The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
Builder of the Year says it’s ‘all about our work’
TORRINGTON — Steve Temkin, whose company, T&M Homes, was named Connecticut Builder of the Year by the Home Builders of Central Connecticut, said the award “is all about our work.”
It’s an honor to receive the award, and something he and his company have worked hard for, he said. It’s also a continuation of Temkin’s work to provide the homes people want,
whether he’s refurbishing apartments in a vintage building with Torrington Downtown Partners or building a multi-home community in Glastonbury, Suffield, Windsor or West Hartford with T&M.
“This award is all about our work,” he said. “It’s also about the association’s Parade of Homes, which really helps promote projects like ours. There were 20 entries this year and four of them were ours.”
T&M’s work in those four towns earned the award, with a Jan. 28 ceremony held virtually .
The Jan. 28 ceremony was held virtually and hosted by Home Builders of Central Connecticut CEO Eric Person and Vice President of Operations Sheila Leach. Members of the association nominate each other for the group’s various recognitions, according to Leach.
She had high praise for Temkin.
“Steve is just instrumental in his involvement in the association,” she said. “He has faithfully served on
multiple committees, year after year, and fully involves himself in whatever he does.”
Building homes for today’s buyers is challenging but exciting work, Temkin said. Homes are “smart” now, with cellphone or voice activation for a variety of features.
“In the West Hartford model, we had a voice-activated shower from Moen,” Temkin said.
Homes in South Windsor start at $200,000, while they start at $400,000 in Glastonhouse
bury and $600,000 in West Hartford, he said. Depending on their age, buyers have an array of preferences, and are following the trends of home design, location and cost.
Keeping up with technology is a challenge, because it’s always changing, Temkin said.
“Smart homes are in demand,” he said. “There’s a company called I-Devices, and they have all these different switches, things to make the house compatible with Alexa, for example, turning on lights, things like that.
“Adding that technology is something we’ve done more and more,” he said. “You can also retrofit your
if (the technology) has to be added later. It’s amazing, how fast it’s coming and changing.”
The association merged with the New Haven chapter in 2013; New Haven members started the Parade of Homes 10 years earlier. When Temkin got involved, it grew into something more successful, according to Leach.
“A $10 admission fee per guest is donated to Connecticut Children’s Medical Center. … And this year, it’s being held in the spring and the fall, for the first time,” Leach said.
“The public can come to the tours now, since we transferred it from an educational event for Realtors, to
public viewing. Steve was instrumental in partnering with us and participating in that. We can attribute more than $3 million back to our businesses,” Leach said. “We feel it’s one of our best events. Steve’s always there, stepping up, contributing and volunteering.”
“Steve steps up quite often,” Person agreed. “He just embodies what you want from a builder — he gets involved at all levels. We’re all so proud of him.”
What’s best about the Parade of Homes, Temkin said, is that there’s no sales pressure.
“In each case, we have a model home to look at,” he said. “People can come and look at what we’re doing.”
“It’s also a nice way for home builders to showcase their work,” he said. “It’s more low-key. We have refreshments; it’s just a chance for people to look without the pressure to buy.”
Temkin’s work in the building field also connects him to people who are second-generation company owners, just like him.
“I met a guy from Connecticut Lighting, and my father worked with his dad,” he said. “There’s Dalene Flooring, which is also second-generation, working in the industry. It was great to see them, and remembering my dad, it was a little nostalgic. My dad started our company in 1962. It’s kind of neat.”