Testimonials
Dennis and Bonnie Meyer
4-7-2011
Thank you, Jim! The Laundry Area is beautiful and we are really pleased to have these improvements nearly complete. I forgot to thank you for handling this countertop replacement. We appreciate it very much!
Bonnie
Rick and Vicki Kwarciany
Monday June 14, 2010
Hi, Jim!
We are absolutely loving our new home and are settling in quite nicely. Rick and I have been thinking about you and hoping that some of your pending projects come through. We would really hate to be the last of the Allan Homes Legacy.
My most recent focus has been on the outside of the house. After several fits and starts with contractors (don’t these people want to work) we finally found one we really like who will transform our mud and weeds into garden beds and grass. The latter won’t happen until the fall, so the summer will be spent gradually preparing the yard. We signed the contract last night so we know this gentleman will follow-through. So perhaps next spring the yard will look worthy of the beautiful house on it- and we’ll have a photo for your office wall!
We’ve finally documented for you everything we can think of for warranty work- please see the attached document. Please let us know when you’d like to have the guys in to work on the various items. Most of my work has kept me in my office lately, so I’m pretty open and flexible.
Thanks, Jim!
V&R
P.S. Also, we’d like to have you and Nan, and Pete and his wife over for dinner some time. Vicki’s a pretty good cook, and I can eat like nobody’s business. Let us know what dates work for you.
Dennis and Bonnie Meyer
8-22-09
Dear Jim,
Thank you for the New Estimate for Remodeling our last bathroom and replacing the rest of the windows (to match the Pella Windows you recently installed). Although we are quite interested, it seems we need to wait until next year to do further remodeling.
If you and Nan, want to see the finished “Master Bath” here, please stop by. We’re around this week-end. It all looks great. We’re very pleased with the work!
Bonnie
Bruce Benson
October 23, 2008
Dear Jim,
Enclosed is a check for the recent repairs to my home. As always, I am impressed and very pleased with the work that Pete has done. He is a remarkably creative carpenter (must be that philosophy major from Wheaton!) and has been able to find excellent solutions to the various problems of rot on the porch and other places.
Thank you for being willing to find time in your very busy schedule to help me out in maintaining my home. Thank you also for being willing to bill at cost. That helps and is much appreciated.
It is a pleasure to work with you. Thank you for such fine work and being so reliable. I greatly value the integrity and high level of craftsmanship of both you and Pete.
Sincerely,
Bruce Ellis Benson
P.S. I doubt you would ever need a reference--- your fine reputation, no doubt, precedes you! However, I would gladly provide any such reference should you ever need one.
Randy and Lauri Mitchell
December 2006
Hello Jim and Pete!
So, isn’t this a fabulous house? It has such wonderful curb appeal during every season of the year. I love the front porch!
Randy and I want to thank you for all the creative architectural ideas you gave us when we were floundering on remodeling plans and for your attention to detail in the construction.
My kitchen gets rave reviews from everyone who sees it. It is truly my dream kitchen!
So, thanks for all you did for us this past year. We wish you, Allan Homes, and your families a wonderful holiday season!
Thanks Jim! We love everything!
Lauri and Randy
Bill and Linda Adair
February 2005
Dear Jim,
Bill and I can’t thank you enough for the countless hours and talented dedication you have given to building our home. It has been an absolute pleasure working with you.
Please take Nan out for a wonderful dinner, on us.
Merry Christmas!
Warmly,
Bill and Linda
Joe and Dee Bryja
October 29, 2004
Dear Jim,
Fun, fantastic, and phenomenal is how we describe our dreams fulfilled, and that is how we describe our completed Allan Homes construction project! You promised us a very satisfying, fun project, and that is what you delivered during eight months of planning and constructing the renovation of our home.
From the beginning, we placed a high value on your design creativity and excitement to do the project. Those qualities and your personal, caring attitude together with Peter Hale’s steady job-site supervision got us through the challenging times. Peter’s knack to take on the everyday problems and turn them into everyday successes kept our spirits up. Keeping ahead of schedule through completion was an astonishing feature of Allan Homes, unmatched by any other contractor in our experience.
