After living in the Lake Oconee area full time for four years, Gene and Cathy Kirby decided it was time to move into Reynolds. So they reached out to veteran Reynolds realtor and member Micki Tanner in early 2015. She showed them numerous existing homes, but nothing felt quite right. That was when the idea of building the perfect house took shape.
“It had been more than 25 years since we built a home because of corporate moves and always having to settle in existing homes,” says Gene Kirby. Tanner showed them a few homesites and they even met with an architect to discuss floor plans. But that just left Gene and Cathy feeling even more confused. “It was tough to look at plans on paper and visualize what the actual home would feel like when we walked inside,” Gene admits.
That’s when Tanner took the Kirbys to one of the Model Homes on Mill Creek built by Gary and Nancy Pierotti, owners of Camden Homes and one of six Signature Home Builders at Reynolds. Immediately, Gene and Cathy could begin to see their visions become real right in front of them. A trip to the Design Studio—the 5,000-square-foot showroom where ideas for fit and finish take shape—convinced the Kirbys that all they had to do was move a few things around in the Model Home floor plan and they’d achieve their dream.
“We quickly realized that what we had in our minds already existed in one of the Model Homes,” Gene explains. “We could walk through it and visualize how the changes we wanted to make would create a floor plan that worked perfectly for us.”
The Signature Home Program began more than 20 years ago with a simple mission: provide buyers with a way to engineer the anxiety out of designing and building a new home. “While the program doesn’t take the place of your relationship with your builder, it is designed to make the interaction more efficient and convenient,” says Glenn Winslette, vice president of development at Reynolds. The program has grown substantially—more than 400 completed homes prove that—but it still delivers quality products and personalized service.
“We want to simplify the building process for property owners. The Design Studio is certainly an important tool in streamlining the overall experience, displaying sample materials from fixtures and cabinetry to flooring and more, allowing something for most every taste and budget,” says Robert Steverson, the Studio’s manager. “We want to educate property owners on current building trends, but more importantly show that all the local research necessary to build has already been done for them.”
“Guidance from Robert at the Design Studio was key,” explains Gene Kirby, “and being able to see samples and examples of what had already been built was so helpful. The Pierotti’s working familiarity within Reynolds was a big advantage as well. After all, why have a builder build something they’ve never built when there’s a base home plan that meets most of our needs. The result was a process that was much easier than we ever imagined and a home that is still unique to us.” Together, The Signature Home Program and Design Studio assist in creating your dream home in Reynolds, and also ease the stress and anxiety of building.
The Signature Home Toolbox
Here’s how the Signature Home Program makes building a home at Reynolds easy and comfortable.
PLANS The Signature Home library includes more than 30 plans offering a variety of styles and sizes, from single-family homes to villas and cottages.
CUSTOMIZATION Homes are rarely built exactly to the original plans, the program allows the customer to design their home reflecting personal style and needs.
APPROVALS All Signature Home plans are pre-approved by the Reynolds Architectural Review Board, saving the customer weeks on the total build time.
COSTS An estimated cost is provided upfront, rather than relying on the less precise “cost-plus” approach to pricing.
SIGNATURE BUILDERS Six Signature Home Builders remove the hassle of finding a builder familiar with the community.
TOUCH AND FEEL The Design Studio and Mill Creek Model Home Center showcase design ideas and building trends, and are there to offer selections and “hands on” experiences throughout the planning process.
