In the words of our friends and customers...

Working with Tim Green, John Cristaldi, and the entire SCHELL Brothers team was an extraordinary experience. We live in Chicago and were somewhat apprehensive about building our home via long distance telephone calls. However, the professionalism, workmanship, knowledge and “on time” updates, were unceasing and amazing. All of the photographs and e-mails kept us in touch with all that was going together so very quickly. It made building our house from a distance a most pleasant and reassuring experience. The entire undertaking from ground breaking to the final walk through actually took only 4 months. We love our new home and look forward to a enjoyable retirement in our beautiful BAY BREEZE. The end result is most indescribably beautiful. Johnny and Timmy are the BEST!

As new homeowners of the Beacon Model, we wanted to express our satisfaction and thanks for the wonderful job done by Schell on our home. The experience from the selection process thru construction and final settlement was presented and performed with competence and professionalism. Even after settlement – the few minor problems were addressed very quickly to our complete satisfaction.

Everyone at Schell made a daunting process flow smoothly from start to finish. All the Schell folks we have worked with are the greatest- Josh, Jordon and Erika were very patient and helpful throughout with the myriad of choices and followed up all along the way with their support and encouragement.

Lynn C. at Tidewater was very helpful in explaining the loan options and available choices.

Mark Moore. and Phil worked with us on a weekly basis, addressing any concerns or changes during construction, responding to all our questions within a day.

Tony Forrest coordinated the settlement with ease.

Joni and Ryan at Echelon have been really helpful in assisting with decorating decisions and providing some temporary items to get started.

Schell employees work together to make the home building process a pleasant process. The workmanship and finish detail is excellent. Existing Retreat homeowners have commented what a great job Schell does and wish they had had the opportunity to use Schell. Also, the Schell welcome gifts at Settlement are really nice and well appreciated. Thanks for a great job and praises to a fine organization.

Sincerely,
Jack Wood and Mike Roob

Chris,

As you know, we just moved in to our new home at Heritage Creek and we are extremely pleased with the result.  Your team has been with us every step of the way, listened to our suggestions, and everyone was incredibly responsive to any questions or issues that arose.  We were impressed with everyone’s thoughtfulness, the design, overall quality and the attention to detail. I doubt that we would have had a better experience or better value with any other organization or builder.  Your ad slogan “experience the difference” is truly on the mark.  

Both Judy and I would like to express our appreciation to everyone who worked with us including Erika, Joyce, Mark, Jerry, and Pat with special thanks to Melissa O’Neil and Pat Mulligan. We also want to thank everyone involved with the surprise house warming gift.  Our dog, Dudley, can now enjoy his fenced in back yard.  We let him loose on the first day and it was the first time we saw him run around since his crippling injury 1 year ago.  A special moment!

I didn’t have everyone’s email address so please pass this email on especially to anyone I may have missed.  Encourage everyone to keep up the good work.  Times will get better and I really believe that Heritage Creek is distinctive concept that will succeed.

Sincerely,
Neil and Judy Sands

April 4, 201

Dear Mr. Schell

My name is Marie Thomas and my husband, Jim, and I are the proud owners of a Schell home in Hawkseye Development in Lewes Delaware. (Actually we are shared owners with my two brothers and daughter.)  We were given possession of the home this past Friday by the members of your elite staff, Tim, Joni and Kevin.  It has been both an honor and a privilege to have the opportunity to work with your staff in planning, building and designing a home we have dreamed of for many, many years.  The experience for us goes beyond their knowledge and expertise as they certainly made us feel like family. 

From the moment we met Tim, we knew he was the person we wanted to plan our home.  He, Larry, Kevin and Joni worked with us, side by side, in order to make sure all the details were in place and they made themselves available for our emails, visits and cell phone calls.  They all are kind, considerate, compassionate and professional.  What is even more remarkable is their unending energy, the countless hours they have given us and the love and respect they have for each other and you.  This is all evident in the way they do their job. We truly feel as though we are working with long-time friends.  They made our house a home and I hope we can maintain our friendship with them for many years.

Our home is phenomenal and I thank you for all of them.  I believe employees mimic the attitude, professionalism and work ethic of those they work for.  You obviously are a great role model.    In addition, we are having a get-together at our new home on May 28^th, the Saturday of Memorial Weekend, for a few friends and your associates.  You are welcome to join us.

Thank you.

 Yours Very Truly,

 Marie and Jim Thomas

One thing that struck us was how passionate Chris Schell’s vision is of Heritage Creek. It was neat to talk to him. We felt like he was not just a builder but a member of our community. That impressed us, and of course the construction and the reputation of Schell Brothers.

