.bodytext {float: left; } .floatimg-left-hort { float:left; margin-top:10px; margin-right: 10px; width:300px; clear:left;} .floatimg-left-caption-hort { float:left; margin-bottom:10px; width:300px; margin-right:10px; clear:left;} .floatimg-left-vert { float:left; margin-top:10px; margin-right:15px; width:200px;} .floatimg-left-caption-vert { float:left; margin-right:10px; margin-bottom:10px; font-size: 10px; width:200px;} .floatimg-right-hort { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 300px;} .floatimg-right-caption-hort { float:left; margin-right:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 300px; font-size: 10px; } .floatimg-right-vert { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 200px;} .floatimg-right-caption-vert { float:left; margin-right:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 200px; font-size: 10px; } .floatimgright-sidebar { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 200px; border-top-style: double; border-top-color: black; border-bottom-style: double; border-bottom-color: black;} .floatimgright-sidebar p { line-height: 115%; text-indent: 10px; } .floatimgright-sidebar h4 { font-variant:small-caps; } .pullquote { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 150px; background: url(http://www.dmbusinessdaily.com/DAILY/editorial/extras/closequote.gif) no-repeat bottom right !important ; line-height: 150%; font-size: 125%; border-top: 1px solid; border-bottom: 1px solid;} .floatvidleft { float:left; margin-bottom:10px; width:325px; margin-right:10px; clear:left;} .floatvidright { float:right; margin-bottom:10px; width:325px; margin-right:10px; clear:left;} Bruce Riesberg has been in the home building business for more than 30 years. But last year, he felt like he needed a change. When he read about UBuildIt franchises in Fortune magazine, he thought he found a good fit for his talents.

“I was immediately interested,” he said. “Plus, they were looking to expand into the Midwest.”

So Riesberg established Iowa’s first UBuildIt operation in Urbandale. The company works with clients who act as their own contractors when remodeling or building a home. It supplies the building and remodeling expertise and passes on discounted rates from its vendors.

“Our clients get the quality and custom work they want at a cost savings,” he said. “We estimate that they save around 20 percent.”

UBuildIt is an 18-year-old business that started on the West Coast and now has about 150 franchises around the country.

Riesberg said he works hand-in-hand with his clients to make sure everything gets done and their “dream house comes true.” He also assists in the initial planning process to ensure that costs don’t get out of hand.

“We build the house on paper before ever turning a spade of dirt,” he said. “We also do a lot of budgeting.”

The vast majority of clients he works with are building houses costing more than $250,000. So with these large projects, saving money becomes even more important.

“But also making sure everything is done right,” Riesberg said. “If you’re not in the industry, you may not know you’re getting cheaper shingles than what you ordered. I make around 25 visits to the work site to make sure not only are we on schedule, but you’re getting everything you paid for and planned for.”

Riesberg said vendors like the service because it means they get paid in a timely manner. Lending institutions like it because it avoids the situation of people running out of money before they finish building their home.

“Then a bank is stuck with this half-finished home to deal with,” he said.

Clients like the service because it ensures that they will get better rates on materials and services, as well as have someone knowledgeable looking over their shoulders.

“Building a home is a living, breathing process,” Riesberg said. “No two are the same. Things are going to come up, and you, as the project manager, have to know how to deal with them. That’s where we come in.”