A career as a high-end custom home builder is not suited for everyone. Clients are a little more demanding, attention to detail is expected, and finishing on time and within budget can be a challenge when clients often change their minds. So when Bruce Lee agreed to build the 2009 HGTV Dream Home — and accept the pressure of meeting a TV show production schedule — he knew this project would require a little more preparation and planning to deliver the high-end home everyone expected.
Any anxiety Lee had primarily came from getting things done on time. The preparation had to be done quickly, so plans were drawn and submitted to the city. The permitting process went quickly, so the next step was to make all decisions on types of finishes, windows, interior trim, cabinetry, lighting, plumbing and other product selections. Careful, thorough planning was essential to keeping the project moving forward.
The planning proved successful, as Lee and his team soon realized the home was coming together and things were nicely falling into place. "Actually, we're moving a lot quicker than I thought we were going to move," Lee says. "I even surprised myself how well I could bring things together in light of the time constraints. We usually have a little bit more time, but we're doing fine and we're not rushing it. We're not making any sacrifices. We're doing things the way I like to see things done, and we're moving forward. It's really been exciting."
Solid planning is one of many reasons the project has been running smoothly. Lee added a few more carpenters and other crew members to the project. "But the preparation is really important because with that amount of workforce, you must have (all materials) there. As soon as the crew is done with one phase, they've got to go on to the next phase, and the material has to be there waiting for them. And so the planning has to be way ahead of the workers," Lee explains.
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