Mel and Sherri Bwint

We have spent the past two years looking at various developments throughout the Southern Delaware coastal region and kept coming back to Heritage Creek in Milton, each time with more compelling reasons that the total package was the right choice:

• the historic charm of the town of Milton
• the thinking that went into the design of the community site plan
• the ‘Miltonian’ inspired architecture of the model homes
• the quality of the materials, engineering, and construction of the homes
• the reputation of the builder and their commitment to the region
• most importantly, the entire staff at Schell Brothers, who were knowledgeable, helpful, and passionate about getting things right!

The entire purchase experience has exceeded our expectations and the attention we have received throughout the process has been simply amazing! We highly recommend that anyone looking to build a new home in this region owes it to themselves to at least take a look at what Heritage Creek has to offer before they decide on their new home purchase.

Tom,

We want to thank you for a job well done. From the land clearing right up to the last issues, you have always been involved, kept us constantly informed through emails or phone calls, and gave us peace of mind throughout this process.

Schell Brothers should be proud of the excellent work as a project manager that you have done on this house.

Thanks again for making this a great experience.

Ron and Vera Sitze

Dear Chris,

Christina and I want to thank you again for the fabulous work the entire Schell Brothers crew did on our new home. We wanted you to know how much we appreciated the superb craftsmanship and professionalism of the entire Schell Brothers crew. They never disappointed us; on the contrary, they made the whole process enjoyable for Christina and I!

We want to especially thank Tom Krause and Matt Seiler for impeccable attention to detail, the way they always made us feel as though our house was their top priority, their accessibility to immediately address any questions or concerns we might have, successfully completing the house on schedule, and for their honesty and integrity. Tom and Matt are truly committed as you are to building a quality product. We feel truly blessed to have had the opportunity to work with such fine people. This home is our “dream home” but it is also the biggest financial investment we will probably ever make, so the fact that we could trust the Schell Brothers crew unconditionally throughout the entire process was paramount.

Please feel free to share this letter with your future clients, or to provide our name and phone number for reference. We would not hesitate to recommend Schell Brothers (and in fact, we already have!). Thank you again for everything.

Sincerely,
Mike and Christina Connors

Chris,

We can finally see the light through the tunnel and will be moving into our new, wonderful home at Independence sometime during the week of June 15!

Both Liz and I met you briefly last August during the official opening of the clubhouse but haven’t spoken to you since. This is by no means a complaint but rather a compliment. Over the past 20 months we have been planning on moving to Independence and with each step we’ve taken and with each different person from your organization that we’ve met, we’ve encountered nothing but great feelings, honesty, warmth, and a sense of pride and knowledge with courtesy and accommodation that surpassed everything. Maybe now you can understand why you are to be complimented! Without those types of attributes coming from the top down, we the clients probably would never be writing you this testimonial in email form. But, without things going to your head, Schell Brothers would not be the institution it is today without the personnel in your organization “hearing” from you about how a business should be run. As the old adage goes, “the recipes that you create yourself are the ones that are the best.” Both Liz and I feel that your organization is one great recipe.

We would be remiss if we didn’t personally mention the names of your work force who have consistently and equally impressed us with their knowledge and expertise, sense of humor, pride in what they’re doing, diligence, and most of all their unwavering service to their customers! It was as if nothing was ever impossible for these people because they believed in what they were doing and worked hard to achieve it for the two of us.

We can’t say enough about Lisa, Dave, Jordan, Beth, Erika, Gillie, Tom, Matt, Tina, and Jill! These 10 individuals are absolutely amazing! They have made purchasing this house a most pleasurable and unforgettable event in our lives. They all seem to espouse that if you take care of the “little” things, you’ll never have to worry about the “big” things. Liz and I have never had to worry about any “big” things because of these 10 people. It’s as if each of these people has adopted the motto that life is an occasion and they rise to meet that occasion everyday. In our lifetime, Liz and I can’t remember a process that we’ve been through that has given us more pleasure – and a sense of gratitude that we’ve gone through this journey with all of you. There has never been a time over the past 18 months when we have not been impressed with your organization - and the real reason is the 10 people mentioned above!

We have often heard about your early Friday morning beach meetings from these 10 people and how they have been motivated to do their best by the words that you impart to them. We’d like you to remember one thing to relay to them from us on your next beach encounter - and that is that in life one doesn’t necessarily remember days but one does remember moments. Your organization has given us countless moments that Liz and I will cherish and never forget as we move into our new home this coming June. Many thanks for your leadership - but special thanks really go to your crew who listen carefully to what you say at those early Friday mornings on the beach!

Bob and Liz Scannell

To Whom It May Concern,

My wife and I have been interested in your Independence community for quite awhile. Recently, we had the pleasure of meeting and working with Jamie Hudson. We were very impressed with her knowledge and expertise in the field. We would have been part of the Independence community a long time ago if we had met her then. She is a great asset to your team and displays the qualities that make your company shine above the rest.

