Business
Partner with Level Craft Construction, Virginia Van Lear joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss operating a female-run business, the pandemic’s effects on the construction industry and building inside the perimeter. Van Lear joins hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick for the All About Real Estate segment. Level Craft Construction is a premier custom home builder headed by Van Lear and her business partner, Debbie Hollonbeck, with over 20 years of experience building, designing and renovating homes and commercial spaces inside the perimeter area (ITP). The company works primarily in Brookhaven, Buckhead, Decatur, Midtown, Virginia Highland, Morningside, Kirkwood and Scottdale. “You can come to us with your project, and we will help you every step of the way,” said Van Lear. Level Craft partners with homeowners from building, planning, lot selection and funding while remaining close at hand through every step of the process. As well as residential work, the company works with investors to develop residential properties, expanding and improving the real estate industry in the metro area. When the pandemic began, Van Lear and her team expected all operations to come to a halt, but this has not been the case. Many people working from home have assessed their spaces and found them lacking. Whether there is a lack of beautification, a needed update or the desire for more capacity, many clients feel cramped in homes that were at one time adequate. Level Craft Construction has seen a dramatic increase in additions and outdoor living spaces in the past year and a half. Specializing in large-scale construction projects over $250,000, popular additions like screened-in porches tend to be a part of sizable projects that also includes a master suite and additional rooms. Some homeowners even go as far as starting from scratch. In Atlanta, a current issue is obtaining a building permit earlier than six months before starting a project, which presents problems for homeowners and the Level Craft team, because a lot can happen with pricing during that timeframe. Another issue is the interruption in the flow of products from sources outside of the United States. For example, if roof trusses are needed for a build, there is difficulty obtaining the necessary metal brackets. For HVAC systems, the motherboards to operate the machinery are sourced from China, causing sizable delays. Van Lear said, “What took us five or six months to build now takes us eight or nine months because we’re just waiting for product.” It’s common to see houses start construction and come to an abrupt halt because of disruptions to the supply chain. Level Craft Construction has been keeping communication open and regularly updating clients to ensure the interruptions don’t prevent the homeowner’s dream from becoming a reality. Since all of Level Craft’s projects are larger-scale, 99% of renovations incorporate a kitchen upgrade for a larger and more functional space. Based in the South, it is common for Level Craft Construction clients to also desire screened-in back porches with room for a wet bar and a Big Green Egg. It is also common for homeowners to request a martini pool or larger family pools. Van Lear shared that the current main pillars of renovations are larger kitchens, outdoor living spaces and additional rooms to provide office space for working from home. Just some of the most common home styles that clients ask for include the commonplace southern farmhouse style, Craftsman bungalows, two-story bungalows and recently, modern prairie styles, a personal favorite of Van Lear. She also shared that the company enjoys the challenge of experimenting with different exteriors, such as stacked stone versus stone veneer. “It’s fun for Level Craft to build outside of the box,” shared Van Lear. “It keeps our wheels turning a little bit and keeps us sharp. We always want to learn new things.”