Article in 2003 Real Estate & Builders Guide.

DREAMS BY PARADISE:

 Building contractors work to turn people's dreams into affordable reality!

The American dream--owning a home--can seem unattainable to many prospective home buyers.

Local contractors Larry Schroeder and Tracy Diehl, of Paradise Builders in Westcliffe, have a goal of helping turn that dream into reality for people wanting to buy a home here.

"We felt someone needed to fill the gap between custom homes at the one end and manufactured homes on the other," Schroeder said. "Our focus is providing affordable homes built using traditional construction methods."

Although Paradise Builders opened its doors here three years ago, the company had to put its affordable housing plans on hold for the first two years while it tackled the Custer County School remodeling project.

"Being tied up on the school project for two years' meant Paradise Builders couldn't take on additional work during that time, Schroeder said.

Paradise Builders completed all the remodeling work for the C-1 District's school project.

When completed in September 2002, the $1.25 million remodeling project transformed the existing school into separate elementary and middle schools and added a larger library.

With the C-1 school district's project completed, Paradise Builders has redirected its efforts to its original goal of providing affordable, traditionally built homes for buyers here.

The company recently completed the first of five homes it is building and offering for sale in the town of Silver Cliff.

Schroeder said the house is 1,600 sq ft. on one full town lot of South St. and is ready to move into for $139,900.

The remaining four homes to be built are on adjoining lots and will be of similar size and price, but there will be some differences.

"Each lot is planned for a certain style of home," Schroeder said, adding the each home will feature what the Valley is known for: views of the spectacular Sangre de Cristo mountains.

"Each home is placed to take advantage of the views and not block the views of the other homes," Schroeder said.

Also, each house's exterior will be unique to avoid the "cracker box" appearance of tract homes common in other communities and big-city suburbs.

Schroeder explained that Paradise Builders' current project is in Silver Cliff because of the availability of property there, but work is not limited to that area.

"Our spec home project is in Sliver Cliff," Schroeder said, "but we will do homes where ever we find a good location."

Paradise Builders also is planning to expand its offerings by adding Riverbend Timber Frame brand homes to the options available to potential buyers.

Schroeder described Riverbend Timber homes as "the engineering style of barn construction wrapped with an energy efficiency package."

He said that the addition of the brand is part of Paradise Builders' "two-fold approach to home construction. We have the affordable homes and Riverbend goes between custom and semi-custom homes."

Schroeder concluded: "If we can help people build equity at the entry level and next they can afford to build a little bigger, and the next thing you know they are in their dream home. We think they will become our customers again."

Before coming here and opening Paradise Builders. Schroeder worked in residential construction beginning in the early 1970s in Michigan.

He and his wife, Diane, moved to Florida with their daughter Stacey, where Schroeder continued working as a builder.

While in Florida, Stacey met her future husband and Schroeder's current business partner, Tracy Diehl.

Diehl said that he began working in construction while still in high school in Florida.

"We built car dealerships, jails, office buildings," Diehl said, explaining the type of construction work on which he honed his skills.

The family, including the Diehls and their children--Cody,12; Kaleb, 11; and Kelsey, 8--moved to Colorado in 1998.

"We took the lessons learned in Florida market and combined them with lessons we learned from trips to places like Vail, where there is no affordable housing, and created the five-year plan for the project here," Schroeder said.

To reach Paradise Builders for more information about its affordable housing project or other construction work, call 719-783-4230.

The company's office is located on the corner of French Street and Highway 96 in Silver Cliff. Originally written by Rayna Bailey