Jim Sorgatz

Optimizing the Design-Market-Sell Continuum – Tips for Home Builders – Part 1

March 28, 2025
By Jim Sorgatz

As the 2024 NAHB International Builders Show gears up to roll out the red carpet this week, it’s the perfect backdrop for a little fireside chat on elevating your home building game. With the industry’s brightest minds converging in one spot, buzzing with the latest trends and innovations, we at Outhouse are seizing the moment to sprinkle some of our own seasoned advice into the mix. Let’s dive into the art of perfecting the design-market-sell trifecta, shall we?

With so much information, this post is being broken into two parts. In Part 1 we cover CAD, Rendering, and Print Marketing – the essentials every builder must have. These are what we would call the more physical items, the ones used for design review, neighborhood presentations, in your design centers, and for the construction of your homes. In Part 2 we will discuss website tools. Although renderings fall into both categories, our second post focuses on digital tools that are more interactive.

Part 1: The Essentials – CAD, Rendering, and Print Marketing

In the realm of home building, there are a few non-negotiables: CAD, rendering, and print marketing. These are the bread and butter, the tools that transform a blueprint dream into a sticks-and-bricks reality.

VP of Operations Darin Keezer with CAD tips — Darin Keezer, VP of Operations

CAD (COMPUTER AIDED DESIGN)

Imagine having a magic wand that ensures your construction documents are flawless, a foundation as solid as the homes you build. That’s what good construction documents do for you. Here at Outhouse, under the guidance of our VP of Operations, Darin Keezer and his cadre of seasoned pros with over 30 years of experience working exclusively with production home builders, we offer CAD services that are a cut above. Here’s why:

Uniformity for the Field Crew: Our approach ensures that regardless of the designer, the plans maintain a consistent look and feel, making life easier (and error-free) for those on the ground.
You’re the Boss: The files? They’re yours. Whenever you want them, wherever you need them sent, consider it done.
No Nickel-and-Diming: We’re all about transparency. No per-lot-use or other hidden fees, just straightforward billing for the time spent on your plans.
Compatibility is Key: Our 2D plans play well with others, making them a breeze to integrate with additional Outhouse services or other consultants.

While the CAD magic happens, why not simultaneously kickstart your marketing with some stunning renderings, virtual tours, visualizers, interactive floor plans, interactive site plans, and print collateral? It’s all about multitasking.

RENDERINGS – A WEBSITE STAPLE

A well-crafted rendering can speak volumes, turning the intangible into something almost touchable. In today’s market, where digital home tours are gaining ground, the allure of a beautifully rendered image remains undiminished. While virtual tours and visualizers are becoming more mainstream, renderings are still the essential source of product visualization. Colored renderings should be a staple for every home builder website. Black/white stick drawings are a huge turnoff. For as little as $195, Outhouse can create a very nice 2D rendering. For a bit more, most builders opt for 3D photorealistic renderings, as they provide a far superior picture of a home. With realistic landscaping and the ability to include special lighting like dusk shots, the renderings are often more appealing than a photo of a newly constructed home, which is frequently on a dirt lot with a couple of “twigs” for trees. Today’s home buyers expect the essential marketing tools, and renderings fall into this category. Here’s how we make your projects pop:

From Meh to Marvelous: Ditch the bland for the grand with colored renderings that capture the imagination of your buyers.
The Devil’s in the Details: Outhouse partner, Stuart Platt, swears by the golden rule: the more accurate your CAD, the more stunning the rendering. It’s that simple.

Outhouse Partner Bill Gelbaugh with print media tips — Outhouse partner Bill Gelbaugh

PRINT MARKETING – YOUR PROJECT IN THE SPOTLIGHT

In an era where digital is king, print marketing retains its crown for creating tangible connections. With an onsite print department dedicated to print media for production home builders, here at Outhouse, LLC, we understand the importance of every stage of production home building printing and the vital steps to making your project a success. This includes on-time delivery to your sales centers. Bill Gelbaugh, our print guru, knows the ins and outs of making your projects shine on paper. Here’s his blueprint for success:

Plan with Precision: Like laying a foundation, choosing the right quantity, size, and type of print material sets the stage for everything that follows.
Choose Wisely: Not all printers are created equal. Opt for one that knows the ins and outs of the home building industry.
Attention to Detail: A single typo can throw a wrench in the works. Proofread like your project depends on it (because it does).
Clear as Day: When it comes to special requests or concerns, communication is key. The right printer will make your vision a reality.

