A great year wraps up 28 days into January with a great night. Actually – it was a GREAT night!

For all of us at Frame Custom Homes, 2011 was a fantastic year. While all the news in the media, and in some ways, the bigger part of the housing industry, was all doom and gloom, we had a different experience. And we’re not just happy, thrilled, excited, ecstatic (pick your favourite) – we’re genuinely thankful and encouraged.

Why Frame Custom Homes Is Busy

You’ve probably heard, on more than one occasion, the expression “success breeds success”. We realize that more now than ever before. We’ve always had a very positive outlook on life and business, but after winning Tommie 2010 Home Builder of the Year, we realized that our success in 2010 made us even more successful in 2011.

Perhaps homeowners – or perspective homeowners – want to work with a reputable, high-quality, ethical and recognized company. Perhaps they understand that their hard-earned money is better spent with an award-winning builder who is not just an award winner, but brings the complete package to the table. We have learned that our customers see us in that way. We’re diligent, we’re creative, we’re original, we’re focused on customer service, and we’re proving that year after year with extensive industry recognition.

The reason we continue to be busy building homes – custom homes for exceptional clients – is because we really listen to what our clients want – and then we deliver that home to the customer. It starts with a conversation, progresses to the planning stage with our residential designer, and from there – it is simply hard work, dedication and attention to detail. That’s what keeps us busy.

Why Bill Frame Signature Homes Win Awards

We’re betting on quality. We believe we win awards because the judges see the quality in our work – quality of design, quality of construction, and quality of finishing detail. In fact, we’re so confident in our level of quality we have a special section in our gallery that highlights our Craftsmanship and Detail – photographs taken before our homeowners move in and hide everything with furniture and artwork.

The first time we considered entering the Tommie Awards, we knew only that it was a much talked about and highly respected salute to excellence in the homebuilding industry in the Central Okanagan by the Canadian Home Builders Association. We listened, we learned, and we committed to the awards – not for bragging rights, but so that we could express through a third party (the independent awards judges) the value of a Bill Frame Signature Home. The interesting thing is we never know who the judges are…in fact, this year, the Tommie Awards Committee didn’t even reveal the identity of the judges. They like to keep things impartial. And to us, and our customers, that further establishes the credibility of winning a Tommie Award.

We’re just thrilled they really liked our work – again.

Without Further Adieu

There’s a fine line between bragging and celebrating. Our clients, and those who have come to know us, understand that we really never wanted to say much about our awards. We originally saw them as confidence builders – for our builder team and for our clients. But after four years of listening to the marketing and business consultants (which can be tiring), we have come to accept that customers – and prospective customers – want to know about our success. It’s all a part of that “success breeds success” mantra.

This year (Tommie 2011) we chose two kitchens to enter into the Tommie Awards. And we chose a few more categories from a custom home we built on Tuscany Lane in Kelowna’s Upper Mission. We admit, we’re pretty thrilled about the results! Here’s what the Tommie 2011 judges selected:

Tommie Gold Times Three

• Excellence In Kitchen Design – Single Family Detached Home $750 – $1M Pavelich Residence
• Excellence In Kitchen Design – Single Family Detached Home $1.5 – $2M Morton Residence
• Excellence In Creating An Interior Feature – Innovation In A Home Morton Residence Recording Studio

Something That Has To Be Said – Again

We’ve said this before – perhaps on many occasions – but we feel it is worth repeating: Building an award-winning Frame Custom Home requires something special.  It’s a client who understands our dedication to building exceptional homes, and who truly wants a builder who will work with them from start to finish – right from land selection and architectural and interior design, to finishing details, furniture placement and lifestyle-friendly landscaping.  These are just a few of the elements that comprise a Frame Custom Home.  But it really does start with the customer’s vision.

We just make it all happen. We’d LOVE to make it happen for you.

Remember – you don’t have to build a multi-million dollar home to build an award winner, or a family pleaser. Real, “every day”, “lived in” custom homes win awards, too. But far more importantly, they win the hearts of their owners. And that’s what comes first for all of us at Frame Custom Homes.

