Meet Chad Weaver: Epcon Franchise Builder in Mars, Pennsylvania

Chad Weaver initially dreamed of becoming a pilot, but life steered him toward a thriving career in home building.

Starting as a second-generation builder, Chad played a pivotal role in transforming his family’s custom home building business into a thriving Epcon Franchise.

A Family Legacy

Chad’s father started the family business in 1986, leaving behind a career in commercial contracting to build custom homes and develop land. Chad grew up immersed in the business, sweeping floors and framing houses before heading to college to study construction management.

Chad dreamed of becoming a pilot but financial barriers redirected him to construction. After earning his degree, Chad worked in the field for several years. However, his passion for aviation eventually led him to flight school. A decade later, the events of 9/11 reshaped his career trajectory once again, bringing him back to the family business. By 2005, Chad had fully committed to the company, helping to grow it from four employees to a team of 33, closing 150 homes annually.

Joining Epcon Franchising

In 1999, Chad’s father made a pivotal decision to join Epcon Franchising, shifting from custom home building to the Epcon community model. “He was only building custom single-family homes at the time,” Chad explains. “When an investor approached him about Epcon, he took the opportunity and never looked back.”

The transition was transformative. Instead of competing for clients in neighborhoods with multiple builders, the family gained exclusive control over their communities. “It’s a mind shift to go from a custom builder to an Epcon Builder,” Chad says. “But it’s liberating. You can control costs, margins and the overall process much more effectively.”

Scaling Up

Under Chad’s leadership, the business has grown significantly. Starting with just one Epcon project at a time, they now close around 150 homes annually, with the majority being Epcon products. Despite the growth, Chad emphasizes maintaining a personal touch. “It’s my last name on the door,” he says. “You want to be sure your team treats customers the same way you would.”

Chad credits Epcon’s proven systems and support for much of their growth. The simplified building process allows for greater efficiency. “One project manager can build 30 to 45 homes in a community,” he notes. “With custom homes, you’d need a project manager for every five or six.”

Challenges and the Road Ahead

The Great Recession was a challenging time for the housing industry, but Epcon’s model helped the Weavers weather the storm. “Our buyer profile was key,” Chad recalls. “Even during a recession, people continue to age and seek homes without stairs. Many of our customers pay cash, which adds stability.”

In today’s market, Chad identifies labor, materials and land as the biggest challenges facing his business. Despite these hurdles, he remains committed to sustainable growth. “I’ve always said, ‘50 closings, that’s it,’” he laughs. “Now we’re at 150, but this time, that’s really it.”

Chad’s philosophy is simple: treat customers right and build quality homes. “If you don’t take care of customers after they move in, all your hard work means nothing,” he says. The company’s proactive warranty program reflects this commitment, with multiple follow-ups to ensure customer satisfaction. The Weaver family’s reputation for quality and care sets them apart from national builders. “People are willing to pay a little more for quality,” Chad explains. “But you have to follow through, all the way to the warranty.”

By embracing the Epcon model, Chad has been able to grow his business while maintaining the values instilled by his parents. For aspiring Epcon Franchise Builders, Chad offers this advice: “Trust the process, focus on quality and never lose sight of your customers. If you do those things, growth will follow.”

To learn more about Chad’s journey and Weaver Home’s partnership with Epcon, watch his Builder story: Second Generation Epcon Franchise Builder.

About Epcon

Headquartered in Dublin, Ohio, Epcon is a leading 55+ home building franchise in the United States. For more than 35 years, Epcon has integrated smart, innovative new home designs with the most desirable modern amenities popular with 55+ home buyers. A growing home building business or real estate development company can leverage Epcon Franchising’s proven home designs, technology, marketing and sales resources. Epcon Franchise Builders are given a competitive advantage to build smarter and scale faster in the 55+ home building market. Epcon is ranked on Builder 100 and Pro Builder Housing Giants as a top U.S. home builder and the Franchise Times Top 400 list, has ranked on Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500 and has won many awards from the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). Learn more about what we offer.