Very Truly Yours,

Tom & Susan

Chris,

Good morning. Well, we finally settled on January 19, 2009, and it went very well. As you can well appreciate, the experience of building a home, and especially a retirement home, is very exciting, but at the same time it can be an overwhelming experience.

A retirement home in many ways represents the culmination of many years of hard work and sacrifices. It is a place where we can look towards fulfilling our dreams of finding joy and comfort in our later years. To build such a home takes time and patience and a willingness of all involved in the process to make this dream come true.

Phyllis and I would like to thank the entire "Indy" team for making this experience a special one for the both of us. From the first time we came to the Independence Community and were welcomed by Lisa Ruppert, Dave Smith and Jordan Gorsch in the sales office, we knew this was a special place. After seeing the models and community center we gained an appreciation for the vision that you and the Schell Brothers had for building not just a retirement community but a special place in Delaware that we knew we can be a part of in the years ahead.

The support we received from the "Indy" team in building our house was amazing. We cannot thank Lisa enough for helping us choose the right model for us, and her unyielding patience in helping us design the upgrades and changes to meet our personal preferences, and to Erika Fields in taking the time to get to know us and help us choose the right colors and interior choices for the house. And without doubt to Tom Krauss, the Project Manager and Matt Seiler, the Project Superintendent for working closely with us throughout the construction process. And certainly we cannot forget Tina Mulligan and her wonderful smile and enthusiasm in making us feel welcome and part of the community from the moment we signed our contract.

We had a vision for our retirement home, and through Lisa and Tom and the rest of the "Indy Team" listening to us and willing to work with us, our vision was fulfilled. We are truly delighted with the quality of the home and the care and detail that went into designing and building it.

We look forward in the days and years ahead to being a part of Independence and the special community that you are creating.

Sincerely,
Martin and Phyllis Bloom

Just wanted to say thank you for the service you provided for my unit at The Tides. It was over and above your job for customer service. Thank you for a job well done.

Pete George

Chris and Preston Schell,

My wife and I have been residing in our new Twinhome here in Breakwater since August of 2007. I just wanted to take a few moments to let you know how very pleased we are with the construction of our home and with the Community of Breakwater overall. We looked at many other builders and communities prior to making the decision to buy one of your homes. Our decision was based on the value offered both in the quality of construction and location of the Community. I had been in the construction business in my early years of employment and was most impressed with the basic construction and standard features offered that many builders charge extra for. The Energy Star Rating was also a determining factor especially in today’s energy conscious environment. We have had some minor issues just after settlement, as is the case in all new construction, but all issues have been resolved and we presently are looking forward to many years of retirement in our wonderful home. The design is perfect for our needs and affords us privacy on the first level while providing a comfortable living area on the second level for our friends and family when visiting. The amenities in Breakwater are wonderful and we enjoy both the fitness center and pool area with our children and grandchildren.

I know the housing industry is suffering right now, but I feel strongly that it will recover within the year and that you will be enjoying increased sales based on the value and way of life you provide in the Community. We have recommended Breakwater to our friends who are contemplating retirement in this area and would also be willing to share our experience with any prospective buyer you may have. We are just finishing up our painting and decorating and would like to show you how beautiful our home is becoming. Please feel free to stop by anytime.

Best Regards,
Ray and Pat Scott

Dear Tom and Family,

Thank you so much for all of the extraordinary work you have done on our new house in Independence. Tom, your work ethic is beyond anything Bob and I have ever seen. Add to that your good nature and enthusiasm for your work—you are an incredible man! Please enjoy this token of our deep appreciation for your efforts to make our “dream home” a wonderful reality! Have a wonderful vacation and we are praying that your nephews team is successful.

Our best regards,
Janice and Bob Cohen

Jim and I have never regretted choosing Independence for our home. As a matter of fact, we were so sure that Indy was for us that we lost a $1,000 deposit that we put on a 55+ community north of Millsboro. We were the first to move into our home, the Harrison, last December. Buying from an artist's rendering and a printed floor plan was risky, but it all turned out fine when we got a first look at our home being built.

The Schell Brothers and the entire Indy team continue to work to make this a premier place to live for the 55 plus group. Our neighbors are great; we share information and participate in many of the activities offered to us. Some of us are retired and others still work. We love to dance, play cards, shoot a game of pool, swim, and use the work-out equipment. The residents of Indy are a generous and community-minded group too. I am a volunteer for Delaware Hospice, and when I asked my neighbors to donate towards this wonderful cause, and purchase a fully decorated holiday tree as part of Hospice's Festival of Trees fundraiser, they all stepped up, and when the numbers were tallied, I had more than enough for the donation. The excess dollars were used to purchase poinsettia plants for the patients' rooms.

