Building a custom home often brings owners to the construction site daily. Debbie and Phil Jackson watched their new East Side house take shape mostly from Michigan.
They remained in the Midwest to run their business — J-COM EDI Services — which is now located in Tucson.
"We weren't in the dark as much as it sounds," says Debbie, noting that she and Phil came to the Old Pueblo monthly to inspect the progress. They also relied on updates from a friend, Tucsonan Vic Hill, who generally checked the 3.7-acre site weekly and posted photos on the Web.
Recommendations led to key players responsible for the long-distance project's success: custom-home builder Al LeCocq of A.B. LeCocq Construction Inc.; home designer Greg Simmons of Simmons Home Designs; and interior designers Sandra Keeney and Susan Lujan of Aesthetics Interiors Inc. "This whole team was very protective of us because we couldn't be here every minute," Debbie says.
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Phil and Debbie, both 62, wanted specific elements in their first custom-built home based on a love of Mediterranean, Spanish and Tuscan architecture, and experience in remodeling their former houses. They also planned to embrace the desert's outdoor lifestyle.
To help Simmons understand their vision, the couple brought myriad magazine photos to their first meeting. They also discussed the Royal Palms Resort and Spa in Phoenix, which displayed desired features, such as arches, color, warmth, texture and expansive covered patios.
Debbie calls the 18-month construction period "a positive experience overall." The project, however, took six months longer than expected.
Labor and material shortages, the home's many details and — the biggest factor — overcommitted subcontractors contributed to the delay, Phil says.
"One sub gets behind, and everything gets behind," he explains.
In December, the couple and their golden retriever, Murphy, moved into the 5,975-square-foot home, which cost more than $1 million to build. Phil figures it would now cost 30 percent to 40 percent more.
The finished house displays a look described by Debbie as "inspired Spanish colonial with a modern twist." Some of the contributing features are arches; niches; seven interior and 18 exterior cantera stone columns; a barrel-vaulted hallway ceiling; large windows with desert, mountain and city views; and curved walls.
The entry's huge mosaic floor medallion, designed by Brent Jones of Cantera Custom Creations, introduces the home's predominant colors — red, green, white, brown and gold. Alder makes up many components, such as doors, living-room ceiling beams and kitchen cabinets.
Flooring includes travertine and 300-year-old barn wood. A diagonal design marries the two in the kitchen, which brims with small details.
For example, a pot filler waits above the Viking professional stove; and an under-the-counter cabinet holds a heavy tangerine mixer on a shelf that can be pulled out and up to counter level for easy use. The island, topped by an 800-pound teakwood slab, contains various elements, including two dishwasher drawers for small loads.
Bathrooms exhibit special touches, such as an arched window that frames a saguaro and a custom-made small-appliance enclosure by a limestone counter. Even the garage has been customized, with three overhead power vents for summer cooling and one oversized door to easily accommodate a large vehicle.
Outside, the long, wide, covered rear patio overlooks a swimming pool flanked by fire bowls. Steps with tiled risers lead to a rooftop viewing deck on the patio's west side near the guesthouse.
"It just all came together," Debbie says. "Now we want to share our home with family and good friends."
» How to choose a custom-home builder
Make a list of possible builders. Call the Southern Arizona Home Builders Association at 795-5114 for names; talk with local real estate agents; and ask friends and relatives about builders they have dealt with directly.
Match needs with expertise. Determine whether builders construct the type of home you want. Some may specialize in masonry, while others may deal only with frame and stucco.
Contact Arizona Registrar of Contractors. Call 1-888-271-9286 to learn whether builders are licensed, insured and bonded, and if complaints have been filed.
Limit the bidding process. Choose a maximum of three builders to allow time to research and determine the person best suited for your project.
Interview builders. Things to learn include how long the business has been operating; whether lawsuits have been filed by past clients, trade contractors or vendors; the name of a banker to contact regarding financial stability; how similar your project is to others completed; staff availability for assistance with custom choices; and the primary contact person during construction.
Consider rapport. You will be working with the builder for a long time.
Ask for references. Request to interview two past clients with houses completed one to two years ago, and view the finished work.
Look at the quality of construction and details.
Never base your decision on estimated project price alone.
• Sources: Steve Canatsey, SAHBA chairman, certified custom home builders; National Association of Home Builders, www.nahb.org