HAVERFORD >> Nearly every working day for 40 years, brothers Todd and Don Pohlig have breakfasted together before going their separate ways.

The two men who founded Pohlig Builders, building custom homes on the Main Line, said breakfast is a good time to discuss business and stay on track.

The brothers have made it their business to listen to their customers, who commission them to build luxury homes. Theyve also built several subdivisions in the Main Line area and are currently working on Athertyn, a high-end condominium community for those 55 and older at Haverford Reserve.

Weve built about 500 homes right in the Main Line area, said Todd Pohlig, 64. Our philosophy is to stay local.

Pohlig Builders, based in Malvern, specializes in custom homes, said Don Pohlig, 62, anything from small renovations to 20,000-square foot homes. We kind of run the gamut.

They have many repeat customers and one customer who tapped them to build a third home, Don Pohlig said. They are also sometimes called upon to remodel houses that they built earlier, including one $4.5 million renovation to a house they built 12 years ago.

People think the construction business is about the product and really, its about the people, said Todd Pohlig. It really, really is about relationships over time. Thats probably been the key to our success, the relationships weve developed.

Theyre also proud of the relationships they have with their 28 employees, some who have worked for their company for more than 20 years, and with their subcontractors, said Don Pohlig.

The other thing we do really well is listen to our clients, said Todd Pohlig. Were a market-driven company. We dont come up with our own ideas at all. We really try to listen to our clients. Theyre telling us what to build. Thats how Athertyn came to pass.

Realtors and clients told the brothers there was a pent up need in the area for housing for empty nesters and thats proved out to be true, said Todd Pohlig. Continued...

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BUSINESS: 40 years of custom homes, Main Line relationships a successful combination for Pohlig Building

I have managed to navigate most trials in middle age (job changes, children leaving home, deceased pets) with a fair amount of grace. But now I find myself strangely unnerved by an event beyond my control: My childhood home is about to be torn down.

This summer, my parents sold the 2,000-square-foot split-level they bought in a suburb of New York City in the early 1970s. The buyer, a Bronx-based developer of everything from office complexes to strip malls, plans to demolish the house to make way for something bigger and grandera five-bedroom McMansion with stainless-steel appliances, custom millwork, surround sound, and a master suite with a marble bathroom and radiant heat.

For my siblings and me, my parents decision to sell provoked mixed emotions. Its a huge relief to no longer have to worry about anyone tripping on the stairs. But its also hard not to feel depressed at the sight of the old homesteadthe center of our family lifeempty after 43 years.

When a neighbor emailed me recently to say my parents mail was still being delivered there, I was glad for an excuse to drive over and see the house one last time. But with a large piece of excavating equipment sitting in the driveway, it was impossible to ignore whats to come.

I understand why the house is being torn down. The stairs arent up to todays construction codes. The bathrooms and kitchen are small. When someone slams the door in the garage, you can feel the vibrations upstairs in my brothers old bedroom. The plumbing, windows and electric wiring havent been touched in decades. The metallic wallpaper with blue flowers in the bathroom my brother and I once shared says it all: The house is clearly outdated.

Still, I dread its rendezvous with a wrecking ball. When my childhood BFFs century-old house was bulldozed last spring (goodbye high ceilings and ornate mantelpieces), the teardown trend in our old neighborhood suddenly became personal. Was some nefarious forceMcMansion mania? Voldemort?out to destroy my childhood haunts?

Majestic old trees have become irreplaceable commodities in luxury real estate, with architects designing entire homes around them.

Im far from alone. Robert Denk, an economist at the National Association of Home Builders, says about 25% of the single-family homes built nationwide this year will rise from the ashes of teardowns.

Todays buyer doesnt want grandmas house, says Brian Hickey, chief executive of teardowns.com, which helps buyers and sellers of such properties find each other. Buyer preferences have changed, and many older homes are tough to renovate. The ceilings are too low, the basements are dreary, and the wiring is inadequate for todays technology. All of which sounds familiar.

