Patrick Joseph Distinctive Homes: Sean Kinzel and Chelsey Hutchins

On this episode of “Simplifying Life Through Technology,” Mark and Sue sit down with  Sean Kinzel, Vice President of Construction, and Chelsey Hutchins, Selections & Office Manager, from Patrick Joseph Distinctive Homes.

With a legacy spanning over 20 years, Patrick Joseph Distinctive Homes has established itself as a premier builder of luxury residences in the Lake Norman and Charlotte area. Known for their unique custom homes that combine extraordinary style, unparalleled quality, and remarkable livability, they have designed and built over 100 exquisite residences. Their building process, from pre-construction through completion, has been featured in trade publications for its efficiency and organization, making the experience of building a custom home well-organized and pleasant. 

Sean delves into the intricacies of managing high-end projects and maintaining impeccable standards in the luxury home-building industry. He shares insights into the company’s commitment to precision and craftsmanship, which has earned them a stellar reputation in the region.

Chelsey provides an insightful perspective on the Lake Norman Home Builders Association (LKNHBA) and their Best of The Lake annual gala. The LKNHBA is a vital organization that addresses the many concerns and issues affecting the housing industry in the Lake Norman community. It works actively with the community and local government to develop laws that protect the environment while still providing attractive, affordable communities and homes for families. The association is dedicated to providing a wide range of housing choices, including affordable products for first-time buyers and options for existing homeowners interested in remodeling.

Chelsey offers an in-depth look at the Best of The Lake annual gala, an event that celebrates excellence in the home building industry. Learn about the event’s charitable side, supporting Hope of Mooresville, a nonprofit aiding displaced women and children. She explains how people can get involved and attend this prestigious event, highlighting the significance of the gala in recognizing outstanding achievements and innovations in home construction and design.

We talk about all things technology and learn about Patrick Joseph Distinctive Homes experience integrating technology into their projects. We’ll explore the latest trends in smart home technology, highlighting how these innovations are revolutionizing modern living.

Patrick Joseph Distinctive Homes is dedicated to crafting the home of your dreams with precision and craftsmanship second-to-none. Tune in for an engaging and informative listen. This episode promises to be a captivating blend of expert knowledge, industry insights, and a touch of fun.

Looking to enter your project for an award at The Best of the Lake annual gala? The early bird entre rate has ended as of June 7th. BUT, you still have until July 12th to enter your project to win! Once you pay the entry fee, you'll still have time to submit your documentation for the award. Don't miss out!

To learn more about Patrick Joseph Distinctive Homes:

https://pjdhomes.com/
https://www.instagram.com/pjdhomes/

To learn more about The Lake Norman Home Builders Association:

https://lakenormanhba.com/

To learn more about Hope of Mooresville:

https://www.hopeofmooresville.org/ | (980) 447-9007

To learn more about SoundVision:

https://www.svavnc.com/

Contact Us:  (704) 696-2792 | Info@svavnc.com | soundvisionlkn.com

Transcript

Luxury Home Building Company Overview

Speaker 1 0:00

Chelsea, what do you do for Patrick Joseph?

Speaker 2 0:02

What do I not do for Patrick Joseph?

Speaker 3 0:04

Yeah, that's true, it's only 25 minutes, huh.

Speaker 1 0:09

Well, how long have you been with the company? Let's start with that.

Speaker 2 0:11

I've been there for almost four years. Four years okay, cool I started as selections coordinator and then moved up to office manager selections coordinator Nice okay.

Speaker 1 0:25

Pudgeless person. Yeah, you, you're kind of the face when you go into the, when you go into the office, I was the face, and then we hired a new uh new face.

Speaker 3 0:34

We hired a new face a lot younger than me, fresher. No, it's okay, she's perfect asshole took your job.

Speaker 1 0:43

So okay, well, I mean you're, you're not very old yourself, so I feel it. Though, gotcha did you? What did you do before this? What? What industry did you come from, or were you out of school?

Speaker 2 0:55

so I've came from a lot of different industries. Before I was at lowe's corporate oh nice, yeah, yeah, okay, cool. And then before that I was an assistant sock designer for a hosiery company out in california.