Ann V. Athas

We have visited new urban communities in our travels and fell in love with the concept. We wished it was available to us in Sussex County Delaware, where we chose to retire. Thank you to Schell Brothers for being the forerunners of the complete Urban Community in Sussex County. We are really looking forward to a lifestyle that will afford us...

Beautiful surroundings, quality construction and products, the convenience of a quality food store, a REAL department store, interior design services, art galleries, gift shops, fine dining, or just a morning cup of coffee on our balcony or in the friendly coffee shop downstairs.

How charming it will be to watch Ice skaters in the winter (our own little Rockefeller) or enjoying the soothing warmth of the outdoor fireplaces around town. Later, we can join friends in the clubhouse for a glass of our own local winery produced vintage wines. (A little bit of Tuscany right in our own back yard)

We will enjoy shopping in a Norman Rockwell village, beautiful walks around town, sea breezes, the pool and a short ride to the beach. A hotel we can offer to out of town friends and family reunions. We look forward to a life where we can play, dine, exercise, shop and even have our own piece of the wine cellar without ever starting our car.

The Vineyards at Nassau Valley is a four season’s retreat we look forward to calling home.

Ralph and JoAnn Bernard

Dear Chris,

By way of introduction, my wife Sara and I are owners of a condo in Windswept. The purpose of writing you, and your organization, is to let you know how pleased we are with the service rendered by the customer service department during the first year of our ownership. While our contacts have been primarily limited to Greg and Joyce, we feel it’s safe to assume that you and the rest of your organization are equally efficient and cordial. Our thanks to you and your service group.

Best regards,
Mark and Sara Connor

It was never our intention to have our retirement home built. We were looking for existing homes in Delaware so that we would not have to “deal with a builder.” However, once we discovered the Heritage Creek neighborhood, Schell Brothers, and their home designs, our decision was finalized. During the contract, selections and construction phase we discovered:

• Homes are designed for optimum comfort
• Quality of materials is superior to those used by other builders (Be sure to examine the Standard Specifications)
• A wide variety of amenities and upgrades
• Many standard features which other builders consider upgrades as extra charges
• Quality of construction was evident at each inspection of completed work
• A staff of professionals who are willing to work cooperatively with each buyer

When our nearly completed home was destroyed by an arson fire, our confidence in Schell Brothers was reinforced because of their willingness to work with us, their support, and their dedication to an acceptable resolution. We never had to “deal with this” on our own. As we await the completion of our home (yes, we are having the home rebuilt by Schell Brothers), we see the details of the features that provide pleasurable aesthetics to this unique neighborhood.

Dear Mr. Fitzgerald

As you know, my wife Beckie and I recently purchased a lot and built a home at Breakwater. I want to relate to you our experience during the construction phase of the project.

Although we were very excited about our dream home, we had many concerns about undertaking a project of this expense such a great distance from where we currently reside. We put a lot of effort into selecting our home and the upgrades. The employees of Schell Brothers were very patient and spent a great amount of time with us in person, on the phone and by email in advance of, and during construction. After contemplating two start dates, we decided at the end of last year that we would break ground the beginning of this year (2009).

We learned that Jeff Anemone would be the construction superintendent of our home. His reputation was that he treats the homes he builds as though they are his own. When we met with Jeff at the preconstruction meeting, it was obvious that he took his job seriously and was concerned about the quality of the projects he managed. He told Beckie and me following the meeting not to worry because he would take care of our home. While his reputation and comment reassured us that every attempt would be made to present a quality product at the end of construction, we were still uneasy about the project. In addition, this was our first experience building a home, which added to our overall apprehension. During construction, Jeff was always available by email and phone. He took time away from his family on weekends to address concerns and demonstrated great patience answering many questions. He always took the reasonable approach to resolve issues, while never forgetting he was a Schell representative who was concerned about customer service. Little time passed before Beckie and I trusted and respected Jeff’s service and opinions. His actions spoke much louder than words.

Jeff was present during the final walk-through on June 29, 2009. It was a great feeling to have Beckie’s and my excitement match Jeff’s pride is his completed project. He was looking forward to seeing our reactions to our new home and took great pleasure in explaining many of its features. The few items that were placed on the punch list neither upset nor concerned Beckie and me: however, Jeff was extremely apologetic about the issues and assured us they would be addressed in a timely fashion.

Schell Brothers has every reason to be proud of Jeff and his professionalism. He truly did treat our home as his own and took his responsibility personally. Beckie and I tell prospective buyers at Breakwater, even our friends in Johnstown, about Jeff and how he reduced the stress of our building experience. Jeff did “take care of our home.”

Please convey our thanks to Jeff for a job well done!

