It’s More Than Just A Home
There’s something special about creating a home for someone. It’s not just about the bricks and mortar, but about the memories that will be made within those walls, and for Tug Huddleston of Red Door homes, that means the world. Ever wonder where someone’s passion came from? Tug Huddleston loves what he does because he knows that we’re not just building homes, but we’re building families’ dreams. Read an excerpt from Tug’s book to learn why he’s honored to be in this field.
“I’ve shared a lot of information about the science and design behind building a home, but I wanted to share some of the emotion that goes into building a home.
A few years ago, my friend, Patti, asked me to build her home. She was battling cancer and undergoing treatment. She regularly came to the job site to see the building progress and take photos of her new dream home. This custom home, in a nutshell, was her life. Many of her family and friends told me that building this dream home was the one thing that was keeping her alive.
Many times, she would come to the construction site straight from her chemotherapy treatments. She would look sad and fragile, but when she walked through the shell that was becoming her home, her face became as bright as the moon and her smile wide. It was like watching life fill her body.
As the home neared completion, Patti would come and sit inside her new home and watch all of the workers. I remarked it looked as if she was an angel watching over them with a look of inspiration and peace. Our team worked day and night to finish this house for Patti, taking care of all the little details and leaving personal touches throughout to make this home special.
Sadly, Patti never moved into her dream home. Just two hours after the Certificate of Occupancy was issued, Patti went home to be with Jesus. I was heartbroken.
In the days that followed, as Patti’s family arrived from all over the country to gather for her funeral, they told me stories of how much this house meant not just to Patti, but also to her mom, grandma, and aunt. This wasn’t just a house with four walls; this was a home filled with love, memories, and dreams for so many in her family.
Patti wanted the space in her home to reflect her life and planned to entertain family and friends. Her family decided that’s what we would do in her memory. Instead of mourning the loss of a great friend, her family wanted to celebrate her life and all the good things about her. We began to furnish this beautiful home with beautiful furniture that Patti had been gathering for years. She had everything labeled and marked where it was to go as if she knew she would not be there.
On the day of Patti’s funeral service, over a hundred family members, friends, and guests attended, many who had not seen her dream home. As they walked around the home and talked it was clear that this home was a masterpiece created by a wonderful lady who will always remain in their hearts and mine. All of us certainly felt Patti’s presence that day in her home. She was looking down on all of us and, I know she would be happy that we celebrated her life together.
So, you might ask why I do what l do every day and why do I love building? Simply put: it’s because of stories like this one. It’s seeing the glow on a person’s face, the look of awe, inspiration, joy, and most of all, it’s the look of satisfaction. I build dream homes every day for my clients just for a look, a smile, a nod. It’s all about the client and fulfilling their dreams. Sure issues come up, problems occur, but it is worth it in the end just for that look of satisfaction. My hope is that after reading this book, you will move another step closer to realizing your dream home. l would be honored to take that journey with you. Let’s get started!” – Tug Huddleston
Contact Red Door Homes today to get started on your homebuilding journey.