Donnay Homes Maintains Tradition

Homes are a-changin’ in Edina.  The city approved 101 permits for new home construction last year—more than 2011 and 2010 combined—and the pace didn’t slow in the first half of 2013, says Steve Kirchman, Edina’s chief building official. For some residents, however, the boom has not been a boon. The city has received complaints about the teardowns of old homes and new ones built on the same lots, so it hired a redevelopment coordinator last summer to help contractors comply with city code.But one firm needs little counseling: Donnay Homes, a fourth-generation privately held homebuilder has built more than 15,000 homes in Minnesota since 1941, including over 30 teardowns and rebuilds/reconstructions in the city of Edina. Its president and vice president are a father-son pair, Paul and Chad Donnay, who both live in Edina and recognize citizens’ concerns.“We want to make sure our product fits into the fabric of the neighborhood,” says Chad. “That is something that has really set us apart in the neighborhood, and why we have been really well received.”The city has worked to address complaints about erosion, right-of-way and work hours, says Kirchman. Donnay Homes has been a leader in compliance. “If the subcontractor starts at 6 a.m. instead of 7 a.m., Donnay can’t help that, but they can correct it, and they have been a good contractor to work with,” Kirchman adds.In 72 years of business, Donnay Homes prides itself on integrity and hands-on customer service, says Paul, who has 35 years of experience in homebuilding.“If I’m building something for somebody, I want them happy,” he says, adding that he will visit with neighbors before construction and will walk away from a project if it’s too contentious. “We try to do things right. Not everything is perfect, but we try to do things right.”Family rootsJohn Donnay started the family business in 1941. After World War II, Donnay Homes built for veterans returning from overseas to start families. In the 1950s, John’s son Vern began building, and in 1978, Vern’s son Paul made it three generations strong. In 1998, Chad came aboard full time.But as Chad tells it, he’s been with the company since birth. He recalls childhood memories from as young as 5, riding in the truck with his dad, and high school summer jobs when he removed scrap materials from homes or assisted framing crews. Now Chad’s 4-year-old son Dylan loves to tag along to job sites and ride in the backhoes.“That is how I grew up,” says Chad. “This is part of who we are, this business.”“This business” is a source of dignity and purpose. “Building homes for families, I don’t think that there are greater rewards than that,” Chad says. “To see the look on a family’s face when you have built them a new home—where they are going to live and raise their family—it’s just something that I take such great pride in.”With pride comes responsibility. “A little bit of pressure, to be honest with you,” Chad continues. “I’m the fourth generation and I certainly don’t want to be the one after 70-some years to end the Donnay Homes building tradition. I find it a positive. It’s something my father and grandfather before me have dedicated their lives to, and I don’t want to let them down."Beyond the Donnays, an extended family of electrical, heating and plumbing subcontractors, as well as laborers and an on-staff architect who does custom designs, a closer and accountant, share the credit for Donnay Homes’ success. “The quality control comes from years of having the same carpenters that get used to doing it the right way,” says Paul. “We are not bidding out the work and trying to get the cheapest guy.”This continuity calms neighbors, as a concern has been how many months it will take subcontractors to finish portions of jobs, explains Paul. “We have carpenters that are some of the best guys, we think, in town. They come in and start a house, and within 12 to 15 days they are putting the trusses on the house. They are so good. They are efficient and work hard.”New traditionsFor a homebuilder to remain strong into its eighth decade it has to adapt to changing situations, so Donnay Homes shifted to work on more higher-end homes under the brand Traditions by Donnay Homes.They saw a demand for people wanting to be closer to the city, says John McWhite, a Realtor with Coldwell Banker Burnet. “They were one of the first people to be knocking down homes in Edina. That wasn’t happening at all. It was one of the first to really pioneer that, and now everyone is running in to do it.”Chad says the impetus for Traditions was not so much a business decision as a continuation of listening to customers who called for the service based on Donnay’s experience and expertise.“Paul is one of the smartest businessmen that I’ve been in contact with,” McWhite says. “He always seems to be looking at the big picture. It’s not [just] one home and then on to the next.” Commitment and customer serviceWhen McWhite is selling a Donnay-built home, he is quick to pitch how it’s a near certainty that Donnay will be there to fulfill its 1-2-10 warranty, where everything is covered for a year, electrical, plumbing and heating are covered for two and everything structurally is covered for 10.“It’s imperative for buyers to know that when you go with new construction,” McWhite says. “They have been doing it for 70 years. They have obviously been very successful at it. They have been able to weather the storms, if it’s been a good or a bad economy. They have never gone away.In fact, potential clients can go to the homes for a work-in-progress tour to see what a Donnay home will look like. (This is in addition to their showcase in the annual Midwest Home Luxury Home Tour.) The buyer can look at the granite, wood flooring and what the kitchen space might feel like.“When I get with that client, I try to explain it on a floor plan, but it doesn’t have the same effect as when they see it,” Paul says.“We make it unique to each customer,” Chad interjects. “That is our trademark. Each home is very personalized to that customer. There are not many things that people can walk in the door and say, ‘We want to do this’ or ‘We envision that’ that we haven’t done.”@ For more information, or to see photos of current and past projects in Edina, visit traditionsbydonnay.com