Why Experience Matters When Building or Remodeling Your Home

When homeowners start a renovation, addition, or new build, one of the first decisions is where to get materials and advice. Big-box stores might seem convenient, but when it comes to building a home, experience and product knowledge can make all the difference between a smooth project and costly mistakes.

At Rice Lumber, sales professional Dave Prior has spent 31 years helping customers build smarter. Over three decades, he has seen trends change, products improve, and the same avoidable mistakes repeated again and again. His biggest takeaway: good advice early in a project saves homeowners time, money, and frustration later.

The Cost of Bad Advice

Building materials today are more complex than ever. Many products may look similar, but their performance and installation requirements can vary greatly. That’s where experienced guidance becomes invaluable.

“It’s like going to buy a car, you know tell me what it can do and what it can’t do. [When building a house, it’s the] same thing, it’s gotta be a knowledgeable sales person. But you have that here, you’ve got the most knowledge at Rice as far as any of the lumberyards that I know.” Dave explains.

A knowledgeable salesperson helps homeowners understand differences in materials, installation requirements, and long-term performance so costly mistakes can be avoided.

Experience That Comes From Seeing What Works

Over the years, Dave has helped homeowners choose materials for everything from new homes to large remodels. That experience gives him a practical perspective on what products perform well over time.

One example is windows. Dave has sold multiple brands throughout his career, including Andersen and Marvin.

“You’ve got the best brand of windows in Andersen that you can get. They really do put Marvin to shame. Marvin doesn’t have the quality, [they] always had a little issues with their windows. We used to sell both of them but [now we only sell] Andersen which I don’t have any problems with.”

For homeowners trying to compare products, that kind of firsthand knowledge can make the decision much easier.

More Than Sales — Helping Solve Problems

At a lumberyard, the job isn’t just selling materials. It’s helping homeowners think through their projects before construction begins.

Dave encourages customers to bring in their ideas, rough plans, or even sketches so the team can help identify potential issues before building starts.

For example, if a homeowner plans to add a deck in the future, installing the ledger board during construction can save significant work later. Without it, siding and framing may need to be removed just to attach the deck structure properly. Window placement and type of windows also needs to be considered.

“If you’re going to put a deck there, you don’t want those awning or casement windows, you’re going to run right into them. You've gotta have double hung or sliders on that deck, so plan ahead.”

He also mentions, “I mean if you have a good architect and a set of plans [you should be] fine, but if you drew on a piece of paper, this is what I want, then that’s where you need a lot of help.”

Small planning decisions like this can prevent major headaches down the road.

The Human Side of Building a Home

After working with hundreds of homeowners over the years, Dave says one thing has become clear: building a home is as much about people as it is about materials.

“Whatever salesperson you get to help you, make sure they’re knowledgeable. What I’ve found over the years [is] a couple comes in, they want to build a house, they want to do this big addition, they want to do this big remodel, you get to know them both. If you’ve done it long enough you know look in her eyes and know she doesn’t really want to do that, so then I’ll lead them a different way to get where they’d both be happy.”

Those conversations matter because construction projects often stall when decisions aren’t made ahead of time. Contractors may have to leave a job site while homeowners decide on flooring, finishes, or layouts, potentially delaying projects for weeks.

“Planning the whole project out makes life easier for everybody,” Dave says.

Real Guidance Beats Guesswork

Building or remodeling a home involves hundreds of decisions. Working with experienced professionals can make the process smoother, faster, and far less stressful.

With more than three decades at Rice Lumber, Dave has helped guide countless homeowners through those decisions.

Before you build, talk to someone who’s seen it all.