That is our humble advice to ensure your print media materials turn out just as you envisioned and on budget. Remember, at Outhouse, LLC, we have more than 25 years of experience in specialized homebuilder printing.

MEET US AT IBS!

And there you have it, folks. A sneak peek into the alchemy of blending design, marketing, and sales into a seamless continuum. But wait, there’s more! Swing by IBS this week for a cup of joe on us at Sales Central in the West Hall, Room 311. Outhouse and our friends at Blue Gypsy Inc. can’t wait to meet you.

Stay tuned for Part 2, where we’ll dive into the digital deep end with website tools that make your projects not just seen, but experienced. Until then, happy building!

What a Move to Small Town America Taught Me About the Marketing Potential of Small Volume Builders

October 1, 2024
By Jim Sorgatz

a caboose in snow hosing the Railway Cafe — *Railway Cafe. One of the first places you see when you enter downtown Blaine.*

When my spouse and I decided to leave the hustle and bustle of Phoenix, Arizona and head to the Pacific Northwest, we were pretty clueless about where exactly we wanted to settle down. It was a couple of our long-time friends who suggested we check out Bellingham, WA, a city of around 100,000 people that I knew absolutely nothing about. This city, tucked away in the northwestern corner of Washington State, is primarily known for its vibrant brewery scene and its closeness to Vancouver, BC. I found the idea intriguing, especially since our friends had also moved here from a big city and were loving every moment of it. My main concern was whether I’d miss the conveniences I’d gotten used to during my 45 years in a bustling metropolis.

Soon enough, I realized that Bellingham has a surprising cosmopolitan flair for a city of its size. This is partly due to its proximity to Canada and the presence of Western Washington University, both of which add a certain liveliness to the place. Bellingham has quite a lot going for it, including a multiplex movie theater, Costco, Target, Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, Home Depot, Lowe’s, Macy’s, Dick’s Sporting Goods, a decent dining scene, and an impressive farmers market. This makes it feel much bigger than many cities of similar size. The only thing missing from Phoenix is Sprouts! The stunning ocean views and the abundance of nature sealed the deal. Or so I thought!

two small dogs, one tan and one white in front of a Canadian obelisk sign — *My pups walking across the US/Canadian border in Peace Arch State Park.*

As fate would have it, we ultimately fell head over heels for Blaine, a cozy town of just 6,000 people located a mere 18 miles further north, right on the Canadian border; and that is where we settled. Was it a culture shock? Absolutely, but when you’re used to driving in Phoenix, a 20-minute commute to the “big city” is a walk in the park. We chose this area because of its breathtaking surroundings and a home in a neighborhood that stole our hearts. Blaine is nestled around Drayton Harbor and is adjacent to Birch Bay, both of which are absolutely unique. Every time I make the drive between the two, I can’t help but appreciate how fortunate we are to live in this picturesque seaside community.

a loaf of chive dill pickle sourdough bread — *Anna’s Sourdough Bread which comes in some interesting flavors!*

Despite not having all the amenities of a big city, Blaine has its own charm that makes it an amazing place to live. We’ve got L & L Bakery with some of the most scrumptious cakes and macaroons you’ll ever taste, Anna’s Bread that comes in the most unusual flavors (Dill Pickle or Taco Tuesday anyone?), and The Vault Wine Bar with a wine list that rivals most big-city fine-dining establishments. There’s even a trendy speakeasy that recently opened in the lower level of the 1890 Taphouse. The Semiahmoo Resort is located on a picturesque spit reaching out into the bay. And then there’s the Railway Cafe, housed inside a caboose, which is one of the cutest and most meticulously designed spots I’ve ever seen. Adding to Blaine’s uniqueness is Peace Arch State Park, the only park in the country where you can stroll freely between two countries, Canada and the USA. And remember, we’re just a short 20-minute drive away from all those big-city conveniences in Bellingham, and 30 minutes to Vancouver B.C.

a walkway of paves in front of boats in a harbor — *Blaine Harbor.*

Now, you might be wondering, what does all of this have to do with home building? Well, the lesson here is that you can be a small builder and still pack a punch. For starters, smaller builders often have more control over the quality of their homes. The biggest challenge I see for both small and some larger builders is in the online sales and marketing department. It mainly boils down to a lack of staff and the misconception that having a comprehensive digital marketing strategy is prohibitively expensive. This is where it really pays to seek help from the experts.

