Olsen Custom Homes raises the bar for Florida coastal living
Founded in 2002 by husband-and-wife team Eric and Shelly Olsen, Olsen Custom Homes is committed to developing, designing, and building the highest quality, most innovative homes available today. Eric joins MHB to share some insights into the business: “We currently build around 25 homes a year, but as we’re growing quite substantially, I expect this number to increase over the next few years. We’re located in Port Orange, Florida, where my wife and I were both born and raised. We’ve been a big part of this community for a long time. We’re general contractors, so we occasionally do commercial projects, but we specialize in luxury custom homes for the central Florida market.
“Our homes tend to primarily be either second homes, vacation homes, or retirement homes. Our average buyer is probably in their late 50s to mid 60s, and the homes tend to be quite large, within the 4000 to 6000 square foot range, with an average value of around $1.4 million.
“We pride ourselves on the way we communicate with our buyers and keep them in the loop throughout the process. We build extremely high-quality homes; each designed with our buyer in mind. We operate in a niche market where our buyer expects very specific things, so, we’ve designed our features and our inclusions with this in mind. As a result, our basic house already includes many of the elements that they’re looking for. Our team has done a great job of identifying those areas and perfecting that. Then you have buyers that will upgrade some, downgrade some, and venture their way through that process.
“We have in-house designers, interior designers that do all the selections for our buyers. We also have a small showroom here, which we use to help our buyers make their choices; we go through the entire process with them personally. That’s what differentiates us and elevates our exceptional service; many competitors don’t have white glove service.”
Exceptional projects
To accommodate its recent growth, Olsen Custom Homes has moved into new headquarters. Eric outlines some of the key benefits: “It was a location we had been trying to buy for a few years, so when we finally had the chance, we purchased three properties and built our 6000 square foot offices, with 5000 square feet behind us for support staff and rentals. We constructed the building with quite a residential style, allowing us to really show off some of the features we have become known for. It’s excellent to have the extra space we needed, but also the showroom is a great addition; it really enhances the experience for clients when we discuss different options with them.”
As the company grows, so too are some of the spectacular homes it builds. Eric highlights a project that’s approaching completion as an example: “It’s one of the largest homes we’ve ever built at 12,300 square feet. It’s for a repeat customer; being such a family-oriented company, most of our work is either through repeat customers or word of mouth with family or friends of previous clients.
“It’s an exceptional house, right on the Intracoastal Waterway to Ormond Beach. This property has enabled us to showcase some unique features, such as a two-story garage, open stairwells with custom stairways, some bespoke ceilings, even down to the paintwork. The owners are very well versed in the design language they like, so we have worked closely with them to come up with some outside-the-box solutions, such as black walls, which you would normally avoid on a house like this; the result is phenomenal though. 
“We also recently finished a 10,200 square foot single-story home in New Smyrna Beach, again on the Intracoastal Waterway. It brilliantly demonstrates the abilities that we have honed over the years, as well as what we like from an interior finish perspective and a hardscape perspective on the outside.”
Successful culture
Company culture is a vital component of any successful operation. Eric outlines how Olsen Custom Homes’ values and culture have changed over the course of its history: “We’ve always centered the business around family values, but as you grow, some things go well and others don’t. Around three years ago, with an increase in subcontractors we were working with, the culture required updating. We started working with our leadership team and introduced culture-building activities. Because we’re a family company, we all know each other very well; we are a family. It’s the same thing with our customers; they become a part of our family. I think that’s the secret sauce to our success. We treat everybody like they are family; it feels like we’re in this together with our buyers, and we want to make sure that they’re taken care of – not only for now, but forever. We don’t always get everything right, but we’re always learning; I’ve been doing this for over 30 years and I learn something new every day.”
Ambitious vision
Having received countless awards, including the Builder of the Year award for four years in a row, Eric outlines the key factors that have contributed to the company’s longevity and ongoing success: “Doing the right thing is the most important element. Building a house is not for the faint of heart. It should be fun; it should be enjoyable, but it isn’t always for everybody. We work with clients to make adjustments for them in the best way we can in order to achieve their dream home. A big part of our longevity is the relationship we develop with our buyers over the course of that process.”
Eric then looks to the future, concluding with the company’s vision for the coming years: “We’ve put together an amazing team here and we’ll continue to grow. We have model homes that are open in the Palm Coast market, which will help increase that growth. We’ll add about 20 percent to our portfolio in this coming year.
“Everything looks bright and we’re right on track to meet or exceed every goal we set. The business is doing better than it ever has. In the next three or four years, we are looking to expand the markets we are active within. We want to bring the same methodology and quality to new areas. We also want to double our turnover, which is currently $25 million, in the next four to five years.”