2018 HBAI President
Clairmont, Ltd.
Throughout high school, college and as a graduate student, Patrick Franz assisted his Father with rehabbing apartment buildings. He enjoyed taking old properties and transforming them into a much nicer place to live. He also realized that by significantly improving these apartments he would also attract higher rents and better-quality tenants. The family renovated to continuing owning them so quality was important, so the tenants’ use didn’t diminish the aesthetics or increase overhead.
Following graduate school, Pat landed a job as an assistant to a major Chicago sports figure handling major real estate acquisitions. There he helped standardize the due diligence used to evaluate purchases and renovations throughout the U.S.
In 1990 Pat formed Clairmont, Ltd. and began building entry level tract homes in the south suburbs. He understood the market and conducted market research for infill building sites. During that time, neighbors would approach him on the job site and ask for various projects (i.e. build a new porch). He recognized that this offered a regular stream of income which complemented the longer cash flow cycle from building homes.
At the time, remodelers did not provide design for small jobs while Pat did. Providing quality design on projects gained him additional business; homeowners loved his ideas and continued to hire him.
“Having a vision to improve the way a room or home looks is just plain fun and beats a paper pushing job any day of the week,” he says. We understand what things cost and can deliver a really cool design within their budget.
Clairmont Ltd. is a Certified Graduate Builder, identifying them as one of the industry’s top professionals. And as a Certified Green Professional, Clairmont Ltd. has a solid background in green building methods and is able to incorporate green building principles into building and remodeling homes without driving up the cost of construction.
Dedicated to the advancement of his industry, Pat Franz has held numerous leadership positions. Among them are past directorships in the NAHB, HBAI, SSHBA and the Remodeler’s Council as well as the former chair at HBAI. Pat is also passionate in furthering industry legislative efforts. He remains active as Co-chair of the SSHBA Government Affairs Committee and his service on the SSHBA Political Action Committee.
