Charles T. "Butch" Hatchell
To work with Palmetto Custom Construction, Inc. is to become involved with a team that is totally dedicated to the commitment of home building. The company's president, Charles T, 'Butch' Hatchell, is a seasoned builder with a true gift for customer relations.
Born
and raised in Louisville, KY, Butch Hatchell began working in
residential construction in 1974 and has been in business in Columbia
since 1978. 'I was looking for something that really agreed with
me that I could put my all into and get the most out of at the
same time. Home building gave me a creative outlet that nothing
else had satisfied before.'Specializing in custom homes is a niche
not easily filled by many. However, consistency and an attention
to quality have helped Palmetto Custom Construction, Inc. fulfill
the desires of their customers in the $260,000 to $450,000 markets.
'We regularly receive letters from happy customers and that really
makes it for us. It feels good to have somebody on the other end
saying, Thank you, we really enjoy our new home and appreciate
what you did for us.' That makes it even more satisfying,' Mr.
Hatchell said.
The
common thread in their success stories is the appreciation their
customers have for the level of communication which Butch himself
carries. To this Northeast Columbia resident, they are the awards
of a commitment to satisfy the customer with a quality built custom
home.
Palmetto Custom Construction, Inc. builds 18 to 20 homes annually
in the Northeast Columbia area. Their homes can be seen in the
prestigious subdivisions of Wildewood, Wood
Creek Farms, Spring Valley, and Lake
Carolina, along with some custom built homes in the Ashley
Oaks subdivision of Blythewood. Butch Hatchell believes that choosing
to stay in one area of Columbia is an asset to the customer and
to the homes being built. 'We want to spend time on the job. not
driving all over the place. That helps us concentrate on the finished
project.'
Butch
Hatchell has studied residential through industrial construction
and keeps his training current through regular educational courses
and seminars. One such course has been with WISE Business Technology.
'Through them (WISE), we found out about establishing a quality
control division. This involves dedicated teamwork and daily onsite
inspections. It really brought our end product up to the point
where it's pretty rare that we have problems. Our goal was to
put in a division that specifically handled the customers' concerns.
In making sure the house was complete in every aspect, we eliminate
a lot of callbacks and such. The idea was to create confidence
in the building process with the customer. We want them to communicate.
We want them to feel like they have truly gotten their money's
worth. It is very important to us not to lose the customer satisfaction
in the demands to produce fast.'
Palmetto
Custom Construction, Inc. has many distinguishing features. 'From
a design standpoint, we try to develop plans that don't fit into
one pattern-the single, the executive, the empty-nester. We try
to develop plans with features so everyone can feel comfortable.
Trim work, mantle pieces and cabinet work are custom-designed.
All of our products are energy
efficient. We recently polled our customers and found they were
heating approximately 3,500 to 4,000 square feet for under $ 130
a month.'
Finding out what the customers disliked about their last homes
is an unusual technique. However, Butch Hatchell believes it is
key to completing a project. 'Most of the time, the customer has
already owned several homes. Recently, a customer said to me.
This is my third house. I never liked the cabinets in my other
two, and I need something that I can work with.' So we worked
with her and designed cabinets to fully fit what she wanted. That's
the business we're into deliver a product to the customer that
is going to provide for all their needs, wants and desires. We
do everything possible to fully satisfy them.'
Butch
is a member of the Home
Builders Association. He has been very active in increasing
the membership and getting his subcontractors involved with the
HBA. 'I believe it is important to work consistently to bring
up the standards for this industry. This is a team effort. Having
them involved helps them understand the benefits the HBA offers
in the way of education and productivity, which can only benefit
the home buyer in the end. They do a lot to pull builders together.
It creates a camaraderie and dialogue that furthers the business
of home building in Columbia.' He is also a member of the Concerned
Businessmen's Association and an Advisory Board member of The
Association for Better Living and Education International (ABLE).
Personable
staff in the office and on the field help make the home building
experience easier. 'Our field superintendent's customer relations
skills are as good as anyone's I've seen in the business. He makes
it relaxing and makes the customer feel totally confident. He
really takes care of them. We have long term relationships with
our subcontractors and suppliers, which help everything run smoothly.
Our architects are great to work with- they can easily incorporate
changes the customer wants,' Butch said. To those just coming
into the home building business, Butch offers this advice: 'Maintain
quality of product. Use sound financial practices. Construction
is actually a simple science, but the philosophy of keeping the
customer happy and maintaining sound financial practices will
keep the company there for the long term. We've been around for
almost 20 years and we have consistently done a good job, so we've
had great relations with our customers. It's a joy to me to see
one of my customers in the supermarket and stop and chat for a
minute. We're here to stay,' Butch says.
Palmetto
Custom Construction, Inc. has been selected to participate in
the Street of Dreams at Lake Carolina. This is an exciting new
concept in the area and gives the prospective buyer an opportunity
to see a finished section of the subdivision and to get an overall
view of the surroundings.