Speaker 3 1:07

So all right, I didn't know that, yeah, surprise, yeah all right.

Speaker 1 1:11

So you were a sock designer lowes corporate four years ago. You go to patrick joseph and now you've done kind of every everything. Have you swung a hammer?

Speaker 2 1:24

Not yet.

Speaker 1 1:26

Okay cool, there's opportunities out there.

Speaker 2 1:28

They won't allow me near power tools. They won't, no.

Speaker 1 1:32

Oh see, now that to me, like I don't know, just screams sexism. I love power tools. I say you are a power tool girl.

Speaker 3 1:39

We got this afternoon. We'll get you going on that this afternoon Got.

Speaker 1 1:44

just the house Somebody chelsea a worm saw. Oh my goodness. Okay, we're ready to go. Well, we are really excited today to have, uh, sean and chelsea from patrick joseph distinctive homes. Kind of an awkward right there, but that's's okay. It's not our best intro, but we'll go with it. Sean, tell me about Patrick Joseph Distinctive Homes in general and what you're doing here.

Speaker 3 2:15

Sure thing. Well, patrick Joseph's been in business for over 20 years. Got their start in Charlotte, here around Lake Norman, so that's really where they cut their teeth. And it's hard to believe when you look at Lake Norman and realize that most of the developments happened in the past 20 to 25 years.

Speaker 1 2:30

That is crazy.

Speaker 3 2:31

It is. It's amazing when you drive through it, but Mike Shalvoi and Jim Shalvoi started the business and they saw the opportunity when they came down here in Charlotte and specifically at Lake Norman, and decided to start their luxury home building business. Where did they come from? So, mostly Florida. They were kind of, yeah, they moved to Florida when they were young and then they did some building out in Colorado and then moved to Charlotte, like I said, saw that opportunity and decided to kind of pick up their gear and move out this way and built a really, really, really good business. You know we you know working with the, you know the customers here in Charlotte um, you know they really have a nice business where they work with the client, work with the design team to really create you know the dream, uh, on the lake. For the most part, that's really what the their business has been centered on.

Speaker 3 3:19

What's your garden variety project, like what's a typical project that you work on as far as size or sure, sure the whole thing yeah yeah, it runs the gamut, but uh, obviously, you know we are a luxury home builder so it's, uh, it's often very sizable. Uh, sometimes it's not. You know size as much as just detail um, but it, yeah, so it runs the gamut. Um, you know, a million dollars to you know. We've had some home sale. For what? Over eight, was it eight, seven, eight million? Wow, yeah, okay, yeah, yeah, so we've really been. You know, a million dollars to you know we've had some home sale.

Speaker 1 3:46

For what? Over eight was it eight seven?

Speaker 3 3:47

eight million. Wow, yeah, okay, yeah, yeah. So we've really been, you know, pretty lucky to to work with. You know good trade base, good architects and, you know, had great clients to work with. You know really build and design some you know fantastic homes here on the lake.

Speaker 4 3:59

Your homes are beautiful.

Speaker 3 4:00

Thank, thank you, I appreciate it.

Speaker 4 4:01

I've walked through a couple of them with Chelsea and they're gorgeous.

Speaker 3 4:04

They're the dream, right.

Speaker 1 4:05

That's right. That's right. And so, what is your? What is your responsibility? What's your title? Sean. What do you do?

Speaker 3 4:16

So I'm vice president of construction, which means I got everything right. So I really love working with clients. I work with our client base, you know, to make sure everything's run smoothly. I work with Chelsea here in our office to to make sure everything's run smoothly, work with Chelsea here in our office to make sure the clients are taken care of, and then work with the trade base, work with our project managers, work alongside of our trade partners to make sure everything's done the way it needs to be done. It's gotten a little more complicated from when I started in the business 30 years ago to make sure that happens, but I enjoy it.

Speaker 3 4:40

I really enjoy all aspects of it. So kind of having my hands in everything at Patrick Joseph has been real fun.

Speaker 1 4:47

Cool, and before we switch, just two more quick questions. One, how many folks are on your team? And two, what does your design process look like? Like, if a customer came to you today? How does that usually look for them?

