Jamie Walker is one of those big-brained people. His knowledge is deep, he has a vision, and he knows how to get there. Honestly, one of my first thoughts was that he reminds me of other great innovators like Steve Jobs (but nicer), Elon Musk (but sane), or Mark Zuckerberg (but not a robot).

But it’s not about how big your brain is; what matters is how you use it. Jamie uses his “upper story” to help people design dream homes that are economical to build, functional to live in, and attractive to look at.

What makes Jaime stand out from the competition? Here’s an example: In a very unusual arrangement, a customer wanted two homes built side by side simultaneously, one for them and the other for their parents. Both were 6,000 square feet and used the same contractors to do the work, but Jamie designed one house and another architect did the other. The Walker house made it through the city plan review process a month quicker, and the builders completed that home two months earlier, all for $100,000 less than its twin next door!

Working with his father and grandfather building houses helped Jamie identify his path in life. Ever since, he’s been completely devoted to learning new skills to improve the services offered at his architectural firm, Walker Home Design. Since he has won Best of SLC three years in a row, I’d say he’s on the right path, wouldn’t you?

What’s unique is that Jamie has extensive experience actually building things. This is a guy who knows his way around a hammer. As he puts it, “Most architects have never built so much as a doghouse!” A lack of field experience means most architects and designers don’t actually understand construction, leading to inefficiency.

ONE STANDARD DUMPSTER!

Jamie requires all of his team to have some experience in construction. They also go to job sites at least once a month so they can see their creations
being built and gain insight from the process. They’ve designed over 4,000 homes, and they’ve learned from every one.

In the film The Founder, which covers the beginning of the McDonald’s fast food empire, there’s a montage showing a kitchen floor plan drawn in chalk on a tennis court. The scene shows an overhead shot as the founders role play, redesign, and role play again and again, attempting to find the most efficient design and workflow possible for their kitchen. Their goal? To prepare hamburgers and get them to customers fast and at a great value.

This is the type of big-brain thinking I was referring to, and it’s neat to see how it plays out in home design and building. Another example of this was when a 10,000-square-foot house Jamie designed only produced one standard dumpster of material waste during construction. One standard dumpster! Efficient use of materials helps many Walker-designed homes appraise for double their build cost after completion.

Some people chase the dollar, others fame or power. Jamie’s thing is helping homeowners get the best bang for their buck. Walker Home Design believes that their houses should be economical to build, functional to live in, attractive to look at, and fun! Do you like themed rooms and secret passages? Jamie’s your guy, and he would love to make your childhood dreams come true.

Jamie Walker wants people to feel the same thing he does. You pull into your driveway at the end of a long day and get a warm, fuzzy feeling looking at the home you’ve always dreamed of and seeing it full of the people you care most about.