these direct links to potential local future trades professionals, C&M Home Builders have formed a foundation to help foster the growth of skilled trades in their local communities.

“Our foundation offers quite a few scholarships every year, not just for the building program but just in general because it is such a good and affordable solution to college for a lot of people and then getting people into these jobs that we so desperately need them to go into,” Filipczak states.

Building a productive future

When asked what the one piece of advice Filipczak has received over the years that he could pass down to the next generation of home builders and equally apply to his thriving business, he is quick to answer.

“The biggest piece of advice I learned is just to never stop learning, never stop trying to be better and I use that motto a lot in my business.”

The proof is in the end custom home product and Filipczak states it well.

“We do a good job and I know that our employees do a great job but we are always pushing them to be better and think of different ways to do things and come up with solutions to problems instead of just living with it- find a better way.”

With several developments on the books this year on a large scale, C&M Builders is living by its motto.

“We are never going to know everything about home building and there are always new things to learn and better ways to build a house.”

“The last year we have spent time becoming a lot more efficient as a company in terms of the inner workings and we are looking to continue that efficiency into this next chapter,” Filipczak concludes.

At a Glance

Who: C&M Home Builders,
What: A leading custom home builder specializing in building energy-efficient and comfortable homes in its local market.
Where: Eau Claire in West Central Wisconsin
Website: www.candmhomebuilders.com