tampa home builder: Insurance Awareness Day
- 06/27/11 11:42 PM
Is it that time of year already? And I thought everyone would forget. Yes, today, June 28th, is Insurance Awareness Day. Hard to believe this gem comes around every year, but it's got to be one of your top holidays, right!? I have no idea who the creator of this day is, but you can be certain that insurance companies had a little something to do with it. Now at this point, one must be asking...Why Insurance Awareness Day? Good question.
Insurance, be it for home, auto or life insurance, offers you peace of mind that if something happens, you … (2 comments)
tampa home builder: SAFE Is a Four-Letter Word
- 06/27/11 04:49 AM
When did all of our kids become so soft? For me, I think it started with all the crazy crib bumpers, cabinet locks, outlet plugs and overall baby-proofing of my home. Remember dodge ball? Every game started the same way. The gym teacher would toss a few balls onto the court and you had one mission - pick out someone that you didn't think could catch your ball and throw it at them as hard as you could. It reminds me of that George Carlin routine explaining that children should be pitted against one another in a great, grand plan of … (2 comments)
tampa home builder: If You Want God To Laugh...Make Plans
- 06/12/11 05:02 AM
So here I am on the vacation that I've been diligently planning for months. Wouldn't you know it, but on the 1st day my son gets ill. Needless to say, we didn't do the hikes that I had planned and mapped out. And the sunset jeep tour is questionable. Parenthood is best described by the old expression, "If you want to make God laugh, make plans." Homebuilding can be quite similar.
Building a custom home in Tampa and St. Petersburg requires a lot of planning, yet we always say it's not a matter of if we will hit a bump … (3 comments)
tampa home builder: Architecture as Art!
- 06/08/11 11:35 PM
When you talk about art tastes and preferences, some folks love florals and landscapes. As their appreciation for art expands, they can relate to abstracts. As for me, I am drawn to Architectural renderings ~ nothing better than a pen and ink drawing of a great home or building!
As a Tampa custom home builder with today's technology, we are able to work with clients to make the home of their dreams with some keyboard stokes and the assistance of CAD (computer automated drawings). However, when I drive around Tampa and look at our historical landmark buildings I am in … (2 comments)
tampa home builder: Why I Enjoy Living In South Tampa
- 06/07/11 11:07 PM
Although I can't call myself a native of South Tampa, it's been my home for over twenty years now. I can say without hesitation that I can't think of another place that I'd like to live and raise my family. Certainly the weather is great, but I was born and raised in Ft. Lauderdale, so that's not what did it for me. The main reason that I enjoy living in South Tampa is the "small town" feel in the middle of a big city.
For those not from the area, South Tampa is a peninsula that is directly south of … (3 comments)
tampa home builder: Last One Out, Turn Off The Lights
- 06/05/11 10:50 PM
Long ago the light bulb was an exciting thing. Probably right after Thomas Edison invented it. It seems the bright little idea has become exciting once again. I thought when I was a kid that it was confusing to pick out the right size and wattage. Now, we have to contend with Lumens, Halogen, Xenon, Fluorescents and LEDs. So how do you make sense of it all?
As a Tampa custom homebuilder, we have to come up to speed on the different options for homes, so here's the crash course from what we have learned. First, lets get up to … (4 comments)
tampa home builder: How To Make Your Builder Love You
- 05/31/11 11:06 PM
Yes, I know this may come off as a bit self-serving, but I want to love ALL our customers. Most builders do. So I thought why not share some experiences that make us fall head over heals in love with our customers. Over the years, we've built a lot custom homes in Tampa and St. Petersburg. We've worked with some really great people and some difficult people. Our most successful projects have been the result of developing strong relationships. Here are some tips on how to have a successful project and make your builder love you.
Tell The Builder What He's … (2 comments)
tampa home builder: What’s the Difference between Natural and Propane Gas?
- 05/30/11 11:04 PM
I'm solidly on record as being a proponent of gas in new homes, but I'm often asked what the difference is between natural and propane gas. Well the first difference is that natural gas must be delivered to the home through underground utility pipes, but unlike water, electric, phone and cable, not every home has been piped for natural gas. To get a natural gas line extended to your home is often not cost efficient (and that's a slight understatement). For those homes without natural gas, propane gas is typically stored in underground tanks which are refilled by local propane companies. The … (2 comments)
tampa home builder: Understanding Two Worlds: Yours and Your Builders
- 05/25/11 12:02 AM
I recall hearing a story recently about a builder who built a custom home for a professional race car driver. The driver was ranked number one in the world the year he built the home. Early in the homebuilding process, the builder couldn't understand why it was so unsettling for the customer if things didn't go quite as planned. If a subcontractor or supplier showed up a day late or weather impacted the schedule, the customer became very upset.
After a couple of months, the race car driving customer gave the builder a ticket to a big race in the area … (6 comments)
tampa home builder: Should I Be Afraid of a Change Order?
- 05/23/11 10:43 PM
This question always reminds me of Red Riding Hood. Both grama and Red Riding Hood were right to be afraid of the Big Bad Wolf. Fortunately, Change Orders don't have big hands, ears or teeth. And contrary to many rumors, they won't eat you. No, you shouldn't be afraid of a Change Order - if it's done right.
