FAQs

It appears that there are many green builders in the Asheville area. What makes you unique and why should we work with you?

This is an excellent question. Asheville is at the vanguard of green residential construction in North Carolina and we are fortunate to have many outstanding builders in our midst. RS Motley Construction is a relatively small player in this green building scene and we think that offers unique advantages and opportunities for those people interested in having the kind of intimate building experience that comes from working with a small company. We typically only build from 2 to 4 houses per year and the company’s owner, Rob Motley, take sole responsibility for each of them. We feel that thorough communication and complete transparency are two of the most important values that a contractor brings to any project. By staying small, communication from client to contractor is streamlined with Rob staying accessible and personally engaged every step of the way.

What are your company’s thoughts on green building?

Any new home or building brings with it an inevitable carbon footprint, so we feel that it is important to build smart and to build green. We are not big fans of excessively large houses and feel that a home’s functionality and level of quality should take precedence over size. We feel that the most sustainable thing that we can do as members of the construction industry is to build a product that’s built to last and will stand the test of time. Almost all of the homes that we have built have been 3rd party inspected to achieve NC Green Built and Energy Star certifications. Our homes feature extremely tight thermal envelopes that are super-insulated, high quality, Energy Star approved windows and doors, highly efficient HVAC systems to ensure year round comfort while maintaining low utility bills, mechanical ventilation to provide fresh air, Energy Star certified appliances, CFL and LED lighting and unique, often edible, landscapes. In addition, we are now using regionally sourced southern yellow pine as our primary framing lumber, as opposed to the more standard option of spruce, which normally travels from as far away as the Pacific Northwest, Canada or even Central Europe.

How much will it cost me to build my new home and how is that price determined?

This is a question that builders hear all the time but one that is very difficult to answer without going through a consultation process. For most folks who are thinking about building a home, it is important to collaborate with a builder early in the planning process to determine a rough estimate for the proposed project. In other words, what can you realistically afford to build? The size of the home is an obvious consideration but so is the desired level of quality. Regardless of budget, we always commit ourselves to a certain standard in regards to soundness of construction and energy efficient building methods. Beyond this, it is the customer’s taste and specific decisions on a wide range of fixtures and finishes that will ultimately determine the cost of the project.To explain a bit further, we like to get a feel for these tastes and budgetary concerns early in the process when we are working with a customer. This allows us to create a “soft estimate” that gives the future homeowners some parameters about what they can afford and to what level the home can be outfitted. Establishing some realistic guidelines early in the process allows the customer to intelligently begin the next step in the process, which is to find and/or create the right home plan that gives them what they want for a price they can live with.

What is Rob’s background and how long has he been in the construction business?

Rob graduated from Appalachian State University in 1997 with a degree in Third World Studies and a minor in sustainable development. Following graduation, he took a meandering path with interesting stops along the way en route to a career in building. These experiences include a year as a human rights observer in Guatemala, several years as a Spanish interpreter and liaison to the Latino Community as an employee of Henderson County Public Schools and 4 years as a 6th grade social studies and science teacher. He received his general contractor’s license in 2007 and has been building ever since. Rob is married, has two children and lives in West Asheville.

What are all of the services that your company can provide?

Our primary focus is new residential construction but we also offer additional services from time to time on a case by case basis. These include consultation services for people interested in serving as their own contractor in order to have a very hands-on experience in building their own home, additions, unfinished basement up-fits, remodeling and landscaping design and installation.