About Palmetto Custom Custruction

About Us

To work with Palmetto Custom Construction, Inc. is to become involved with a team who is totally dedicated to the commitment of home building. The company's president, Charles T, 'Butch' Hatchell, is a seasoned builder with a true gift for customer relations.

Born and raised in Louisville, KY, Butch Hatchell began working in residential construction in 1974 and has been in business in Columbia since 1978. 'I was looking for something that really agreed with me that I could put my all into and get the most out of at the same time. Home building gave me a creative outlet that nothing else had satisfied before.'

Specializing in custom homes is a niche not easily filled by many. However, consistency and an attention to quality have helped Palmetto Custom Construction, Inc. fulfill the desires of their customers in the $260,000 to $450,000 markets. 'We regularly receive letters from happy customers and that really makes it for us. It feels good to have somebody on the other end saying, Thank you, we really enjoy our new home and appreciate what you did for us.' That makes it even more satisfying,' Mr. Hatchell said.

The common thread in their success stories is the appreciation their customers have for the level of communication which Butch himself carries. To this Northeast Columbia resident, they are the awards of a commitment to satisfy the customer with a quality built custom home.

Palmetto Custom Construction, Inc. builds 18 to 20 homes annually in the Northeast Columbia area. Their homes can be seen in the prestigious subdivisions of Wildewood, Wood Creek Farms, Spring Valley, and Lake Carolina, along with some custom built homes in the Ashley Oaks subdivision of Blythewood. Butch Hatchell believes that choosing to stay in one area of Columbia is an asset to the customer and to the homes being built. 'We want to spend time on the job. not driving all over the place. That helps us concentrate on the finished project.'

Butch Hatchell has studied residential through industrial construction and keeps his training current through regular educational courses and seminars. One such course has been with WISE Business Technology. 'Through them (WISE), we found out about establishing a quality control division. This involves dedicated teamwork and daily onsite inspections. It really brought our end product up to the point where it's pretty rare that we have problems. Our goal was to put in a division that specifically handled the customers' concerns. In making sure the house was complete in every aspect, we eliminate a lot of callbacks and such. The idea was to create confidence in the building process with the customer. We want them to communicate. We want them to feel like they have truly gotten their money's worth. It is very important to us not to lose the customer satisfaction in the demands to produce fast.'

Palmetto Custom Construction, Inc. has many distinguishing features. 'From a design standpoint, we try to develop plans that don't fit into one pattern-the single, the executive, the empty-nester. We try to develop plans with features so everyone can feel comfortable. Trim work, mantle pieces and cabinet work are custom-designed. All of our products are energy efficient. We recently polled our customers and found they were heating approximately 3,500 to 4,000 square feet for under $ 130 a month.'

Finding out what the customers disliked about their last homes is an unusual technique. However, Butch Hatchell believes it is key to completing a project. 'Most of the time, the customer has already owned several homes. Recently, a customer said to me. This is my third house. I never liked the cabinets in my other two, and I need something that I can work with.' So we worked with her and designed cabinets to fully fit what she wanted. That's the business we're into deliver a product to the customer that is going to provide for all their needs, wants and desires. We do everything possible to fully satisfy them.'

Butch is a member of the Home Builders Association. He has been very active in increasing the membership and getting his subcontractors involved with the HBA. 'I believe it is important to work consistently to bring up the standards for this industry. This is a team effort. Having them involved helps them understand the benefits the HBA offers in the way of education and productivity, which can only benefit the home buyer in the end. They do a lot to pull builders together. It creates a camaraderie and dialogue that furthers the business of home building in Columbia.' He is also a member of the Concerned Businessmen's Association and an Advisory Board member of The Association for Better Living and Education International (ABLE).

Personable staff in the office and on the field help make the home building experience easier. 'Our field superintendent's customer relations skills are as good as anyone's I've seen in the business. He makes it relaxing and makes the customer feel totally confident. He really takes care of them. We have long term relationships with our subcontractors and suppliers, which help everything run smoothly. Our architects are great to work with- they can easily incorporate changes the customer wants,' Butch said. To those just coming into the home building business, Butch offers this advice: 'Maintain quality of product. Use sound financial practices. Construction is actually a simple science, but the philosophy of keeping the customer happy and maintaining sound financial practices will keep the company there for the long term. We've been around for almost 20 years and we have consistently done a good job, so we've had great relations with our customers. It's a joy to me to see one of my customers in the supermarket and stop and chat for a minute. We're here to stay,' Butch says.

