Blansfield Builders Uses ELAN g! To Close Multiple Home Sales

Jim Blansfield of Danbury, Connecticut-based Blansfield Builders, Inc. is always looking for ways to distinguish himself from other companies and provide clients with the latest innovations that can make their homes more affordable, sustainable, comfortable and enjoyable. As a LEED Accredited Professional and an NAHB™ Certified Green Professional™ he’s up to date on all of the most modern building trends and homebuyer desires. After using the ELAN® g! Entertainment and Control Systems to close multiple home sales over the past two years, he is taking this commitment to the next level by recommending ELAN g! to every new client regardless of the size of the home being built!

“I’m a believer in ‘the new normal’ way of thinking,” he said, “and with the affordable and expandable control solutions made possible by ELAN g!, home control is the new normal! In the past two years, I’ve closed several new homes by demoing the g! system for prospective clients. The buyers are consistently impressed that I include technology in my designs and recommendations, because many other builders minimize the importance of home technologies. For builders, their resistance to change is going to hurt them in the long run.

“Much in the same way you can’t buy a new car today without some kind of an infotainment system, we are entering the next era of home technology where new homes simply will not be built without a home control system. While the level of complexity and cost will certainly vary, systems like lighting and HVAC will be automatically integrated in new homes, providing advanced scheduling and local weather-based triggers to increase homeowner comfort and energy efficiency.”

To date, Blansfield has built 13 homes that include ELAN g! systems of varying size and complexity. Whether the new buyers were looking for enhanced security, HVAC scheduling, lighting, irrigation and pool controls, or super simple whole-home audio and video systems, every client received a custom solution tailored to their specific needs. From a business perspective, Blansfield knows that his knowledge, appreciation and passion for technology place him in an entirely different category from other builders.

“If you talk to new homebuyers and technology integrators you’ll find that many homebuilders consider advanced home technologies an afterthought, if they consider them at all,” he continued. “I think that’s a huge mistake. The truth is that people love their mobile devices, and systems like ELAN g! that allow homeowners to control their homes with a few taps and swipes are so desirable that it’s foolish to overlook them. It becomes a major component of the home and can even be more noticeable than the beautiful hardwood floors or granite countertops that builders and designers use to excite prospective buyers. With the ease and convenience of mobile accessibility, every buyer walks away from my hands-on demo feeling that they need it as part of their new home. 

“Another thing that holds back some builders and buyers is the misconception that modern home control is too expensive. Now with ELAN g! there is a customized solution to satisfy every budget, every size home and every homebuyer need. Some people simply want multi-room audio that they can control from their iPhone, while others want an irrigation system that will know to skip a watering if it’s going to rain that afternoon, and g! scales to fit everyone’s specific requirements.” 

Blansfield’s final words of wisdom are perhaps the most important of all for any homebuyer or builder looking to dive into home control — make sure you work with a qualified professional installer! ELAN Home Systems has developed a worldwide network of trained professionals who install and program systems to fit the precise requirements of each job, and there is no substitute for a system that works right the first time.

“Hiring a skilled, knowledgeable, reliable contractor is the glue that holds the whole project together,” he advised. “I’ve been working with Dave Febbraio of Structured Home Solutions for seven years, and his dedication to ongoing customer service and timely, get-it-right-the-first-time track record give me confidence that every one of my clients will love their system. As home technology gets more and more complex in its abilities, while getting even easier to operate for the end-user, certified professionals will increasingly provide the service and support that enables everything to run smoothly and allow the users to forget there is a sophisticated system at work. All they need to know is that they can turn down the lights, turn up the heat and start their movie with a few simple buttons. And if they want to do all that from work or from halfway around the world, all they need is an iOS or Android device. It’s that simple.”

According to custom integrator Dave Febbraio, “It’s a pleasure to work with Jim because he truly is a forward thinking builder, which is so rare. As he said, most builders today are still afraid of technology. Jim knows control systems are necessary for new homes and that any builders who are not incorporating them are doing their clients a disservice. This is something Jim is passionate about, and he loves showing off the ELAN g! system we installed in his Vermont home. His enthusiasm for the work we do is so evident that people quickly realize how necessary it is and that it must be part of their new home.”

Blansfield Builders (www.blansfieldbuilders.com) has been building and remodeling with the help of top architects, designers and technology integrators since the company’s founding in 1985. Since 2002 the company has won 20 HOBI Awards in the categories of new homes, interior design, remodels, kitchen design and home features from the Home Builders and Remodelers Association of Connecticut, Inc. 

About ELAN Home Systems: 
Founded in 1990, ELAN® Home Systems is an industry leading manufacturer of innovative, award-winning whole-house entertainment and control systems that are distributed through a comprehensive channel of select dealers and distributors throughout the United States, Canada and more than 58 countries worldwide. To learn more, visit www.elanhomesystems.com. 

ELAN is part of the Core® Brands division of Nortek, Inc. Core Brands combines the product and marketing strengths of ten iconic audio, power management and control brands into a single business unit that includes ATON®, BlueBOLT®, ELAN®, Furman®, Niles®, Panamax®, Proficient®, SpeakerCraft®, Sunfire® and Xantech® brands.

ELAN is a subsidiary of Nortek, Inc., a global, diversified company whose many market-leading brands deliver broad capabilities and a wide array of innovative, technology-driven products and solutions for lifestyle improvement at home and at work. Please visit www.nortekinc.com for more information.