On teardowns.coms list of most active teardown communities nationwide, I wasnt surprised to find my hometown, Rye, N.Y. Its a densely populated suburb where construction pits abound and the median price of single-family homes listed for sale is $2.8 million, according to Gail Feeney, a broker at Julia B. Fee Sothebys International Realty. For that amount of money, I guess I wouldnt tolerate a dreary basement, either.

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When your childhood home becomes a teardown

Myrtle Beach, SC (PRWEB) November 30, 2014

Susan and Berkley White of Classic have been selected to be part of the Southern Living Custom Builder Program for the seventh consecutive year. This makes Classic one of only 100 builders from throughout the country to be chosen for this prestigious honor, and one of only a few to maintain the ranking year after year.

Southern Living carefully selects member builders based on a stringent set of criteria that includes the builders reputation among local businesses and consumers, their strength of presence in their respective markets, superior quality of construction, innovative style, and attention to detail just to name a few. Builders must apply and undergo the rigorous evaluation on an annual basis.

We are very proud to have Susan White and Berkley White of Classic back for this years program, said Kristen Payne, Executive Director for Southern Living Marketing. The Custom Builder Program includes some of the finest custom builders from the southeast.

As a Southern Living Custom Builder, Classic has exclusive access to Southern Livings House Plans, a collection created by well-renowned architects and designers throughout the nation. This collection is only available to Southern Livings Custom Builders, Payne concluded.

"It's an honor to be a member of the Southern Living Custom Builder Program," said Berkley White, Vice President of Classic and South Carolina's Builder of the Year, 2012. "There are many exceptional builders. We are extremely proud of our association with Southern Living," he continued.

About Classic

Classic has built more than 800 homes in the Carolinas and has more than 50 years of combined experience in home building. Their completion of this areas first Southern Living Showcase Home in 2012 represented their 150th home in one of the areas most prestigious developments and that number continues to grow. Recognized as one of the regions premier builders, Classic has earned a reputation for turning a homeowners dream into reality. Classics homes are widely acclaimed for their architectural features and attention to detail. Their services are further complemented by Classic Interiors, their sister company that is responsible for many of their homes interiors, including that of the Southern Living Showcase Home.

About the Southern Living Custom Builder Program

The Southern Living Custom Builder Program is a network of more than 100 of the Souths top custom home builders brought together by Southern Living magazine. This invitation-only program selects custom builders acclaimed for their detailed craftsmanship, excellence in customer service, financial stability, and use of quality building materials in their homes. Before members are selected, Southern Living checks homeowner and business references, and conducts a site visit to ensure we are selecting a builder that will deliver a quality custom home, and the customer service you expect.

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Classic Chosen as Southern Living Custom Builder

Luxury Custom Home Builders
Luxury Custom Home Builders. . . . . . . Austin, TX Home Builders - Houzz http://www.houzz.com All Professionals US Texas Austin Metro Austin As a 6-Time ...

By: jhansi bujji

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Luxury Custom Home Builders - Video

Published: Friday, 11/28/2014 - Updated: 55 seconds ago

BY MIKE SIGOV BLADE STAFF WRITER

Chris G. Zervos, a retired northwest Ohio custom home builder, land developer, and World War II veteran, died of apparent congestive heart failure Wednesday at Ebeid Hospice Residence, Sylvania. He was 93.

Mr. Zervos co-owned and operated the former Chris Zervos Builders Inc. on West Laskey Road, a home-building company specializing in upscale homes, from 1972 when he and his son, Chris Zervos, established the company until he retired in 1996.

My father taught me business, his son said. He believed in high-quality product and in charging a fair price for it.

He was a man of honor. He was very proud of his family, of his heritage, and of his fate.

Before launching that business, the elder Mr. Zervos owned and operated the former general contracting company Mid-City Builders in West Toledo from 1957 until 1972, when it closed.

Later in the 1970s, Mr. Zervos and his son expanded into land development for single-family residential communities.

