Over the course of the past two years, we have been partnering with Paradigm to innovate and improve upon virtual home design. Paradigm is a local tech company here in Madison, Wis. that specializes in providing visualization tools for the building industry, so when they approached us with their ideas, let’s just say it was a pretty easy sell. Within the past year, we’ve launched some seriously game-changing virtual design elements, and we’re so thrilled to bring you more in the near future.
Find out more about Paradigm’s innovative technology in their press release below.
MIDDLETON, WI – When Veridian Homes decided to implement new virtual home design software last year, the builder couldn’t have predicted the technology’s immediate impact on its business and homeowner relationships. Now, many months into the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic, John Maasch is more confident than ever that they made the right technology decision for today and for the future.
Maasch is the Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Veridian Homes, a Wisconsin-based builder that builds about 600 homes in and around Madison and Milwaukee annually. He and his team worked with Paradigm to set up Paradigm Omni for Builders, a virtual home design software that immerses homebuyers in a 3D home design experience and lets them customize their dream home.
The online tool allows potential homebuyers and contracted customers to select, configure, and visualize a wide range of interior and exterior design features on actual Veridian home plans – all while remaining socially distant.
Perhaps equally significant, according to Maasch, is how Paradigm Omni integrates with Veridian’s design team to offer homebuyers an engaging and fun design experience that combines virtual technology and experienced personal advice from their designers.
COVID-era Collaboration
“Understandably, buyers might be a little hesitant to build a house these days,” says Maasch. “Our interior and exterior virtual visualizers ease that tension and help buyers achieve their dreams even in these uncertain times. By blending virtual technology into our collaborative design process, we’re delivering the top-notch design experience that buyers have come to expect from Veridian, while ensuring the safety of our customers and staff.”
Kimberly Hopf, Veridian’s design manager, explains that the COVID-era design process starts with a virtual pre-selection phase in which buyers interact with online visualization tools to choose the options they like most. Siding, exterior colors, window colors, trim, stone and brick, kitchen designs, and a host of interior features are all available.
Once virtual selections are made, Hopf and her team of interior designers walk homebuyers through their selections via video chat, to confirm design choices or view alternatives from the Veridian Design Studio. Eventually, an in-person Design Studio consultation takes place to finalize their dream home decisions – while maintaining social distancing and practicing the guidelines set by the CDC.
Hopf admits customers were initially hesitant about the new design process, but they quickly appreciated its advantages. “We’re seeing homebuyers spending more time interacting with our homes online before buying, and every contracted buyer is using it for selections,” she says. “And we expect usage to grow. The design software is easy and fun to use. It encourages our buyers to stay engaged, and it helps our sales and design teams to complete more deals, while keeping everyone safe.”
Visualizing the Future
While virtual home design software is helping Veridian rise above the pandemic today, Maasch notes that Paradigm’s impact will only increase as the homebuilding business returns to something closer to normal. “We’re already scaling the technology to help buyers better visualize streetscapes in future developments, engage in new virtual walkthroughs, and visualize additional interior and exterior design packages before construction begins,” he says.
Hopf agrees that visualization technology is here to stay, adding that it’s as much a part of the buying process as model homes and open houses. “Homebuyers love the ability to engage in the design process from the comfort of their home, and our design team welcomes new technology that helps buyers navigate their journey to their dream home.”
About Paradigm: Paradigm provides technology solutions for the building industry. Paradigm Omni™ is a virtual design technology for builders that improves lead generation, accelerates the sales cycle, enhances the design process. For more information, go to https://myparadigm.com/virtual-home-design-software/
