Developer envisions each home as a lasting legacy

The desire to build things has always been a part of Vipul Patel. As a child, he was inspired by the buildings and bridges his grandfather built.

"It's very rewarding to know that my homes will be enjoyed long after I'm gone, just like the things my grandfather built," said Patel, better known as Vip to his clients. "I loved being a stockbroker, but during all those years, the passion to build custom homes was always there."

That burning desire led Patel to slowly begin amassing land so he could realize his goal of developing custom homes. That goal was finally realized in 2003 when CastleBldrs.com constructed what he calls a quintessential model home in the Northwest suburbs.

"Building that first home taught me a lot about project management because at any given time in construction there are a lot of things that have to be done simultaneously. It's all about organization," he said.

Giving the customer a quality home is a driving force behind the way Patel operates his Schaumburg-based company. One of the first things he tells prospective clients is that he is not building a house for them; he is building a home with them.

"People who want a custom home are building their dream, which is not something that they do everyday," Patel said. "I always tell them that the chemistry between them and their builder should be a key factor in the builder selection process."

Developing a smooth working relationship with his clients and ultimately giving them exactly what they want is the key to Patel's success.

The residences CastleBldrs.com constructs, many of which have been on teardown lots in older sections of the Northwest suburbs, range in size from 3,500 to 6,000 square feet, with four or five bedrooms. Prices start at around $800,000, going up to $2 million.

On the horizon: Establishing a new division for CastleBldrs.com called the Luxury Estate Collection. These homes range in price from $2 million to $5 million and encompass 10,000 to 20,000 square feet.

The flagship home for the Luxury Estate Collection is a model that is almost completed on a half-acre lot in the Lexington Fields subdivision just south of Woodfield Shopping Center. CastleBldrs.com is building the 10,000-square-foot home with a $2.5 million price tag in an effort to showcase its workmanship.

The home will have a number of luxury amenities, both inside and outside. Among the inside features are 28 stone columns, 10 domes, two floating wrought iron staircases, a 25-foot pub, a craft room, a wine cellar, a home entertainment center with a karaoke stage, a Wii stadium, and a 30-seat movie theater. The exterior features custom cut stone blocks, two stone turrets, a DaVinci slate roof, a circular tumbled brick driveway, in-ground swimming pool with a stone slide, and a whirlpool with a waterfall.

"Our goal is to transform this neighborhood into Schaumburg's premier upscale address," he added.

The next home in the Luxury Estate Collection is already under way in South Barrington's exclusive Magnolia Pointe. This home will be more than twice as large with even more amenities. Others homes in the Luxury Estate Collection are in planning stages for the North Shore and Naperville.

Who's your typical client?

There isn't one. Patel has found his customers run the gamut from single professionals to older couples to families with young children, and include blue collar and white collar workers. He attributed this to the effort made to make customers feel comfortable from the beginning.

What is your business philosophy?

"My father always taught me that if you focus on quality and customer satisfaction - everything else has a way of working itself out," Patel said. He strives to partner with clients throughout the building process to make sure their dreams are realized.

What is your background?

Born in Zambia, Patel immigrated to the United States with his parents in 1975. He comes from a family with several generations of entrepreneurs. Patel graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1990 with a degree in finance and then went to trade commodities at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange.

What's your biggest challenge right now?

"Current market conditions are very challenging. Declining land prices have stabilized but almost all of our construction costs continue to rise amid soft demand," he said. "However, the custom housing market is unique in that people have been saving for years for their dream home, so that when they're ready to build, they're less impacted by market conditions."

What do you like most about the business?

"The greatest satisfaction I get is visiting a client after they've moved in and seeing them enjoy their new home."

What trends do you now see?

Patel said custom builders add more details throughout the whole house, with a focus on bathrooms and kitchens.

"I'm seeing a lot more trim work and more intricate tile work, but the biggest buzz is the green movement, which we've been involved with from the start and continue to push forward on," Patel said. "There is a whole lot of support these days for being environmentally responsible, which also translates into savings for the homeowner."

Another big trend he sees is heated tile floors in kitchens and baths and less and less carpet throughout the home.

"We're doing a lot more radiant heating these days."

What's your favorite new home amenity?

Home theaters. "It's a place where a family can enjoy themselves," he said. "The theater invites them to spend time together."

Describe your dream home.

"A place where I can come home, relax, and really admire the craftsmanship and the materials used," he said. "I would like a place that's cozy and warm with a lot custom details like stone and slate roofs - a home that is truly 'Old World.'"