At Terra Nova, we like to say that every home has a story. That story gets told through all the little details. Maybe it’s the way the staircase is built. Or the stained glass in the dining room. Or the pillars that frame the main hallway. But the most important story of all is the story of the family that gets to live in that house. That’s what makes a house a home.
We also like to say that we help build the next chapter in the story of that home. Whether that means helping a family adjust their home to suit their current needs, or breathing fresh life into an older home so someone new can enjoy it, we want to create a place that feels like people belong.
We built our company on a set of values that we believe in and live out every day. What better way to look back on the past year than by reflecting on how our actions directly aligned with our values of belonging, communication, generosity, and trust.
Belonging: We Don’t Just Build Homes; We Build People
Terra Nova was pleased to welcome two new additions to our team in January 2024: Jennifer Sims Taylor and Scott Wiegers.
Jennifer Sims Taylor joined us as a Historic Preservation Specialist and Architectural Designer. She holds a bachelor’s degree in History from the University of Central Arkansas, a bachelor’s of Interior Design from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville where she focused on architecture history, and a master’s degree in Historic Preservation from the Savannah College of Art and Design. Jennifer has been working with historic buildings in the St. Louis area since 2007 and has received several Most Enhanced Awards from the Landmarks Association. She is also an active board member of the Missouri Alliance for Historic Preservation.
When she isn’t working to save historic buildings, Jennifer is a loving wife and mother of two active boys. Jennifer enjoys reading, being crafty, traveling with her family, photographing cool buildings, and designing and baking elaborate birthday cakes for her kids.
Scott Wiegers joined us as a Project Manager, injecting energy and positivity into the team. A union-trained tile installer by trade, he’s knowledgeable in all trades, from plumbing to carpentry. These skills make him a well-rounded project manager, capable of understanding projects from an installer’s perspective. Homeowners love his high-level of communication and ability to explain the details of the project. His favorite projects to work on are kitchens and baths, as he enjoys bringing the next chapter of his clients’ homes to life.
Outside of work, you can find him at a Blues game, bowling, and playing golf or cornhole. He enjoys vacationing and spending time with his family. Scott is happily married and a father to two boys, Landon and Jackson.
Communication: Growing Relationships Through Clear, Honest Communication
Excellent communication is the cornerstone of how we treat each client. Throughout the year, we strove to improve communication with our clients to ensure an in-depth understanding of the overall process as well as the timing of their project from start to finish. To help our clients visualize how we work and what we need from them during each stage of their project, we created a new process graphic.
Our goal is to turn this graphic into a resource that helps clients see where they are in the process, what has been completed, and what is still outstanding as we help them write the next chapter of their home’s story.
Generosity: Using Our Knowledge, Skills, and Finances for the Benefit of Others
We believe in a spirit of giving generously. We are committed to volunteering in the community, investing in nonprofits, and hosting fundraising events. We believe in using our platform to uplift organizations that are committed to doing good. It’s simply who we are.
Throughout the year, we were able to give back $12k to multiple local nonprofit
- Kirkwood Des Peres Area Chamber Spring Clean (recycling and donation drive)
- Kirkwood Historical Society Trivia Night
- Camp Circle Star Mouse Races
- Jason Mott Corn Hole Tournament (strike out cancer)
- Kirkwood Des Peres Area Chamber Golf Tournament
- HBA Golf Tournament
- Servpro Golf Tournament (benefiting Shriners Hospital)
- Missouri Preservation Conference
- Kirkwood Lifestyle Magazine Home Tour (benefiting Kirkwood Historical Society)
With the launch of our first Terra Nova Revives property, we also hosted our first event to inspire generosity in the community. That event raised $500 for KirkCare and $500 for the Kirkwood Historical Society.
Trust: Finding a Better Way
Our clients trust our team to diligently plan and execute their projects with honesty, integrity, and excellence. That isn’t something we take lightly. We utilize good judgement and pride ourselves on remaining honest in all situations.
This past year, we took on 32 projects to help our clients build the next chapter of their home’s story.
OUR commitment to building trust shines through in what our clients have to say about working with us.
"I worked with Terra Nova to do an extensive renovation of our second floor. They were GREAT to work with – extremely responsive, great communicators (which matters a lot), and they care about getting the job done right. I’d bring them back in for future work (and I will)."Eric B.
"From start to finish, working with Terra Nova was an absolute pleasure! The estimate was reasonable – close to other estimates we received – but what was really amazing was when our project was finished there were NO cost overruns, NO changes in the timeline and the end product was more than we could have imagined.
We built an apartment in our basement for our son, who has an intellectual disability, so he could have a little more independence. Ashley, Adam, and the entire crew naturally accommodated our son and made sure he was 100% a part of the planning process, since the apartment was being built for him. They thoughtfully used universal design to ensure that our son could live for as long as he’d like in his apartment, making sure the doors, hallways, and bathroom could accommodate a wheelchair or walker should he ever need one (we didn’t even think about this but they did!). It was that sort of thoughtful accommodation that really made us swoon – they really kept our son’s needs and preferences first and foremost throughout the process.
We not only have an apartment for our son, but a home gym, and plenty of storage. They used every inch of space in our basement and added 800 square feet to our home. Since we live in Kirkwood, the cost of the project is much smaller than the value it brings to our home. We are so pleased with Terra Nova and will use them for every home project we have moving forward. Thanks to Adam, Ashley, Scott, and the whole team! We are THRILLED with our new space and every night our son falls asleep saying ‘I love my new apartment.’"
Holly S.
2024 wouldn’t have been nearly as wonderful if it weren’t for our clients. We’ve loved working with you all to write the next chapter of your homes’ stories and look forward to many exciting chapters ahead. If you are ready to start a new project, contact us for a free initial consultation.
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