With St. Patrick’s Day coming up, what better way to celebrate than with an article on the ways the Irish have influenced American architecture? From the Gothic Revival style of churches to the Victorian-era row houses, Irish architects and builders have left their mark on the American landscape. Even iconic buildings like the Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building were designed by Irish-American architects. The Irish have influenced the United States in so many ways, affecting our politics, industry, organized labor, religion, literature, music, and art. A less-known contribution is their architectural influence.
These five duplexes we are building on Indian Rocks Beach consist of a foundation and first floor made of concrete and masonry, with the second and third stories constructed with wood framing. This is common building practice in Florida.
In most parts of the country, structures are built primarily with wood framing from the foundation to the roof. In Florida, however, it is very common to see homes built with concrete block. It is done minimally on the first floor, but sometimes the entire structure is built out of concrete masonry units (CMU). We are asked often why it is done that way down here. Is it required by law? Do Florida contractors just like to go the extra mile? Is there simply an over-abundance of masons?
The answer is, none of the above. Building code allows for both concrete block and engineered wood framing down here in Florida, as long as they comply with hurricane codes. However, there are many reasons why concrete block is the more popular building choice. We’ll discuss a few of the main ones here.
Our team does in-depth planning and design before pricing a project and presenting a contract to our clients. In order to present an accurate cost, we must have all the planning done and included in the scope of work.
We get a lot of questions from homeowners about how to price their construction project. When it comes to custom home building, there is no “one size fits all,” cookie-cutter costing system. Every single project is unique and different – which means it involves its own design, its own construction practices, and thus its own unique price. But did you know that there are many different ways to get bids on your construction project? In this article, we will discuss two of the most popular kinds of construction contracts: lump-sum and cost-plus. It is important that you understand the difference, including the pros and cons of each, so that you can make the right decision when it comes to requesting financial information on your project.
A custom home built by Nelson Construction and Renovations.
When building a custom home, nearly everything pivots on your relationship with your builder. You need someone who is more than just a contractor or designer – you need someone you can trust. Reversely, your builder will rely on you for many things throughout the course of the project. Understanding the relationship and working together as a team will determine how smoothly your project goes. To help you with this vital aspect of your project, here are five tips for working with a custom home builder.
Whether you love a clean, minimalistic design or you’re the crossover type going for a transitional style, you need to know what makes a modern kitchen. It’s not just cutting-edge technology, and it’s not even straight lines and minimalism. Modern design is a philosophy centered on function. This could never be truer than in a modern kitchen, which tends to be the center of the home, where function and flow lines are absolutely essential.
In addition to function, there are a few basic design elements that can make a kitchen feel more contemporary. This can help you steer your design in the direction you want, so read on for our top 5 design tips for creating a modern kitchen.
This St. Pete home we remodeled last year featured smooth finish walls. This made wallpaper application possible in the stairwell and other parts of the home.
Have you just moved to the Sunshine State from somewhere like California or New England? Then perhaps you are surprised by the number of homes that feature textured walls. Whether it’s the small, rough specks on a popcorn ceiling or orange-peel walls, or the more sweeping texture known as knock-down, texture can seem rough and strange when you’re used to smooth finish walls. So why do so many Florida homes have textured walls? And how do you make your walls smooth if you don’t like the texture? Read on to find out.
The custom range hood of this black-and-white kitchen in one of our custom home remodels is the perfect focal point for the room.
More and more homeowners are steering away from industrial-grade, stainless steel range hoods and are opting for custom millwork to complete their kitchens. If your stove is the focal point of your kitchen, then the range hood should complement it accordingly. But installing a custom range hood is not just a matter of building a wood box and painting it. As in all things construction, you can’t forget about the logistics behind the finish piece, and that often involves multiple trades. Here are a few tips to help you when considering a custom range hood for your kitchen.
When Building or Renovating Your Home in Florida, Consider These 5 tips.