Sincerely,
Andy Mollura

We were initially attracted to the  "Jackson's" beautiful Arts and Crafts exterior design, but we were equally pleased by its roomy, open floor plan.   It has just the right mix of the traditional and contemporary designs that we had hoped to find.

-Michelle & Bob Burakiewicz

We know nothing about building so we wanted a builder we could trust. Schell Bros and Echelon Custom Homes have a solid reputation in the community where they live. We thought building a home may be too stressful, but Schell Bros made it easy, even pleasant! Schell Brothers has a great team of knowledgeable and responsive people who helped us every step of the way. And the best part? We have a beautiful new home that was finished on time! Schell Bros had just what we wanted - great home - large dining room, separate recreational area for kids, customized the house a bit to meet our needs great community - nice pool and exercise room, great new neighbors great location - near town, bike trail and beach. Our happily ever after starts here...

-Tom and Susan Kelly

We are sooo pleased with the house so far! How nice to have such a good experience with building, I hear horror stories sometimes from friends on their building projects, I will surely be recommending you guys.

Dear Mr. Schell,

Judy and I are new proud #2 lot owners in Independence. Hopefully, we'll meet you at some point.

We wanted to let you know how fortunate you are to have the quality of employees on the "front lines".

Jaime, is a "gem" with Michelle helping as well. Their patient enthusiasm was refreshing and carried throughout the process.

Erika is equally talented with the unique ability to blend details with a smile and enthusiasm. Her broad knowledge made an arduous task pleasureable.

As a retired sales manager, I found it inspiring as I hope you do.

Yours truly,

Larry and Judy

Schell offered us a wide range of base houses to customize. As we move into our retirement we have a combination of specific needs (e.g. first floor living) in combination with the personal desire to customize our home (e.g. gourmet kitchen but standard carpeting for the grandkid rooms). The Schell formula has allowed us to obtain our desired custom home at very reasonable pricing.

Dear Josh, Mark, Jordan and Phil

We thank you so much for your thoughtful house warming present to us of the mirrors I loved! I hope Schell Bros knows what an amazing team you all are! You made this whole process all a great experience. Each of you are so professional yet at the same time friendly and eager to help. That is an awesome combination of people skills.

Again, thank you for everything, I am hanging the mirrors today (I found my laser level last night!) Please stop by anytime, we are really happy here, you all make dreams come true!

Donna, Pete, Rudder and Coco

We are proud new homeowners in Heritage Creek. Our experience from beginning to end has been professional and "family oriented". Patty kept us informed and helped us understand the process so we could have our "dream home". John Cristaldi is a true gem. He has answered all questions in a timely fashion and surprised us with a few additions in the house. We LOVE our bedroom ceiling, thanks to John. He rocks!

-Paul and Frank Costanzo

It has been a very pleasant experience working with you during the days of getting our home sales process completed at Indy. You have always been diligent and eager to answer questions or as needed, get the answer. Your business is competitive and many times the people a buyer deals with is the key element that results in a sale. 

Dear Schell Brothers,

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you. We are enjoying our home here in Wolfe Pointe. It was certainly a pleasure working with your company. Dustin was very pleasant and always ready to answer any questions. Jeff was also pleasant and did a great job getting us into our home before the actual date he gave us. And to top everything off, you were so thoughtful and caring to surprise our family with a ping pong table!! We certainly appreciate your kindness. The family uses it everyday. We would definitely recommend your company.

Thank you so much again,
The Saez Family

Dear Chris Schell,

Tom and Matt are true professionals that possess the passion in the construction industry to get the construction done right. You should be very proud to have such an exceptional staff. Your sales and construction personnel are rock solid. It is no wonder that Schell Brothers has such an impeccable reputation in the building industry with the staff you have.

Very Truly Yours

Susan and Tommy Smith

Chris-

Just wanted to send a quick note to thank you for the pool party at Breakwater this past Saturday...   we all had a great time. Dan was a perfect host, and Kevin manned the grill like a pro.  We had my in-laws over also (who are building a Schell home in the Glades with Tim right now).  Everyone loved it... perfect weather to complement the burgers and beer... couldn't be better!  We've been in our new home here all summer, coming down every weekend and some extra vacation time in between too.  We're thrilled with our decision to buy here.... fantastic house in an awesome neighborhood.  Thanks so much.

Todd & Sharon Rudo

Our construction manager Mark was nothing short of the easiest, most reliable, most logical, thoughtful construction manager that I have worked with. I can be particular about what I want and Mark never flinched. Actually my wife flinched more than he did! Follow-ups were effective, and he was accessible any time of the day. In the end, I have what I want, and you can't say that about a lot of builders. Thank you for letting me actually enjoy the process of building my home.