There are many aspects of doing business with Allan Homes that stand out as positive and satisfying. Fine quality work and good craftsmanship are always delivered, especially in Peter’s finish-carpentry work. Good subs are a reflection of a successful general contractor, and those who entered our home were the best. Your organization, eye for detail, and schedule-driving skills were immensely appreciated. In particular, your handling of the payout information with detailed, cumulative printouts each time made it easy for us to monitor expenses. We also were impressed that you were watchful of the costs and kept us informed of all matters by means of frequent, written communication.
Beyond our business relationship, we also value your friendship. We enjoyed getting to know you and Peter personally as well as your wonderful families. Doing business with great people that culminates in an outstanding finished result in achieving our dream home is more than we expected, but is what you delivered. As we settle into our transformed home, we can only thank you sincerely for a job so well done!
Sincerely,
Joe and Dee Bryja
Kurt and Gintare Thaus
September 8, 2002
James Allan Walker
Master Craftsman, Quintessential Home Designer and Builder
Dear Jim:
I am uncertain as to what to say to someone who has played such a big part in making our dream come true. We have spent our first summer in “Heaven by the Lake” as we have termed our Michigan Cottage, and the experience is far better than anticipated. We all seem to detach quite quickly and easily from the hustle and bustle of our weekly schedules the minute we arrive here. It has also provided us a place to get even closer to Gintare’s and my parents- a true treasure for our children and us.
You were a major part in this all coming together. I can’t imagine this project turning out close to this great without your input, involvement, and dedication. We continually get compliments on the look and quality of the home. We have experienced incredibly few problems with the cottage. If there were a J.D. Powers survey for fewest new home defects- Allan Homes would certainly win hands down! We do business with you because we feel that you are the right choice from a cost and delivery point of view. What makes the experience special, are the infinite number of small, personal details that you put into your projects, whether it is the outstanding work of Pete Hale and your subcontractors, or the comprehensive planning and communication that you provide throughout the project. This is our second project together and both have been on time and within budget! That to me is unheard of in your industry- especially when you consider the substantial quality improvement you provide compared to your competitors. You truly are amazing.
I also must apologize. Looking back at the date of this letter, I can’t believe that I have waited this long to sincerely thank you. I hope that my delay does not reflect poorly on me. I consider you a wonderful friend and wouldn’t want to do anything to jeopardize that relationship. Please accept my sincere apology.
Jim, Gintare and I would like you and your family to use our cottage for a weekend away. Pick a couple of dates and we will make it work out. Come up and enjoy! We will also have our family up when the Thaus family is there, but would like you to enjoy this treasure you created alone with your family. I look forward to finalizing these dates with you.
Warmest Regards,
Kurt & Gintare Thaus
Dream catchers
Ed and Diane Johnson
January 18, 2001
Allan Homes
0 So. 020 Pearl Rd.
West Chicago, IL 60185
Dear Jim
Sorry I took so long to write, but I just wanted to let you know how much Diane and I appreciate all the work that you have done on our house. The addition is great. The design is great. The workmanship is great. It is great to entertain our friends in our comfortable home. We are happy to have gone through all the “turmoil” to get the final product and we know it would not have gone as smoothly as it did without your hard work. Working with you and Pete was a pleasure. Our biggest disappointment is that we know that Pete isn’t scheduled to come back. As I have said before, I am always glad to tell people who my builder is.
Thanks for everything.
Sincerely,
Ed Johnson
Dawn Kluchenek and Cathy Gilbert
November 13, 2001
Jim, thanks for your perseverance with this project. It’s a beautiful home and one that you should be proud of.
We know you’re busy and working hard but we hope you and your family can enjoy some peace and relaxation over the Thanksgiving Holiday.
Sincerely,
Dawn and Cathy
Mark and Nanette Gudenkauf
January 17, 1997
Allan Homes
0 So. 020 Pearl Rd.
West Chicago, IL 60185
Dear Jim,
Nanette and I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for building our new house. We have been in our new home for over 18 months now and still find it hard to believe that it’s ours. From the time we first met you and gave you the pencil sketches of our dream home until the time the first shovel went in the ground almost 2 years had passed, most builders would have given up on us. As you know, this was our first time building a new house and because of all the horror stories you hear about builders, we were very nervous about trusting someone with our biggest investment. Your many trips to our house with additional plans and many phone calls with new ideas to try to keep the cost within our budget helped us to make the right decision to use Allan Homes.