They developed Christopher Woods off of Alexis Road in Toledo in the late 1970s and early 1980s, Hunters Green off of Whiteford Road in Sylvania Township in 1993, and Timber Ridge Estates in Springfield Township, also in 1993.

He also co-owned and operated the former Delite Night Club at Central and Detroit avenues from 1946 when he and George Stratos, his brother-in-law, bought it until 1955, when they sold the club. At different times in the mid to late-1950s, he also was a salesman and a project manager at the former Stone & Swartzbaugh, a home improvement and remodeling company on Sylvania Avenue.

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Chris G. Zervos: 1921-2014: WWII veteran built business around homes

By MONIQUE PATTERSONNov. 28, 2014, midnight

A FORMER Darlington Point builder is celebrating winning a swag of awards for his home in Townsvillee in north Queensland.

A FORMER Darlington Point builder is celebrating winning a swag of awards for his home in Townsvillee in north Queensland.

Nathan Chapman director of Ecobuild Qld won the Master Builders regional awards for Excellence in Sustainable Living and Display home over $625,000 along with the Master Builders state award for display home over $626,000 and the Regional HIA custom built home $650,001 to $800,000 category.

Mr Chapman received the awards for his own home, which has a nine star energy rating and is the highest energy rated two storey home in a suburban area of north Queensland.

"It's nice to be recognised for our hard work," Mr Chapman said.

"Hopefully it encourages other people to build green."

Mr Chapman said he had always been passionate about sustainable building.

He said the cost savings in the long-term were enormous.

"Our house doesn't cost anything to live in," Mr Chapman said.

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Former Darlington Point builder wins swag of awards

TV host Iyanla Vanzant was pretty much homeless at the start of the year. Yes, she was living in a cavernous 7,500-square-foot house in Upper Marlboro. But the home amounted to four walls and a roof. There was no reflection of her in it. It was an empty shell.

When her boss Oprah Winfrey, head of the OWN Network that broadcasts Vanzant's "Fix My Life" show, heard about it, she decided to transform the interior of Vanzant's home with all the dcorative bells and whistles.

The metamorphosis was a Christmas, birthday, and anniversary gift all rolled into one, Winfrey said. The makeover was so spectacular that Winfrey created a prime-time special centered on the reveal. "Oprah Prime: Iyanla I'll Fix Your House," chronicles the changes made to the Prince George's County estate with the help of celebrity interior designer Nate Berkus.

"This is a gift on behalf of every wonderful thing you have done for others," Winfrey said on the show, which airs Nov. 29 on OWN. "Your home should be your sanctuary."

Berkus scoured the globe to find products that would incorporate Vanzant's Afro-centric roots, deep faith and vibrancy that has won millions of fans for the life coach guru and best-selling author. He found African textiles online; furniture and accent pieces from a vintage homeware emporium in Los Angeles; stone from Italy; tile from France; and locally sourced items such as wood from an old barn near Vanzant's home.

"Even in a very condensed amount of time, the home feels very layered," Berkus said. "It wasn't a bad house. It just was a bit outdated."

Berkus' efforts worked. Five months later, the end result was a home that left Vanzant speechless, tearful and extremely grateful.

"Everyone is just amazed at the way that Nate was able to capture my spirit," Vanzant, 61, said. "The house looks like me. You would expect that I had done the original design."

Vanzant's new home caps off what has been a remarkable year as she embarked on a nationwide tour with Oprah for "Oprah's The Life You Want Weekend" events. On Dec. 4, she will visit Baltimore for "An Evening with Iyanla Vanzant" at the Meyerhoff Symphony Hall.

More than a decade ago, Vanzant was making regular appearances on The Oprah Show to the delight of millions of fans, but her life was spinning out of control. Following a series of setbacks that included the death of her daughter, Gemmia; a divorce from her husband and a falling out with Winfrey over the direction of Vanzant's career, she eventually lost her television gig and filed for bankruptcy, which resulted in the bank repossessing her home.