Renovating a house in Florida is not like construction in the rest of the country. Not only do you have to deal with the humidity (hello, mold), there’s also the hurricanes, termites, frequent rainstorms and beating sun (which lead to dry-rot). It’s no wonder the construction industry is so heavily regulated down here.
So what do you need to know to properly navigate the ins and outs of a renovation in Florida? Read on for five important tips.
M.C. Jeff Baughman, Dominique and Greg Nelson Owners of Nelson Construction & Renovations, Inc.
Excitement was in the air at the 2019 NARI Tampa Bay 25th Anniversary Evening of Excellence as members gathered at The Birchwood in St. Petersburg, FL for dinner and the presentation of this year’s CotY (Contractor of the Year) awards.
NARI (the National Association of the Remodeling Industry) Tampa Bay members are professionals in the remodeling industry. The association includes professional remodeling contractors, product manufacturers, distributors, wholesalers, trade and consumer publications, along with utilities and lending institutions.
Tampa Bay remodelers submit their completed projects to a variety of categories such as Entire House Remodels, Historic Home Remodels, Residential Interiors, Residential Exterior, Residential Additions, Universal Design, Commercial Interior, Outdoor Living and more.
Our projects are on the larger side of home additions, entire home remodels, and large remodels. We submitted two projects for consideration.Read More »
The master bathroom of this whole home renovation we did on Island Estates has a beautiful, warm color palette.
In the world of home design, trends ebb and flow almost as fluidly as the fashion industry. They may come and go and come back again, but they always return with a new vibe, as cultural changes ripple through homes, businesses, restaurants and cafes, bringing new inspiration to homeowners, designers, architects and contractors alike. Recently the tides have begun to turn again, and – as controversial as it may seem – beige is making a comeback. Don’t worry, this is not the old-fashioned obsession with shades of brown and orange. Beige is returning with a subtle warmth and elegance that is giving the ever-popular gray palette some stiff competition. Read on for some cutting edge advice on incorporating beige into your home design.
I would hire Nelson CR again in a heartbeat. No construction new project and/or renovation is without issues. However, if you want a company and a team that will resolve those issues to your satisfaction then NCR is that company. The thoughtfulness, professionalism, quality of work, communication and a resolution oriented team are the best... Read More »
J.I., homeowner – whole home remodel
We would hire Nelson construction again without hesitation. The entire team, from the unseen to the seen, were dedicated, responsive, respectful, and patient while we lived through a beautiful renovation.
V.I., homeowner – whole home remodel
Nelson Construction out of Clearwater/Tampa fully remodeled our 7,900 sq ft home in Clearwater, Florida. To say they did a great job is an understatement. The qualities of this company extend beyond just a nice finish. Road blocks: Near the beginning of the remodel we ran into our first hidden challenge. To modify and create... Read More »
BZ, homeowner – historic home restoration/remodel
The staff at Nelson Construction do a fantastic job of caring for their customers. They care about their work, their products, and the customer’s satisfaction in the final result. I also greatly admire their attention to legal rudiments, which some contractors try to skirt or dodge. Nelson Construction operates within all ethical codes and boundaries,... Read More »
A.O. - American Power and Gas
We were satisfied with the level of service we were given by Nelson Construction and Renovations. The project manager was very communicative. Any time I needed an answer, the Nelson Team was there. Everyone was very professional and courteous, and the end result is beautiful.
J.T.
