People want more out of their homes these days, thanks to the advancements in technology. One company that keeps its fingers on the pulse of these innovations is Quadrant Homes, a builder that sells premium homes in the Puget Sound region.
Through its HomeSmart package, the company offers homes pre-wired for EV charging that also feature the latest Amazon devices and Wi-Fi technology. According to Quadrant Homes President Ken Krivanec, these are a good fit for its region.
“Seattle is at the forefront of many technological advances,” he said in a statement. “Buyers in this market love walking into a new home that seamlessly combines state-of-the-art design with a suite of smart devices that offer connectivity, security and voice control.”
Recently, Construction Best Practices had the opportunity to speak with Krivanec about the importance of staying abreast of the latest technology, working with Amazon and how these practices should become standard for the rest of the industry.
Construction Best Practices: Can you tell me about Quadrant Homes and how long it has been operating? What is your background?
Ken Krivanec: Quadrant Homes is a Washington-based company celebrating its 50th year of operation. Since 1969, we’ve been rooted in research, innovation and technology and are proud to say we’ve built more new homes in Washington state than any other builder.
We have seven currently-selling communities across the Puget Sound region in King, Snohomish and Kitsap counties, with a number of communities in Seattle’s Eastside tech corridor. As a member of TRI Pointe Group, we combine entrepreneurial motivation with large-enterprise support.
CBP: What are some of the trends that you are seeing with in-home tech in Seattle? How have you had to change your standards to keep up with buyer demand?
KK: The consumer demand for security, voice control and energy efficiency serve as the key components of what we offer in our HomeSmart package. Seattle is one of the most tech-savvy markets in the country, and our buyers want to be a part of the innovation. We are constantly monitoring the market to see what we can offer that’s “above and beyond” for today’s buyer —features they didn’t know they were missing.
Recently, we’ve seen the drastic rise in voice control and personal assistant devices like Amazon Alexa. We know our buyers are looking for devices that offer security, comfort, and plug-and-play options that make their lives easier at home or while away.
CBP: Can you tell me about how you have partnered with Amazon? What will be some of the benefits you will be able to bring to homebuyers with this new HomeSmart package?
KK: In 2018, we pursued an exciting opportunity to offer whole-home voice control with Amazon. We wanted to make it customer-centric by not just offering the latest Amazon devices, but going one step further and including an on-site activation appointment with an Amazon expert.
These appointments help buyers at all levels of tech savvy seamlessly tailor the system to their lifestyle, removing the potential hassle and confusion of setting up a holistic in-home tech system. To date, Amazon’s Quadrant Smart Home Activations have had a 100 percent five-star satisfaction rating. It’s been a huge benefit for our buyers.
CBP: Do you think it is important for all homebuilders to take steps forward with technology as you have with this new offering?
KK: Absolutely. Builders need to lead the way to a better lifestyle — not to simply optimize the status quo. We work every day to arrive in the future, just ahead of what the buyer expects. It may present some operational challenges, but it’s the only way to go if you want to stay ahead of the market.
We aren’t focused so much on competitors, as we are on our buyers and delivering them a premium home and experience, from start to finish. Home tech is just one part of that.
CBP: Do you think that collaborations with companies like Amazon will be an important best practice in the future as well?
KK: Absolutely – part of being a great homebuilder is being a great retailer. Quadrant is a great retailer with a deference for tech. When we were looking for companies to team up with, we knew Amazon was clearly the leader in the market when it came to functionality and devices, and could offer our buyers something special.
CBP: What else do you see for the future for Quadrant Homes, as well as the homebuilding industry?
KK: The things we don’t know today are what excite us the most. We expect technology to continue evolving rapidly and we will move with it, as it plays a major role in our home and community designs. We’ve watched tech change the way our buyers live, and we expect to see that continue, both inside and outside the home.
