Buying a home through a builder isn’t just a transaction; it’s a relationship.

Morrison Homes understands how meaningful this bond is and has developed several processes to support its promise to be the “homebuyer’s best friend.”

This guiding principle exists at every point in the buyer’s process.

“It starts with our people and our culture, and that’s rooted in the legacy left by Frank Morrison,” says Sam Hudson, director of marketing.

Frank Morrison founded the award-winning builder in 1961.

“His continual request was that we always put the customer first,” he adds. “For us, that means delivering a quality product as well as a quality experience.”

Helping make both points are the builder’s uniquely-flexible home options.

“It’s important to us that the home we build for our customers is a perfect reflection of their lifestyle, their needs, and their wants,” Hudson says. “It’s an individual product that has to be tailor-fit.”

Some builders are limited to what their standard floor plans offer. But with Morrison — if in that initial glimpse at their models there isn’t something that fits the bill — there’s still a strong chance it can deliver what the buyer is looking for.

The builder achieves this through expertly-design pre-planned floor plan options and a level of personalization that’s uncommon among production builders.

Production builder is a term that refers to companies that, unlike customer builders, have models designed in advance.

The pre-planned floor plan options are based on customer feedback, says Hudson.

“We listen very closely to our customers, and their needs are and do research into what’s important to homebuyers,” he adds.

This has multiple benefits, says Hudson, including the ability to avoid full-on-customization, which can be “expensive and time-consuming.”

As an example, the Everett floor plan has 13 pre-planned options, such as an ensuite and laundry room reconfiguration, enclosing the flex room, among others.

If the pre-planned options still don’t accommodate the buyer’s needs, Morrison’s single-family models allow further modifications.

“We’ll bump out a wall, extend a garage, do whatever is needed to ensure our customers get a home that is perfect for them,” Hudson says.

“We have developed processes internally to enable us to do these personalizations for the home because we believe it is so important.”

That emphasis on creating a quality experience is carried over to the selections process when each customer is assigned a personal design consultant.

“They help walk them through that exciting time in the building process,” says Hudson, adding many customers have remarked how valuable it was to be able to tap into the consultant’s expertise.

This session also provides the customer with direct access to an estimator who can offer quotes on upgrades in real-time.

In other words, if a dazzling backsplash, which isn’t one of the builder’s standards, catches the customer’s eye, they can make a decision based on price – without delay.

“Customers have a budget, and we want to make sure that they can fit the upgrades they want within their budget,” Hudson says.

When shovels turn for the start of construction on that new home, Morrison’s relationship with its customers continues to be a top priority.

“As long as it is safe to do so, of course, we offer unlimited site visits to their home,” says Hudson. “That’s something that’s unique to Morrison Homes. We understand that customers want to experience their home as it takes shape.”

Knowing that customers want a single point of contact, Morrison has taken the unusual step of amalgamating its warranty and construction departments.

“When we have a construction team that‘s closely paired with our warranty team we see fewer deficiencies after possession,” says Hudson. “That makes our customers happier.”

Smart home automation is on the rise in Calgary’s new home market. With many people already engaged with a piece of smart technology, they have likely developed preferences.

“To us, flexibility is key,” says Hudson. “We are offering Calgary’s only flexible smart home package.

“It connects smart home features to the smart home hub of our customer’s choice, so they are not tied to a specific platform. We appreciate that many customers already have a smart home hub of some kind. Our smart home features will be able to integrate with any hub.”

Overall, when it comes to industry honours—including recognition for custom satisfaction—Morrison is highly-decorated.

This includes the J.D. Power and Associates Builder of Excellence Award recognizing “An Outstanding Home Ownership Experience,” multiple Alberta New Home Warranty Program awards, and BILD (Calgary Region) Builder of the Year title, which it captured 10 years in a row and 13 times in the past 17 years.

“Morrison Home’s long-standing tradition of excellence is reflected in the beautiful homes they build and the thousands of happy homeowners during their over 60 years of homebuilding,” says account manager at The Alberta New Home Warranty Program, Lisa Tyhy.

“They’re one of Alberta’s top builders because of their attention to detail, professionalism and expertise,” she adds. “From sales to warranty, each member of the Morrison team takes pride in their role in delivering their best to their homeowners and the Morrison experience.

“Their ability to deliver on what they promise has been proven time and time again and we see that in their continuous customer satisfaction and success.”

When Morrison reflects on the value it sees in The Alberta New Home Warranty Program, it’s with a depth of experience. Frank Morrison was one of the Program’s founding members.

“At the time, there were no protections in place for customers,” says Hudson. “He wanted to ensure that there was a structured program in place to protect home buyers.

“That’s a philosophy that we continue to embrace,” he adds. “Through our entire association with the Program, there has never been a claim that has not been resolved. We have a 100 per cent track record in resolved claims.”