Rick and Cheryl Mautz moved from Paradise, California, with one goal in mind— to be near their family. Their son, Jeff Mautz, and his wife, Jenna, bought 7 acres on Oak Hills Drive in Castle Pines back in 2006. Last year, the family decided that it was time to renovate the space and be together.
After scouring the internet for their perfect builder, they settled on Craig Austin of Alwyn Homes. Collaborating with Michael Perez , the architect on the project with Craig. The homeowners and team landed on a contemporary design. "The contemporary design was very appealing to me in that it was an architectural departure from many high-end custom homes I've built in the past 35 years, that was exciting to me." Craig stated.
Craig has remodeled and built over 150 million dollars in custom home values and has an affinity for exploring different architectural designs for luxury properties. He doesn’t have any employees, which allows for an efficient and streamlined communication process. That, and he only takes on one project a year.
“We knew he would give us all of his professional attention,” Rick said. “From the first interview, we were very comfortable with Craig. He was very attentive to our ideas and went through each step of the project before he started.”
That project includes a contemporary style 4 bedroom, 4 bath main house for Jeff, Jenna, and their two daughters, Este and Ciela, and a 2 bedroom, 2 bath guest house for Cheryl and Rick. Craig had to get creative with homeowner’s association guidelines that prohibited any secondary structure— like a guesthouse— from being built on the same property. Much like a secret passageway, Craig constructed an 8 foot wide, 10 foot tall tunnel underneath the sidewalk that connects the guesthouse basement to the lower level of the main house.
The Mautz’ property has an impeccable outlook of an expansive valley and the distant Rockies. To best capitalize on this invaluable view, Craig aimed to bring the outside, in. The house is complete with modern fenestration elements that allow for an abundance of windows and natural light.
Working with four people and two different contracts presented it’s challenges, but that’s one of the main reasons Craig was drawn to the project. The multitude of “chefs in the kitchen,” as Craig says, made the project more fun and unique. That, and he built quite the friendship with Grandpa Rick.
“Rick was there everyday, very hands-on and involved. He was my shadow,” Craig said. “We always looked forward to seeing each other and catching up every day.”
Building someone’s home is an intimate process. From client’s to contractors, Craig enjoys that the personal aspect of his profession allows him to creating lasting relationships. He has built great friendships with his subcontractors, some of which are in their second generation.
Over his 32 years of working in the industry, Craig has built a career, homes, friendships, and a family. He traces his “why” all the way back to a handful of bent nails and a box fort.
Craig grew up alongside an alfalfa field in the outskirts of a South Dakota town. Around the age of 11, he was mesmerized by an up-close process where before he had only seen finished products. A custom home was built right next to his, and he witnessed the entire journey— from excavation to final touch-ups. The builder allowed him on the job site and tasked him with the job of separating the good nails from the bad. His reward at the end of it all was enough scrap material for Craig and his father to build a fort in the backyard.
“I had this vision in my mind of building this little box fort while this builder builds this huge custom home right before my eyes,” Craig said. “I realized right then and there that this is my life, this is what I want to do.”
Throughout his 32 years of working in the industry, Craig has built a career, homes, friendships, and, his proudest accomplishment, a family.
Alwyn Homes is actually named after Craig’s two kids, Alexander and Lydia Wynne. At one time, he ran two companies, Alexander Homes and Wynne Homes. He has since consolidated both businesses into one overhead name.
Family is the reason that the Mautz’ moved and the reason that Craig has cut down to a project a year. “Now I have time to spend with my grandkids. Work is not my end all be all,” Craig said. “You go through shifts of how you prioritize your time, and family becomes more and more important.”
If you are looking for a builder to help create a custom space for you and your family, contact Craig Austin at craig@alwynhomesinc.com.