Our Story
Building a new home was supposed to be fun, right?
Maybe you’ve found land. Maybe you even have a builder recommendation. You go to sit down and look over different plans and prices, and you think: “I’m going to have to pay THIS much? For a house that looks like THAT?”
You’re not alone. Most people we’ve spoken to who’ve built their own homes have had an incredibly stressful, unsatisfying experience. The process is complicated; full of decisions to make and hidden costs to pay for.
We’ve been there.
Since you’re here, let’s assume you want a non-traditional home. Maybe something modern, a bit minimalistic, but also something charming and timeless.
We were in the same boat, and when we went to get quotes to build our 900 sqft design, they landed between $750 and $1M, with multi-year lead times. We quickly discovered that “modern home” = $$$.
Why is it like this?
Before starting PANL, our combined experience included a Master of Architecture, finance and marketing degrees, a contractor’s license, and multiple years of design-build work for clients. As “experts” in the field, you’d assume we wouldn’t be surprised by the quotes we received. But we were shocked.
We forgot to account for a few factors that are making homebuilding incredibly challenging in the U.S. First off, according to Fannie Mae, the U.S. had a housing deficit of around 4 million homes as of 2019. And supply hasn’t met demand in the time since then. Some estimates place the current number closer to 6 million. If you’ve looked at Zillow and wondered why houses are so expensive, this is a big reason why.
To add fuel to the fire, there also aren’t nearly enough skilled construction workers to build the additional homes we need. According to the Home Builders Institute, “at least 90 percent of single-family builders responding to a survey reported a shortage of carpenters.” Overall, estimates put the current labor shortage around 300-400k workers for residential construction.
Add in supply chain issues resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic and other global disruptions, and you’ve come up with a perfect storm to make homebuilding slow, expensive, and frankly unattainable for many people.
We believe there should be a better way.
Our journey started with a simple goal in mind - to build an efficient, modern home for ourselves. But we felt like it may be an impossible goal once we started to receive quotes from builders.
Rather than give up, we decided to approach the problem head-on, throwing any “common sense” about building out the window. We studied historic homes, modern homes in other countries, and commercial buildings to learn about new construction methods and techniques.
Driven by a desire for a more efficient home-building solution, we set out on a mission to find the best products and systems that would bring our vision to life, and in the process, we developed PANL. With just the two of us utilizing our own test product, we successfully framed our home in just days, significantly faster than traditional building methods with skilled crews.
PANL was born.
It was our personal experience that confirmed our belief in the power of PANL. Had we failed, PANL wouldn’t exist today.
Fortunately, we absolutely love our PANL home and think others will too. We hope you’ll consider us as you embark on your journey towards your dream home.
Erin + Carlin Guthrie, Founders of PANL
Ready to experience PANL for yourself?
Our core objectives:
Make beautiful, modern design accessible for all.
We’ve personally experienced the struggle associated with building a modern, beautiful home. We’re here to create an easier pathway for you to build your dream home. We provide well-designed, high-quality options that enhance your home’s beauty and match your style, all while reducing your stress.
Ensure the needs of people living in our homes are our top priority.
We’re designers, contractors, and business owners; but, above all, we’re homeowners who live in a PANL home. After construction is wrapped, your needs are the only ones that matter. For too long, construction has been a race to the bottom, reducing quality to allow for more corporate profits. We’re here to offer a radically different approach.
Design efficient, sustainable homes that will last for generations.
Home designs must consider the environment and their impact. We design homes that reduce material inputs, waste generation, and ongoing utility usage. And we use durable materials and systems to ensure long-lasting, high-quality structures to protect your investment.
Find your perfect fit
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Origins 2-Bedroom
1200 sqft
Be the host with the most with our largest PANL model.
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Origins 1-Bedroom
830 sqft
The design that started it all.
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Origins Studio
640 sqft
Perfect for a weekend or an extended stay.
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Origins Backyard
310 sqft
The ultimate little ADU with functionality packed in.
