"Sometimes it's difficult for home buyers to make decisions on what they want in a home," Gary says. "Often their wish list is much greater than their budget. I like to lay all the facts on the table so they can see what they can actually afford."

The Couchmans have also learned a lot about operating a solid, successful home building business. In the early days, the couple did a significant portion of the work themselves. As they added clients, more help was needed to complete projects. However, Couchman Construction continues to take a "hands-on" approach to home building. All job sites are checked daily to ensure work is completed on schedule. Some of the trimwork is done by Couchman employees instead of subcontractors. Furthermore, all warranty work is handled in house rather than outsourced to a warranty agency.