Builder Profile
Spec home in the Copper Creek development,
Marshall Township.
$2,095,000, 5 beds 7.5 bathrooms,
over 7,875 finished square feet,
first floor master bedroom, theatre room,
on 3.6 acre cul-de-sac lot.
THEY’RE
GOOD GUYS,
REALLY!
28 GREATER PITTSBURGH’S NEW HOME
| Fall 2014
Builder Profile
WHY EDDY HOMES RULES
IN CUSTOMER APPRECIATION.
What makes a home builder remarkable?
First, there are the remarks themselves. The customers of
Eddy Homes, a family-owned company since 1971, speak
the kind of praise that is usually reserved for good friends.
There are Tad and April Paterra, the very first residents of
The Crossings, a carriage home community in McMurray.
“For those guys, I’d do anything,” says Tad.
There’s Lu Ann Stewart, who has relocated seven times
with her husband Sam. The Stewarts have had their share
of builders who stuck to a plan that didn’t deliver, but they
can’t say enough about Eddy Homes.
“They were willing to do anything different to the floor
plan that they could possibly do to keep us happy. It’s just
amazing,” says Lu Ann. “We would definitely do it all over
again.”
The accolades flow so freely from client to client that there’s
no missing the pattern: this is a business that listens. New
Home Magazine took a closer look at how Eddy Homes has
won the trust of Pittsburgh home buyers, and how as they
expand to new markets, their plan isn’t to be the biggest, but
the best.
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29
(First row, left to right) Dan O’Rouke,
Matt Moritz, Jon Moritz, Jeanne Moritz
(second row) Andrew Litzinger, Mike Kuhar,
Cristina Palamides, Nicky Varrenti
(third row) Tyler Goldbach, Brad Volkar,
and Vincent Happ.
He is quick to count off everything behind
the beam that matters.
“How quickly can we get hot water to a
faucet? How loud is the house? Does it feel
really sturdy? Is it difficult to step outside
the front door? In the end it all adds up,
and those subtle details make a difference.”
Start With Smarts
“We take a lot of time to think about the
performance of a house, much like the performance of a sports car,” says Matt Moritz,
vice president of construction. “People
like to look at the kitchens and millwork
because they’re readily apparent, but for
me, what sets a house apart is how plumb,
square, and level it is.”
30 GREATER PITTSBURGH’S NEW HOME
Of course, first-rate millwork doesn’t hurt
either. With trim carpentry that is handcrafted and hand-installed, the quality of
the home is just as apparent to anyone
who isn’t a third-generation home builder.
Nicky Varrenti, operations manager at Eddy
Homes, likens their craftsmen to artists.
And how to keep those artists around?
It’s one of Eddy’s simple secrets: test
| Fall 2014
them through time, and pay them well.
Cream rises to the top. “It is harder and
harder to find true craftsmen in a marketplace where a lot of home builders are
just out to maximize profits and focus on
their shareholders,” says Varrenti. “ But
we have been lucky enough to keep our
vendors happy. We pay a premium for
their artistry.”
Happy vendors, happy customers. Another
simple secret: when you work seamlessly
with vendors, they do the work right the
first time around. Time is the magic factor
to balance: not so little that a subcontractor
is out the door before the paint dries, and
not so much the project drags along.
Ask Nick Hillebrand why time matters.
Hillebrand is one of the principal owners
of Don’s Appliances, a family-owned company that opened its doors in the same year
as Eddy Homes. Like Eddy’s home buyers,
he sings the praises of their foremen, who
pay an unusual amount of attention to
detail.
“When they say they’re going to have
everything ready for you, they do,” he says.
“We don’t have to make multiple trips just
to start the job. It just makes it easy.”
Ease is at the heart of the modern construction industry, where everything businessside eventually becomes client-side. This
is an industry that’s famous for its stealth
expenses in production, transportation,
and installation. Control time, and you
control cost.
It’s a sentiment echoed by Pam Cook,
owner of the PF Cook Brick Company.
