Steve Northway, a.k.a. “The Building Coach,” helps create a better experience for homeowners, architects, interior designers, and builders.
By Melinda Nelson
Photo by Scott Amundson Photography
Nearly a dozen years ago, when many of Steve Northway’s friends were planning their retirement, he felt called to flip the script and start something new. A longtime construction expert and self-described serial entrepreneur, he was inspired to bring the art of advocacy to the business of custom home building.
Northway had achieved an enviable measure of success in the building industry. He and his late brother Ed were the original founders of Nor-Son Construction, one of Minnesota’s premier residential and commercial construction firms. Having built hundreds of custom homes, vacation homes, and cabins, Northway recognized that most homeowners – especially if they’d never built a home before – didn’t have a full understanding of the design and construction process. And, while many homeowners brought in an owners’ representative to support them, the singular focus on their needs didn’t result in a true collaboration between the builder, architect, and interior designer.
“No matter how large the budget, designing and building a custom home is inherently complicated, especially if it’s a cabin or vacation home in another city or state,” Northway says. “In addition to identifying and interviewing architects, builders, interior designers, and landscape architects in another market, it can be challenging to understand the true cost of labor and materials before starting design development and then manage the process remotely.”
Photo by Alex LaLiberte
An accountant by training, Northway understood the parallels between building a custom home and managing an investment portfolio. While many people have the interest and ability to pick stocks, evaluate mutual funds, and track their investments, others appreciate working with a financial advisor who can define their goals, create a personalized plan, and manage their investments to minimize risk while maximizing potential returns. Guided by the desire to help people protect the value of one of their biggest assets, Northway took a leap of faith and started Construction Advocates in 2015.
Initially, he envisioned helping his clients long before they broke ground on a project, but his first call was from a couple who’d already started building a luxurious custom lake house. Their contractor had promised the house would be move-in ready by Memorial Day, but they’d never received a construction schedule. The holiday weekend was only a few months away, and their house was nowhere near completion. Knowing that pushing to finish the house would likely have a negative impact on the beauty and quality, Northway got the project back on track with a realistic timeline, an assurance of fine craftsmanship, and most importantly, renewed trust and understanding between the clients and their builder.
Northway’s next call was from a friend who was trying to sell a house that had numerous problems, including a hail-damaged roof, dated finishes, and other issues. Northway developed a plan to fix the problems, reviewed the construction bids, and hired a team of experts to complete the work, allowing the client to sell the house for its full value.
Photo by Scott Amundson Photography
Since then, Northway’s business – and his frequent flier miles – have grown exponentially, earning him the nickname “The Building Coach.” Among his many accomplishments, he’s proud to have collaborated with a top custom home builder in Phoenix and a leading building science expert to build luxurious, energy-efficient desert homes. In between helping a woman select the right builder for her Wisconsin lake cabin and leading the restoration of a home in Boca Grande, Florida, after it was damaged by Hurricanes Helene and Milton, he’s helped a family finish a three-year restoration of their Caribbean vacation home. He’s also served as an expert witness for construction litigation attorneys and successfully mediated construction disputes for both homeowners and builders, keeping them out of the courtroom and saving thousands of dollars in legal fees for all parties.
While every one of Northway’s projects is different, they all start with a conversation about the clients’ situation, their challenges and frustrations, and their ultimate goals. And, because each project is unique, he charges by the hour, which makes it easy for people to call him for an initial consultation or guidance on a specific task, such as reviewing contracts, resolving conflicts, or planning a new construction or renovation project. While Northway’s humble character prevents him from making blue sky promises and prognostications, he always succeeds in creating a better building experience for his clients and everyone on their team.
To learn more about Steve Northway’s unique approach, visit constructionadvocates.com.
