The residential construction industry faces a widespread quality issue that most homebuyers do not anticipate. Many buyers assume that a new home guarantees high quality, but in reality, standard construction often falls short, and a growing group of builders is working to change that.
Cary DeCamp, Managing Director of Kala Performance Homes in Kansas City, is among those leading this shift. After nearly four decades in the technology sector, including co-founding Perceptive Software, DeCamp entered residential construction with a clear goal: to build homes that prioritize health, comfort, durability, and efficiency rather than size or cosmetic features.
“People assume if they buy a new house, they’re buying a high-quality house, and they’re not,” DeCamp says. He points out that most buyers lack understanding of how well their homes are built or how design shortcuts can lead to higher costs and discomfort over time.
Kala Performance Homes uses Passive House principles as a benchmark, even though not every project is fully certified. This focus means careful attention to airtightness, insulation, and the integrity of the building envelope, factors that local building codes often overlook.
According to DeCamp, conventional code-based construction in Kansas City produces homes with poor air sealing and thermal performance. “We build far above what is required by code in terms of air tightness, which is actually not part of any code in our area, in terms of thermal performance, in terms of all the things that matter in building a home from a performance standpoint,” he says.
Unlike traditional builders who pursue a wide range of projects, Kala only accepts work that meets its high-performance criteria. “We don’t chase RFPs. We don’t do conventional development projects. We only build high performance,” DeCamp explains.
Despite its specialized focus, Kala serves a wide range of clients, from affordable housing buyers to luxury homeowners. The company builds homes priced under $250,000 and above $2.5 million. By emphasizing performance over high-end finishes, Kala creates value across every price point.
“We build across a huge range,” DeCamp says. “We’re interested in bringing the same level of durability and health and comfort to everybody who buys a house, whether it’s a $200,000 house or it’s a $2.5 million house. They should get the same physical experience.”
The primary trait shared by Kala’s buyers is deliberate decision-making. “They’re all very thoughtful. They think hard about what they’re moving into. They know we’re different, and they know they’re going to get a different type of home,” he adds.
DeCamp has observed a shift in what buyers want from a new home. Rather than seeking the largest possible house or focusing on flashy features, more buyers now prioritize quality construction and long-term value.
“People are more open to a better building, as opposed to just buying size and what I call bling,” he observes. Younger buyers, especially, are moving away from the McMansion trend that once dominated the market.
Practical concerns about maintenance and durability drive this shift. Buyers increasingly want homes that will not require costly repairs or replacements within a few years. “People don’t want to buy a new house and have to spend $10,000 in a decade replacing windows because of wood rot, so they’re looking for durability. They’re looking for safety. They’re looking for comfort,” DeCamp says. “They’re not looking for size as much as they used to.”
Much of Kala’s work involves urban infill projects in Kansas City, which present unique technical challenges. Many lots are “second-generation” sites where older structures were demolished, and debris was left behind, often buried in former basements.
“We’ve learned the hard way that we can’t count on that hole of debris being there or not being there,” DeCamp says. “We have to plan for basements because we don’t have firm soil.” He explains that after encountering unexpected debris and poor soil conditions on a past project, Kala now assumes all inner-city lots may have hidden issues and plans accordingly.
This approach highlights the importance of anticipating potential problems and building for quality from the outset, rather than trying to fix issues after construction has begun.
Kala is currently piloting high-performance construction in the build-to-rent segment, developing eight homes in a Kansas City opportunity zone. DeCamp believes this model could scale, but acknowledges the financial and industry barriers.
He notes that higher construction quality produces lower operating costs, which can be recouped through higher rents and lower utility bills. “We capture the increase in build cost through higher rents and through charging for utilities that they don’t actually consume,” DeCamp explains.
However, he notes that most developers prioritize financial structuring over product quality. “The development industry is not really about product. It’s really about money. If you’re a financialized developer, it’s tough to put together a house the way we put a house together,” he says.
Kansas City’s relatively steady housing market provides a strong foundation for Kala’s approach. The market’s stability allows the company to plan and grow without the volatility seen in other regions.
“One of the nice things about living in Kansas City is it’s not a frothy market. It’s a reasonably stable economic base to operate from,” DeCamp says. “We don’t tend to suffer the way certain markets do with super high changes in cost of living.”
Thanks to this stability, Kala has maintained a steady pipeline of projects and expects continued growth. “Our business continues to grow. We have many projects in the pipeline. I don’t see any reason at all why we won’t be successful and why the residential home market won’t stay reasonably strong,” he says.
A significant barrier to high-performance construction is limited consumer awareness. Most buyers do not know how to judge construction quality or what questions to ask about building methods.
“Somehow, the general consumer needs to be educated about how poorly their house is probably built,” DeCamp says. He points out that the average buyer rarely understands what goes into a well-built home, which allows poor practices to persist and makes it difficult for quality-focused builders to communicate their value.
Custom high-performance homes typically take 18 months from initial consultation to completion, with six to eight months devoted to design and permitting. While this is longer than the standard construction timeline, the additional time is needed to ensure careful planning and execution.
As construction costs remain high, DeCamp sees an opening for builders who emphasize performance. “The easiest way to pay for performance is to design your house to be a bit smaller,” he says, pointing to the growing willingness among buyers to trade size for quality.
For investors and developers interested in adopting high-performance construction, the challenge is to understand how improved quality can deliver long-term financial benefits. While industry-standard models often overlook these advantages, DeCamp believes that as consumers become better informed and ongoing costs become more critical, more developers will recognize the value of building beyond code.
Performance-focused construction is no longer a niche concern. As buyers grow more sophisticated and operating costs take center stage, the market is beginning to reward homes that deliver real durability, efficiency, and comfort, setting a new standard for what a quality home can be.
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