How can a builder have intellectual property? Ok, I can hear some of you asking how can a builder have intellect? I will pretend I did not hear that. However, I might suggest if you are questioning your builder’s intellect, maybe it is because you hired the wrong builder and are getting what you paid for. But I won’t because that would be for another post.

Intellectual property is the processes and knowledge a builder develops to create his signature homes. By utilizing the same materials and resources (paint, lumber, trim, etc…) everyone else uses and has access to and incorporate them into his own specific recipe.

This recipe is developed by the builder investing time and resources (ie. money) into researching products, interviewing trades, experimenting with processes and working with designers. This work is on the design, creation and finish out of their homes. For every hour a builder spends at a job site, he can spend many more hours working on products, scheduling and research.

Finishes are the visible accents of a home such as paint, tile and moldings. Paint colors can take hours of research, multiple samples and repainting to get the perfect hue. Other considerations include how certain colors work with architectural elements, surrounding finishes and design materials. It is not uncommon to repaint cabinets or an entire room to perfect a look.

Design is the artistic creation of a home’s elements. If you see an interesting cabinet or ceiling detail, it is the end result of someone’s investment of time and resources to develop the feature. An examplie is decorative raised ceilings, which can take thousands of dollars in time and material to develop and create. Moldings, mantles, and cabinets are other design elements who’s creation requires a depth of knowledge and efforts.

Trade partners are subcontractors who a builder has developed and nurtured in an ongoing relationship. These relationships are strengthened by the investment of time, resources and education to help the trades develop their professions.

By using coaching, sharing feedback, discussing alternatives, and working alongside of them in the field helps foster a team effort to create innovative homes.  Builders also invest in knowing who the good trades are and observing the performance of their workers as well as how they respond to warranty requests.

In short intellectual property is the sum knowledge base a builder has developed on how to build and who to use to design and build a home. Another way to look at it is has a builder’s secret recipe.

You are not paying for the individual ingredients when you go to a restaurant you are paying for the chef’s knowledge and expertise on how to put them all together to create a meal.

Just as you can’t tell a chef’s recipe by tasting the sauce, you can’t just tell how a home is built by taking a picture or getting an appliance model number. By using the same ingredients everyone else has access to, a builder can formulate his signature style and “recipe” to create a one of a kind new home experience.

So please understand the next time you ask a builder to share his secrets, they may be hesitant to do so. Just as a chef won’t give away his recipes, why would you expect a builder to give away all his secrets for building a home.

Please feel free to leave your comments, drop us an email at mike@garabedianproperties.com or call our office at 817-748-2669. I also encourage you to visit http://www.garabedianproperties.com to see movies on our homes, hundreds of pictures and information on how we can be of service to your family or clients.  Or become a fan on Facebook.

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Tags: Food For Thought