Instagram Feature: The Reckhart Family

Meet the Reckhart Family!

At Wayne Homes, we know one of the best ways for prospective homeowners to understand the process is to hear from those who have gone through it!

The Reckhart family–Nicole and Drew along with kids Isaac, Noah, Hannah and Leah–recently built their dream home with Wayne, and they shared their journey on Instagram. We connected with them to get even more behind-the-scenes details of what went into their new build.

The Reckharts built their Fairfield with a Smart Style exterior.

At the time they built, this was one of our newest floor plans, and they were really excited to be one of the first to be building it! They worked with our Portage team.

They had outgrown their starter home, so they sold their house in 2021 and moved into a rental while they decided if they were going to buy or build. Nicole said, “Our kids didn’t want to move out of our school district and there weren’t a lot of houses on the market. We had talked about building a house for years so we decided to go for it!”

Why Wayne?

Nicole shared that they have some friends that have built with Wayne Homes, which helped them decide to connect with us. “We stopped at the model center to check it out and found a floor plan we loved. We talked and prayed about it for a couple of months (and ended up changing our floor plan) and felt like we could get exactly what we wanted with Wayne.”

The Reckharts took advantage of Wayne’s ability to customize anything in their home, so they made the following customizations to their Fairfield:

• Woodgrain fiberglass front door and sidelites – stained in Minwax Chestnut
• Added a service door on the side of the garage
• Added rough plumbing for a future basement bathroom
• Craftsman #2 interior trim package, as well as jamb and casing the interior of their windows
• Luxury vinyl flooring throughout the main living spaces
• Added a 4th bedroom with a wall closet in the included den/flex space
• Cathedral ceiling in the great room
• In the owner’s bathroom, the toilet was relocated to the original linen closet space and a window was added above; a linen cabinet was added next to the vanity
• Patio slider was added on the owner’s bedroom return wall to provide access to the future outdoor patio on the rear of the home
• Washer/dryer hookup were moved to the opposite wall in the laundry room and a cabinet was added above
• Added a hallway linen closet
• Kitchen – staggered height wall cabinets, cabinet and support panels added at the fridge space, drawer base cabinets in the island, and a flush eat ledge was added to the island

What Was the Process Like?

We know the construction process can be intimidating, so the Reckharts shared some of their big milestones with us. “Dig day was so exciting, finally getting started on the part of the process where we could see progress happening,” Nicole said. “After that, I think having the framing done and being able to walk through the rooms, and seeing the cabinets go in!” We know it’s not all highlight reel items, so when asked what the hardest part of the process was, Nicole said, “Just waiting was so hard. We were so lucky to not have any major issues or delays, but being patient in between steps was not easy. We had to remind ourselves many times that it would be so worth it in the end. And it was!”

Tips for Prospective Homeowners

Nicole said it’s most important to do your research! “Don’t hesitate to stop into a builder and talk to them,” Nicole said. “They have so much knowledge and can answer all your questions. Just make sure you know that there will be bumps in the road, you will be frustrated, and you will wonder why the heck you decided to do this.” When the chips are down, Nicole recommends you keep your eye on the prize. “It seems like it takes forever to get to move-in day, but it will be here before you know it – and it will be so worth it. We’ve been in our house for a year and a half, and I still smile every time I pull in the driveway.” We love to hear it!

Life in Your New Home

We asked the Reckharts what life in their new home is like and they said, “We love it! We have the space we need and room to entertain which we didn’t have before.” When asked about the process of building new versus buying an existing home, they said, “It’s so great to be able to pick out exactly what you want for everything and not always look around thinking of things you want to change someday.” We wholeheartedly agree. Thank you to the Reckhart family for sharing their story! Be sure to follow along on Instagram, and follow Wayne Homes on Instagram if you aren’t already!

Would you like to build your own custom home with Wayne? Contact us today to chat about what you’re looking for!

About Wayne Homes

Wayne Homes is a custom homebuilder in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and West Virginia (see all Model Home Centers). We offer more than 50 fully customizable floorplans and a team dedicated to providing the best experience in the home building industry. For more information, Ask Julie by Live Chat or call us at (866) 253-6807.

Disclaimer: The details of this blog are accurate as of the publish date, but are subject to change.