Jim, your honesty, pride in workmanship, and never-ending pursuit to please the homeowner are evident in the quality of the home you build. Please feel free to have any prospective clients contact us, to visit our home, or to talk to us about our experience with Allan Homes. We were very confident in recommending you to our closest friends, Chuck and Paula Boney, who also chose Allan Homes to build their home. Besides the Gudenkauf family getting a new home, we have also made new friends.
Thanks again Jim, we will continue to enjoy our new home and relish our new friendship.
Sincerely,
Mark and Nanette Gudenkauf
Chuck and Paula Boney
January 1997
Let me start by saying we’ve been in our new home over 4 months, and we’re just about settled after moving for the fifth time in seven years. My wife and I are pleased as can be with the home Jim and Pete have completed for us.
The connection with Jim Walker of “Allan Homes” started several years earlier though. Very good friends of ours (Mark and Nanette Gudenkauf) were preparing to build a house when they met Jim at the Home Show (Pheasant Run Old House New House Home Show). They would rave about the plans he would come up with, the time spent drawing new ideas, and the effort to come up with acceptable terms to build their dream home. All of this took place with no money and no guarantee that he would be the builder. Of course, that effort and commitment on Jim’s part paid off, and they decided to build with “Allan Homes”. Needless to say, they have a beautiful house. I know they are more than pleased and satisfied, and continue to dwell upon Jim as “the best”.
In January, 1996, my wife and I moved back to the west suburban area, and once again were ready to build. We talked to several builders and even had blueprints bid. Not satisfied, Mark and Nanette suggested considering Jim Walker, they thought he would be great for us. Initially I thought he might be a little out of our price range, figuring he built homes ranging $300,000.00 and up. I did call Jim later that evening, and he spent over an hour of his time talking to me. We met several times, and Jim is more than willing to meet the needs of his customers. When comparing bids, I found Jim uses only the best building products and finest construction techniques, which made the job of choosing our builder an easy one.
When the building process started, I met Jim’s lead man in the field, Pete. I don’t think you can find two more dedicated, consicentious, and caring builders in the field. I was at the job-site many times, and not once was there not time to answer a question, or for them to explain a building technique. From the framing to the trim, I was certain we were getting the highest quality subcontractors and felt very comfortable that the end product would be the beautiful home, with the finest construction, that we hoped for.
In closing, I would like to say “thank you Jim” for making our process of home-building an enjoyable one. Paula and I are pleased with both our home, and our selection as having you as our home-builder. To Pete, thank you also. I have enjoyed working with you, and I appreciate your time, energy, and your effort that you put forth to complete our home.
Thanks again, Jim.
Chuck and Paula Boney
Jeff and Francene Andresen
12-21-96
Jim,
We cannot put into words what this house means to us. You took a “wispy concept” with sketched Floor Plan and a Dream, in two people’s heads and made the dream into reality. How do you thank someone for doing that?
You have always been there when we needed you. When we were difficult, you didn’t put us off, but rather listened to our concerns. Then you helped us problem-solve to get through the difficult times.
What a true talent you have! You are creative and inventive. You’re skillful not only with your brain but with your hands as well. Your hands put onto paper concepts, and then those same hands wield the tools that skillfully make the concept come alive.
The most important aspect of your talent is that you heard what we were telling you.
Thank you.
Francene and Jeff Andresen
Ruth Gallop
May 6, 1996
Dear Jim,
Many thanks for the dinner at the Hamlet. It really embarrasses me to think of accepting it. You know you are ALWAYS welcome to show prospective people through our house. We are very proud of it too, and most anxious for you to succeed in your work. But, we accept with pleasure your kindness and want you to promise not to do it again. But, be sure to bring any other prospects in the future. It will always be our pleasure to show this house.
Fondly,
Ruth Gallop
Kurt and Gintare Thaus
January 14, 1995
Mr. James Allan Walker
Allan Homes
0 So. 020 Pearl Rd.
West Chicago, IL 60185
Dear Jim:
Over the last couple of months living in our new home, Gintare and I realized how appropriate your company name - Allan HOMES- really is. There are plenty of good house builders, but you truly help create a home. Through your direction, you and your supervisor Pete Hale, attentively listened to our requirements and built a home that fits our family perfectly. Your attention to every facet of construction, the condition of the job-site, your constant open communication, attention to detail, timeliness in completion, and thorough follow-up, establishes a value to the home that is unparalleled in the construction business. You exceeded our expectations!