Talk to us about your next home. We welcome the opportunity to hear what you want in your home, and the chance to explain to you in person why Frame Custom Homes is a great choice. When you’re ready, we can help you from the very first step…and only Bill Frame can build a Bill Frame Signature Home. When you’re ready, please call us at 250.718.8670 or email us at happycustomers@framecustomhomes.com today.

We look forward to meeting you soon!

Bill & Paula Frame

Frame Custom Homes

We like to stay focused on the customers’ happiness.  We let the marketing people do the jumping up and down!  But we all enjoy the celebrating.

One of the best perks in our business – building beautiful custom homes – is getting to hear feedback from those who see our work.  Sure we get comments all the time from people who visit our Frame Custom Homes website and gallery, but when we get feedback from experts in the home building industry it really makes us stop and think.  Are we doing things right?  Are we advancing home design and quality of construction?  Do we use the right products?  Are the homes we build homes in which people want to live?  Sometimes the feedback is constructive criticism, sometimes it’s accolades… but no matter what we are told, we will admit with all honesty that winning Tommie Awards for Excellence in the Home Building Industry – is the best-feeling feedback…bar none.

Our marketing people here in Kelowna tell us this kind of recognition is “bragging rights”.  And as much as they say that, they also know it really isn’t our “thing”.  We are genuinely happy to do what we do, and very fortunate to build homes that we love, our clients love, and admittedly, homes the Tommie Judges love.  It’s our fourth year entering our homes into competition for the Tommie Awards.  As members of the Canadian Home Builder’s Association – Central Okanagan, we are committed to building the best homes we can.  That incentive has helped us have great success for a young company.  And if there is one thing we do feel comfortable in letting our marketing people say on our behalf is, we are just getting started!  And so, we are thrilled to pass the megaphone over to them to share these recent accolades.

Frame Custom Homes Wins 5 MORE Tommie Silver Awards!

- Tommie Silver for Excellence In Single Family Detached Home $1.5M – $2M – The Morton Residence

- Tommie Silver for Excellence In Creating An Interior Feature/Innovation In A Home – The Morton Residence

- Tommie Silver for Excellence In Master Suite Design Single Family Detached Home $1.5M – $2M – The Morton Residence

- Tommie Silver for Excellence In Kitchen Design Single Family Detached Home $1.5 – $2M – The Morton Residence

- Tommie Silver for Excellence In Kitchen Design Single Family Detached Home $750 – $1M – The Pavelich Residence

Yay!

Just click on the thumbnails below to see a full screen image of our Tommie 2011 Silver Finalist Winners!

(Photography by Colin Jewall Photo Studios Inc.)

Building an award-winning Frame Custom Home requires something special.  It’s a client who understands our dedication to building exceptional homes, and who truly wants a builder who will work with them from start to finish – right from land selection and architectural and interior design, to finishing details, furniture placement and lifestyle-friendly landscaping.  These are just a few of the elements that comprise a Frame Custom Home.  But it really does start with the customer’s vision.

We just make it all happen.

The icing on the cake is when we win awards; because we get to share it with our customers. And they get to share it with their family and friends.  And if their friends and family are as impressed as the Tommie Award Judges, we get to do it all over again.  And that’s our goal at Frame Custom Homes – keep building amazing custom homes in Kelowna, Penticton, and throughout the Okanagan Valley.

If you’re ready to build an amazing new home, we’d really enjoy the opportunity to hear what you want in your home, and the chance to explain to you why Frame Custom Homes is a great choice.  We can help you from the very first step.  Our work is award-winning (please see above!), and our customers are happy customers!  Call us at 250.718.8670 or email happycustomers@framecustomhomes.com today.

We look forward to meeting you soon!  And we are looking forward to getting out of our work clothes and slipping into our fancy-night-out clothes for the Tommie Gold Awards Gala on January 28^th, 2012.  We’re pretty certain our marketing people and interior designers will want to select our shoes.

