home |hōm|
noun 1. The place where one lives permanently, esp. as a member of a family or household.

Building beautiful custom homes is an art and a science. By making a commitment to customer satisfaction through the highest standards of workmanship, honesty and dependability, Stan Whittington, founder of SW Associates, and his business partners have built a successful, sought-after construction company that can take you home, literally. Working with experienced, licensed contractors, the planning, designing and building of a new home is a rewarding adventure. Choosing SW Associates to build your custom home or remodel your current home can ensure you a satisfying, exciting experience and investment.

QUALITY WORKMANSHIP = CUSTOMER SATISFACTION
You will make your most personal and largest investment in the house you build for your family. Your ultimate goal is to see your dreams come true; to create a new home that reflects your style and passions—a house that will shelter you and your family for many comfortable years to come.

I met with Stan and his executive management team in their offices just off Lenoir Rhyne Boulevard in southeast Hickory. On the walls of their conference room hangs a gallery of beautiful homes that will get your creative juices flowing—it’s a showcase of elegance, charm, cozy and gracious. The selection of styles, square footage and materials is a bit overwhelming. Beautiful stonework, rich cabinetry and woodwork, inviting outdoor living spaces, elegant entries and peaceful landscapes inhabit and embrace these spectacular homes. SW Associates’ homes can be found throughout the greater Hickory area and surrounding counties.

“Our entry into building ‘limited edition homes’ came when I was approached by several Hickory families who wanted me to build their custom homes,” Stan remembers. “I’d been building smaller, spec homes in residential neighborhoods, and this was a new opportunity for me. I started with just four employees and now have ten.”

A HOME BUILDING TEAM
Stan’s executive management team, Gibb Walton, business manager and Jimmy Houston, general contractor and Certified Building Analyst, helped me understand how the company has grown and all that they are doing today. “We build homes that range in size from 2,000 to 19,000 square feet. We’re building two homes now, and we often have up to six,” Gibb told me. “Our region of North Carolina is very popular for folks moving south out of extreme climates. I think this area will always be an excellent choice for building. And right now there are many good deals on property.” Since 1992, when Stan started SW Associates after working in the construction industry for 12 years, they have built close to 300 new homes around Hickory, Catawba, Iredell, Alexander, Burke and Caldwell counties. I could imagine living in any of the homes in their beautiful full-color portfolio—cozy, rustic cabins and spacious retirement homes around Lake James, executive Craftsmen-style and traditional homes on rolling foothills landscapes, as well as striking contemporary homes situated on challenging sites with spectacular views. Each architectural detail is in keeping with the overall style and feel of every home.

WORKING WITH PEOPLE COMES FIRST
SW Associates takes great pride in building not only a working relationship with homeowners, but also a personal partnership to ensure that the home they build is the exact one you want them to build. “We take the time we need to first listen and learn from the homeowner just what their dream home looks like and feels like,” Stan says. “I want to make sure I understand the lifestyle of my clients—the personality of the family, their needs and desires.” By taking on a limited number of custom homes each year, the construction team is able to concentrate specifically on each unique project. They work with the homeowners from conception of design to the final clean up and completion. There are many aspects of a home that need special attention, and SW Associates has a select list of building and design partners in each specialty—masonry, carpentry, flooring, carpet and tile, doors and windows, landscaping and fencing, roofing, heating and air systems, lighting, appliances, cabinetry, painting, security systems, and plumbing and electric—all whose quality and business ethics mirror their own.

Jimmy Houston is the estimating and project manager. He works on the design and planning aspects of all building projects. SW Associates can build your home from existing plans or work with you to design a unique house incorporating your ideas and the features you prefer. Business manager, Gibb Walton helps the team keep all the building selections in line, managing the critical details of contracts, insurance, financing, planning, payroll, and HR. In addition, Annette Houston, Jimmy’s wife, works part time in marketing and customer service, providing follow-up with past clients’ questions and needs.

HOME ENVIRONMENTS: “Helping Save the World One Home at a Time.”
SW Associates is committed to green building. The Building Performance Institute has designated Jimmy Houston as a Certified Building Inspector. Jimmy understands the relationship between all systems in the house and the effect they have on the health of the family living there. Safety, comfort, energy efficiency and durability are factors he assesses when planning the home’s infrastructure.

To promote the “environmental health” of the home just as critically as they do the comfort of the occupants, SW Associates has established Home Environments as a subsidiary of the building company. Home Environments supports their customers’ desire for energy efficiency and environmental stewardship. As experts in the environmental and energy components that are built into each home, they believe it is their responsibility to provide honest, up-to-date information and choices to homeowners in the planning and design stage. Making informed decisions is key.

“Building Science is an advancing field of study in our industry,” Jimmy explained. “We make certain that we know what options are available to make a home energy efficient and environmentally sound, how well building products and systems meet high standards of compliance and how to bring this new technology together to create a home that is comfortable and cost efficient.” To better serve these needs, SW Associates is an ENERGY STAR partner, a member of the NAHB National Green Building Program and a Certified Green Professional.

WORKING WITH EXISTING HOMES
As a Certified Home Energy Rater and building analyst, Jimmy can evaluate energy efficiency in existing homes with an energy audit. He checks for air infiltration, inspects insulation and tests combustion systems—furnaces, stoves, gas logs and water heaters. “Jimmy can find a problem that might exist in the house and fix it,” Stan said, “instead of just putting a bandage on one of the symptoms.” This type of analysis can give homeowners the knowledge they need to save on utility bills and to make their home more efficient, safe and comfortable.

Remodeling and additions fill out the offerings of SW Associates. Many
homeowners want to stay where they are, and expanding living space or updating an older home can be the perfect solution. SW Associates will meet with you and develop design plans, budgets and options for custom re-designing existing space into new and refreshed living areas—suitable for growing families, empty-nesters, aging-in-place, even making room for an in-home business enterprise or mother-in-law suite.
If you believe that your home is your castle, and you’re looking for the exciting type of home building experience, begin by having a meeting with Stan and his construction team at SW Associates. You’re very likely to find a partner and new friends who can take you home, literally.

SW Associates, Inc.
735 11th Avenue Blvd., S.E.
Hickory, NC 28602
828-327-8627
www.swassociates.ws
www.home-environments.org