Molly and Bruce Bina weren’t impressed when they first viewed a model of the four-bedroom home they eventually purchased in Golden Meadow Estates.
They wanted the sliding glass doors to open into the kitchen instead of the family room. They wanted a deeper basement so that Bruce, a research engineer, could set up a lab.
And they preferred the cathedral ceiling in the master bedroom to stop short of the bathroom, instead of protruding into it.
No problem, said Kenneth P. Neumann, president of Neumann Homes Inc., which is developing the Golden Meadow Estates subdivision in southwest suburban Plainfield.
Neumann modified the plans of the standard model, and for $184,000 built the Binas’ home as they wanted it. The couple and their three young boys moved in last September.
Had Neumann not been able to build the home to their liking, the Binas likely would have searched elsewhere, they said.
“We offer 150 ways to personalize homes,” Neumann said.
His pledge means that virtually every home in the 66-acre subdivision is a bit different-whether because an inner wall has been eliminated or the home is equipped with six-panel pine doors instead of standard oak doors.
The idea is to have a subdivision that doesn’t look like a subdivision, according to Neumann. In fact, development plans filed with the Village of Plainfield for the next phases of Golden Meadow Estates include a “monotony clause” limiting the number of times a type of home can be built and regulating such things as roof lines and color schemes to ensure variety.
Of the 85 lots in the first three phases of Golden Meadow Estates, 75 now have homes.
In mid-March, Neumann plans to begin selling 72 homes in Phases 4 and 5, which are to be built in the summer and fall.
These homes will have layouts almost identical to those of the first three phases, but they will be smaller and less expensive, Neumann said. Instead of being priced from $133,900 to $200,000, these houses will cost between $125,000 and $180,000, he said. Typical lots will contain 10,000 square feet, while present ones have about 14,000 square feet.
Located just west of Illinois Highway 59 and north of 135th Street, Golden Meadow Estates is surrounded by farmland and a smattering of businesses. With just 4,557 people, according to the 1990 U.S. Census, Plainfield is a largely rural area that has yet to be overrun by commercial strips and fast-food eateries.
Several Golden Meadow buyers said they are pleased with the subdivision’s proximity to major highways, such as Interstate Highway 55 and Illinois Highway 59. But the best thing about the homes, they said, is their affordability.
However, some buyers reported a variety of troubles and varying degrees of success in having them addressed. Complaints ranged from drafty windows to rough hardwood floors and from ill-fitting doors to chipped tiles.
One couple, Grace and Robert Block, sued Neumann, alleging that he didn’t install all the options for which they’d paid, but the suit was dismissed last Wednesday in Will County.
“I think the issues are going to be taken care of,” Neumann said.
“I strive to address problems quickly,” he said. “When you build a home, there are going to be some problems…if I’ve got a dispute in the field, I solve 99 percent of them.”
Once brought to Neumann’s attention, most of the problems that plagued the Binas’ home-chipped tiles, a bad board in the hardwood floor-were eventually addressed, they said.
Many of the new residents of Golden Meadow are young families. Parents say a major draw to the area was the good reputation of the schools, which are run by the Plainfield Community Consolidated School District 202.
While Neumann’s target market includes these young families who are first-time and move-up buyers, he also hopes to cater to retirees or empty-nesters living with elderly parents.
Golden Meadow Estates is just west of Illinois 59 and north of 135th Street in Plainfield. Models are open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. every day except Friday.