For someone contemplating building a home, we can offer the following comments on what we believe are critical factors when choosing a builder:
Value- We specifically state value because we believe you can find a cheaper builder; certainly you can find a more expensive builder. We do not believe that you can find anyone to build a home of this quality for such a reasonable price.
Craftsmanship- Allan Homes attention to details is impeccable. We feel that Allan Homes is the best in this respect because they do their own meticulously detailed construction drawings and specifications which is rare in residential construction. This took away the guess work and allowed us to know how everything was going to turn out-- before we started building!
Timeliness- Once Allan Homes commits to a schedule, they meet it. We had our Final Walk-thru one day earlier than our commitment date with Allan Homes.
Follow-up- You have continued communicating with us, and have followed-up on miscellaneous items in a timely and professional manner. We have never had to play phone tag with you to get an issue addressed. Follow-up items have been far fewer than we anticipated based on our own passed experience (with other builders) and the experience of our friends who have also built homes.
We have built our dream home, and managed to have fun doing it. We owe our experience, in large part, to Allan Homes. We also found some special friends in the process. Thanks!
Sincerely,
Kurt and Gintare Thaus
Brian and Peggy Merkle
Occupancy July 1, 1995
Dear Jim,
Most often, the person in charge, owner, manager, etc., hears about the unpleasant or negative comments from customers. Well, here we go.......
Actually, this is not that at all, but rather a letter of appreciation. We would like to “Thank You” for a job well done. Now that we’ve had the opportunity to move into the house that you built for us, we can exhale and look back at how much effort the Allan Homes Team put forth during the process.
We always appreciated the times you spent meeting with us during the design and construction stages. You offered many good thoughts and ideas and had a great ability to communicate them. We spent time touring through many other houses under various stages of construction, and noticed that you, by far, kept the construction site the cleanest and most orderly. We also compared the methods of construction and the materials used by others and Allan Homes, and again, you were consistently the best. Throughout the building process we would get compliments from visitors, subcontractors, as well as other builders on the quality of construction and materials used for the job. For example, the Drywall Subcontractor commented that he enjoyed working on your projects because the walls are always straight and the corners true. During the construction process you always took the time to correct or adjust any discrepancy. You were very thorough in making sure that we were satisfied and everyone was doing their job properly to meet your high standards.
We also thanked your clients, Keith and Ruby Coiley, who we met while looking for our Lot, and they suggested that we contact you. They described their builder as an honest, hard-working individual, who communicated throughout the process, hired good subcontractors, and built within their budget. Their Builder (Allan Homes) had many of the qualities we were looking for.
We remember our first visit when we interviewed you, you probably thought it was an interrogation. Regardless, to be sure that Allan Homes would be the right choice, you suggested that we also visit with some of your clients, both during construction and after completion. Again, the comments were all very good.
Now, here we are, completing the “Allan Homes cycle” with a beautifully finished house and the willingness to pass on the good word to a future client. So, consider us another very pleased client.
When the opportunity, or need arises, we would call on Allan Homes again, to build our house.
Sincerely,
Brian and Peggy Merkle
Pat and Laura Pilcher
Laura and I wanted to write you and express our sincere appreciation not only for building our beautiful new home, but for the overall quality of the experience which we enjoyed with Allan Homes.
Prior to choosing to build our first new home, we had been forewarned of all the pitfalls faced by those before us--- that it can lead to high stress, blown budgets, and if not particularly strong beforehand, broken marriages. With all of this in mind, we approached this process with more than just a little anxiety. We knew that this was not only going to be the largest financial investment we’d ever made, but also one of the largest emotional investments as well.
From our first encounter with Maida at the Home Show almost two years ago, we had a sense that Allan Homes was different from the other builders which we had encountered and interviewed. Throughout the process, you were always candid, honest, and above all--- fair.... Even when some tough decisions needed to be made you never shied away from them or procrastinated. As a result, we never once questioned your motives or your integrity. This in and of itself also freed us up to dwell on the true problem solving.
