Testimonials

We worked with Step-One Design-Build in 2003-2004 to build our new home in Pinewild. Dan Degre immediately grasped what we were trying to achieve and pulled our ideas into blueprints that were nearly perfect in the first pass.

As we were not living locally during the building process, effective communication was critical. Monthly visits, conference calls and e-mail, as well as Step-One's documented schedule of decisions kept us in synch with the progress and in communicating our choices for all aspects of the house. Danny completed the house on schedule, exceeding our expectations.

Two years later, when we decided to add a studio to the house, we engaged Step-One to design and build the addition. The result was a delightful and functional room that looks like it has always been part of the original house.

We continue to be delighted with our home's design, the special touches that Danny put into it, and the quality of the construction and finishing. If we were to build another home, Step-One would be the first company we would contact.

Sincerely,

Richard and Judith Winkley

Words cannot express how pleased we have been with our Step One custom designed home. Having spent many years in the military with the associated frequent moves, we were ready to settle down into what we hoped would be our dream house. It has turned out to be that and indeed a whole lot more. Working with Dan and Lori Degre was a joy throughout the entire building process.

From generating plans to arranging financing, to building the structure and finally putting on the finishing touches, all aspects of the project were well planned, fully documented and executed with focus and precision. The construction unfolded exactly as predicted — on cost and schedule with few if any unforeseen problems made possible largely by the professionalism and attention —to-detail of the entire Step One organization.

The finished product is beautiful - a home to be proud of and one which we'll enjoy owning and living in for many years to come. It was even selected as one of the Moore County Builders Association Homes of the Year for 2007 — an honor richly deserved by Dan, Lori and their entire team at Step One Design/Build.

We can honestly say that after four years of ownership, there is nothing we would change and in fact, would do it all over again exactly the same way as long as Dan, Lori and Step One were once again involved.

Thank you sincerely for a job very well and professionally done.

Jim and Elizabeth Jones
Grande Pines

Dan and Lori,

Caitlin and I would like to take this opportunity to thank you both for all of your efforts in the building of our house in The Arboretum. We had such a positive experience with Step-One Design-Build and are so happy with our new home.

We have told anyone who asks how enjoyable you made the entire process and we always find ourselves telling people the same things. Dan, your hardworking mentality and meticulous attention to detail showed in your plans, the quality and efficiency of the work of your employees and contractors, and inevitably our finished home. Lori, your timely, friendly, and informative communication allowed us to easily manage what could have been an overwhelming process. The fact that Dan can do the work of an architect and builder made us feel very comfortable as we developed the initial plans. It made us feel confident that what we saw on paper would match the final product. Also, being able to ask Dan for small changes in the middle of the building process and immediately get to see them drawn into the plans was quite convenient and made our decisions less stressful. We were also very pleased with the professionalism demonstrated by your employees and contractors whenever we visited the house while it was being built. They kept the building site very clean were always willing to drop everything and answer our questions.

Our first year in the house has been everything we hoped it would be when we decided to try new construction. We heard so many warnings and horror stories about building a house before we got started, and we are happy to say that our experience resulted in nothing but positive feelings. We cannot help but think that Step One is the reason we feel this way. Dan and Lori, thank you both again for all of your efforts. We would be happy to recommend Step One to anyone thinking about building a home. Please feel free to pass our names and contact information along as a reference for future business. We look forward to seeing more of your homes go up in our neighborhood soon.

Sincerely,

David and Caitlin Greene

We utilized Step One Design to build our home in Southern Pines in 2007. Although it seems unlikely that any building experience could be 'perfect,' we did find this company good to work with and they completed our project in a timely manner. The outcome was very satisfactory and they have stood behind their work after the fact, dealing with some minor warranty issues that always seem to arise in a large project.

In 2008, we again utilized the services of Step One in the construction of our barn. Although we acted as General Contractor, Step One arranged many of the sub-trades and made sure the work was being done as contracted. We were very pleased with the final outcome of our barn project and continue to be.

Overall, based on our experience, we can recommend Step One as being a reliable company to use for your building project and will be happy to further discuss if requested by a potential client. Obviously, though, we cannot and do not guarantee any particular outcome in your own experience.

Thank you.

Jim & Cindy Shepherd

Dear Dan:

Eleven years have passed since you built our beautiful house, and we still feel it is a very special home. While the building of a custom home can be an ordeal, you "held our hands" throughout the whole process and made the experience far less stressful. From our first meeting, you listened to our ideas and wishes and made every attempt to accommodate and accomplish those aims. You never said, "No that can't be done". We came to realize you wanted to build us a first-rate quality house because it was going to have a Step One signature. You definitely accomplished that goal!

If, ever, we were to build another custom house, there would be no question that you would be our first choice.

