Highlighting another HCH project...

We have recently started several new projects.  This one is being constructed at 6925 Evangeline in Plantation Oaks.   Its on a half acre, corner lot and is for a family with two young boys.  We poured the slab in early November and started framing just before Thanksgiving.  This is how it looks today...

They still have to add the shed dormers across the front and set the 12x12 columns...well...and do a lot of other stuff.  It takes shape quickly at this stage, but it will be another couple of weeks before the framing is complete.

 

Here we are standing in what will be the bonus room over the four car garage.

 

 

We are very excited for this one to come together so we can move out of our tiny rental.  Yes, its ours! =)

Progress on S. Pine Island Rd...part 2

Sorry I haven't blogged in awhile.  The business and the family are keeping me very busy!  One of the projects that I think is coming along really nicely is the house on S. Pine Island Rd so I thought I'd share some progress photos.  It's at the stage where you can begin to see the final outcome and you know its going to be awesome.

 

Here is the view from the front as of today:

 

The combination of cedar, metal, brick and stone look great together.

 

In the entry foyer, there is a cathedral ceiling with beams and brick walls.  This look is very popular and is impressive when you enter the home. 

This picture is standing in the living room looking into the kitchen.  (Sorry for the broom and my kid in the picture!)  The painters are working on staining the cabinets (the reason for no doors) but you can still get a feel for how the colors and material choices are starting to look. 

The fireplace in the living room still needs to be dressed up with mantel and TV, etc but the stone turned out beautifully.

 

This is the view from the back with the great back porch:

 

And finally, one of the not-so-glamorous parts of the job....the septic system.  They were setting the tank when I was out taking photos, so here ya go!  The septic system is one of necessary "extras" with rural living.  There's no city sewer out here.

Amanda Lane is complete!

The home being constructed at 4965 Amanda Lane in Lumberton is complete!  This was a large, custom home for a local family of four.  They have a 10-acre property and some great neighbors.

 

The homeowners knew exactly what they wanted and they made great selections all along the way.  This is a picture of the sliding barn door that leads to the study.  There will be glass at the top that is not yet installed in this photo.

 

 

The kitchen is spacious and inviting with custom painted cabinets and lots of counter space.

 

The living room has a cathedral ceiling and amazing rock fireplace. 

The fireplace is double-sided and the other side faces the rear porch.

 

The split floor plan has a "kids'" bath with double vanities.

 

The laundry room has lots of extra storage for this busy family on the go.

The guest bath features a clear glass vessel sink and a gorgeous tile shower. 

 The shower doors have not yet been installed in this photo.

They selected a hardwood flooring with lots of character.  It has a very visible grain and lot of beautiful color variation.  Here it is installed in the master bedroom.

 (That's our 4-year-old, Evan, sneaking into the picture)

 

I didn't get a lot of great shots of the master bath, but I did get this one of the tub. 

Its a huge, 24-inch deep soaker tub.  Nice!

 

This project was challenging and exciting to work on. 

I hope the family will make great memories in this house and enjoy it for years to come!

Bear Creek

A new client of mine is building in the Bear Creek subdivision.  Their house will be one of the first.  Its a very unique place in that it has beautiful, large wooded lots.  They are all 3-5 acres in size and there are 85 in phase 1.   

The subdivision is located on 421 between Sour Lake and Lumberton and is in Hardin-Jefferson school district.  The entrance has two beautiful stone signs.

 
We did the dirt work this week and got the form boards set and under reams drilled.  If the weather allows, I hope to pour the foundation very soon.

Progress on S Pine Island Rd

This house is coming together quickly.  We are almost ready for drywall, and framing was only started a little over a month ago.  Here's how it looks today... The roof is on.  The windows and doors are in.  The stone and brick have arrived and are staged in the front yard.

The front door is going to let in tons of light with its side and top transoms.  This door was a bargain find at a local supply store.  They occasionally have items on clearance from the warehouse at less than half price, so I always keep an eye out for things my clients might want and snatch them up.

 There's a cathedral ceiling in the living room with a double-sided fireplace.

 

Here's the back porch with the other side of the fireplace.

 

The back porch connects to a 2-car carport and a 1-car carport.

 

 

 

Houzz

I'm sure most folks are in the loop on Houzz.com, but just in case you're not, I wanted to mention what a great website it is for home building and remodeling ideas.  It has over 2 million photos and let's you build "ideabooks" where you can save the photos you like.  Being able to show your builder what you want in a photo can go a long way in making sure you get what you want.  Here's an example of what I'm talking about....

The homeowner gave me a picture from Houzz of the master bath tile they want and I have given it to the tile guys.  They have it on display in the bathroom.  You can't get any more clear than this.

Brick at Nottoway

I'm very pleased with how the brick is looking at Nottoway.  It's a brick that's made to look "used" and its called San Luis.  This brick was supplied by Beaumont Brick and Stone.

