Oklahoma City-based custom residential builder brass brick homes is known for starting from scratch - both in its history and in how it builds homes.

Oklahoma City-based custom residential builder brass brick homes is known for starting from scratch - both in its history and in how it builds homes. After they previously worked together for another homebuilder, husband-and-wife Wiley and Ashley Cunningham established brass brick homes in September 1996 with $5,000 in the bank. It was incorporated in 1997 and is celebrating its 10-year anniversary this year.

“It's been a long time coming,” says Ashley Cunningham, president and co-owner. “Getting fired was the best thing that happened [for us], and I wouldn't change it for anything.”

Ranked as one of the fastest-growing homebuilders in the nation by Builder magazine, the company has experienced 90 percent growth in 2005. Thanks to this growth, brass brick homes recently moved to a 5,200-square-foot new, state-of-the-art office building and design center two blocks away from the old, converted horse barn office where it operated for nine years. Doubling its size within the past year, Cunningham says she does not see brass brick homes slowing down any time soon. She credits the company's success to its ability to give customers exactly what they are looking for.

“We differentiate ourselves from other builders because we allow our customers to customize 100 percent,” she explains. “There's no other builder around here that does that in the amount of volume that we do. It's the volume that allows our pricing to remain competitive.”

While other custom residential builders in Oklahoma City build five to 10 customized homes in a year, brass brick homes expects to build about 120 customized homes in 2007 alone.

“We start from scratch,” Cunningham notes. “We have an architect on staff [and] we train our employees to be a semi-architect so they can design homes with buyers on the site.”

Building primarily in Oklahoma City and its surrounding areas, brass brick homes is currently in eight communities and plans to add three or four more in 2007.

Marking Quality
Targeting primarily generation X, Cunningham says the company inlays a brass brick in each home it builds as a stamp of brass brick homes' quality. “Each home we do has a brass brick and we put [on] a succession number,” she states. “We put our mark on [the] front of each house.”

The company's most recent brass brick says No. 412, Cunningham adds. One of brass brick homes' unique developments is Lone Oak Village, in Oklahoma City. It was built mostly for single women with children.

“These single-family homes are perfect for women who want the freedom of choice at an affordable price,” Vice President of Marketing Ali Bergin says. “It's easy to see why brass brick [homes] targets this demographic after selling over 40 custom homes in this development in less than 12 months.

“We had been building an average home of 2,000 square feet and a few of our customers asked for smaller homes for their mothers or daughters and we were happy to oblige.”

Lone Oak Village opened in 2005, with prices ranging from $130,000 to $180,000 at 1,200 to 1,800 square feet.

A nearby elementary school is one of the many attractions this neighborhood offers, Cunningham states.

Committing All the Way
Cunningham says the residential market is changing. “In Oklahoma City, we see more part-time builders that are disappearing,” she states. “The general market is softening and [a lot of companies have] money troubles.”

This, she says, creates more opportunities for full-time homebuilders. “It is allowing us who have done this for so long to really make a presence and show that we're here for long-term,” Cunningham adds. “People who have been around [for a while] will be around. I hate to see anybody fail, but if you're going to do something, do it 100 percent.”

The only challenge brass brick homes faces is internal, Cunningham notes. With the company's growth, Cunningham says she is not used to assigning responsibilities.

“A lot of people have investors,” she says, “but before, it was just my husband and me. We're used to doing it on our own. Now as we hire more [employees], I learned to delegate and give up responsibilities. But it's very rewarding to see [them] shine.”

Special Gift
Cunningham graduated with a B.A. in theatre and communication with a background in sales, marketing and public relations. She says being in the construction industry is a knack she has always had. “God has a really funny sense of humor,” she says.

“I just have a gift for [construction] and I got into it. Now, as long as I'm enjoying going to work in the morning, I won't slow down.” In the future, Cunningham says she wants brass brick homes to close on at least 180 homes a year.
“My goal is to become the largest custom homebuilder in the nation,” she stresses. “I want to keep growing but not too big.” Cunningham says she tries to meet each homebuyers and plans to do the same as the company grows.

“As long as I can keep meeting everybody, I'm ok with that,” she continues. “I still want people to talk to us while we're out there in the field. As long as [we] can do that, [we'll] keep growing.”