This week I am working with Clayton Homes, the largest home building company is the United States! I spent my first day at the corporate office with the I-house specialist, Beth. To read my first post about Job #7, click here. Day #2 was full of a variety of tasks as I spent the day with the I-House product manager, Brandon O' Connor. Brandon and I started the morning by reading design & building blogs. One thing that stood out to me about working in this field is that the industry is constantly moving. To keep up with his job, Brandon must stay current on design trends, new innovations, new building codes, and more. He dedicates approximately an hour every morning to read blogs, interact with customers on Facebook, and to check for i-House mentions in the media.
After checking out some industry blogs, I got to listen in on some phone calls as Brandon discussed future I-House projects with his business partners.
The highlight of the day was the very last hour! In the late afternoon, Brandon and I drove to the local Clayton Homes sales center, the place where all the model homes are on display. A prospective I-House buyer flew into town to walk through the I-house specifically and speak with Brandon about the different configurations.
I forgot to mention this, but the I-House is unique since it is completely customizable. The main unit consists of either one or two bedrooms and one bathroom. To add additional space, a buyer can add the "Flex" unit. The flex unit is basically a studio apartment and has its own bathroom and a versatile living space. The Flex connects to the main unit and has a rooftop deck! Here's a pic:
The highlight of the day was walking through the actual I-House model home. The website and brochures are cool, but do not do
this house justice! As I stepped in the house through sliding doors, my jaw dropped. The house is beautiful! The model house is fully furnished with a vibrant palette of colors, featuring lots of orange and lime green. As I walked through, I was amazed by all the small touches that make the I-house so energy-efficient. From the solar panels on the roof that power the whole house, the bamboo floors, Energystar appliances, and more, it's hard to ignore the "greenness" of the I-house.
It's extremely energy-efficient since one of the options is to have solar panels on the roof. It varies by the family, but in some cases, the panels produce more than enough energy for the house. The house owners can actually sell the energy back to the utility company and make money! Solar panels are definitely a worthy investment!
One thing that I noticed about I-house buyers is that they really pay attention to details! These houses are an engineering and design feat and therefore, have lots of intricacies. I'm amazed by the complicated questions that prospective buyers ask. It's good though because it shows that they are excited about the I-house brand and willing to do their research to get a sweet house!
Overall, it was a great first couple days and I look forward to sharing more about what I'm learning about this industry.
Cheers,
Kieley Best
Follow me on Twitter here or email me at: bestweekjob@gmail.com
If you're interested in learning more about the I-house, check out the website here: http://www.claytonihouse.com/