They had just moved into their brand new home in November. Everything felt settled. Finished. The way it’s supposed to feel after building from the ground up. When all the decisions are behind you, and you finally get to just live in the space you created.
And then in March, a storm rolled through Central Ohio.
Before The Storm
Before choosing American Heritage Homes, Linda and Brian did what most homeowners do. They took their time to ensure they were making the right choice.
They interviewed four different builders, walked through homes in process, and attended an open house. They wanted to get it right.
In the end, they chose to build their custom home with American Heritage homes. And throughout the process, what stood out most wasn’t just the home itself, but the people behind it.
From the initial conversations to the final walkthrough, our team worked alongside the Cutlers to ensure every detail met the standard we expect (and they deserve). That meant holding subcontractors accountable, reworking anything that didn’t meet expectations, and staying committed to doing things the right way.
Then The Storm Came
Just months after moving in, everything changed. On March 13, a high-wind storm tore through Ohio.
Eighteen trees came down on Linda and Brian’s wooded property.
One of them hit their home…the home they had just moved into a few months earlier.
The Next Morning
Like most homeowners in that situation, Linda wasn’t sure where to start. So she started by calling our office. Within minutes, our team was already stepping in. Calls were returned. Help was on the way.
Not long after, a trusted tradepartner that we recommended was on-site assessing the damage and preparing materials to protect the home before more weather rolled in.
While neighbors helped clear branches from the roof, the repair team secured tarps to prevent further damage. And behind the scenes, something else was happening too. The repair team already had access to the home’s original blueprints. They knew the materials. The colors. The exact details needed to restore the home properly.
No guesswork. No delays. Just people showing up and doing what needed to be done.
More Than Expected
None of this was something Linda and Brian expected.
But in a moment that could have felt overwhelming, they weren’t left to figure it out alone.
And that’s the part that matters most.
In Their Words
A letter shared with us by our homeowners, Linda & Brian Cutler.
My husband, Brian, and I interviewed 4 different builders, visited one of your repeat customers’ AHH homes, and attended an AHH open house before we decided on American Heritage Homes to build our custom home in Scenic View Estates, a new and unique development in Pataskala, Ohio.
We were very pleased working with all of your helpful employees (Emily, April, Heather, Maggie, Amy, Ben, Derek, John, to name some front-line ones) throughout this process. We saw Derek Delamotte and John Harding had our best interest at heart, holding all subcontractors to your high quality standards and making them re-work those projects not meeting your standards. We so appreciated this.
We have enjoyed living in this house until…Friday, March 13, 2026, a high wind storm blew across Ohio, knocking down eighteen (18) trees on our wooded property. One, unfortunately, hit our brand new AHH house that we just moved into November 5, 2025. Because I did not know who to contact for repairs, I called Maggie Campbell in the AHH office on Saturday morning, March 14, 2026, to get names and addresses, phone numbers of whom AHH used to build our home.
Within a few minutes of my call to Maggie, Bill Crum called me back. I am not sure if or how many people sprang into action between my call to Maggie and Bill’s call to me, but we thank any/all for their quick actions. Bill not only shared his concern for our situation but also had contact information for a man he knew from church with a construction/repair business, Reynolds Home Repair, LLC. Cliff Reynolds called shortly thereafter to say he was on his way to assess damages and supplies he needed.
While five neighborhood men slowly dismantled the tree branches from the 80-foot tree from our roof, Cliff went back to his business to get his trailer and son to return with supplies to secure tarps to the roof to mitigate further damage from pending rain. When I spoke to Cliff on his return, he said Bill had already sent over to him blueprints, so Cliff already had a list of materials and colors for our shingles, Hardie Board siding, soffit colors, etc. None of this assistance from AHH was expected, but certainly was well appreciated for a task I saw as overwhelming.
This treatment speaks highly of the integrity of you and your employees. Because of this, Brian and I gladly volunteer to give testimony to any potential client of yours. You also have our permission to use any portion of this letter to promote your business.
John Harding has since been over for a few minor repairs to the house (unrelated to our tree situation) and left an AHH house-warming gift of a customized charcuterie or cutting board. We thank you for this lovely touch!
With our most sincere gratitude.
Linda and Brian C
What Matters Most
Building a home is a big deal.
But what happens after you move in—that’s where trust is really built.
It’s easy to stand behind the work when everything goes according to plan.
It matters more when it doesn’t.
Thinking About Building?
If you’re starting the process—or just exploring your options—we’d love to walk you through what it’s like to build with a team that shows up, not just on day one, but whenever you need us.