Did you know that for as little as $2,700, plus subscription fees, you can have a top-notch digital marketing firm like Blue Tangerine design and manage a professional, high-performing website for you? It’s a website that seamlessly integrates Search Engine Optimization (SEO) tools and comes with ongoing support. Since your website is frequently the first point of contact for potential buyers, investing in one that’s done right and generates leads is crucial. As Greg Bray, President of Blue Tangerine, puts it, “A website visitor’s first goal is to eliminate you! A cluttered website with too much information and a lack of focus can easily turn them away.” Never underestimate the power of your website when it comes to selling new homes.

bar with a rack of bottles wall in front of a wall of windows — *Packers Bar at the Semiahmoo Resort.*

While you’re upgrading your website, don’t forget to incorporate digital marketing tools like interactive floor plans, site maps, 3D photorealistic renderings, virtual tours, and visualizers. These are engagement tools that bigger builders already have on their websites. The good news is that these assets don’t have to break the bank. Interactive floor plans from Outhouse, LLC, the most robust in the industry, start at just $285 per plan. Virtual tours of pre-built homes kick off at $2,800. Compare that to the cost of constructing a physical model, and virtual tours and visualizers become a no-brainer.

In today’s digital age, with homebuyers doing most of their research online, another tool that larger builders use is AI chatbots, such as those provided by AtasRTX, or human-powered live chat services from providers like CommVersion. You don’t necessarily need to hire additional sales personnel to answer homebuyer questions around the clock. As more and more buyers turn to the internet to purchase homes, having an exceptional Online Sales Counselor (OSC) is crucial. To ensure success, you might want to consider training from a consultant like Blue Gypsy, Inc., or outsourcing the role of OSC entirely to a provider like Shared Drive.

old stone bridge over a stream — *Whatcom Falls Bridge in Bellingham.*

The bottom line is this: being a smaller builder with a limited budget doesn’t mean you have to settle for an inferior online marketing program. If you prioritize digital marketing and invest a bit upfront, you’ll likely recoup the costs with the sale of just one or two homes. With the rapid advancements in artificial intelligence, it’s essential to bring your website and online marketing tools into the digital age if you want to thrive in the world of new home sales.

horse pulling carriage down street in a small town — Carriage rides at Blain’s downtown holiday celebration.

Outhouse – The Outsource Hub for Home Builders

October 1, 2024
By Jim Sorgatz

People often wonder about our quirky name. Well, we’ve got a secret to share. We take great pride in and are passionate about what we do, but we also know how to have a bit of fun. At Outhouse, we’ve embraced the tech industry’s laid-back culture, complete with remote work perks that give our team extra family time, thanks to a commute-free life.

But Here’s the Twist in Our Tale!

Outhouse, LLC is on a mission to redefine how the world of home building operates. We’re not just another company; we’re a dynamic fusion of three visionaries: Architectural Solutions, Inc., Nexus Multimedia, and Centeon Corporation. In the year 2000, we joined forces, driven by a common vision – to revolutionize the way home builders design, visualize, construct, and sell homes through a cutting-edge, integrated, all-encompassing platform.

Our compass? A set of core values that guide our every move – trust, culture, vision, value, and stewardship. Our brand promise is simple: consistently deliver the right product, provide exceptional customer service, and set the gold standard for production excellence.

Now, with integration and values in mind, our partners decided to embrace the Outhouse moniker, signifying that we’re your go-to “out” source for all things home building. Our tagline? “If you don’t do it in-house, bring it to Outhouse.” Many builders miss the “complete outsource” part, but the savvy ones know the real magic starts with Computer Aided Design (CAD) – the cornerstone of a streamlined, error-free process.

Lay a Solid Foundation with Outhouse CAD

With over a quarter-century of experience and plans drafted for countless homes across the nation, Outhouse knows home building like no other. Beyond expertly drawn plans, our construction documents provide the bedrock for crafting precise sales materials and dynamic marketing assets. What’s more? We seamlessly synchronize any changes you make across all our construction, digital, and physical onsite platforms. Our exclusive process minimizes hiccups and maximizes your profits.

Craft Digital Marketing and Onsite Sales Tools Hand in Hand with CAD

Here’s where the full-service brilliance comes into play. Builders who draft plans in-house typically don’t dive into digital marketing tools like interactive floor plans, renderings, virtual tours, visualizers, or animations until construction docs are done. But not when you partner with Outhouse for CAD. We kickstart your marketing assets well before CAD completion, giving you a head start on the competition. We design and produce your marketing essentials for your sales center in tandem.