Bill & Paula Frame

Frame Custom Homes

Just before our Grand Tommie win for 2010 Home Builder of the Year, we started an exciting new home project in one of Kelowna’s most desired Mission neighbourhoods. The home was designed to maximize the lake and city views, and the homeowners had a great list of unique additions they wanted incorporated into the design and construction of the home. Some of these items were the luxuries they collected over the years and added to their “want” list over the years – the things they would incorporate when they built their dream home. Other customizations were the hottest new technologies on the market – all designed to make the homeowner more comfortable and to offer more convenience throughout their home.

Home automation is growing in popularity. Most homes now have a fully automated heating and cooling system. The programmable controls replace the traditional on/off temperature-setting wall controls. But now the automation of the entire house is efficient and convenient. And yes, considerably affordable compared to a few years ago.

In this particular Frame Custom Home, when you walk into a room the lights come on. When you leave, they turn off. When you step on the stairs to climb or descend, the accent lights on the stair risers turn on to light your way. The feature adds a new level of comfort, security, luxury and efficiency. It is certainly something we were thrilled to incorporate into the home for the customer, and now at the top of our list for recommendations to new customers who choose Frame Custom Homes.

One other automation addition to the home that really grabbed our attention, and definitely is on our “love it” list is the automatic door from the garage into the home. Have your hands full of groceries from the car? Just walk up to the door and the motion sensor senses your approach and opens the fire door to the house. You don’t have to put down the items you are carrying, reach for the doorknob, or hold the door open. It opens for you and closes behind you. It might be the most brilliant convenience we’ve added to a home design and build at Frame Custom Homes. And maybe it’s the sheer simplicity of that one feature that really grabbed our attention. Either way, we love it!

Here’s another great piece of this recent project. This is a first for us at Frame Custom Homes. We’ve built lots of home entertainment rooms and theatres, and certainly have worked with elaborate heating and cooling systems and installed special electrical systems – but this one was a truly unique piece of the home. It’s a custom designed recording studio – in the home. In a word – beautiful.

You’ll see in the photo below that it is visually stunning. It is a bright and inspired workspace. The custom designed wall and ceiling panels were made locally, and the design features are quite remarkable. There are no parallel walls, eliminating the sound-wave bounce – an important design element for the studio. Carpet borders the solid maple floors and the desk is custom built for recording and computer equipment.

Two very interesting parts of the design and build centered around the sub-floor and the heating, cooling and electrical systems. There is an 8-inch sub-floor allowing for all the cable runs for the equipment. The wood flooring is heated – and the room has a separate air exchange system. The easiest explanation is that the room is silent. Airflow from the heating and cooling system is specially controlled to reduce noise; and the walls are double insulated ensuring outside noise does not affect any recordings. It also has a completely separate power system. It’s known as “clean power” in the recording industry and was a key requirement in the design and construction of the studio within the home.

The end result? We love it, and our new homeowner has an amazing recording studio just a few steps from the family room. It is certainly a showpiece in our portfolio, and a great source of enjoyment for the homeowner.

We guess that when we say, “Tell us what you want in a Bill Frame Signature Home” we really need to be ready for a customer’s dreams! And that’s one of the things we love about building these amazing custom homes. It is the ability to design, built and present a home that is exactly what the customer always wanted.

If you haven’t already looked at our Project Gallery, please do. You’ll see many more photographs of the home we’ve written about in this Blog Post, and some really nice detail shots in “Craftsmanship & Detail” gallery category. It is what really separates a Bill Frame Signature Home from all other homes, and that’s why we feel we won the 2010 Grand Tommie for Home Builder of the Year. Nothing is hidden behind furniture. You can see the exceptional detail and fit and finish. It’s our team’s work, and we want you to see it. Think of it as the truest form of “full disclosure”. After all, if we’re going to build your home, you need to know we can deliver something that you don’t want to cover up.