She believes that Eddy Homes has an edge
because they keep an unusually keen eye on
pricing.
“Some builders will put in the same allowances for a product year after year without
keeping up with cost. But [Eddy Homes]
is proactive in seeing what’s available and
constantly monitoring pricing and the
quality of materials. That speaks a lot for a
builder, because others will send the same
people in for years with the same allowances. Pretty soon they’re standing here not
being able to select too many products.”
“We’ve developed a great trust between
our companies,” she adds. “They’re open
to new products and materials that their
clientele might like to have. They build a
lot of high-end homes, so they keep a real
good handle on it.”
But at the end of the day, both vendors say
it comes down to an enjoyable working experience. They’ve gotten to know the whole
team, from the designers and fieldmen to
the Moritz family. “In today’s day and age where everyone is
cutting corners, these guys just won’t do
it. And the partnership isn’t one-sided. It’s
‘What can they do for us?’ and obviously,
‘What can we do for them?” Hillebrand
says. But it’s not that complicated. “I just
like working with those guys,” he says.
Know Your Market
Edward Moritz founded Eddy Homes
in 1971 with the idea that building your
dream home shouldn’t be so stressful.
Over three decades of work, he molded a
straightforward business process that was
just as big as the client needed, creating
opportunities to surpass expectations. Every generation since has sustained Eddy’s
process, no matter who the customer is.
“We’ve developed a
great trust between our
companies,” she adds.
“They’re open to new
products and materials
that their clientele
might like to have. They
build a lot of high-end
homes, so they keep a
real good handle on it.”
As the company transitioned to son Dave
Moritz, he steadily brought more luxury
homes to the company’s base in The
South Hills, growing its presence in the
high-end market by leaps and bounds.
Grandsons Matt and Jon joined the company in 2003 and 2005, respectively, and
continued his emphasis on luxury. One
of their newest projects is Copper Creek,
an estate home community in Marshall
Township that’s just two miles from the
I-79 corridor and Cranberry Township.
The million-dollar homes of Copper
Creek are stunning. They sprawl over
country lots as large as 11 acres and spare
none of the most desired amenities,
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31
including multimedia rooms, wine cellars,
and outdoor living spaces. They even border a secluded nature reserve.
But Pittsburgh isn’t Silicon Valley. Million-dollar homes are an important slice
of real estate, but a small one. Even those
who desire unbridled luxury may not desire the thousands of square feet bundled
with it. So for Eddy Homes, luxury at its
highest price point isn’t the place to stop.
Eddy is already building homes in establishments like Scarlet Ridge in Franklin
Park Borough or Chapel Hill Estates in
Wexford, homes which Varrenti says are at
the $350,000-$600,000 price points. This
is the ledge from which the company is
poised to take off.
others, we’ve moved past email to integrated building systems in the cloud,” says
Matt Moritz. “We don’t have to physically
take the plans from sub to sub, so we can
handle all the custom work that needs to
be drawn up and cycled to a lot of people.
It’s becoming a lot more efficient to disseminate information in a process where
there are a lot of hands.”
The company is actively expanding to
new locations in the North Hills, where
tunnel-free traffic, the commercial core
of I-79 and I-279, and first-rate school
districts are irresistible to buyers. It has
already made a name for itself building
patio homes in the South Hills, the kind
of home that customers like the Paterras
and Stewarts rave about.
“It’s a great product for Pittsburgh, and
there’s not a lot of it,” says Jon Moritz,
who is the vice president of sales. “We
designed it because the city has a huge
population of baby boomers who still
have bigger homes even though their kids
are no longer with them.”
The six available floor plans start with the
Benton, which has 1,891 square feet, and
build up to the Eastwood at 3,000-4,000
square feet. Each of the patio homes features thoughtful touches like a first-floor
master bedroom and study and no steps
up to the living area.