Speaker 3 5:00

Yeah, so the makeup of Patrick Joseph is we have typically, depending on how many jobs we have going, we have several project managers out in the field and then there's a team of about four or five of us in the office, just depending on the workload. So yeah, we're, I guess, more of a boutique builder, where we're not geared for volume as much as quality and do several homes a year. We just try and keep it on a fairly intimate level where we can be very hands-on and very tied into each project that we're working on.

Speaker 1 5:34

So you're very intimately connected with each customer. Is what it sounds like you're saying. Is that fair to say?

Speaker 3 5:38

It is, and that's really like I said. I've been doing it for a number of years, probably more than I should say, but I've always enjoyed that. I've been doing it for a number of years probably more than I should say, but I've always enjoyed that and I've always enjoyed small family run businesses. And that's exactly what Patrick Joseph is it's. You know, we do some high volume but we're not out to do 20 homes, 40 homes a year, that type of thing.

Speaker 1 5:55

Very cool, very cool. Well, as listeners, you might guess that we are the two best looking people in the room, but actually we're not, so we're going to shift to that. Sue, why don't you talk with Chelsea a bit about what she's doing here?

Speaker 4 6:11

Well, I would love to First of all, chelsea thanks for coming. Chelsea and I go back a little ways with she's the one that actually got me involved with Lake Norman Home Builders and the Best of the Lake, so I was excited about that. But tell us a little bit about Lake Norman Home Builders and Best of the Lake and your involvement with it.

Speaker 2 6:28

Yeah, absolutely, it's so great to be here. Thank you for having us. So the Lake Norman Home Builders Association just a bunch of builders wanting to get to know what's going on out there in the building industry a way to connect and network with each other. Looking for subs or vendors for your projects is a great way to connect and network with each other. Looking for subs or vendors for your projects is a great way to get involved. And then, as far as the Lake Norman Home Builders Association and the Lake Norman Gala opportunity to showcase your homes and all these special, unique projects that everyone's doing.

Speaker 4 7:03

What other type of businesses besides builders are involved with Best of Lake, are involved with Lake Norman Home Builders?

Speaker 2 7:09

Aside from builders, we have architects, interior designers, closet specialists, so there's a lot of opportunity there and the home building industry, in whatever field you're in.

Speaker 4 7:21

Awesome, awesome. Tell us a little bit about any of the awards that you might have won with Best of the Lake.

Speaker 2 7:27

So for Patrick Joseph, we've won several awards over the past years. Most recently, I think two years ago, we won $2.1 million, best of the Lake Holmes, I think $1 million and up. We've won landscape design. So there's there's a lot of different categories that that we've been involved with and have won.

Speaker 1 7:50

Hey Chelsea, so you, you talk about these awards that you've won, which is awesome. How, how did those even come about? Like, how do you where, what are the awards, how are they, like, listed, or how do you subscribe to them, or you know, excuse me, submit to them or whatever.

Speaker 2 8:11

Tell us about that process? Yeah, so uh, you can check out the Lake Norman Home Builders Association website and we have our entry packet there. There's multiple categories, so we have plan design, construction, uh. Unique projects, unbuilt plans Uh, did that last year and you can submit those to our EO, tracy Butler, with the HBA, and then you submit your plans, you pay the fee, any drawings or pictures that you've taken of your projects and then your statement on the project and then that's pretty much.

Speaker 4 8:43

Is there a due date that they need to be concerned about?

Speaker 2 8:46

Yes, so tomorrow is our due date for the early bird entry rate.

Speaker 4 8:52

And all they have to do is just make make the commitment to enter Correct.

Speaker 2 8:56

You don't have to submit the entire project, just the commitment and then the next due date, I believe, is on the 12th.

Speaker 1 9:01

Okay, that's awesome, that's awesome, that's awesome, and we'll put all the we'll pull out all that in the show notes. Tomorrow, by the way, is June 7th, because we're recording June 6th.

Speaker 4 9:08

There you go, so now, I know that you can be a member, but there's and you can enter. But tell us a little bit about how somebody could sponsor for the best of the lake.

