Featured Team Member: Meet Julie!
At Heartland Builders, we’re always thankful for our talented, hardworking, and overall awesome team members who come together to build houses that become homes. Today, we’re especially excited to introduce you to Julie, our estimator, who goes above and beyond to make sure every line item of a project is priced accurately.
What’s your relationship with Heartland Builders? What do you love most about working here so far?
I am an estimator at Heartland Builders. I love the team that I work with and their tenacity to find the best building practices. I also appreciate the team’s commitment to integrity and building quality homes.
Where did you grow up? Tell us about your family!
I grew up on the Northeast side of the state. My dad was a beekeeper, and my mom was a math professor at a local college. I have two sisters and a brother. I’ve been married to my college sweetheart (Go Green!) for 15 years. Five years ago, my husband, Brian, and I moved back to the Grand Rapids area, where my husband grew up. We enjoy being close to his family.
How do you spend your free time? What do you do to relax?
In our free time, we both love music, podcasts, and reading. I enjoy running to give me extra time to listen to my favorite podcasts or books. We also enjoy kayaking, hiking, and most activities that allow you to “get some fresh air.” We currently have less free time because we are in the throes of a 4-year remodel of our 80 year old fixer upper. But we are learning to enjoy that process, too!
What do you wish other people knew about Heartland Builders?
I wish people knew how much Heartland Builders prioritizes quality so that clients can relax and focus on the fun stuff — like picking out interiors. I love how hard everyone works to make that possible, especially in the foundation and pre-drywall stages of construction.
What would someone be surprised to know about you?
I think most people would be surprised to know that I am a weather junky. I love tracking weather patterns and weather changes. When I was a high school math teacher, I spent lots of time teaching kids how to track causation and correlation through weather patterns.
Tell us about someone you admire.
I admire my paternal grandma, Elizabeth. She was the type of person who was always doing something productive but never looked busy. She lived very gently in the world and loved and painted beautiful things she found in nature. I admire her for natural grace and kindness.
What inspires you and your work?
I am inspired by participating in a process that makes construction easy, fun, and fast for the homeowner(s). It is really exciting to watch people go through the process of imagining a building that they will call “home,” especially when I know that it will be an excellent one.