Not to Mention the
Walk-in Closets
“I have more more storage space in this
home than I had in my previous one!” Tad
Paterra exclaims. “And that home was bigger by probably 1,000 square feet.”
Roomy closets were important to the
Paterras, so Eddy Homes made it work.
Like many other customers, Tad and April
emphasized how freeing it was to work
with the construction team led by superintendent Brad Volkar.
“It was nice to be able to talk to somebody and make some adjustments, because sometimes you can’t. I’ve built three
houses, and I’ve dealt with other contractors who said, ‘Here’s the plan, take it or
leave it,’” says Tad.
“We’ve already grown exponentially in
the last two years,” says Varrenti. “For the
next five, we’re getting operations in place
to handle a larger volume, and building the groundwork to become a larger
builder.”
That groundwork is helped along by a
behind-the-scenes investment in technology, keeping pace with massive changes in
the construction industry.
“Everything is so streamlined today. Like
32 GREATER PITTSBURGH’S NEW HOME
Patio home evokes the box home or
cookie-cutter model. But in the Eddy
vocabulary, these homes are far more appealing: modern first-floor living, an open
layout and quality build, and a floor plan
that’s so customizable that prices range
from $300,000 all the way up to $1.8
million. With realistic square footage and
a maintenance-free plan, these homes are
the first choice of retirees, empty nesters,
and even busy professionals.
| Fall 2014
“Even though they look similar from
the outside, every home that I have been
inside is completely different on the inside,” adds Lu Ann Stewart. The Stewarts
re-envisioned several aspects of their floor
plan. They repurposed the upstairs guest
room into a large suite, adding an extra
sink and a large bathtub to the bathroom,
and finished their basement so that it
could serve as an entertainment area. They
added a sunroom to the main level, and
planted another bedroom below it.
“It was all our idea,” she says excitedly.
“They just worked it up for us and gave us
a cost. There were a couple times that we
didn’t agree upon the cost, and they were
willing to work with us and come up with
something that made everybody happy. I just can’t say
how [atypical] that is when
you’re building something
from the ground up with a
builder. They are definitely
willing to work with their
customers.”
Working with customers
means turning off the egg
timer, which Eddy’s full-time
design coordinator can speak
to. Cristina Palamides walks
customers through every
aspect of the interior selection process, from cabinets
and countertops to flooring,
plumbing, millwork, and
color schemes. She is sold on
the depth of Eddy’s categories, which are smartly packaged to meet popular tastes
without limiting choice.
Palamides will do what it
takes to deliver a customer’s vision. She
shares the Eddy family’s ethos of fluid
consultation and their firm belief that you
hustle to keep the customer happy.
“Regardless of whether it takes 10 meetings or 20, we offer our services to them,”
she says. “We don’t limit interaction.
Whenever they need me, they call.”
Respect Your Tradition
Leave it to a family business to know that
the best homes are built with something
intangible.
“At this company, there are checklists
upon checklists. But not everything can
be systemized,” says Matt Moritz. “Quality is many things. It’s very easy to talk
about the foundation’s degree of precision or how we process our setup from
job to job. But other things come from
experience. It’s more difficult to quantify a
kitchen’s aesthetic. There are a lot of years
of history and education piled up there.
That’s what makes it look good.”
dence, he takes a humbling
turn. It is exacting, this need
to constantly assess if you have
maintained the integrity and
character of your grandfather’s
business.
“I like to think that we’re
more focused on the customer
and less on the bottom line,”
Matt says. “It’s taken years to
achieve that. Certainly we’re
very acutely aware that those
things can be broken in a very
short period, even though
they’ve taken a long time.”
NH
Matt Moritz and Jon Moritz.
But when you’d expect all those years of
tradition to produce a surplus of confi-
www.greaterpittsburghnewhome.com
33
Discover this unique luxury community ideally located in the heart of Peters Township and set against t
gorgeous vistas of Canonsburg Lake. The Crossings is situated minutes from I-279 and I-79 and featur
convenient access to a variety of shopping centers, transportation, and dining.