Speaker 2 9:19

Yeah, absolutely. Again, you can reach out to me or Tracy Butler. If you want to sponsor, just let us know. We have multiple categories Premier sponsor, you can be a table sponsor, hodev sponsor and just let us know. Give us your interest and then the total amount and we'll show you guys. You know, during the event we'll do a shout out, we'll put you on social media, awesome.

Speaker 1 9:44

Hey Chelsea, how, what is your involvement personally and why did you get involved?

Speaker 2 9:51

So when I started working at Patrick Joseph distinctive homes, I was new to the industry and so I thought the best way to get involved and to really hone my craft was to associate myself with other builders, you know, with the people in the HBA see what vendors are out there, because this was during the pandemic when I started, so I wanted to make sure that. You know we had a good rotation of vendors, suppliers, and you know there was never an excuse for a lag during the process of building a house. So I started that and I just fell in love with the HBA's best of the lake gala, and so I've been doing that for three years now, and then I was asked to be the chair of that, and so that's. That's been an awesome experience for me.

Speaker 4 10:36

Tell us a little bit about the gala.

Speaker 2 10:38

So the gala is a yearly event. It's our most attended event every year.

Speaker 4 10:45

It's kind of like the Academy Awards.

Speaker 2 10:47

It is.

Speaker 4 10:48

Everyone dresses up super nice, because we do all dress up. Yes, it was fun, we have a lot of fun.

Speaker 2 10:51

And I will start off by saying last year we only had one bar and we're going to have two bars this year. Whoop, whoop, good thing. And it's a great place to see everyone's just. It's a great place to to see everyone's work, the friendly competition that's out there. Uh, see some of the vendors not outside of you know like dress nice and not, you know, on the field and stuff like that. So it's always great to to go to these events and and see everyone.

Speaker 1 11:16

Okay, so tangent. Uh, andrew, feel free to edit this one. Did your boyfriend like have to protect you? Was that Chelsea? Yes, husband, I apologize, your husband.

Speaker 4 11:28

He doesn't know about the boyfriend.

Speaker 1 11:35

Maybe that's who he was protecting you from. I honestly didn't know it was you, but after the event last year, which I clearly was not at, Michelle and Sue came back and they had a story about that she looked gorgeous.

Speaker 4 11:49

Yes, she looked beautiful.

Speaker 1 11:51

Oh, gotcha, she looked very pretty. She looked very pretty. So well, kudos to your husband.

Speaker 4 11:57

Yes.

Speaker 1 11:58

What is your husband's name?

Speaker 2 12:00

Brandon.

Speaker 1 12:00

Brandon shout out.

Speaker 2 12:02

Let's go, Brandon.

Speaker 1 12:03

That's right, let's go Brandon, that's right, let's go, brandon, love that, love that, love that. Okay, so anything else that our listeners or potential folks would that would be interested in, either the Lake Norman Home Builders or the gala, should know that we haven't haven't already covered.

Speaker 4 12:19

Well, one thing we didn't talk about are, um, if they're not willing to or not able to sponsor or be able to enter, there's the silent auction.

Speaker 2 12:28

You want to explain the silent auction a little bit yeah, so uh, the proceeds of the event and some of the other events that the hba puts on goes towards home of hope uh so it's just getting ready to ask you where the proceeds go to and so a lot of times the silent auction items will help contribute to that.

Speaker 2 12:47

And we always ask you know, if you can't sponsor, if you can't do a table sponsor or a premier sponsor or anything like that, if you have, you know, a gift basket or you know some products that you're willing to part with to help the sponsorship and, you know, give some credit to the home of hope, then that that's great, can you?

Speaker 1 13:06

tell us just a 10, 15 seconds on home of hope.

Speaker 2 13:09

Yes, so uh, they are a nonprofit organization that helps displace women and children. Um that's awesome from you know homelessness or abuse situations, and so it just gives them that safe Haven.

Smart Home Technology Trends and Favorites

Speaker 1 13:22

We'll also, in the show notes, put out the links and contacts of how folks can get in touch with them if they need that service. That's awesome, very cool, very cool. Well, thanks for sharing all that. I'm I'm interested too. We didn't speak um before. Uh, with regards to Patrick Joseph, in what in our world? We're technology, folks, folks. So what technologies are you guys seeing in the field? Are you guys being asked about or you think's cool, or whatever? Like what? What do you guys see on a daily basis?

