"They also have a stable of terrific subcontractors whose work is first-rate..."
Although my wife and I had owned a number of houses over the years, we had never built a house of our own before making the decision to build on a lot we’d purchased in South Bethany Beach in 2005. In our case, we were also building two hours away from our home in Annapolis and we were both involved in busy professions while trying to raise three kids, so finding the “right fit” in a builder was going to be essential to a worry-free process. I made a few calls to friends in Wilmington, Delaware who specialized in high-end renovation work and Lane Builders came well recommended, it turned out with good reason. From beginning to end, our experience with everyone at Lane was an enjoyable one. Their attention to construction detail and quality finishes is evident to anyone who has toured a Lane house, but it doesn’t stop there. First time-visitors never fail to notice the substantial doors, windows and molding in the house. The house itself is unbelievably tight, heating up in the winter within minutes and, likewise, cooling down and keeping cool in the hot summers months. Lane really has the long distance communication thing down, making extensive use of e-mail for updates and internet sites for product choices so that the owner’s need to make trips to the building site was minimized. Their imagination in dealing with the inevitable problems accompanying any project as complicated as building a house was always impressive. They also have a stable of terrific subcontractors whose work is first-rate. And the long-term relationship one has with Lane became evident three years ago when our house was broken into in early-December, along with a half-dozen houses on our block; this was before we installed our security system. We found out about the break-in during a Saturday morning phone call from the South Bethany police, who reported that the front door had been battered open and was hanging off of its hinges. I called Jeff Burton at his home that Saturday afternoon on my way to the beach to inspect the damage and explained our predicament. He assured me he would get his people on it and, the following morning, he called to tell me that the door had been re-hung and the damaged door frame replaced. On occasion, when we have had other work to do at the house, we’ve called Jeff for recommendations and he has even provided a house key (which Lane still keeps for us) to the tradesman so we didn’t have to come from Annapolis to meet with them. Lane has also maintained all records pertaining to their building which has proved helpful when questions arise years after the construction. All in all, we recommend Lane Builders without hesitation. If we ever build again in the Lewes-Bethany corridor, Lane Builders will be our only choice.
Kevin and Donna Schaeffer
Annapolis, MD