Minimize Mistakes, Maximize Gains

Who doesn’t love saving money? Your dedicated Outhouse Account Manager takes the reins for all your projects – from CAD to digital tools to printed materials. This means that whenever there’s a change (imagine moving a wall), they execute it across all platforms. Meanwhile, builders using multiple providers must juggle each one for changes. By embracing Outhouse’s comprehensive suite of integrated services, you can leave the details to us, saving time, money, and adding extra padding to your bottom line.

If You Don’t Do It In-House, Bring It to Outhouse!

In a nutshell, Outhouse isn’t just a whimsical name. It’s a testament to our vision of being your one-stop-shop for construction docs and cutting-edge sales and marketing tools for home builders.

Print Is Not Dead – It’s Just Underutilized

October 1, 2024
By Jim Sorgatz

Our first-hand experience with print marketing

Outhouse recently added two new members to our Sales Team: Erin Kearney, Business Development Manager, and Kaelin Kerr, Sales Coordinator. While Erin handles website leads and inbound calls, Kaelin spends most of her time on outbound communications. In addition to emailing and calling, she is also mailing postcards to prospective homebuilder clients and is having great success. Who would think that a tech-savvy 30-year-old would get more replies from a postcard with a handwritten note than she ever receives from emails?

At Outhouse, we are not entirely surprised. Many people think print is dead, but our experience with an in-house print shop tells us otherwise. We are seeing a resurgence in print. As email boxes overflow with sales messages, companies seek other avenues to reach target buyers, and print marketing is growing. With so little “snail mail,” savvy marketers know print isn’t dead – it is underutilized, and they are expanding print campaigns to take advantage.

Print is powerful! The smell of paper and feeling pages between your fingertips – these are things that just can’t be duplicated online.

How Print Came to Outhouse

Outhouse Partner Bill Gelbaugh is the reader in our office. A new book with his name on it arrives in the mail nearly every other day. Retooling the US Housing Industry by Sam Rashkin – check. Internal Family Systems Therapy – check. Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life – check. Anatomy of a Great Home – check. 101 Whiskies to Try Before You Die – double-check! With an incredibly wide range of interests, the topic isn’t of paramount importance. Affectionately referred to by staff as “Buddha,” Bill is a seeker of knowledge and has a voracious appetite for books. And, although he owns a Kindle (maybe more than one!) he prefers the hard copy any day. This, in part, is what led him to start his own print business in 1991, with the company becoming primarily focused in the home builder vertical market by 2000.

*Outhouse Founding Partner Bill Gelbaugh*

Today, the print division he started is an integral part of the Outhouse family of products and services. One of the first things people notice when they come to our office is the warehouse location. Depending on the day, as you enter, the scent of chemicals may greet you at the door. Our print and sign departments are on site, and the equipment is typically running. With a primary focus on builders, the Outhouse print and sign teams excel at delivering your community brochures and the signage you need for your sales centers on time, every time.

Trained as a professional Graphic Designer, craftsmanship is part of Bill’s DNA. Frequently spotted with his magnifying glass verifying color calibrations, he is serious about superior print quality. This is one of the attributes distinguishing Outhouse from a typical strip mall print shop. Also setting us apart are professional artwork creation, coordinated digital file and asset management, and builder-specific delivery. Yes, we deliver your brochures and price sheets timed to your weekly sales cycle!

When Bill and our founding partners came together to create Outhouse, integration of print and all other services was one of the mandates. Our motto, “Ready to Build, Ready to Market, Ready to Sell,” encompasses this philosophy. A point of pride for our team is the fact that all work is done in-house. This allows us to simultaneously work on CAD, renderings, interactive floor plans, virtual tours, print layouts, etc., reducing overall time to produce construction documents and digital and onsite marketing assets for your new communities. Furthering this continuity, a dedicated Account Manager coordinates each client’s projects, making changes and updates across all platforms so you don’t have to remember these details.

*Bill Gelbaugh and Doug Ills in the Outhouse Printshop Verifying Color Calibrations*

“When you touch something, it triggers a reaction. You feel differently about what you touch. You begin to feel you own it. And research shows this makes you value it more.”
Dr. David Eagleman, Neuroscientist

Step Out From the Crowd With Print Marketing

One of the beauties of print is the unlimited potential for customization, thereby increasing the ability to trigger an emotional reaction. Builders can tailor renderings and IFPs to a point, but these platforms typically have technical limitations. On the other hand, print enables you to step out from the crowd and . The options for paper stock, finishes, shapes, sizes, and print techniques such as embossed, metallic, and varnishes are endless. Limited only by your marketing department’s creative minds, there is no other medium that encourages so much freedom. Print collateral also provides homebuyers with something tangible to take home from your sales centers or discover in the mail – a lasting reminder of your beautiful homes once visitors leave your sales center or website.

