Building with an eye on the future

MAT-SU — Jess Hall knows green.

For 35 years, Hall Quality Homes has built energy efficient homes. This year, HQH was voted once again the Best Builder in the Valley by the readers of the Frontiersman.

Currently, Hall is working on six subdivisions and many private homes throughout the Mat-Su. He was certified as a green builder from the National Association of Homebuilders last year.

More than just energy efficiency, Hall focuses on the customer’s bottom line. Each upgrade is designed to give the homeowner the best return on investment.

Hall evaluates energy-saving technology as it hits the market to determine if the savings are worth the extra cost. He sits down with the homeowners and explains what their options are.

“There is a some technology with diminishing returns,” said Hall. “When I build, I think if I was building this house for myself, how much would I spend on it and how much is it going to save me?”

Customers can sleep easy in their new home, as Hall stands behind his houses with a strong warranty. His employees understand that if something needs to be taken care of, they need to get there as soon as they can.

Luckily, said Hall, he has the best employees in town. His superintendent is the best carpenter he’s ever met, and the two foreman are very knowledgeable and dependable, he said.

Tom Smith, owner of North Country Builders, would no doubt say the same about his crew, and many readers agree, as he was the second top vote-getter.

North Country Builders has been in the Valley since 1998 led by Smith’s 25 years of experience. They started doing mostly residential builds, then switched to commercial, and now build both.

Currently, North Country Builders is working to rebuild Wasilla Bible Church from the fire it suffered in December. The new church will look much the same as it did before with some room configuration changes.

Smith is largely the overseer of projects with an in-house design team. His company uses subcontractors for most of the actual construction because of their specialization.

Both Smith and Hall agree that customer satisfaction is their aim.

“Our goal is to build it better than it has to be,” said Smith. “We deal directly with the people and get to know them throughout the project. This helps in getting the people what they want.”