Speaker 3 13:53

you know it runs the gamut, um, but it is interesting that you know the quote unquote, smart home, um, technologies are just they're, I mean, they've been taken off right, but they're, they're here, um, you know, I think the sound systems are still primarily the number one. You know, that's the kind of the top of everybody's list, right, you guys got the nice banging olsen sound systems we do, yeah, we do.

Speaker 3 14:13

Thanks for the shout out um, so that's primarily number one. That's the easy, but I think, as you kind of you know, bore down into it and there's just a lot of stuff. The lighting packages are unreal right, the fact that we're doing a house right now where you can control every light in the house independently. Every light bulb can be. You know, temperature and brightness is is controlled independently. So we got a customer right now. That's getting quite a kick out of it. He pulled out his iPhone and was starting to dial a light. We dialed in the St Patrick's theme, we dialed in the Valentine's.

Speaker 1 14:48

Day theme Very cool.

Speaker 3 14:49

Yeah, so that's really really neat. No-transcript, I think that's. You know, that's phenomenal. You just, you see every house you go to now there's, you know, video surveillance cameras on on every house, which has been great, you know it helps, you know, monitor your deliveries, monitor your kids when they come in or don't come in or don't come in. Yeah, so, so, yeah, I mean it, not any one particular, but we're we're just seeing a lot of it for sure.

Speaker 1 15:19

Yeah, you touched on lighting. It's the two that have been that we talk about over and over, that have been huge, um, taken off huge, as their trajectory. One is lighting and one is shading. Uh, automated shades have become just incredible. Uh, just blown up, uh.

Speaker 1 15:35

But lighting one thing is interesting because you were talking about, uh, both control. And then is interesting because you were talking about both control, and then you were talking about things like color temperature. Right, we actually have two full-time lighting designers on staff now, so we do a lot of design of of lighting systems. Most of the times we control those as well, right, but now, because of the integration of those two control and design you don't have the flickering like you used to. You have have a lot more options, like you were just mentioning, if somebody wants to do something cool, like St Patrick's or Valentine's day, or they just want it to be task lighting where it's nice blue, keep you awake, or candlelight, warm, kind of amber, to put you know what you relax, um, that has definitely been a huge thing. So it's cool that you you would mention that as well.

Speaker 3 16:19

Yeah, they're, they're really neat systems and, um, you see, the guys geek out to them quite a bit. You know the guys love it, women love it. But uh, it's fun to mess around a little bit and uh, be able to sit on your couch and control your whole lighting from you know they say that from from your couch, but also you can do it from, you know 2000 miles.

Speaker 1 16:47

Turn your lights on or off in the house. You got somebody that's coming to the house to let the dogs out. You, yeah, turn your lights on, unlock your doors. Uh, it's really, they're really neat systems. Yeah, that's yeah very, very cool. Well, we don't want to keep you guys forever, but we also have some interesting, fun questions. Sue, would you, why don't you ask chelsea? The first one, because I we're going to ask both, because I think the answers will be different.

Speaker 4 17:02

Yeah, I am too. I'm curious to see who is your favorite band or artist.

Speaker 2 17:06

So currently my favorite artist right now is Brandon Lake.

Speaker 4 17:10

I love Brandon Lake.

Speaker 1 17:10

Oh, brandon Lake, Yep, he's gotten some votes here recently.

Speaker 3 17:14

John, is it the old man's turn?

Speaker 1 17:16

It is the old man's turn. And, by the way, just qualifying, that's not the same Brandon we were talking about before, right.

Speaker 2 17:22

No, it's not. He's not your husband, no, just making sure, because he could be, Could be.

Speaker 3 17:28

So I'm a big country fan, yeah, yeah, morgan Wallen, big Morgan Wallen fan, okay, even with the troubles that he's had lately, still standing behind him. But I also like Yacht Rock rock, which I'm not sure rock, yeah, but oh yeah, big yacht rock fan. I feel like I kind of uh was on the, the leading edge of yacht rock.

Speaker 4 17:47

There's an awesome peloton workout, yes little ambrosia.

Speaker 3 17:52

Yeah, does chelsea know what yacht rock is?