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Driving Directions:
The Historic Collection of Luxury Villa Homes pays homage to the history that is an integral part
of Peters Township. The “Benton” is named after the first recorded township land tract, granted on
February 11, 1780 when Peters Township was still considered to be part of Virginia. James Matthews
settled on Benton which consisted of 357 acres situated on the waters of Chartiers Creek.
E
NORTH:
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Take 79S towards Washington
Take 79N, get off at Canonsburg
Driving Directions:
EXIT at Canonsburg
RIGHT onto Weavertown Road
NORTH:
SOUTH:
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LEFT onto ROUTE 19 N
Take 79S towards Washington
Take 79N, get off at Canonsburg EXIT
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The Historic Collection of Luxury Villa Homes pays homage to the history that is an integral
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by Colonel Joseph Beelor, a respected veteran of the Revolutionary War.
THE
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LEFT at light onto ROUTE 19 North
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The Township’s current arrowhead logo was adopted in 1976. It was designed by a local artist,
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RIGHT at the 3rd light onto Crosswinds Dr
Peters Township was named after William “Indian” Peters. Some of the first settlers were the Wright
Brothers ( James & Joshua), James Matthews, John Sweringer, Rev. David Phillips, Andrew
Dunlevy, Daniel Townsend and Robert Bell.
www.EddyHomes.com
www.EddyHomes.com
(412) 221-0400 | [email protected]
Shown with Optional Window Layout
Historic Collection
www.EddyHomes.com
(412)
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| [email protected]
(412)
221-0400
| [email protected]
www.EddyHomes.com
(412) 221-0400 | [email protected]
(412) 221-0400 | [email protected]
This brochure is for illustrative purposes only and not part of a legal contract. Homes and floor plans may vary according to alternative styles selected
and are subject to change without notice. Optional and alternative items shown are available at additional cost. EDDY HOMES© 10-10-2011.
34 GREATER PITTSBURGH’S NEW HOME
| Fall 2014
Shown with Optional Door, Garage Door Window Package,
and Half-Circle Window Over Double-Window in the Study
www.EddyHomes.com
(412) 221-0400 | [email protected]
This brochure is for illustrative purposes only and not part of a legal contract. Homes and floor plans may vary according to alternative styles selected
and are subject to change without notice. Optional and alternative items shown are available at additional cost. EDDY HOMES© 10-10-2011.
Historic Collection
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Peters Township was originally part of the territory of the Native Americans of the Six Nations of
New York. The tribes included Shawnee, Delaware, and the Iroquois (or Mingo Indians).
The first Post Office in Peters Township was located in Thompsonville in a store owned by Moses and
John Thompson. The office was established in 1815 with Moses Thompson appointed as Postmaster.
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The Historic Collection of Luxury Villa Homes pays homage to the history that is an integral part
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“Stonewall” was a private academy in the township ran by Solomon Bell in the
mid-1800’s. The Bell family owned the original 1812 farm in where the Rolling Hills Country Club
is located today on East McMurray Road.
h oHistoric
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Shown with Optional Door and Garage Door Window Package
www.EddyHomes.com
(412) 221-0400 | [email protected]
This brochure is for illustrative purposes only and not part of a legal contract. Homes and floor plans may vary according to alternative styles selected
and are subject to change without notice. Optional and alternative items shown are available at additional cost. EDDY HOMES© 10-10-2011.
STONEWALL
Historic Collection
T
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TURNBRIDGE
Shown with Optional Door and Garage Door Window Package
www.EddyHomes.com
(412) 221-0400 | [email protected]
Historic Collection
Shown with Optional Door and Garage Door Window Package
This brochure is for illustrative purposes only and not part of a legal contract. Homes and floor plans may vary according to alternative styles selected
and are subject to change without notice. Optional and alternative items shown are available at additional cost. EDDY HOMES© 10-10-2011.
www.greaterpittsburghnewhome.com
35