FARGO — One of the biggest problems when remodeling or building a new home was figuring out the details, such as carpeting and carpeting, but not anymore. Now it’s all possible virtually.
“This is the Oculus Quest 2. This is the VR (virtual reality) headset,” said Nick Steinbrecher, owner of
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Steinbrecher is known to his friends as the man who repairs John Deere tractors or helicopters for the National Guard. But now he’s busy working on Verity Homes to show homebuyers exactly what to do in or out of their soon-to-be-built home.
“So I can see everything like I would in real life, and it’s all 3D because there are 2 lenses,” Steinbrecher said.
“(I) want to change these countertops, maybe I’m not a big fan of this marble here, and I want to go (with) something darker – not my taste personally, but this is an option you can do (…) You changes it so, as simple as it gets, so you can adapt your home very quickly, and in less than a minute you can completely change the look of a room,” he explained.
So if a buyer doesn’t like the paint, carpet or windows, they can easily be changed virtually.
“And like, looking at drawings and looking at 3D renderings and stuff, and just trying to imagine what it’s going to look like when it’s all put together,” can be challenging, he said. “You don’t have to fantasize about this, you just do it.”
Countertops or floors can be changed in an instant.
“I’m going to be able to grab a cube here, just like this, and then we can touch it on the ground,” Steinbrecher said as he demonstrated virtually. “And as soon as I touch it to the floor, all the floor changes.”
The software also has a tape measure function so buyers know exactly how furniture and accessories will fit and look in their new home. This is just the tip of the iceberg. Soon, home buyers will be able to know when sunlight will enter their homes on a specific date and time, so they can install that perfect window in the perfect spot.
It’s all done using Steinbrecher’s software and virtual reality goggles and controllers. It’s like a house design video game.
“To visualize it and make it come to life is something I think will give people a lot of peace of mind and ease the guesswork they would normally have,” said new home specialist Jessica Janu, who is part of the sales team at
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While VR has been around for a while, a software package this complete has not. Steinbrecher says this house visualization takes the guesswork out of the high-pressure situation to turn a house into a home.