The Path To Becoming An Empowered Homeowner
Here are All the Ways to Learn
My mission is to help you achieve your dream, in the best way possible. What I mean by this is that you will have a succesful home building experience.
A successful home building experience looks like this:
- The design turned out more beautiful than you even imagined! And the layout is perfect.
- The house plans and construction come in on time and on budget. Imagine that!
- You selected the ‘just right’ team for your project: the architect, designers, suppliers, builder, tradespeople and lender.
- Plus, you felt confident and in control of the process of designing and the building of your dream.
- Your dream came true, in the best way possible!
It’s all doable!
Why me? How could I possibly do that?
I have the depth and breadth of experience in construction and housing to deliver on my mission, with 20+ years of experience as a contractor/builder, investor, project manager and construction teacher. For more, see the about me page.
I have spent a lot of time thinking about what it really takes to achieve a successful build (one that fulfills all those bullet points mentioned under my mission there on the left). My conclusion is ‘the right knowledge, at the right time.’ It’s not just a cliche’ to say that knowledge is power. It is exactly what is required. Empowered homeowners can navigate the home building journey in an entirely different way.
My goal is to help you become an empowered homeowner, one that can confidently climb the mountain that is designing and building a home.
It is a BIG deal, no doubt about it.
Allow me to be your guide. The path up that mountain is well worn by me, having been there and back so many times. I know the trails, the potential pitfalls, the excuses (I swear I’ve heard every single one) and how the game is played. More importantly, I finally figured out a better way…the easier, more efficient, less stressful and more successful path.
Your Knowledge Unlocks The Door To A Successful Build
If you follow the typical route in home building, will you end up with a successful project? While some manage to, many others don’t. Unfortunately, a handful even go through a truly rough time. It’s a coin toss, frankly. Unless…you know what you are doing (or get lucky).
Therefore, you are the most crucial element here and that is no exaggeration. But with your hectic schedule, when have you ever found the time to master the complexities of managing a home building project?
Not to worry, I’ve dedicated my career to this very task and I’m eager to pass on my knowledge, empowering you throughout your home building journey.
Your Path To Success
What I can offer is the path, outlining the steps needed for a successful build. I know those steps inside and out.
Once homeowners are equipped with the right knowledge, they’re empowered. Rather than figuring things out as you go, stumbling over mistakes, or endlessly searching the web, allow me to show you the path.
There is a certain amount of information that you, as the homeowner, need to elevate your game. By doing so, you’ll gain the power to make informed choices, tackle your project with assurance, set everything up correctly from the start, and confidently hold your ground in discussions. This knowledge not only boosts your chances of success but significantly enhances them.
Picture yourself, months down the line, with your house finished. You’ll have learned so much, right? What if you could be that knowledgeable person right now, at the start of your project?
You can be. If you are committed to learning (including the boring, non-fun stuff like financials and contracts) then the chances are much higher that one day you’ll look at your house and proudly declare, “We did it! We had a successful build!”
Re-read the definition of ‘a successful build’ over there on the left. Feel into it…imagine how wonderful it will feel to one day say, “We achieved a successful build!”
Are you ready?
The Path To Becoming An Empowered Homeowner
Here are All the Ways to Learn
GROUPS
Join on of the small groups who are in the same phase: just starting out, designing, ready to hire builder…etc.
Meet weekly or bi-monthly, live with Julie.
The fastest, most complete way to go.
ONE-ON-ONE CONSULTATION
Work with Julie directly. Have a few questions? Need direction? Have a real issue that you need me to step in for? We can do the accounting for your build too.
I’m here for you.
WORKSHOPS
Live workshops, on a wide variety of topics, from creating floor plans to how to interview builders and more. If you can’t make the live event, then a replay will be provided.
Sign up for the newsletter to receive notices!
TRAINING PRODUCTS
Take a look under the LEARN button on the navigation menu. There you’ll find lots to learn for free with more coming all of the time.
While free trainings are helpful, they may not be enough because the home design and building process is very complex. To chart your course toward a truly successful building experience, a homeowner needs in-depth knowledge.
See our Products page for true in-depth info and done-for-you items, such as Excel versions of Allowances, Schedule of Values, an estimating template or contract language suggestions.
More trainings and products are on the way!
A Game-Changing Approach
Insider Tips for the Building of Your Dream Home
About Julie
Julie Groth has spent 20 years as a building contractor, renovating over 150 historic homes in New Orleans. She later founded a development company, taking on roles from designing to project management, and holds licenses for both residential and commercial projects. Julie’s green renovation of a historic cottage earned her national recognition and the title of “Certified Green Professional” by the NAHB. After Hurricane Katrina, she played a key role in housing reconstruction with Habitat for Humanity and delved into building science, focusing on moisture control and airflow. She’s also passionate about education, teaching construction and green building at universities and leading a class to empower young women with construction skills.
Articles
3 Must-haves in Your Construction Contract to Control Costs
It is entirely possible to control costs in a custom home build, if you have these 3 must-haves in your construction contract. Once in place and used the right way, the game changes in favor of the homeowner. Otherwise, the door is open to misuse of change orders by...
The Kitchen Should Drive the Floor Plan for the Entire House!
Perhaps I should say: What a homeowner truly wants for their kitchen layout should drive the design decisions for the entire house. The kitchen is the heart of the house and should be treated as such during design. Meaning, it comes first. Find out what you really...
Most Broken Part of the Home Building Process (the contract timing)
The typical home building process is broken in many ways, from the homeowner’s perspective. The broken parts of the process cause stress and issues for owners going through a custom home build. In this article, I’d like to bring to your attention 2 areas (of many)...
What Others Have To Say
Julie did what she said and helped me turn my dream into reality. Her attention to detail, unique advice, and ability to grasp my vision made it SO much easier. Thank you!
OMG, I don’t know what I would have done without her. I had no clue where to start, and it felt so overwhelming. Fun to work with too!
Julie is an authority. I’ve depended on her counsel countless times over the years. She understands building, even advanced issues such as whether a crack in the corner of the home is structural or cosmetic.
Her patience with us, and calm confidence, helped us through our large remodel. She guided us, answered a million questions, worked with our architect and together they came up with some great suggestions.