Speaker 2 17:55

no, you don't know.

Speaker 1 17:56

Yacht rock no okay, it's, it's yacht as in like boat y-a-c-h-t rock and it's, it's um sort of adult contemporary rupert holmes ambrosia yeah, michael bolton, michael bolton.

Speaker 3 18:10

Yeah, uh, the doobie brothers 1970s light rock so exactly you could, uh, you could, pull that up anywhere and people probably more of my age and, um, don'll know every song and they start singing along. So it's a great, uh, great thing to throw on and you just uh, you grab a drink and it's, it's fun so you'll have to play it at the office.

Speaker 2 18:28

Then there you go, you can relax. You'll definitely have to play it at the office calm everybody down to set up our sound system a little bit better.

Speaker 4 18:39

There you go yeah, we're happy to do it. What is your favorite memory, your fondest memories, either on Best of the Lake or Lake Norman, home Builders, I'm assuming what it is.

Speaker 2 18:49

but you go ahead and say Favorite memory of Best of the Lake just seeing you guys. That was so awesome to invite you guys and you show up and give it your all.

Speaker 4 19:01

And you gave us primo seats.

Speaker 2 19:03

I did.

Speaker 4 19:03

Yes, you did so.

Speaker 1 19:05

Chelsea. Just yesterday. We have a marketing team and we had marketing meetings on Wednesday and just yesterday another young lady happens to be my wife is like I want to go now and I want to tell you that for the last eight years I don't want to go to these things. He's going this year and yeah, and yesterday she's like can I go? Because we found out that we needed a brunette. We have a redhead and we have a blonde. We didn't have a brunette.

Speaker 1 19:31

Andrew is is marking them as the power puff girls he's already got designer outfits picked out for him, so it should be fun this year, but thank you for looking forward to it.

Speaker 3 19:43

Rumor has it, they have two bars now.

Speaker 4 19:46

So you're a lot easier.

Speaker 1 19:48

Sean, what about you? Good, good memory. It doesn't have to be best of the lake it could be building or whatever.

Speaker 3 19:53

Oh, there's. There's a lot of memories. The best of the lake, you know, with your competition in some respects, you know, and you know, celebrate everybody and what they're doing. I mean, everybody pulls for each other and obviously we all want to win our respective categories, but it's great to see people who work alongside to win.

Speaker 4 20:20

It is, and it's nothing better than friendly competition. It is. Yeah, I love friendly competition.

Speaker 3 20:25

At least on the face, and then when we leave I'm going to say I should have gotten that award. There's no way they should have won I can't believe they won.

Speaker 1 20:31

So if folks wanted to learn more about Patrick Joseph Distinctive Homes, how would they? We're going to put them in the show notes. But good, perfect time to give us your whatever you want people to go and find you.

Speaker 2 20:43

Yeah, check us out on PJD homescom. We're on there. We're also on how'scom featuring all of our projects, and Instagram as well.

Speaker 3 20:51

Awesome, perfect. I'm not giving myself one number.

Speaker 1 20:54

That'll be offline and I'm sorry Andrew is whispering to us. Oh, yes, yes, yes, so we'll edit that part out. But yeah, chelsea, if you'll also give us, if folks are interested in finding out more about best of the lake, like Norman home builders association sponsor?

Speaker 4 21:18

how to? How would they enter the events?

Speaker 1 21:20

How would they find you?

Speaker 2 21:21

Well, I've been taking over their social media, so hit us up on Instagram and Facebook on the Lake Norman Home Builders Association, and then also on the website on thelakenormanhbacom.

Speaker 1 21:33

Awesome, great. Well, you guys have been awesome. I hope you had fun.

Speaker 3 21:36

Great time.

Speaker 1 21:37

Great getting to know you and talk to you, and we'll look forward to seeing you at the best of the lake.

Speaker 4 21:43

Because we've got a table, so everybody's going to be there and it'll be perfect.

Speaker 1 21:48

It will be perfect. Oh, I know what the next words are going to be after we close.

Speaker 3 21:53

Thanks for having us.

Speaker 4 21:55

Thank you, thanks again for coming.

Speaker 1 21:58

Awesome Andrew no-transcript.