“We highly recommend Nelson Construction and Renovation, Inc. We are totally satisfied customers. Nelson Construction will always be our first recommendation to friends who want to build. “Our project was the 2014 renovation and expansion of a 600 square foot 1950’s bungalow in Safety Harbor’s historic district. Our goal was to create a space suitable... Read More »
Ann Morgan & Margo Pfleger, homeowners – home addition and whole home remodel
On behalf of the whole CCHR Clearwater team, we would like to thank you and your company for the stellar work on our new building – which did open on time! Even though we were very pressed for time and things were very hectic, your supervisor remained stable and your work areas somehow remained organized.... Read More »
Jamie Blackstone - Renovations Supervisor – Citizens Commission on Human Rights
Nelson Construction and Renovations exceeded our expectations on our fairly good-sized job (new addition and complete living room and kitchen remodel). I have never worked with a company before that was this intent on making our project a total success AND was so fast and efficient. In addition to that, they routinely went above and... Read More »
Scott and Holly - Clearwater, FL
This letter is to commend Nelson Construction for the excellent job done on our kitchen renovation. When we returned from vacation we were surprised to see the difference and how great it all looked. We expected to see a mess, but everything was cleaned up perfectly; and your company did even more than we expected... Read More »
The Baldwins
Thank you for the job well done! I have renovated several houses and know the hassles that often come with these endeavors – dirt, delays, redo’s, cost, contract issues, etc. I was planning to renovate my kitchen for many months, but kept putting it off, simply trying to avoid the expected hassles. Once I finally... Read More »
W. Nero
Mr. Nelson was my contractor for a major house renovation in March 2006 and also my office renovation in June 2006. He is a rare commodity in the construction industry. He is honest, efficient, on time, on schedule and overall a pleasure to deal with. In my area, where real estate values are climbing and... Read More »
Michael Haldane - Managing Partner/Executive Producer – The Radke Film Group
Our school was in great need of a new roof. Sorting through the various types of roofing and installations was very overwhelming, and for such a large project, we needed to be certain we were making the most cost-effect decision we could. So we hired Nelson Construction to be an Owner’s Representative to help navigate... Read More »
T. Campana
Nelson Construction is a valued company, steadfast to a strict, honest and drug-free work environment. The most notable point of Nelson Construction’s service was the quality work and professional integrity. My project met all of my expectations and more. Project Images (*Click image to enlarge)
S.K. - Clearwater, FL
The most notable part of Nelson Construction and Renovations’ service was their attention to detail. Great all around service and finished product!
YA
Thank you for giving us a new home that we love. Every time we look around we are reminded that we made the right decision to go with Nelson. We shall recommend you to anyone who asks and would be happy to serve as references for potential clients.
Margo & Ann
Your Concrete Design Website is very impressive. Beautifully put together and inviting to the design community.
M.N.
In short, we love our home. It is gorgeous. The counter tops are amazing, the cabinetry is perfect. Overall we are so happy! Project Images (*Click image to enlarge)
SS
We couldn’t be happier and we plan to use your company on any upcoming project that we have. The employees and subcontractors were very professional; it was something we noticed right away. The job site was cleaned every day, and my cleaning lady even noticed and told our friend about it. The level of communication... Read More »
AP
You and your guys are the BEST!!! It is such a pleasure to be able to open my home and leave for the day and know there will not be a problem. Your staff is like family! Project Images (*Click image to enlarge)
JB
Nelson Construction has been the best construction company that I have ever hired. I am sure that they are not the cheapest but they offer an excellent product and are very professional. They stayed in daily communication to let me know the status of the project. Their crew was friendly, courteous and conscientious. They showed... Read More »
SG
Working with Nelson was like no other experience I’ve ever had–and I’ve done a ton of work on my very old house. They’re so professional and stayed in close communication with us. I will NEVER use any other contractor again! I can’t say enough good things!
Joy Gendusa - CEO - PostcardMania
Nelson Construction delivers every time: quality product, on time and in budget, no surprises, no rip-offs, stellar service and product, communication and genuine interest in finishing the product 100% to my satisfaction (and theirs)!
Stacey Tiveron - CEO - Trade Only Design Library (TODL)
I wanted to tell you how pleased I am with the work done by Nelson Construction & Renovations. The external deck and 2 stairways your company recently built at my North Clearwater Beach apartments exceeded my expectations. I was very impressed with every aspect of the operation in the work and the interaction with me... Read More »
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I would hire Nelson CR again in a heartbeat. No construction new project and/or renovation is without issues. However, if you want a company and a team that will resolve those issues to your satisfaction then NCR is that company. The thoughtfulness, professionalism, quality of work, communication and a resolution oriented team are the best... 
