An Interview With Mark D. Williams Custom Homes

Here at?Pella?, we don’t just build windows, we build relationships. We value our relationships with the people we work with, from the individuals who shop at our showrooms to the architects and builders who use our windows in the homes they build.

One of those builders is?Mark D. Williams Custom Homes. Mark has chosen to partner with Pella for nearly 16 years, providing quality windows for the beautiful homes he builds. We are delighted to introduce you to him and his work.

Mark D. Williams Custom Homes Gets Its Start

Mark is a 3rd generation builder — but he ended up in this career, as he says, “not by plan, but by accident.”

?His grandfather and father were both builders, and his mom was an interior designer. But despite the family influence, building was the one thing Mark was sure he?didn’t?want to do. By the time he got his start in 2005, his parents had already retired from their careers.

When he first started out, he built one house “for fun,” on the side. But halfway through the project he realized how much he loved the work, so he started a company, and the rest is history.?

Today, Mark D. Williams Custom Homes is an award-winning builder in the Twin Cities. Most recently, Mark and his team were awarded the prestigious 2021 Builder of the Year Award by Housing First Minnesota.

?We had some questions for Mark on his ideal customer, what sets him apart from his competitors, and what he loves about the building industry in Minnesota. Here’s what he had to say.

Q: What would you say is your specialty or niche, and who is your ideal customer?

A: The homes we build today are very different from the ones we built 10, or even 5 years ago. We’re really focused on quality and attention to detail — it’s really a boutique building experience. Today, we build 4-5 new homes a year, typically in the $1-4 million range, and 3-7 remodels a year in the $200k-1.5 million range.?

?You tend to attract clients who value what you value, who are attracted to your talent and your work. Then once you form those relationships, you end up doing residual projects for the same people because you have this great relationship and you like working together. Ultimately, you find people you enjoy spending time with and enter into a partnership with them.?

Q: What sets you apart from your competitors? How would your clients describe the experience of working with you?

A: I think the biggest thing that sets us apart is communication. Communicating throughout the building process is crucial. There are hundreds — maybe even thousands — of decisions that have to be made, and if you’re not communicating well, it doesn’t work.?

I’d say the other thing that sets us apart is the size of our company — we’re a small business, about 4 people. We limit the number of jobs we take so we can be pretty specialized in who we work with and our niche is pretty pointed.

We really focus on attention to detail and quality — I personally really like woodwork. We do a lot of show homes (many of them with Pella), and the people who come through our homes notice our light, our cabinetry, or other details that set our homes apart.

Some architects and builders have a reputation for building beautiful homes, but they build them the way?they want to. If I’m building your home, I don’t want to build?my?home, I want to build?your?home. I want to display your personality and your lifestyle in your home. There’s something in every person’s life that’s unique, and we try to incorporate that into their home.?

At this price point, these aren’t cookie cutter homes. They’re supposed to be unique — but not so unique that no one else wants them when it comes time to sell someday. So balancing that requires nuance that I think is important.

?Q: How long have you partnered with Pella, and why did you decide to establish that partnership?

A: When it comes down to it, it’s all about relationships. Pella has a good window, don’t get me wrong — but it’s the relationships I’ve built there that are important. There is nobody classier than Ed?Engelbrecht and Peter Martin — they are amazing?communicators.?

My situation is unique, because I’ve built two homes for one of the owners of Pella Northland. Most other builders don’t have the relationship I do with the owner of the company — typically your main communication is with the sales rep. Well, I’ve also been with the same?Pella sales rep?for 12 years now! When you get the kind of outstanding service I have and build the kind of unbelievable relationship I’ve been able to build with Pella, why would you go anywhere else?

Q: How has this partnership impacted your business??

A: I think confidence is the biggest thing.?

If someone asks me “Who do you use?” I can look them in the eye and there’s no hesitation. I can simply tell them, “We use?Pella windows, and this is why, this is what our experience has been.”?

People trust me, and I trust?Pella. I’ve been in business for 16 years, and I’ve proven that I know how to judge talent, character, and support, and with Pella I can convey that trust to the client.

Pella?also supports some of our company events and tours, including the Artisan Home Tour, and the Parade of Homes (SM). The?Pella?team has been very generous with their time and supporting us in whatever we’ve needed, and has gone above and beyond the “call of duty.”

?At Pella, we value our relationship with Mark and the quality craftsmanship he brings to every home he builds. Find out more about Mark and his team at?mdwilliamshomes.com. (Tip: Mark loves to have fun on social media, so give his Instagram account?https://www.instagram.com/markdwilliams_customhomes/?a follow as well!)

?Partner With?Pella?For Your Next Project

If this is the type of service and collaboration you’re looking for in a window and door partner,?contact us today.?We’d love to?work with you on your next building project!