Best regards,

Diana & Mike Henitz

I am writing to share my experience in working with Dan Degre of Step one Design. Dan built my home in the Arboretum last year. I moved in during the month of November and have had absolutely no problems with the home. I had a few minor paint touch ups which he was quick to have someone out to fix. I also work with him in the Builders Center at the Arboretum and have seen how well he works with customers. They always leave with the confidence that Dan is going to do what he says he is going to.

His wife Lori is also a very valuable member of Step One Builders. She does an excellent job of scheduling Sub Contractors and picking out the cosmetics of their homes. I believe together they turn out a great product. I have and will continue to recommend Step one Designs.

Thanks,

Jodie Fondrie

Dear Dan & Lori,

It has been eight years since you completed the build of our house. The compliments we receive are a testimonial to your design, build and attention to detail.

Every family member and friends that have come to visit us are impressed by the little touches you put into our home. This house was the first one we ever built, and you made it a wonderful experience.

Thank you again for a great experience and a beautiful home.

Norm & Diane Koltunovich

In 2008 we decided to build a home in the Arboretum development in Southern Pines. We had spoken to a few builders based on recommendations by our realtor. After our meeting with Dan Degre from Step One design we were confident we had found the right builder for us.

Dan and his wife Lori were open and honest with us from day one. They were transparent in their costs to build our house and were very flexible as we changed the floor plan a few times prior to the start of the construction. They built our dream house exactly on schedule and at the exact cost they had quoted us.

We enjoyed watching the construction of our house especially because we had such confidence knowing if something was not exactly to our liking, Dan would fix it right away. We have since moved out of the area. As proof positive of the wonderful job Dan did on the house design, build quality, and cost, we accepted an offer within a week of putting our house on the market.

We would recommend Step One Design to anyone looking to build no matter the size of the home or the budget.

Sincerely,

Scott and Colleen Grace

STEP ONE designed and constructed our home in 2003.

The entire design, build and post-completion process with STEP ONE was done completely to our satisfaction in a very responsible professional manner.

I would highly recommend STEP-ONE to someone looking for a top tier home construction design and build contractor.

Dennis diDonato

We are writing to recommend the home building services of Step One Design. We contracted with Step One Design to build our custom home in the Arboretum subdivision which was completed in March 2011. Their quality of work was exceptional and the subcontractors were extremely competent. Our home was completed in a timely manner in accordance with the contract and we were very pleased with the outcome.

This was the first home we built and Step One Design was very helpful in walking us through the lengthy process. They were able to assist us with everything from designing the custom floor plan to which paint color would look best on the ceiling. Step One Design made the home building process a pleasant experience and we look forward to our future in the home.

We're happy to recommend the services of Step One Design. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us.

Sincerely,

Brad & Kelli Hainley

Dear Lori and Dan,

Pat and I were discussing the fact that we have been in our home for ten years. It doesn't seem possible!

We couldn't be more pleased with the quality of the construction. What made this possible was your professionalism, your design of the house was outstanding and every detail was covered in writing. The quality of the construction material and outstanding sub-contractors resulted in our receiving the Home Excellence Award from the Home Builders Association in the year 2002.

Please feel free to bring any prospective client to our home so you can show them what a Step One Design home looks like after ten years of living. They will be impressed!!

Sincerely,

Dan & Pat

The purpose of this letter is to recommend the services of Dan Degre of Step One Design-Build as a designer and builder of the highest quality. The homes he has built in the Pinehurst/Sandhills area have won numerous "Home of the Year" awards over the years.

Going through the process of building a home is not for the faint of heart but working with Dan made it a task that was doable, enlightening and satisfying. In our particular case, we provided Dan with ideas that we wanted the house to convey. We wanted the house to be functional, efficient, and conservative plus being bright and airy, capitalizing on the home's beautiful surroundings. Dan's final design far exceeded our expectations. In the process, he was always most accommodating and considerate of our wishes and feelings. The "Punch List" was completed quickly and entirely to our satisfaction with no callbacks since then!

A very experienced Realtor friend of ours from the Washington, D.C. area visited us shortly after we moved in and was amazed at the quality and workmanship of our new home. She commented that you wouldn't find quality like this in the "DC" area.

Partially because of Dan's unusual design of our kitchen area, in 2010 our home was chosen to be on the annual charity event -- the "Kitchen Tour." Several hundred folks visited that day and many had superlative comments about the home. Many said it was the best on the tour!

To anyone who wishes a well designed, well constructed and beautiful home, we would recommend Dan Degre, Step One Design-Build without reservation as the builder of choice.

Sincerely,

Frank & ML Gregory

Lori and Dan,

We wanted you to know how pleased we are with our home which Step One built for us. Since this is the 2nd custom home we've built, we recognized the need for open and honest communication prior to starting and during the building process, so that both parties know what to expect. Step One did an excellent job of this; and our positive relationship remained constant throughout the project.

