Reprinted from "Builder/Architect" Magazine, November 2002


The true mark of an exceptional builder is his ability to relate to his customers in a way that will enable him to create the perfect house for their own personal lifestyle. Bringing a fresh eye to the home building market, Stan Hines and Lifestyle Custom Homes have been able to do that with a good sense of balance and scale, giving a unique character to each of his homes. His goal is to provide a well-constructed custom home that will stand out from other homes in the neighborhood with noticeable style and grace.

"I look at every house I build to see how we can make this house unique, whether it's through the cabinets, countertops or molding," Stan reveals. "I keep the plans practical with a sense of timeless style."

After working in construction for several area home builders during high school, Stan received his degree in architecture from NC State University in 1978. After years of running a family business selling lighting to home buyers and builders, he had the opportunity to begin designing and building in the Charlotte area.

"Years of dealing with customers in the process of building a new home and often hearing their complaints helped me understand how important even the smallest detail can be to a person building a new home," Hines commented. "No matter how many houses I may build, for a buyer, theirs is the only one that matters."

When asked his thoughts on Lifestyle's business philosophy, Stan replied, "We think it is important to treat people fairly and honestly and to expect the same in return. Building a custom home is a complicated process, and we try to walk the customer through the many decisions to be made and help them get the best possible end result. Also, it is important to hire good quality subcontractors who care about their work, pay them fairly, and be open to their advice as the project progresses."

Fresh Ideas and "One of a Kind" Custom Style
A member and Past President of the Home Builders' Association of Cabarrus County, Stan created Lifestyle Custom Homes in 1995, bringing fresh ideas, his talented architectural expertise and a desire to provide distinctive homes to Charlotte and the surrounding area. Along with his wife, Susan, whose expertise in interior design adds a totally custom touch, their homes show solid workmanship with unequaled character.

In the 2000 Charlotte Parade of Homes, a French Country home built and decorated by Lifestyle Homes won the GOLD AWARD in the top price category. "We were honored that our home was selected as the top award winner even though we were competing against more expensive homes built by very good area builders," Stan revealed.

 

Today's Trend in New Homes
"The lifestyle of today's new homeowners is following a trend of downscaling in size while keeping the upscale elegance they are used to," Hines says earnestly. "In the future, in addition to the larger custom homes I build, we are looking to expand our smaller luxury home business for customers who want a smaller custom home."

"I try to make it easy for the homeowners. Lifestyle Custom Homes organizes the building process in an easy-to-follow manner. Customers are as involved in the building process as they choose to be. New homeowners are encouraged to verbalize what they are really looking for and what best suits their day-to-day lives. I want to create an understated, casually elegant home that makes you feel comfortable walking in the front door, yet still feels special. Each home we build feels comfortably 'livable' while still showing style and polish."

Hines commented about the long-range planning of new homes in America. "I believe in creating a core house with lots of flexibility for my customers. Many of our homes are custom designed with rooms that can be converted into different uses as the needs of the owners change over time. For example, a home may have a study but with a bath adjoining so it can serve as a future guest room or even parents' room if the family's needs change."

Building custom homes in a wide range of styles and sizes, Lifestyle's unique homes can be found at Springfield in Ft. Mill, SC; The Point at Lake Norman, River Run in Davidson, & The Enclave in Cabarrus County.  

 

Village Concept Popular with Buyers
Hines continued, "The village product, introduced several years ago at River Run, has been extremely successful with the homes appreciating far greater than the area average since they were built. This has proven to be an area where upscale buyers can feel good about a smaller home and the homes around them. It is 'village distinctive' with a European influence. Architecturally interesting, these homes feature Old World character coupled with 'new world' luxuries and solid building techniques. Many homes have 'real' porches, which means they are big enough to put furniture on and use in stead of just look pretty. Architectural accents such as wood shutters that really open and close, garden walls and window boxes are found on many of the houses. Houses are designed to complement the houses around them, creating a coordinated streetscape. You will see these features in many of our houses at Highgrove as well."

Homeowners Love Their Builder!
Don and Jan Goetz, who moved from Wisconsin to make River Run their home, have built many homes in their lifetime. "I thought the best you could hope for at the end of building a home was that you didn't hate the builder!" Goetz exclaimed, "Stan and Susan Hines became good friends."

Don continued, "We had our own ideas as to what we wanted in our home. Stan sat down with us and discussed what we could and could not do in a very honest and open manner. He provided his home phone number and his cell phone number and maintained constant contact with us during the building process. With his knowledgeable background in lighting, he has real flair for creating a home with custom style. Our French Country, two-story, 2,900 square foot home with an exterior of shingles, siding and stone is the epitome of elegant downsizing."

"Stan and his company care about the structure of building a home as well as the architectural look," added Celeste Barone about the stone and shake French Country home she and husband Tom purchased in an almost finished condition in River Run. "He was still able to incorporate our ideas and that made the house even more ours."

"Stan and the employees of Lifestyle Custom Homes were so easy to work with! I would recommend them to anyone wanting to build a new home." Celeste affirmed, "Everything was taken care of in a reasonable amount of time without a problem."

Jeff and Kate Roberson found the home they wanted when they returned from Florida to North Carolina. "We purchased our home in Kings Crossing from Stan about midway through its construction," Kate said, "It's a home I will always love for its classic styling and attention to detail. I think Stan has a vision for each home he builds. He really cares about the overall appearance and style, and it shows in his finished product, I would absolutely recommend Stan and Susan Hines and Lifestyle Custom Homes to anyone wanting a new home."

Another Happy Homeowner
Martha and Jim Woodward chose Stan to build their dream home on Mountain Island Lake. "His homes are recognized by their style and good craftsmanship," Mrs. Woodward stated, "He just does excellent work. My husband, when he can take time from his busy schedule as Chancellor of UNCC, spends a lot of time with Stan going over the plans and watching the building of our new home. He thinks the world of Stan and Susan, as do I."

Jim Woodward was even more enthusiastic about Stan and his commendable work. "My father was a contractor, and I am an engineer," Jim began. "When my wife and I found the perfect lot on a point at Mountain Island Lake, we started looking for the builder to create our 'perfect retirement home.' We wanted a home that took advantage of the view. Stan has had the patience to situate our house on a difficult site for optimum view orientation, and certainly the patience to work with us to get the exact custom house plan we wanted. I liked what his customers said about him, and the fact that his key people have been with him for a long time. He has a sterling reputation in the building community. He has been more than patient; he has provided honest guidance during the house planning stage. He keeps us informed with regular calls, mails and e-mails to let us know what is happening. That is important to me. I guess there are three main points to recommend this man, who has become a good friend. Number one is the obvious pride he has in his work; number two is the quality of work he performs; and number three is the site quality he exhibits at his work site. It is the cleanest work site I have ever seen. A man that keeps his work site that clean pays attention to all the other details."

Gail Marlin of BSI Allen Tate New Home Network comments on Stan's passion for design. "Behind every great home is a builder that is highly imaginative, passionate, skillful and experienced. Stan has implemented all of these ingredients into each home that he creates. His enthusiasm, creativity and genuine care for the industry are contagious. He refuses to be mediocre," Gail says.