They have a long way to go!  They can only lay so many feet high in a day to keep a uniform mortar joint.  If they go too high at once, the mortar will compress and ooze out. 

The home stretch on Amanda Lane

The house on Amanda Lane in Lumberton is entering the final stages of construction.  The painting is complete.  The light fixtures are being installed.  The flooring will start tomorrow.  Here's how it looks on the outside so far...

 

Here's a peek at the kitchen cabinets.  The granite isn't installed yet, but the style and detail are stunning.

 

BEFORE

 

AFTER (still not finished!)

You can see from this last photo that they have tons of storage space and an enormous kitchen.  With flooring and countertops, this kitchen is going to be a dream!

The cabinets were constructed and installed by HR Cabinets out of Beaumont.  They offer a large variety in custom cabinets and also premade cabinets.

 

Opportunities in River Birch Place

My last post was about a house under construction in River Birch Place, but did you know they are about to open a new section soon?  They have approximately 20 lots that will be open in a few weeks and are available through several local builders and yours truly!  I have two lots that are 80' wide by 130' deep.  I will post more info once they are ready, but here's how it looks today....

 

 

 

The lots I will have are on the first street to the right.  There is also a second street to the right that will be a cul-de-sac and a street to the left that connects to River Birch Drive

and goes back out to the main entrance.

 

River Birch Place is a nice, planned community that has a great pond and playground in the middle. 

The developer plans to eventually develop the subdivision all the way to the Walmart. 

First Home in River Birch Place

I wanted to share a little about the project I'm working on in River Birch Place in Lumberton. 

The house is for a client who knows a lot about building and wanted to be his own builder, but the problem was he hadn't lived in the area for a while and had lost contact with the best subs and suppliers.  To get the job done.....we have teamed up.  For a flat fee, I am recommending subcontractors and hooking him up with my pricing and accounts at local suppliers.  I am also offering my advice and assistance with issues as they arise.  He is supervising and scheduling the work and handling most of the day-to-day activities.   

 

The project is rolling along very smoothly and we have had very few issues.  The house is around 2500 sq. ft. and has 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, a study and a 3-car garage. 

Here's how the house looks today:

 He chose a light slurry to accent the front porch which I think turned out nicely.  Here's a close up of the brick and the edge of the slurry:

 

 The view from the front door looking into the family room:

 The fireplace in the family room:

This picture is looking from the family room into the kitchen and breakfast area. 

South Pine Island Road

One of the things about being a custom builder is that you do a lot of driving.  Your work is spread out to many surrounding areas based on where your clients own property and choose to build.  With South Pine Island Rd, I got lucky and its literally a couple of miles from my house.    This house is for a wonderful family with 3 young children.  They are building on a beautiful piece of property and have plenty of room for everyone with 2800 sqft.   

 

On August 13th...framing started and it looked like this:

 

Ever wonder why some framing lumber is pink?  Its because its chemically treated with boron to resist decay.  The pink color makes it easily recognizable in areas that have codes specifying this type of wood for construction.

 

 

Now, on August 27th....it looks like this:

 

 

Armando's guys don't mess around.  As I've said before, they work around the weather and make it happen.  This job has been no exception.  We need the rain, but not before we have it dried in!

 

The cedar posts are onsite and soon to be installed.  They are going to look great on the front entry and on the back porch.

Waterfront in Port Neches

One of the projects I'm working on is a home in River Oaks in Port Neches.  The home is located on a waterfront lot that connects to the Neches River.  This has been a unique and exciting project for several reasons.  For one, its been my first time building in Port Neches and becoming familiar with the permitting process.  There are a lot of approvals and inspections needed for new construction.  For another, this is my first home with a large retaining wall.  Here are a couple of pictures of the retaining wall during construction:

As you can see from the house across the water, these walls are important for the stability of the house and also for access to the water.  Since completing the retaining wall, we have also poured the slab and have started framing.  Here is a picture of the slab.  This was one of the largest pours I've done to date.

Colonial Charm

The home at 6905 Nottoway has been framed!  The roofing is being installed and the A/C and plumbing crews are hard at work so we can move on to drywall.  The colonial style of this home looks great in this neighborhood. 

 

 

Lot available in Plantation Oaks

If you happen to see this post and are interested in building in Plantation Oaks in Lumberton, let me know.  My wife and I bought this half-acre corner lot to build our next house on, but the process of selling our current home is taking a long time.   Even though it isn't popular with the family, we've decided to advertise the lot for a "build to suit" project.  You pick the plans and I'll build it on a cost-plus basis.  If you want to take a look at it in person, go north on 69 and exit Keith Rd.  Plantation Oaks is a couple of miles down on the left.  This lot is at the corner of Plantation Oaks Dr and Evangeline Dr.

 

One of the things we liked about the lot is that its right across from this cool playground.  If you're looking at the lot from Evangeline, the park is to the right on the next corner.  My wife took this picture standing on the edge of this lot.