What is a Change Order? Basically, it's a document used during the homebuilding process to specify a change from the original design or specifications. It may be used to document a change in the selections because you decided to make a flooring switch. Originally, you may have wanted carpeted bedrooms, … (0 comments)
tampa home builder: Loyalty Got Me Nothing But Higher Costs
- 05/22/11 11:41 PM
I know that may sound harsh, but it's the reality of custom homebuilding in Tampa and St. Petersburg. Many of my builder colleagues tell me they have been working with the same electrician, cabinet guy or carpenter for years. Our suppliers and subcontractors will tell me how so and so builder has worked with them exclusively for years. Let me be clear, we are not kicking our partners to the curb after every project. It takes a long time to find quality people in our business. Over the years, we've worked with the best folks in the area and we appreciate each and … (3 comments)
tampa home builder: The Purpose of Business is To Create and Keep a Customer
- 05/19/11 11:42 PM
I came across this saying recently that "The Purpose of Business is To Create and Keep a Customer". I remember it from my classes years ago when I thrashed my way through college. Back then I recall that this seemed like such a simple, obvious statement that I didn't give it much thought. As a Tampa custom homebuilder, I see this statement in an entirely different light.
In the homebuilding business, there really are two different types of custom builders. There are those like ourselves at Javic Homes that believe our goal is to create a customer and keep them. … (3 comments)
tampa home builder: Winning is a Habit. Unfortunately so is Losing.
- 05/18/11 11:08 PM
I guess we can give Charlie Sheen some credit for revitalizing this "winning" thing, but the full credit for this famous quote goes to Vince Lombardi. He was the master of motivating sports quotes. To me, it is more than an overused quote from my high school sports coaches. It has really become about organizing ourselves, so we can be successful.
To be a successful Tampa homebuilder, it comes down to the people, processes and tools. I've introduced a few of our employees in past posts (Missi and Adam) and will highlight more in the future. You can take this with … (0 comments)
tampa home builder: Things You Shouldn’t Buy For Your Custom Home
- 05/16/11 11:22 PM
I always see plenty of Top 5 or Top 10 lists of items you "Must Have" for your home. Actually, I think I've written a couple myself. I couldn't recall a list of items you didn't need, so I figured it was time to write about a few of the things that we think you can do without. Before I started pulling the list together, I knew that a list like this might get a few of our customers, suppliers and sub-contractor irritated. Regardless, here's our list in no particular order.
Jetted Tub - Unless you are Julia Roberts or a … (1 comments)
tampa home builder: Paint Your Heart Out
- 05/15/11 11:18 PM
This past week my daughter was the art teacher for the day at her school. We won it for her at the school auction because we know how much she loves painting and being creative. So all weekend, we heard how much she enjoyed it and it got me thinking just how important painting is for a new home. Unless you're planning to do faux painting or murals, it may not be as creative as my daughter's work or as refrigerator worthy, but paint is crucial and all paint jobs on new homes are not created equal. So what's important to know about paint on … (0 comments)
tampa home builder: Culbreath Bayou Open House - May 15th
- 05/13/11 02:06 AM
We will be having an Open House this Sunday, the 15th, from 1-4pm at 1120 S. Dunbar Ave. It is a wonderful custom home that we recently completed. The owners have graciously allowed us to show the home prior to their move in. It is a great example of our work. We look forward to seeing you. … (0 comments)
tampa home builder: Money Can’t Buy You Happiness, but I’d Rather Cry in a Ferrari
- 05/11/11 10:45 PM
At some point in our lives, we've all heard the expression that "money can't buy you happiness". I can remember my parents lecturing me that buying a new baseball bat (when I already had 3 others) wasn't the best idea. I recall them saying it's the "experiences" that you'll savor and remember, NOT that material purchase. But I wanted to savor and remember the experience of hitting that ball out of the park!!! I was convinced that new bat would hit a ball farther than any of my other ones. And so begins my first experience with this subject. I lost that … (2 comments)
tampa home builder: You Can Learn a lot Just by Watching - Ideas for Smaller Homes
- 05/09/11 11:18 PM
Over the past few years, I've seen new homes in Tampa and St. Petersburg getting smaller for a variety of reasons. Since we have had our hands in the design and construction of several, I thought it would be helpful to share what we've learned. Very simply - design is the key. In a smaller home, our goal is to create these homes without feeling like you are giving up anything.
One of the easiest ways to make a home feel larger is to steal the space from the outside. Or at least make it feel like you're stealing it. … (1 comments)
tampa home builder: Dogs Have Owners, Cats Have Staff
- 05/08/11 11:31 PM
A good friend used this saying and I about fell out of my chair laughing, but how true! It got me thinking about whether it was accurate when you take it to the next level. You know the notion that some people are dog people and some are cat people. Well, I'm not one for stereotyping pet owners, but there's a lot of truth to how this might apply to people and their individual personalities and characteristics. Some folks, lets call them "dog people", might be good when it comes to asking for advice and utilizing feedback. Other people, the "cat … (4 comments)
tampa home builder: Even Napoleon Had His Watergate
- 05/05/11 11:02 PM
So what do Napoleon, Nixon and Yogi Berra have in common? Well, we can credit Yogi with this entertaining quote. I'll take some creative interpretation to guess what Yogi was attempting to say. I think he meant that everyone has their moments of imperfection, which Napoleon and Nixon certainly did. The same can be said about homebuilding and any custom homebuilder in Tampa or St. Petersburg that claims otherwise should be questioned.
I always strive for excellence, but unlike an item going down the line of an automated factory, most components of a custom home are built by people and people are … (1 comments)
Is it that time of year already? And I thought everyone would forget. Yes, today, June 28th, is Insurance Awareness Day. Hard to believe this gem comes around every year, but it's got to be one of your top holidays, right!? I have no idea who the creator of this day is, but you can be certain that insurance companies had a little something to do with it. Now at this point, one must be asking...Why Insurance Awareness Day? Good question.
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