Behind every custom home is a story, and for John Askew Custom Homes, that story starts long before the company's official founding in 1997. John and Linda Askew began building homes together in 1983, working primarily in the Southlake and Keller area. After a hiatus, the couple returned to the industry and launched what would become John Askew Custom Homes, eventually relocating operations to Aledo, where the company has built its reputation ever since.
John didn't set out with a grand plan to become a custom home builder. As the story goes, he simply happened into it — a connection with a builder opened the door, and nearly four decades later, that chance introduction has grown into one of the region's most established custom home companies, with hundreds of homes built and over 30 years of experience along the way.
A Growing Business
In the early days, growth was personal and hands-on. John and Linda ran things with the help of family, including Linda’s grandmother, who handwrote the checks, and a single project manager. Today, that small operation has become a full team: four project managers, three in-house support staff, a full-time warranty manager, and a construction president, Cody, who now oversees the build side of the business. Two in-house designers round out the design department, while a sales team, led by Jane Ford and Jared Brandow, guides clients through the earliest stages of the process. John and Linda still make regular appearances around the office, but over the past five years, their oldest daughter, Jennifer Gosnell, has been leading the company as President of Operations. She has not only grown up in the business but has worked in the company for nearly 25 years.
“I love the culture that John and Linda created from the beginning. It’s built on faith and always doing the right thing. We are building homes for families to live in and create lifetime memories. I cannot think of anything else I would rather do. It is truly an honor,” says Jennifer.
That team-first culture, staff says, is central to how the company operates. Information moves seamlessly between departments, and everyone from designers to project managers to longtime subcontractors, some of whom have worked with the company for decades, is expected to pitch in wherever needed. "It's a team effort from start to finish," Jane and Jared say. "No one could do their job without the others."
Several members of the current team came to John Askew Custom Homes through the company itself. Jane, for instance, was a two-time customer before joining the sales staff, and Jared brought over a decade of construction experience before joining the team. In fact, prior to joining the sales team 4 years ago, Jared spent 8 years as a builder at John Askew Custom Homes. It’s a combination of perspectives that helps them relate to clients from both sides of the building process.
From Blank Page to Move-In Day
John Askew Custom Homes describes itself as a full-service custom builder, meaning the team can take a client from a blank piece of paper all the way through move-in day. The company works with professional plan designers and architects to develop a plan and pricing structure, making preliminary pre-selections for many items like appliances, plumbing fixtures, flooring, lighting, countertops, etc., before construction even begins, and has recently expanded into furnishings for clients who want a more complete, done-for-you design experience.
The process typically starts with a handful of ideas from the client, which the team then develops through a series of design meetings, often taking anywhere from three to six months for a typical home, depending on how much time a family wants to spend refining their plans and selections. Budgets are laid out clearly from the start, and while clients are always free to adjust their choices as the process unfolds, the sales team works to help them stay on track.
"It's important to work with the builder from the start of the plan," Jared says, noting that their team helps shape the design around a client's budget from day one, rather than pricing out a finished set of plans after the fact.
“No two homes look the same,” says Jane, largely because no two families' needs are the same. One current project involves a multi-generational property with a main house, a side house, and a separate apartment for adult children — plus an ADA-accessible bathroom for an elderly parent planning to age in place, a request the team says they're seeing more often. "We want to make sure the homeowner gets what they want, not what we want," says Jared. "We place a lot of emphasis on intentional, tailored houses."
Built on Honesty
Staff is candid that no build is entirely without hiccups. "The building process is inherently flawed, and things may go wrong," Jared says. "But this company always takes the needs of the client ahead of everything." That commitment to integrity traces back to the values. The Askew Family built the company from the beginning by honoring God and doing right by their clients, even when it isn't the easiest path.
That philosophy shows up in the company's advice to prospective clients, too. Rather than soliciting bids from three builders and choosing the lowest number, the team encourages homeowners to find the right builder first, one who will walk alongside them through the entire process, not just hand over a set of plans and a price.
"We are here to serve our customers," Jane says.
It's a goal every member of the team carries into each new build. The measure of success isn't just a finished home. It's one built to last.
What's Next
John Askew Custom Homes is preparing for the Grand Opening of their new model home at 208 Monaco Drive in Aledo, just off Kelly Road. The Modern Tuscan-style home, designed by Grand Home Designs, spans more than 5,800 square feet of custom-crafted living space and will showcase some of the company's newest design features. Details will be announced on the company's website and social media, so stay tuned!