A lot of builders tell their prospective homeowner what they want to hear. Though we faced compromises necessary to stay within our budget, the input which you were able to convey through numerous sketches, plans, and cost scenarios which you yourself drew, helped us to make intelligent and informed decisions. The final design which you drafted allowed us to have our “dream house”.
I recall getting plans at all hours. We knew that anytime between 10 P.M. and morning with changes you had drafted-out--- sometimes well into the night was “fair game” I also recall a particular morning when I succeeded in scaring you witless! Ah yes, I sure do miss those days..... no one ever is in my yard that early where we are now....
Unfortunately, even with the best of intentions, many builders fall short because they don’t have the long-term dedication and commitment. In turn, their subcontractors pick-up on this and are potentially inconsistent. One prevailing aspect which became more apparent as time went by was your commitment to the highest construction standards. This was also reinforced as evidenced by your subcontractors. Everyone we met on the job contributed to the overall impression that this house was “special” to them as well. It still amazes me to this day that between Pete and you, our house was actually swept clean every night so that it would be “in order” for the next day. It’s that kind of dedication which will not only continue to rub off on other tradespeople, but also your future customers as well. Although you consider it “no big deal” this is what I think will bring you continued success in the years to come. The other attributes are your desire to give the customer an extremely energy efficient home without wavering on the quality of components.
Now that we have been in the house for six months, I can tell you that we have some distinct feelings. First of all, we became (and remain) very good friends. In fact, we look forward to seeing how things are going for you whenever we speak. Secondly, we have (without reservation) recommended you to anyone who has expressed an interest in building or renovating.
Both Laura and I wish you and your family the best in 1995.
Pat and Laura Pilcher
Ruby Coiley
November 30, 1994
Dear Jim,
It was so very good to see you last week. We are still enjoying the beautiful flowers, thank you so much. Sometimes as I am praying I cannot find words to express the joy of having our beautiful new home. Jim, I love our home so much. I am so happy and pleased with everything. I can’t quit talking about it. I got a call from Reggie Bass this morning and he was so impressed with the package of information that you sent to him. He was so excited and very impressed with the letter that you wrote him; his words were “Go Ahead Jim!, He’s the man for the job”. You will find Reggie and his family to be very nice people. Jim, I know you will like him.
Jim, you have a blessed day. Say hello to Nancy and we continue to ask God to bless you and to prosper your business. Tell Peter we love him and that our kids look forward to seeing him soon. They really like him.
Sincerely,
Ruby Coiley
Keith and Ruby Coiley
Dear Jim,
There are absolutely no words to begin to express our appreciation for everything you have done for us. We were sitting in our beautiful new family room thanking God that he sent you to us to build our home. Thank you Jim! Thank you for your unwavering kindness and patience toward us. Thank you for not once making us feel second class. Another builder would NOT have stuck with us and fought for us the way you did. Another builder would have written us off; and would have done it with disdain. You don’t know what a blessing you have been to my family.
The house is “awesome” and we love showing it to our family and friends. Jim we would be so very happy to give a reference to anyone. We would not hesitate to tell people what an awesome job you and your crew did for us. We pray for your business to multiply according to the scriptures - Luke 6:38 KJV “Give and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete (WITH THE SAME GENEROSITY YOU’VE GIVEN) withal it shall be measured to you again.
Jim, we have two things that we want to take care of; the shutters and the vanity medicine cabinets. Both are equal in importance, but the medicine cabinets are first. Please let us know the cost so that we can know what to ask Father God.
Thank you again, brother Jim. The Lord Bless you and your family, real good :)
Sincerely,
Keith and Ruby Coiley
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John and Paula Keating
January 28, 1993
Dear Jim:
Just a note to tell you how much we enjoy our new home and how comfortable it was to work with you this past year. After meeting you at the Home Show in St. Charles almost a year ago (February 1992) we started working on the ideas and plans for a special home and were able to move into our home in October 1992.
Your open-ness regarding homes you had built before and the willingness to have us contact the owners convinced us that you were proud of your work. Many of your former clients recommended you and allowed us to see their homes that you had built. This gave us a feeling of confidence in your integrity and workmanship.
We certainly enjoyed working with you during the planning stage. You listened to our ideas and dreams, and responded with pictures, drawings, and other ideas to facilitate ours. We learned to trust your expertise in many matters as well as to trust you personally.
