How Balassone Builders Leveled Up 

While other kids watched cartoons, Steve Balassone binge-watched This Old House with his dad. He wanted to grow up to be Bob Villa, or even better, like his dad—always handy around the house with a hammer in his tool belt.  

Dreams—and dream homes—sometimes do come true. Steve found his calling in construction, especially when it came to building his own home (though don’t bring up the subject of his still unfinished basement). “I’ve got an idea,” he told his wife after buying their first place, “let’s knock it down and start over.”  

At the time, he’d been building large-scale commercial shopping centers in cities around the world, from Tampa to Toronto to Singapore. This jet-setting career came after graduating from Clemson University with a degree in construction management, then working for large contractors on track homes. 

It took building his own home in his spare time, and loving every aspect of the process, to make another bold, full-demolition declaration to his wife: “I quit my job today… but don’t worry, I have a plan.”  

Enter Balassone Builders, his New Jersey construction company focused on high-end custom homes. For Steve, it was a chance to set the tone for the type of business he’d run and the types of projects he’d build. Attention to detail is something he always puts first, and Boise Cascade® products have done their part in delivering consistency he can count on.  

When demoing the bathroom in an older home, he noted that the studs were bowed. “This is going to be a problem,” he thought. He remembered a product he’d seen from Boise Cascade—“that’s a super straight stud,” and decided to give them a try. From that point on, he’d use Versa-Stud® laminated veneer lumber in every bathroom they built.

“Now, our standard is using them on any walls that have cabinetry. Bathrooms. Kitchens. I even recently had a project with trim-less doorways and floors. You can’t hide any imperfections with trim in that wall. So, we framed the whole house with Versa-Stud LVL in the walls and Versa-Lam® LVL beams and headers.” 

The house featured two stories with 12-foot-tall walls punctuated with large windows that, if the walls were not smooth, would highlight any bend or flaw.  

“If you reframe walls using your traditional two-by material, you have to worry about things moving over time. As we’re framing, we’re open to the elements. It’s getting wet. It’s drying. It might even get snow and ice on it,” Steve said. Over the years, he’s tried many different products, but at the end of the day, “we keep coming back to Boise Cascade because the products work.”   

Steve recently started work on a new project he calls “the fun house.” Part commercial and part residential, the house will have a pickleball and basketball court on the first floor, with a golf simulator, a poker room, and a bar in the basement. The living space—one bedroom, one bathroom, and a small kitchen—is almost an afterthought (and a local zoning requirement). With this unique design calling for the flexibility that long spans for the floors and tall walls can provide, Boise Cascade products are helping to make “the fun house” a reality. 

It’s clear that Steve lives for the challenges of owning his own company. In addition to turning clients’ visions into reality, he also focuses on staying up to date with the latest products in the market.  

“We continue to stay proactive and explore innovative materials that maintain our efficiency without compromising quality,” he added.  

Even if it means waking up early and juggling two or three job sites a day, while constantly keeping an eye on industry trends and innovations, it’s the kind of life he signed up for and always wanted for himself. And just like his dad did all those years ago, he’s also showing the magic of building and construction to his own seven-year-old son.  

“My son loves to come to all the jobs. I just got him a few new Balassone Builders hoodies and sweatshirts so he’s all excited,” Steve smiled. “He’s probably the best sweeper I have.” 

From generation to generation, Balassone Builders is looking to deliver the best quality home possible by staying ahead of the competition, sparing no details, and by sharing his passion with the next wave of home builders.