If you’re ready to build an amazing new home, we’d appreciate the opportunity to talk to you about it. We can help you from the very first step. Our work is award-winning, and our customers are happy customers! Call us at 250.718.8670 or email happycustomers@framecustomhomes.com today.

We look forward to meeting you soon!

Bill & Paula Frame

Frame Custom Homes

It’s probably because a lot of people came knocking on our door.

Our Frame Custom Homes build-team has been busy with several new projects. But we’re never too busy to hear what you want in a Bill Frame Signature Home.

So, about those current projects. We’re currently building three homes in Penticton, BC. All are amazing custom home designs that we’re honoured to be building. Let’s be honest; it feels good to be selected by a customer to build their home. They’ve put a lot of thought into what they want in a home, and we certainly put a lot of care and attention into the construction of these homes. But that’s what has helped us win their respect and trust. The hard work we put into every Bill Frame Signature Home.

Maybe that’s the really great thing about our work, and the homes we are chosen to build. We love it. Our customers know this about us. The end result, we are confident, will be award-winning homes lived in by very happy customers. And that’s a great feeling – for both of us.

Another really nice new home we’re building is on Tuscany Lane. This is our sixth home that we’ve built on Tuscany Lane in Kelowna’s Upper Mission. Actually, we’ve built all the homes on Tuscany Lane. This latest one is pretty special to us as the homeowner added some unique spaces that really challenged us, and at the same time, gave us something original to add to our portfolio. But, it’s still under construction, so you’ll have to wait just a little while to see the new photographs in our gallery.

All Tuscany Lane homes build by Frame Custom Homes. Click on image to see complete panoramic view.

Speaking (writing?) of our gallery, we’ve just added a new section to our Project Gallery. It’s called “Craftsmanship & Detail”. You often see pictures of homes after they’ve been furnished, so what you don’t see is the quality of the finishing detail. That’s what really separates a Bill Frame Signature Home from all other homes, and that’s why we feel we won the Grand Tommie for Home Builder of the Year. So we’re not hiding behind furniture. We had our photographer come in to shoot one of our latest homes before it was furnished, so you can see the exceptional detail and fit and finish. It’s our team’s work, and we want you to see it. Think of it as the truest form of “full disclosure”. After all, if we’re going to build your home, you need to know we can deliver something that you don’t want to cover up.

Who knows, you might love it so much you decide to minimize the furniture you place in your new home!

Ready to build an amazing new home? We can help you for the very first step. You’ll love our award-winning work, and attention to detail! Call us at 250.718.8670 or email happycustomers@framecustomhomes.com today.

We look forward to hearing from you soon!

Bill & Paula Frame

Frame Custom Homes

We’re still all smiles today. In fact, our entire Frame Custom Homes build-team couldn’t wipe the smiles off our faces!

What a fantastic reward for a long year, but great year, of hard work for our clients.

On Saturday night, February 12, 2010, Frame Custom Homes was honoured with THREE GOLD Tommie 2010 Awards for Excellence in the Home Building Industry! We’re not certain our feet have touched the ground just yet. It was a big night for us that put the frosted topping on a great year of custom home building for our customers.

The homes we entered into the Tommie 2010 Awards (completed on or before September 30, 2010) were those we felt were our best work in the last year. And the judges agreed. We were honoured with 15 finalist Silver Tommies and then three Gold Winner Tommies – representing the best of the best!

It feels amazing. And we couldn’t have ben this successful without such great clients!

But truly, our biggest delight was to have Frame Custom Homes honoured with the Grand Tommie for “Tommie 2010 Home Builder of the Year”!

I think we need to say it all together, “Tommie 2010 Home Builder of the Year!”