The quality of the workmanship is superior to any we had experienced before, and we can’t say enough about the craftsmanship on the cabinets and all the wood trim in the house, as well as the other quality work involved. We know that you are dedicated to give your customer the best value for the money invested.
If anyone would like to see the house you built for us, they would be welcome.
Sincerely,
Paula and John Keating
Brad and Dawn Jones
July 1993
Dear Jim,
Without you Jim, our dream house would still be a pipe dream!
How can we ever thank you and Nan enough for your enthusiasm, expertise, hard work, words of encouragement, bathroom, and most of all, friendship? Well, we’ll never be able to thank you enough, but want to at least make a little “stab” in a note.
In other words, THANKS!
Much Love,
Brad and Dawn
Bob and Diane Najewski
December 1992
Dear Jim,
Bob and I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for helping us create our dream home. We will not forget your attention to details, your friendly, down-to-earth manner, and your creative input during the design of our home. As a result, we felt comfortable choosing Allan Homes as our builder.
Your enthusiasm was evident throughout the construction. Your dedication and commitment to our project made us feel that our concerns were a top priority and we KNOW that you went out of your way to satisfy us. The high quality of workmanship has resulted in a home we are truly proud of.
Designing and Building a Custom-Home has been a real learning experience for us. Your professional attitude and expertise has made it a challenging adventure that we will always remember.
Our Thanks!
Bob and Diane Najewski
Tom and Mary Roberts
September 19, 1991
Dear Jim,
We wanted to thank you for designing for us the home of our dreams. From the start, we felt very comfortable working with you. You very quickly understood what we wanted in our house and every detail is perfect. We also appreciated your expertise in creating more storage space, light, and other details to meet our lifestyle needs.
This house has the flexibility to grow and change as our family does. It is also spacious and practical, but most of all, gorgeous inside and out.
We’ve gained from your knowledge of quality products and we are looking forward to working with you in the future when our dream becomes a reality.
Thank you again!
Tom and Mary Roberts
Joel Anderson
September 20, 1991
Dear Jim:
I would like to take a minute to express my thanks for the wonderful job that Allan Homes has done in building my home. Although I am very pleased with the end result, I was also pleased with the working relationship that I had with Allan Homes while it was in the process of being built. I acted as my own General Contractor and was really impressed with the way that Allan Homes worked with my ideas and demands.
Allan Homes is reliable. They were always there when needed and “got the job done”. The Quality of Allan Homes is unsurpassed by any other builder I have seen.
Because I needed to stay within a budget and still build a quality home, I chose Allan Homes because they were reasonable and competitively priced.
I would encourage anyone building a Home to choose Allan Homes as their Builder.
Again, thank you for the hard work and matchless quality that went into making my house a Home!
Sincerely,
Joel Anderson
Derrick and Lori Boddy
September 18, 1991
If you are considering having a home built, there are a myriad of questions that will need answers, some of which will be fairly easy to come by, others not. Probably one of the most difficult, unless you already know a reputable builder, is: “who do we know that can produce what we expect from them?”
The results of careful design and a high standard of workmanship are self-evident when you see examples of the finished product. But the one thing at the outset that is intangible, is the trust that is necessary for your expectations to be translated into reality. We employed Jim (Allan Homes) because we trusted him and that trust proved to be well founded. Throughout the entire hectic construction process and the subsequent warranty period, he did what he said he would, and more at times.
If you want to see the results of the commitment he has to the homes he constructs or have any questions please contact either myself or Lori and we will be happy for you to visit, or just answer your questions.
Sincerely,
Derrick M. Boddy
Lyn Andracke and Rita Reed
August 1991
To Whom it may concern:
In August of 1990, a tornado destroyed our house in Plainfield. We needed our home rebuilt quickly. Other contractors wanted to build basically the same house. We had some changes that needed to be included. Even with Jim’s natural flair for architectural changes to suit our needs, the design took many long hours. As we worked with Jim on the design, it became apparent how meticulous and professional he was. These qualities sold us on Allan Homes.
Once we decided that Jim would build our new house, it became quite evident that any house that Jim Walker built had many special touches- the finished carpentry, the wood-trimmed marble fireplace, and the cedar deck around the swimming pool.
Jim promised the house would be completed February 13th and we took possession February 13th. Even after six months we walk into our new “Better Homes and Gardens House”, and we cannot believe it!