Dear Chris,

I wanted to share with you our first experience in working with the Schell Brothers organization in building our new home.

About a year ago we made a decision to permanently settle in the lower Delaware area and commenced looking for a more year round residential community in which to buy a home. After visiting some 20 homes that were for sale we walked away feeling like most homes in this area were built more for seasonal ownership than year round occupancy. We then visited
a number of planned communities and were disappointed with the quality or location of the communities. Once again what we saw really didn’t fit our lifestyle.

We then came upon the Schell Brothers “ Love Creek” community and fell in love with the design and quality of the build and fit out. We were working with a realtor, Rose Walker and we asked her if Schell would build outside of their communities. Rose investigated and found out that Schell Brothers were looking at the possibility and that you were open to the idea.

From that point we embarked on a journey with Schell Brothers not to build a house but to build us a home. We were introduced to Tim Green, Wes Fruehauf, Erika Fields and several others whose personality and passion sold us on the idea of launching this experiment of constructing a branch out house with your company.

Tim was a great support to us from lot selection, to contract, to architectural plans, to HOA approval, to planning and finally to construction start. Tim made sure that we had all the support of the team. Each individual had their role and they were passionate about getting it right and making sure we were going to end up with the home we wanted. My wife

and I always felt that our satisfaction was of primary importance, that we were valued and appreciated no matter how challenging it was to do a BO and to deal with a difficult HOA.

Once construction started Wes quickly became a trusted advisor, manager and confidant on the project. In every aspect he was involved and clearly communicated how things were progressing, what would be a better idea and he always made sure that our project was moving towards our expectation and satisfaction. Since we were local during the whole project phase it made it easy to meet with Wes on short notice and stay involved with the progress of the construction. I know Wes had many other projects going on but we always felt we were his top priority.

Certainly the rest of the team was involved and their care of the customer never diminished or waivered. We always felt that the team was there to make our dreams happen. Wes was our guide through all the steps and he made sure the construction teams operated to meet our expectations. His knowledge was invaluable and he always made sure our “stress” level was at its lowest. Tim was in regular communication to make sure any hurdles were quickly addressed.

We’ve built two other homes so we know the process. We know what can go wrong and how some companies can make you feel like you’re just another project. Your teams made us feel like your business depended on our satisfaction and made sure we had the home we wanted. Any body can build a house; Schell builds dreams and homes for families.

Thank you and our thanks to your whole team. We hope you get a chance to stop by and see the great job your team did for us.

Kindest Personal Regards,
Reas and Diane Kondraschow

Dear Dan & Team ,

We, who are in business know and understand how important good customer service is, and how it improves customer relations. We are told about exceptional customer service, but few actually ever experience in real life circumstances. You and your team exceeded our expectations through your team’s persistence in solving our problem @ 52 Sussex Street. Schell Brothers means what they say. “We are customer focused” and you are.

Totally Satisfied,

Henry & Lynn Mc Kay

Dear Chris,

My wife and I had a great experience with a staff member from customer service. Tony Wesley came to our hometo  fix some items we had left over from our 45 day list. He was very prompt, courteous, and very professional. His workmanship was outstanding. When he left everything was put back and cleaned up. He is an excellent fit for the Schell Brothers Team effort for excellence. Thank you.

Very Truly Yours,

Susan and Tommy Smith

Thank you Debby for this information. We know that the Schell Brothers are the very best builders in the country as far as we are concerned. That is why we chose to have our home built by them. And, that is why we are so proud to live in Indy. We have had more people to come to visit us since we have been at Indy than at any other time that we have been home owners.

We are having a wonderful time here in Florida. We were dining out with friends from England and we told them about our home at Indy. We gave them the web site to check it out. (smile)

Thanks again,

Alvin

Dear Mr. Schell:

My husband, Mike and I would like to express our thoughts and experiences in our recent purchase of the Mariner in Lewes Landing.

After researching the area and builders (we're originally from New York City!), we were convinced that if we purchased a home from Schell Brothers it would not only be a lovely home but a quality built home. We were not disappointed. The house is everything we expected. The building process was seamless and pleasant. We visited the home a few time and, if contractors were working in the house, they too were extremely informative and very happy to us their work. One contractor in particular, Jason & his partner, the electricians, had their shoes off (so they wouldn't damage the wood floor and carpet) as they were working in the kitchen and the master bedroom. Now, that's impressive!

Again, based on what we found in our research, we expected our home to be perfect and we were convinced that your staff too would reflect your organization's professionalism. We were not disappointed. There was not on staff member that we came in contact with that did not mirror this professionalism in the quality of their work.

