By Kathy Bowen Stolz
When Corey Simon, owner of CJS Custom Builders in Lafayette, decided to make a career change back in 2012, he simply picked up where he had left off.
You see, Corey had worked with his grandfather, Willis Boudin, who was a builder, when Corey was in high school and college. Because construction was something that seemed natural to him, he continued to do projects on the side even during the 17 years he worked as a sales representative for the pharmaceutical industry.
But changes in the pharmaceutical industry and the ensuing instability prompted Corey to consider other options. Building was the first and last job he considered.
Originally Simon built only speculative homes, but recently he’s been contracted to build several custom homes, he said. He enjoys building both types of homes, but he expects to always build spec homes because they allow him to showcase his work.
He frequently works with Stacie Chauffe, a local interior designer. After seeing the results of her work on another house, Corey called Stacie with a project. They’ve now been working together for four or five years, building a trusting relationship. Meeting during the preplanning stage of each house, together they select finishes for his spec homes and also work with the clients on his presold homes. “I trust Stacie to come up with ideas that will set my houses apart from other ones.”
His typical client is a family moving up from a starter home into its first custom home. Those families always want four bedrooms, he said.
CJS Custom Builders’ homes vary in price and square footage of living space. Simon sets his homes apart from his competitors’ by including higher-end interior finishes, such as quartz countertops, accent walls in the bedroom and living room and enhanced flooring. Buyers also appreciate the walk-in custom showers that he includes.
Because the Lafayette home market is rather soft with a lot of inventory right now, he said, these finishes set him apart from other builders and help him sell his spec homes more quickly. “Buyers are more savvy because of the market. They can be selective than four or five years ago because they’ve got more options to choose from.”
He keeps abreast of home-buying trends by talking with Stacie and with local architects. “I want to get feedback about what people are asking for, such as sinks in the laundry room and sinks in outdoor kitchens.” In addition, “I look at a lot of stuff on Pinterest and Houzz and go to national builder shows to see what trends and products are coming out.”
He finds that buyers really like his extra touches. “I like mixing things, putting modern touches next to old elements. I like to put something kind of modern next to an old, reused door or an old beam.” Examples are a brick accent wall in a bedroom or shiplap accent wall in a living room.
“I try to make each house unique,” he noted, by never reusing architectural plans from another home. In each case he talks with the two or three architects he uses, telling them what direction he wants to go with the house. Occasionally the lot itself helps determine the design.
Simon said he has three or four projects underway at any given time in the Greater Lafayette or South Lafayette areas. After analyzing the housing market to determine what types of houses are selling and how quickly they’re selling, he chooses the locations to buy lots. He has built spec houses in both Grand Point and The Vineyard subdivisions (with only three lots left in The Vineyard). However, he is about to start building two houses in the country.
While most of his promotional efforts are on social media, Corey holds a real estate license to improve the efficiency of his marketing efforts. He did include a house in the
2018 Lafayette Parade of Homes in the Vineyard for the first time. He was pleased with the turnout.
Simon is “a one-man band,” for CJS Custom Builders, serving as “president, vice president, secretary, you name it. I do everything. I keep my own books, do my own payroll, whatever.”
Having a degree in business from the University of Southwestern Louisiana [now University of Louisiana at Lafayette] has really helped him. “You can find people to do carpentry work, but you have to know how to run a business to make it as a builder.” He noted that he uses his business degree more directly in building than he did in pharmaceutical sales. The administrative elements of running a business – such as securing insurance and paying bills – take a good deal of time, but he likes the project management element of building the most. “I like being on a job site. I would hire administrative help before I would hire a superintendent.”
His retired dad, Bobby Simon, helps him occasionally by doing “odd stuff here and there, such as getting materials, working a punch list, checking in on jobs when I can’t get there.”
He keeps the office of CJS Custom Builders in his own home, which he built. “I like to meet customers in my house so I can show off my work, especially if I don’t have a spec house [to use as a model home]. He noted that he moves every two years so he can include new and improved features to showcase to customers.
Although he admitted that “stuff’s going to come up,” he works to make it right for his customers. “I try to keep a positive attitude, just like with everything in life. I like the day-to-day challenges of problem-solving. There’s always something new. I also like working with the clients and getting their feedback, especially seeing their faces when they see the finished project.”
Corey said he is always available to his customers. “I always keep the customer as my main focus. I always work to make my customers happy.” He gives them his cell phone number with the caveat, “Anything you need, I’m here.” How many hours in a day does he work with that accessibility? “All of them.”
When he does have spare time, he enjoys fishing, Louisiana State University football and cooking for family and friends when they come over to his house. He also enjoys watching his 13-year-old son Peyton play sports.
Simon is pretty satisfied with his life. He has no advice to his younger self who took the gamble to become a builder six years ago. “I’ve definitely learned along the way. But like everything in life, you figure it out as you go.”
You may contact Corey Simon of CJS Custom Builders at 4400 Ambassador Caffery Parkway, #291, Lafayette, LA 70508 or 337-316-1571 or [email protected]. You can view his work at www.cjscustombuilders.houzz.