Sincerely,
Lyn Andracke
Rita Reed
Mark and Linda Potvin
February 1991
Dear Allan Homes:
We would like to thank you for building our wonderful home!
Jim, you and your crew made every effort to comply with not only our needs, but our dreams. Our home was completed on time. That was most helpful when we were planning our lives. Our home was cleaned everyday before the crew left. The crews personality is to be honored. This is something you almost never find.
The quality and pride that went into building our home is reflected every day!
When we build again, the choice without question, will be Allan Homes!
Thank you!
Mark and Linda Potvin
Jim and Ruth Gallop
September 28, 1991
Dear Jim,
Jim and I would like to thank you for your dedication and prideful workmanship that you and your work crews exhibited when you built our New Home.
We have lived in, and enjoyed our home for two years now and have had many compliments from neighbors and friends who have visited us.
In this day and age when many people complain of poor quality and sloppy workmanship, it is refreshing to work with a person and company with quality and high standards such as yours.
Sincerely,
Ruth and Jim Gallop
From Allan Homes to Nathan and Liz Hancock:
Tuesday December 9, 2003
Dear Nathan and Liz,
We have come a very long way together since our first meeting on Wednesday September 4, 2002. It is fun for me to review our correspondences when we reach the end of a project to remind myself of all of the concerns, wishes, and commitments that were made to each other over the past many months. Whenever we begin a project I am always sobered by the trust placed in me and in the network of Allan Homes to bring about the completion of a New Home Construction. I know how much time, effort, heart, expense, dreams, wishes, and fears that go into a Custom Home on the part of both, the Owner and the Contractor. Whenever we get to the end of a project like yours, I am always struck by how fortunate I am to have customers who are willing to go through the effort and risks and failures and triumphs that come along with a project of this magnitude. My ultimate desire at Allan Homes is that we succeed for you and that you are truly delighted with your New Home Construction and with the Process from start to finish. It is my hope that this has been true for you over the past several months and as you move into your New Home today.
Nathan, you commented to me yesterday that you have had a lot of fun during this process and hoped that it had been enjoyable for me as well. I wasn’t really given an opportunity to respond because, as I have said many times before “you are too quick for me”. I want to assure you that I have enjoyed working with you and Liz immensely. Most, if not all of our phone conversations and correspondences always provoked laughter and good humor and I have always felt that you and Liz believe the best about me and Pete and the other people that we bring onto your project. We certainly try to do our absolute best for you, but it is always nice to work with and for someone who exudes that trust and confidence in us. Your kindness, consideration, and attitude towards Pete and myself during this project has been “second to none” of all the clients we have worked for. (If you knew the clients we have worked for, you would realize how stiff the competition has been to achieve that distinction). Thank you very, very much for how you have treated us during this rather demanding effort. (I say demanding because that is the effort that is always required for a Custom, New Home Construction). If you remember early on in our conversations I mentioned how when clients sign a contract for a New Home, they think they are buying the pictures in the magazines or the Home as reflected in the Drawings, but I always realize that what the client is buying, is the Human Effort required to make that New Home a Reality.
Nathan, I had mentioned this Audio Version of “The Endurance” early on in our meetings. I was going to loan this to you and you said “perhaps later when we get further along”, or something to that effect. Well, we have certainly gotten “further along” and I hope you enjoy this as much as I do. I hope that you and Liz also enjoy the Chronicles of Narnia DVD with Ellen and Ann. I don’t know if you have begun to read these to your girls yet, but I’m sure they will enjoy these movies.
A special note to Ellen and Ann and Liz: when I came over to your home last week to tell you that we would not make our projected Friday, December 5 closing, I was fearful because I didn’t want to disappoint you in this regard. The fact that you took this news so graciously and then Liz, you commented to me that your girls pray for me very morning, that was such a huge lift to me. Thank you very much for that. I can’t imagine going through this life and undertaking the responsibilities and challenges that come our way, without seeking God’s Blessings and God’s Goodness in our lives, our efforts, and our families. Thank you for helping me in that way, and for your reminder.
Nathan and Liz, thank you so very much for connecting with me and with Allan Homes and for allowing me and Pete to be a significant part of your lives. It is fun and our pleasure.
Jim