The Best Part of My Job Has Nothing to Do With Construction

I thought the best part would be the cabinets, countertops and all the pretty things. Turns out, I was wrong.

By Lauren Haskins · August 25, 2026

When I first got into home building, I really had no clue what the best part of the job was going to be.

If you had asked me back then, I probably would have said picking out all the pretty things—the cabinets, countertops, flooring, colors and all of those finishing touches. And don’t get me wrong, I still love that part!

But what I never expected was how much I would love the people side of this business. Getting to meet and interact with new people every day, building relationships with our clients, and then watching something they’ve dreamed about come to life right in front of them far surpasses picking out any of the pretty things.

And honestly, I still don’t know if I can narrow the best part of my job down to just one thing.

The Friendships I Never Expected

The friendships I’ve gained along the way are definitely a huge part of it. I’ve met so many people through home building who have become lifelong friends, and that’s something I never expected when I got into this business.

It’s actually become a running joke in my family. I’ve always lived in a small town, so I knew a lot of people before I ever got into construction. But now when we go somewhere, my kids and one of my best friends laugh and call me the “local celebrity.” Trust me, I am definitely not! 😂 They joke because everywhere we go, I either know someone or we’ve built a house for them. It’s funny, but when I really think about it, I also think it says a lot about how many relationships this business has brought into my life.

One of those relationships that will always stand out is with one of my now best friends, Rasha. I remember one day she asked if I wanted to ride together to one of her selection meetings, and I’m not going to lie…I was a little nervous.

I remember thinking, “Is this going to be weird?” Little did I know that would be the start of a friendship that went far beyond building her home.

By about halfway through the build, we were always together. At some point, it stopped feeling like I was meeting with a client and just felt like I was spending time with a friend. By the time we finished their home, I already knew our friendship wasn’t going to end when I handed over the keys—and it definitely didn’t.

Today, my husband and I are both really close with their entire family, and I truly couldn’t imagine our lives without their friendship. It’s one of those relationships that reminds me that what we do is about so much more than just building houses.

Changing the Way People Feel About Building

Another part of my job that I really love is changing people’s perception of the building process. A lot of people come to us already nervous because they’ve heard the construction horror stories: people being taken advantage of, little to no communication, unexpected costs, or projects dragging on much longer than they should.

And I understand why that makes people nervous. For most people, this is one of the largest investments they’ll ever make, and they’re putting a tremendous amount of trust in the people building their home.

Communication is probably one of the things I strive the hardest at.

“Sometimes I probably overcommunicate, but I would much rather do that than have a client wondering what is going on with their home.”

My goal is to always respond and acknowledge someone, even if I don’t have the answer for them at that exact moment. I’ve had numerous clients tell me they’ve never experienced that level of communication before and how much they genuinely appreciate it.

I also hear all the time that building a home is supposed to be one of the most stressful things you can do. I always tell people that, in my opinion, the most stressful part is actually choosing the house plan! Once we get through that, the rest should be fun. You’re picking out the things that are going into a home designed specifically for you, and you’re getting to watch it come to life.

Don’t get me wrong—there are stressful moments, just like with anything in life. But building a home really can be fun and exciting, and I want our clients to enjoy the experience rather than feel like it’s something they just have to survive.

One of the best compliments I get is when clients come back at the end and tell me, “You were right—that really wasn’t stressful.”

To me, that means we did our job.

The Bittersweet Part

And then there’s seeing the finished home. Watching our homeowners walk through the completed house, seeing how happy they are, watching all of the hard work pay off, and handing them the keys knowing we helped bring their dream to life is incredibly rewarding.

But those days are also a little bittersweet.

After spending months talking to someone almost every day and being such a big part of their lives, it’s strange when suddenly the project is finished and you don’t have a reason to talk all the time anymore.

One that will always stand out was a couple we did a large remodel and addition for. They truly became like family to us and were just an absolute joy to work with. We shared so many stories and laughs throughout the entire process that it never really felt like just a client relationship. Honestly, as we got closer to finishing, I dreaded it a little because I thought, “Well, I guess this means our relationship is going to end.”

After we finished, they wrote me the sweetest note, sent me flowers, and even bought my girls presents as a thank-you. It meant so much to me because it showed that the relationship we had built meant something to them too.

And apparently we weren’t quite done with each other, because not long ago they called us to come back and do another addition for them! 😂

I think that’s one of the greatest compliments we can receive—not only that someone trusts us enough to hire us again, but that a relationship that started because of construction has continued long after the first project was finished.

So, after all of this, I guess I still haven’t done a very good job of narrowing the best part of my job down to just one thing.

It’s the friendships. It’s watching someone go from being nervous about building to actually enjoying the experience. It’s seeing the excitement when everything they’ve been choosing and imagining for months finally comes together. It’s handing over the keys. And it’s knowing that sometimes, after the keys have been handed over and our job is technically finished, the relationship isn’t.

There’s something really special about being trusted to be part of such a huge chapter in someone’s life. That connection with people and getting to watch their dreams become a reality has definitely become my favorite part of what I do.

Yes, I still love the cabinets, countertops, flooring, colors and all the pretty things. But somewhere along the way, I realized those weren’t actually the best part of my job.

The people are.

I definitely didn’t expect that when I got into this business. But I’m really glad that’s what I found.

— Lauren