Meet Jeffrey Dinkle of Eco Custom Homes in Buckhead

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jeffrey Dinkle.

Jeffrey, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
We started in 1998. Mostly doing renovation in intown markets of existing homes on a speculative basis. We Graduated to new home construction a few years later. About the same time Earth Craft was just starting out. The technology of High Performance Construction satisfied my inner nerd. We then started to build speculative $1mm + homes in the Atlanta / Sandy Springs area. With each home, we experimented with new sustainable building techniques and products. Strived to do something new with each home and make every home more and more efficient. When the down turn happened in 2008 we spent a lot of time learning about Ultra High-Performance construction and Passive House. Technology was changing so quickly, that I did not want to build a home that was obsolete the day it was finished, So we tend to build homes that would satisfy energy code 10 years from now. Currently, we focus on fine new construction homes, large technical renovations, and restaurants. Most projects range from $300k to $1.6mm

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It has not been a smooth road. I think we got complacent during the boom times of the early 2000’s and narrowed our focus too tightly. We now are taking a broader approach of our business and focus on many areas. New Construction Homes, Larger Renovations and Additions, Restaurant and Tenant Improvement, High Rise Residential, and the Growing Modern Home market in Atlanta. There is always an ebb and flow in customer’s taste. What is old is new, and what is new is now old, but we strive for customers that want perfection or close to it.

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Eco Custom Homes – what should we know?
We are a construction company. We strive for technical and changeling projects. I think we are excellent at problem solving, and presenting solutions to our customers, if any problems arise during a project. We believe in fair / honest work at a competitive price. But sometimes you get what you pay for. We are not going to be the cheapest estimate, but If you want an efficient project done correctly, we are your guy.

If there is someone looking to do net zero or ultra-high performance homes, then we have the expertise to get that done.

Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
I think all of our partners, employees, and sub-contractors (strategic partners) deserve credit. Building is a complicated and ever-changing business. It is impossible for any 1 person to know everything. We look to align ourselves with people who want to be experts in their respective fields. People who want to be on the cutting edge of technology and run their firms as a business. They may not be the cheapest, but you have to pay for perfection. After every project, we look at what we did right and what we did wrong and make changes to our processes to improve ourselves. The days of saying, “I’ve been a builder for 20 years, and this is the way I have always done things” is not a valid statement.

Pricing:

• New Home Construction does not cost $100 per sqft. Quality Custom homes start around $180 Per sq. ft.
• Right now we are seeing major renovations are more cost effective than starting from scratch. Saving 15% to 20%
• Small Homes cost more per sq. ft. than larger homes. I wish I could build a 2000 sq. ft. home for $250k

Contact Info:

• Address: 173 W Wieuca Rd NE
  Suite 202
• Website: www.ecocustomhomes.com
• Phone: 4043037280
• Email: jeff.d@ecocustomhomes.com
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ecocustomhomes/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/EcoCustomHomes
• Other: https://www.houzz.com/pro/ecocustomhomes/eco-custom-homes

Image Credit:
Eco Custom Homes

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