The construction of our home really exceeded our expectations. When we had questions they were always promptly addressed; and in several instances your recommended design changes resulted in improvements from our original design.

Your crews were highly skilled and conscientious; and the completion of our home was on time and done in a stress free manner. We love our home today even more than when we first moved in. Our building process was an enjoyable experience and we thank you for making it so. Kathy and I would highly recommend you for any future customers who are looking to build their dream home.

Sincerely,

Tom Bollenbacher

As a young couple, my husband and I dreamt of building our own home. We had a few opportunities just after our marriage to move forward on a construction project but we decided to wait, to save and then to build a home that we really wanted. During the years we spent in our rental, we often had long, daydreaming talks about what sort of home we wanted. The layout of the house was discussed over a dozen dinners, we fell asleep talking about the colors and drew sketches of our dream kitchen. The details changed a million times but the one constant for us was that Step One Design would be our contractor. My husband works in the construction industry and over the years has spent countless hours working on new home construction. That firsthand knowledge was invaluable as it allowed us to see how a contractor treated not just the client, but the jobsite, the materials and the contractors they employed. We decided years before the actual construction that the only contractor we would use would be Step One. Not only did they build beautiful homes but they were also as kind, fair and honest to the simplest laborer just as they are to the homeowner. When Dan meet us onsite to discuss the project on the first night, my husband told him that we were not even pricing another contractor because we knew he was the best and we could trust him. We have never regretted that decision.

From the very beginning, Dan Degre and his team were exceptional in all areas. Their attitude of fairness, honesty and superior craftsmanship permeates every facet of the building experience. Unlike other builders, Dan handles all of the design in-house. This is a huge help, as there is nothing lost in translation. He is able to take your ideas and dreams and turn them into something tangible and functional. His years of experience not just in design but also in building gives him the ability to guide your choices in ways that get you the most value, quality and aesthetic for your money. During the building process he helped us make decisions without ever being overbearing. If there were any problems on the site, they were addressed quickly and professionally. The site was kept clean and the workers on site were always respectful. When I first when to check in on the progress, I was apprehensive about being on a construction site but the Degres only hire the best subcontractors and because of that discernment the laborers are all respectful and friendly. The entire process went off without a hitch and within budget and we could not be more pleased with the final product. We have been in our home for nearly 2 years now and still love it as much as we did the first day. As a couple, we highly recommend Step One for anyone's design and building needs. They are professional, fast, kind, honest, hardworking and talented. Simply put, they should be your first choice.

Sincerely,

Ellen & Tarrell Graham

Dan and Lori,

We wanted to write to you to say thank you for the job well done on finishing our renovation project on our home. Now that the renovation is complete, we have to say you exceeded every expectation we ever had about the quality of the work.

From the tear down to completion you have always put our interests first and never failed to listen to us, while at the same time you provided sage advice and very acceptable options in response to our ideas. Your team of finished carpenters was amazing and the columns, cove moldings and coffered ceilings are works of art.

We would not hesitate to refer Step One Design Build to other homeowners who are in need of quality services from a contractor.

I hope that this would be the start of our continuous relationship and future success.

The Rosso family

This purpose of this letter is to let you know about our experience with Step One Design which began in 2005. We met with Dan and Lori and discussed the possibility of remodeling and adding an addition to an existing home in CCNC. After our first meeting we knew we found the company we needed to work with.

Dan designed our extensive addition and worked with us until it was perfect. We started construction and completed the project exactly has planned. Step One's subcontractors along with the special folks that work directly for Dan did a great job of coordinating the process and completing everything on schedule and budget.

In the end we had a very good experience with Step One and have remained friends to this day. We would recommend Dan and Step One to anyone who needs a builder and or designer to assist them in this tough process.

Sincerely,

Douglass & Mindy Talbot

It was in the year 2000 my wife and I looked for a builder to contractor to build our retirement home on Lake Pinewild. Since I represented 5 different builders during my real estate career, I wanted to make sure I choose a quality builder that had our best interest in mind. After 34 years in the business, I knew there were good and bad contractors.

We came to Pinehurst and talked with several builders, but it wasn't until I was referred to Step-One Design Builders, met Dan Degre, and looked at the properties Step-One had under construction, we knew who our builder would be. After spending time with Mr. Degre, we realized his architectural degree from Boston University would benefit us in "tweaking the house plan we wanted to build. We were right

Dan Degre offered much more than we ever expected. His material specifications were top grade. He offered many ideas in making our plans more livable from a day to day living standpoint He made all the changes my wife and I wanted to build our dream home. And during construction, he never allowed a sub-contractor to cut any corners.

The custom homes Step-One has built in Pinewild has helped make our community one of the top buying choices in Pinehurst. My wife and I highly recommend Step-One Design Builders.

Sincerely,

Jess Krall