*A handsome brochure presents potential home buyers with a vision unique to your company.*

If you’d like to discuss print or simply have a conversation about a good book, feel free to call or set up a time for a video chat with Bill by emailing him at bill.gelbaugh@outhouse.net. A favorite pastime is sitting down with a good cup of coffee or tea and meeting people to exchange ideas and learn more about each other and the world.

The Importance of a Digital Marketing Ecosystem: A Lesson from Tesla

March 28, 2025
By Jim Sorgatz

When you think of leaders in the electrical vehicle movement, I believe even the Elon haters would have to give props to Tesla. They have moved into a position of power that is rare. One of the chief reasons for this is their self-contained ecosystem. From batteries to auto parts to charging stations and software, Tesla is in control. There is little that is outsourced.

This streamlined approach makes them significantly more profitable than other auto manufacturers. They also have one of the most powerful computer systems in the world, enabling drivers to control everything from a sleek touchscreen. Tesla also gathers data from their vehicles. Paired with AI, the data from every mile driven gives them the lead in autonomous driving. No one knows when robo taxis will make their grand entrance, but the probability of it happening in my lifetime is exciting!

*_{Tesla Touchscreen Controls Adobe Stock}*

The Ecosystem

What does all this have to do with homebuilder sales and marketing, you ask? It all comes down to the ecosystem. While some builders use individual vendors for renderings, interactive floor plans, print materials, etc., savvy builders understand the benefits of working with a full-service provider like Outhouse. In addition to digital marketing assets like interactive floor plans (IFPs), interactive site plans (ISPs), renderings, virtual tours, visualizers, animations, and digital kiosks, we also have an in-house print and signage shop and a full-service computer-aided design (CAD) department. Clients who use all our services benefit from significant time and cost savings. When you make changes in CAD, those edits carry across our entire ecosystem.

Our “Touchscreen” – the Interactive Control Center

Like Tesla, Outhouse now has a slick “touchscreen,” our new Interactive Control Center. With the launch of this intuitive administrative back end for our interactive platform, we are setting the stage for a new future in interactive control. A few of the features include:

A new look with upgraded graphics for ease of use and improved navigation
A clean template with easy-to-see project permissions
Choice between light and dark themes, similar to our IFPs
The ability to personalize by setting your home page – perhaps a specific community or your interactive floor plan list
No more pagination. The plan list is fluid. While not a huge issue for builders with only a few IFPs, builders with dozens will appreciate this time-saver
Seamless movement between IFPs and ISPs in the same community. No more toggling between lists of IFPs and ISPs
Simplified self-serve reports and the ability to export data in Excel, CSV, JSON, and XML
A search box and filters to make it easy to find what you are looking for.

Also coming soon to the Control Center are a dashboard, and everyone’s favorite – widgets. Everything is designed to simplify the management of your interactive tools and data collection from potential clients.

*_{Tesla’s Super Chargers in a line Adobe Stock}*

Integration

Integration makes life easier. Ask the owners of EVs manufactured by companies other than Tesla. There’s a reason the most prominent auto manufacturers are signing contracts to access Tesla’s Supercharger network. Constructed in secret, Tesla unveiled their first six Supercharger stations in 2012. From there, they have continued building a Supercharger network nationwide. They understood the need for a strong network of Superchargers for EVs to compete with gas-fueled vehicles. Tesla also fixes and improves their cars simply by issuing a software update. Their ecosystem is fully integrated, from construction to batteries to software to charging stations.

In recent years, Outhouse has enhanced our interactive products to achieve full integration with each other. Starting with our interactive site plan, your home buyers can click on a lot to reveal renderings of the available homes. Click on a rendering, and it opens an interactive floor plan. While engaging with the IFP, home buyers can also view virtual tours and select colors and finishes with interior and exterior visualizers. All of our interactive tools can be neatly packaged into an interactive kiosk for potential homebuyers to peruse while at your sales center.

Before you start your next community, consider how your company might benefit from implementing a complete interactive ecosystem rather than just a few pieces and parts. Today’s home buyers are shopping online; your website should make it easy for them to decide your homes and communities are the right fit for their families. As the EV market grows, you may also want to consider where to place a Supercharger!