So here’s what we got to walk across the stage for on Tommie Night:

• Grand Tommie Award for Single Family Home Builder of the Year
• Tommie GOLD Award for Excellence in Kitchen Design $50 – $100K
• Tommie GOLD Award for Excellence in Logo Design

We could go on for ever about how great this feels for all of us, but we must recognize the incredible contribution of our Frame Custom Homes builder team and supply partners, and the Canadian Home Builders Association of the Central Okanagan for all they do to help our clients see the value in working with trusted CHBA member professional. The CHBA-CO and the Tommie Awards represent the fine work of all members – including us – your Tommie 2010 Home Builder of the Year!

Ready to build an amazing home? We can help you for the very first step. You’ll love our award-winning work! Call us at 250.718.8670 or email happycustomers@framecustomhomes.com today.

We look forward to hearing from you soon!

Bill & Paula Frame

Frame Custom Homes

(14 of them, actually!)

Hard work pays big dividends for Frame Custom Homes, and for ‘Frame customers. Among fellow builders and developers on November 25th, Frame Custom Homes was recognized by it’s industry peers as a 2010 Tommie Silver Finalist for 14 Tommie Awards! Bill and Paula Frame from Frame Custom Homes are thrilled to announce these Silver Finalists for Tommie 2010 – recognizing excellence in the home building industry!

So…if we may brag, just a little, here’s the recognition we just received:

• Tommie Silver for Excellence in creating an Interior Feature
• Tommie Silver for Excellence in Interior Design
• Three Tommie Silvers for Excellence in Kitchen Design $50 – $100K
• Two Tommie Silvers for Excellence in Master Suite valued over $1M New Home
• Tommie Silver for Excellence in Master Suite 3000 SQ.FT and over
• Tommie Silver for Excellence in Single Family Detached Home 3000 SQ.FT and over
• Three Tommie Silvers Excellence in Single Family Detached Home $1 – $3M
• Tommie Silver for Excellence in Website Design
• Tommie Silver for Excellence in Logo Design

It appears we now know what the Judges want in a Bill Frame Signature home! Now we’re really excited about the Tommie 2010 Gold Gala coming in February of 2011…because all these award finalists have us in the running for a major Grand Tommie Award – Single Family Home Builder of the Year (Small Volume 10 homes or less)!

Frame Custom Homes is a multi-Tommie Award winning custom home builder based in Kelowna, BC, building homes throughout the Okanagan Valley.  We’ve won Tommie Awards in 2008, 2009 and 2010, and continue to strive everyday for excellence for our customers.  To learn more about us and the homes we build, please call Bill Frame today at 250.718.8670 or email happycustomers@framecustomhomes.com.

To read our story in detail and view our spectacular gallery of award-winning custom homes online (incase you haven’t taken a look), please visit us today at www.framecustomhomes.com. To talk to us today about building your new home (which we would love to do!), please call or email us. We’d love to hear your ideas!

So what’s new? Well, we’ve just updated our still-new website with over 50 new brilliant pieces of photography. (Our thanks to Colin Jewall for fitting us into his busy schedule)  And if we can say so, we think you’re going to love what’s in our Project Gallery.  In fact, we love these new homes in Kelowna’s Mission so much, we thought you’d like a sneak peek…so we’ve added a couple shots right here in our Blog.  To see inside the homes, please visit our Project Gallery.  We’ve categorized everything by rooms and features, so you can compare master suites or kitchens and great rooms or exteriors side by side!

We also have a couple new homes under construction in Penticton, and some new homes in the development stages here in Kelowna.  All are custom designs we’re building for existing owners, so they are already sold.  But don’t let that stop you from getting in touch with us.  We’re meeting with clients, residential designers and architects throughout the fall and winter to help them plan their new Bill Frame Signature Homes.  If you’re ready to own an amazing new home, please call or email us.  We welcome the opportunity to show you why we’re a great choice to build your new home.

Visit us again soon.  And please watch for us in November when the Tommie Silver Awards are announced by the Canadian Home Builders’ Association of the Central Okanagan.  We’re shooting for a “three-pete” and hope to once again be recognized for excellence in home building industry.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Best Regards,

Bill & Paula Frame, and the team at Frame Custom Homes.