What was very unexpected was Jordan Gorsch's enthusiasm and warmth in her interactions with us. She addressed all our questions and concerns and processed all the selections quotes (and believe me there were many, way too many) with speed and efficiency. I was undecided between three models but there was never a time that she became frustrated or impatient with us. If I had been in her place, I would have booted us out after the sixth visit! And, what a personality--who wouldn’t want to buy a house from her?

Josh Hay's laid back personality when we unexpectedly walked into the model not realizing that it was "after closing hours". I knew that the Mariner was the house I wanted but it was a bit too small. In that conversation, after he should have been on his way home, he talked about adding a basement. When he realized that I didn't like that idea, he talked about adding a bonus room over the garage. He talked with us as if it were 9 am and he had all the time in the world.

Then there's Johnny Cristaldi. Hard to put into words our experience with him. When walking through the house during construction, his detailed knowledge of all aspects of the building process was such that convinced us that we must have built the house by himself, stick by stick. He addressed all our questions and concerns with patience and perseverance. He was always available if we need to meet with him. Phone calls and e-mails were answered promptly. That, to me says it all. I know how busy he was with other projects, but he still made time to take personal care of our concerns.

It was such a pleasure to be around your staff, that we almost want to do it all again!

And then there was you coming together party for the homeowners. You build beautiful homes, have a staff that's fun to be around and then you throw a party... who's better than you guys?

Cordially,

Joanna @ Lewes Landing

When Ruth and I decided to relocate in the past few years we were leaving a home we lived in for more than 20 years to settle in a community that we figured would be our last move.

The blizzard that swept across the country in 2009 and buried the East Coast caused a delay in our anticipated move.  This was exasperated by the sharp decline in the housing market and falling house prices.

But we as did others survived the delay and eventually settled into our new home and community (which is affectionately known as Indy).

So after settling into our home we figured we would head south for a few weeks to visit family and friends.  It had been many years since we had an opportunity to spend any time with our daughter and her family.   But once we hit the road we were glad that we had decided to make the trip (and yes the warmer weather was appealing).

Then, within two days after departing (and having not yet arrived at our daughter’s home) we received a rather disheartening phone call from a neighbor informing us that she had a little bad news.

The bad news was that our home had flooded throughout part of the downstairs, but the damage was not yet fully assessable.  Our neighbor did notice water running down the driveway and upon entering our home (we had left a key with the neighbor) immediately called a Schell Brothers representative to relay the problem which was now an emergency.

The problem was discovered at the start of the weekend.  But our neighbor said that Matt Seiler was able to shut off the main water valve and stop the water flow.  He also said that a lot of equipment had been moved into our home to pump out the water and to dry out any place, carpeting or furniture that might have been affected by the rushing water.

It was later that afternoon that we received a call from Tom Krause who explained what had happened and what was being done to determine the extent of the damage.  Tom was not in the area at the time.

It was later the next day that Tom called again with an update of the situation.  In fact, Tom called us every day with a progress of what was happening.  Even though Tom was very reassuring, Ruth and I cut the trip short and started heading home.

We had planned on making modifications (in our home) but not quite this soon.  And I expected that we would experience leaks but again not quite this soon.

So after a few weeks of very active but unplanned home repair I am writing this letter as an unsolicited feedback.  Normally, we (and I am sure others) are asked to comment on services probably because many folks are quick to complain (of a problem) but slow to recognize a solution.

In this case Matt’s quick action to stop the gushing water and in setting up the equipment to contain the absorption of water to minimize an opportunity to grow mold was much appreciated and we have expressed our thanks to Matt.

I am assuming (from emails and press clipping and Internet write-ups and local gossip) that Schell Brothers services are team driven.  Matt is a member of the construction crew of the Schell Brothers team.  And as a member of that team he did an outstanding job to minimize the problem.

Having spent more than 20 years of my career (now retired) in management I am also aware that a team without good management will not function well.  Since Schell Brothers seems to stress team management Schell Brothers has to feel proud when the team is getting the job done.

The leadership to insure that the job does get done is often not recognized and I believe that Tom Krause’s leadership skills as a Project Manager and Matt Seiler’s as a Project Superintendent reinforce the message as to what Schell Brothers is all about.  It is not just the efforts to repair our home but the reassurance that it is Schell Brothers who is standing behind their name.

In fact, now that I recall our pre-construction meeting it was then that Tom first said that we were getting a quality home because that is all that Schell Brothers builds.

Whenever Tom was giving progress reports he always mentioned that Schell Brothers stands behind their product and would take care of the homeowner.  It was never that an individual team member was building the home, balancing project tasks to meet deadlines, minimizing disappointments, dealing with emergencies, or assuring the home owner (or home owner to be) that progress was being made but rather it was Schell Brothers who were doing these things.

Tom Krause has never been about Tom Krause but always that he and other team members were an extension of the Schell Brothers Team.  And I believe that his relationship with other team members and other contractors and suppliers (whom are also team members) helps to further define the support homeowners can expect from the Schell Brothers.