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For Iyanla Vanzant, a new home helps mark a new life

ANN ARBOR - Meadowlark Builders will be conducting tours of a custom, resource-efficient home under construction in Dexter, the next installment in Meadowlarks Behind The Drywall Tour Series.

Attendees will get a rare glimpse of the technology and building techniques that go into constructing a resource-efficient home all before the drywall is placed on the walls. Guided tours will take place on Saturday and Sunday, December 13 and 14. This custom home, named Green Country Ranch, sits on an idyllic five-acre lot with a great view looking south over a meadow of waving grass.

Our clients are from Ireland and France and were used to smaller homes that last forever. They wanted a country setting, but were adamantly opposed to the large mcmansions mandated by the community review board. They came to us looking for something smaller that was resource efficient and better built than most of the current construction they had viewed, said Meadowlark President Doug Selby.

Working with the review committee was challenging, but - we ended up with a home that had the smallest possible square footage that could be built in the community, and it had all the elements of the smaller, more efficient home that our clients desired, Selby added.

Along with a durable and efficient building envelope, advanced HVAC system, and lots of green technology, this custom home has been designed and built to ensure that the owners will be able to stay in the home long into the future regardless of how their accessibility requirements change or how energy prices rise.

This home features:

Geothermal Heating and Cooling

Superior Walls foundation

Hot roof

Advanced thermal envelope

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Meadowlark Builders Offers Dexter Green House Tour Dec. 13-14

Norse Log Homes builds high quality handcrafted log homes and structures designed to suit your needs. Our goal is to build you the best quality product for the best possible price, without sacrificing design or beauty. We also build post and beam, timber framing, and the latest in Structural Integrated Panel construction.

We started building in 1975 in the British Columbia Cariboo (not to be confused with the animal Caribou) and moved to Vancouver Island in 1984 to be at the source of the worlds best Douglas Fir and Western Red Cedar house logs. We have since built hundreds of log homes all over the world.

Each log or timber is selected by hand and every part of our homes are hand crafted to fit perfectly together. Logs are 12-15 inch diameter scribed to fit; our craftsmanship has been perfected to give you the best home package available.

Browse through our wide selection of log home plans or design something completely original to fit your budget with the help of one of our specialized log designers. Then let Norse Log Homes help make your dream home the reality youve dreamed about for years!

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Norse Log Homes | Custom Log Homes, Log Home Builders ...

By Carie Canterbury

canterburyc@canoncitydailyrecord.com

Mayor Tony Greer presents an award during Monday's City Council meeting to Mark Mitchell, equipment operator/street maintenance, and Bill Lennox, lead equipment operator, for their 'Pipe Puller' invention that has garnered national recognition. (Carie Canterbury / Daily Record)

The City of Caon City received kudos from a local home builder for approving a new ordinance designed to jump start the local business industry.

The Caon City Council on Monday approved on first reading the ordinance that will create a temporary incentive program intended to stimulate prompt economic development and construction of new residential, commercial and industrial buildings in the city.

City Attorney John Havens said the incentives will become effective immediately following adoption at the Oct. 20 meeting. The incentives include:

Waiver of a tap fee for new buildings constructed following the adoption of the ordinance and receive a certificate of occupancy no later than Nov. 30, 2016. A tap fee costs $5,000.

Deferment of building permit fees and use taxes payable to the city at the time building permits are issued with a full waiver of those fees and costs if the structures receive a certificate of occupancy by Nov. 30, 2016. Building permit fees and use tax vary depending on the valuation of the structure.

"It gives builders and property owners in the city a chance to make some rather significant savings with respect to their projects provided they start promptly and finish ahead of the deadline," Havens said.

Local resident Bob Leck, representing Create Caon City, the Fremont County Homebuilders Association and Leck Construction, said the ordinance is "extremely progressive thinking."

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Caon City Council praised for ordinance intended to help builders