Palmetto Custom Construction, Inc. has been selected to participate in the Street of Dreams at Lake Carolina. This is an exciting new concept in the area and gives the prospective buyer an opportunity to see a finished section of the subdivision and to get an overall view of the surroundings.

It gives me great pleasure to write this letter of reference for Palmetto Custom Construction. This was the first time I had ever built a home, and based upon the collective experiences of my friends, I was prepared for my worst nightmare. Things could not have been further from the truth. From 1 he first day I met with the company's president, Charles T. 'Butch ' Hatchell, I knew I was in good hands. He took a genuine interest in me as a person and adapted the architectural plans of a house I liked accordingly. He built in many features in a cost-conscious manner. He was sensitive to issues of privacy and worked hard to preserve the environment and the lake view when placing my house on the piece of property I had purchased in the WoodLake subdivision. He kept me informed throughout the entire building process and was up front and honest regarding any changes that became necessary.
In closing I must mention that as a physician who cares for children with cancer, 1 really do know what it is like to have someone place their complete trust and confidence in me as a doctor. When I first began this house-building experience, I needed a builder to play that role for me. I am thrilled that 1 found Butch Hatchell and Palmetto Custom Construction.

Sincerely,

Robert S. Ettinger, M.D.
Associate Professor of Pediatrics
USC School of Medicine

	About Us
	To work with Palmetto Custom Construction, Inc. is to become involved with a team who is totally dedicated to the commitment of home building. The company's president, Charles T, 'Butch' Hatchell, is a seasoned builder with a true gift for customer relations.
	Born and raised in Louisville, KY, Butch Hatchell began working in residential construction in 1974 and has been in business in Columbia since 1978. 'I was looking for something that really agreed with me that I could put my all into and get the most out of at the same time. Home building gave me a creative outlet that nothing else had satisfied before.'

	Specializing in custom homes is a niche not easily filled by many. However, consistency and an attention to quality have helped Palmetto Custom Construction, Inc. fulfill the desires of their customers in the $260,000 to $450,000 markets. 'We regularly receive letters from happy customers and that really makes it for us. It feels good to have somebody on the other end saying, Thank you, we really enjoy our new home and appreciate what you did for us.' That makes it even more satisfying,' Mr. Hatchell said.
	The common thread in their success stories is the appreciation their customers have for the level of communication which Butch himself carries. To this Northeast Columbia resident, they are the awards of a commitment to satisfy the customer with a quality built custom home.
	Palmetto Custom Construction, Inc. builds 18 to 20 homes annually in the Northeast Columbia area. Their homes can be seen in the prestigious subdivisions of Wildewood, Wood Creek Farms, Spring Valley, and Lake Carolina, along with some custom built homes in the Ashley Oaks subdivision of Blythewood. Butch Hatchell believes that choosing to stay in one area of Columbia is an asset to the customer and to the homes being built. 'We want to spend time on the job. not driving all over the place. That helps us concentrate on the finished project.'

	Butch Hatchell has studied residential through industrial construction and keeps his training current through regular educational courses and seminars. One such course has been with WISE Business Technology. 'Through them (WISE), we found out about establishing a quality control division. This involves dedicated teamwork and daily onsite inspections. It really brought our end product up to the point where it's pretty rare that we have problems. Our goal was to put in a division that specifically handled the customers' concerns. In making sure the house was complete in every aspect, we eliminate a lot of callbacks and such. The idea was to create confidence in the building process with the customer. We want them to communicate. We want them to feel like they have truly gotten their money's worth. It is very important to us not to lose the customer satisfaction in the demands to produce fast.'
	Palmetto Custom Construction, Inc. has many distinguishing features. 'From a design standpoint, we try to develop plans that don't fit into one pattern-the single, the executive, the empty-nester. We try to develop plans with features so everyone can feel comfortable. Trim work, mantle pieces and cabinet work are custom-designed. All of our products are energy efficient. We recently polled our customers and found they were heating approximately 3,500 to 4,000 square feet for under $ 130 a month.'