Ruth and I have been present when you have thanked the residents for getting the word out that the Schell Brothers builds a quality home and for attracting potential buyers.  

And the Schell Brothers Team approach to working with the homeowner is probably a major contributing factor for the support shown by most home owners.  The support (from the Schell Brother employees) we have received to date from the initial sales contact to follow-up services has been outstanding.

But the bulk of the effort to deliver the product has to be with the project manager.  And I am sure that the Schell Brothers will stand behind the talent of the project managers throughout all the communities.

As a retired manager I still believe it to be the exceptional individual who not only can get the job done but does so by representing the organization (at all times) for which he or she works in the most positive manner.

It is reassuring (as homeowners) to know that the Schell Brothers Team does function as a team in all situations.

Hopefully, the residents and future residents of Indy will be able to have Tom and Matt as the Indy project team leaders for many more years.

Len and Ruth Calabro
Independence Homeowners

Josh is a great salesperson. He possesses genuine enthusiasm for both his job and the Schell organization.

We just love our new home in The Reserves at Lewes Landing!  After shopping several builders at the Delaware shore, Schell Brothers was by far the best choice for us.  Their attention to detail, meetings held through each step of the process, and quality construction made building a pleasure.  Most importantly, every member of the Schell Brothers team was knowledgeable, warm, and willing to go the extra mile to make our home just right for us.  We couldn't ask for a better experience.

Dear Tim, Thank you so much for all you did to create such a lovely home and experience. We knew we wanted a quality build... and we have exactly that! The bench in our room is the perfect gift. We so appreciate what you did.

Tom, I want to say a heartfelt THANK YOU for our new home. It looks BEAUTIFUL. You truly outdid yourself. The dining room is gorgeous, a dream come true. My mother in law will love her room, thanks for all the great ideas and attention to detail. It is going to be great to be able to see you all around Indy, I really do feel like I am home from the first time I visited it, and it has only gotten better.

John, a big thank you to you too. You understood our wishes and needs from the beginning and helped us accomplish it.

To Chris Schell - you have an unbelievable group of employees at Indy. They all seem happy in their work and that goes back to you. I have not met one person working at Indy who has not been helpful, pleasant and just plain nice.

I look forward to many happy years in our new home. Thanks to all that have helped our dream become a reality.

I just wanted to take a minute to say 'thanks' for Larry's most excellent work through our 11-month service.  He's been great with keeping in touch with us and helping iron things out with contractors, and the work that he did is top notch.

Schell Brothers clearly makes a point to continue the great purchasing experience into the ownership phase, and Larry did a superb job in staying true to that ideal.

Thanks again - we can't say enough of how happy we have been with the overall Schell Brothers experience.

-Phil

Thank you so much for all the pictures. You are right, it's beautiful!!! Can't wait to see it in person and to thank all of you for creating such a beautiful home for us.

Jordan,

I love YOU!!!! YOU are the BEST!!! Not competitive at all!!!! I will be so happy to help in any way I can - Schell is AWESOME!!!

Jordan, YOU, my friend, have made this whole moving to DE experience WONDERFUL and Schell has been such a pleasure with every step of the process - the Schell Family is truly Fantastic - Johnny and Lou aren’t bad either!!!! HA HA HA!! Love them too!!!!

A conscientious, knowledgeable, patient sales staff; a genuinely concerned, helpful, friendly and skilled project construction manager coupled with a quality built home that by comparison to other builders was truly a bargain. You become more like a new family member than a lot number. If serious about relocating to the Beach do as we did. Shop everyone else first before visiting Schell Brothers at Lewes Landing or any other of their developments and it's likely that you'll never want to leave.

I wanted to thank you all for your help and wonderful insight on our recent visit to Lewes and seeing 4 schell communities. We accomplished a lot on our first visit, we loved the area and we think schell is unique and all we hoped for. We are planning to return in spring so we can take next steps and will let you all know when we are back for a round 2. I sincerely think you all were great, helpful, courteous, low pressure and knowledgeable and Schell Brothers should be proud they have you. See you all down the road and stay well.

- Steve

You folks are the best, I've been so pleased with the workmanship and your attention to details and schedules. I'm very much looking forward to starting the new year in my new home.

Just wanted to let you all know how much we have appreciated your help during the last couple of years. We have decided to put a contract on a Kingfisher in Independence. It was incredibly difficult to decide among all the Schell communities, but whenever any of you get the chance to speak to Chris Schell, please let him know how impressed Jackie and I are with his company and the work it does. I am very much looking forward to having an opportunity to tell him myself.

Hi John, Jordan, and Cindy,

Rick & Ceil Pallack