Structures by Chris Brooks

Custom Design and Construction

Southern Living Builder Conference

Feb 19

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I am attending the Southern Living Builder Conference this weekend.  I am always excited to attend this annual event and be surrounded by so many professionals in my field.  The conference is always held in some of the most incredible settings.  This year it is being held at The Grand Hotel Marriott in Point Clear Alabama.  The architecture of the resort, the houses in the communities around it and even the downtown buildings are simply amazing.  I learn so much each year just taking in the sites of this southern community.

Every year I take home great ideas from other builders and designers on the latest trends in their community.  Southern Living does a great job of communicating with their readers as to what home owners want and need in their homes.  They also explain how they came about the layout and design of the upcoming idea houses.  I can’t wait to share this new information with my customers.  Whether I am building a new home or redesigning an existing one, I can always be sure that I know what over 50 million woman are looking for in a home thanks to Southern Living.  This conference as always has given me so many new ideas and I look forward to learning more throughout the weekend.

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Structures Welcomes Meredith Rutland

Oct 30

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Structures is proud to have Meredith Rutland as the newest member of our team. She will be joining us as a drafting/rendering specialist. Meredith is a professional designer who specializes in computer-aided and hand drafting and rendering. She holds a bachelor’s degree in furnishings and interiors from the University of Georgia.

Recently, she became a LEED Accredited Professional (LEED AP) by the U.S. Green Building Council. According to www.usgbc.org, LEED is an “internationally recognized green building certification system, providing third-party verification that a building or community was designed and built using strategies aimed at improving performance across all the metrics that matter most: energy savings, water efficiency, CO2 emissions reduction, improved indoor environmental quality, and stewardship of resources and sensitivity to their impacts.” LEED certification applies to both commercial and residential building types and there are currently only 2,900 people in the nation who are accredited in commercial construction and approximately 2,300 accredited in residential construction. Meredith is accredited for new construction, which encompasses both commercial and residential. Now your home/office can be both beautiful and eco-friendly! 

We are excited to have Meredith as part of the team and look forward to the experience and ideas she will bring to the table.

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Outdoor Living: The Latest Trend

Aug 28

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With summer coming to a close and fall just on the horizon, people are getting geared up to spend more time in the crisp outdoor air. And where are they looking to spend time hanging out with family or watching football? Outdoor living spaces. Whether it’s a screen room, pergola, deck or other type of outdoor space, many homeowners are looking for ways to remodel their current home rather than building a new home. If done properly, outdoor spaces make great additions plus add real estate value to your home. When making any addition, it is important to stay with the design and style of your home. At Structures, we go above and beyond to help clients match their existing materials.

One trend we’ve seen in outdoor living is the addition of an outdoor kitchen. Outdoor kitchens come in various shapes, sizes and price points—you can get a small, affordably priced kitchen with a grill, counter and patio or go all out with a kitchen that’s fully loaded with appliances and other accessories.  Homeowners love outdoor kitchens because they are great entertaining spaces and can be enjoyed all year round. 

If you are interested in building an outdoor kitchen, some factors to consider are as follows:

  • Your budget limit.
  • The type of cooking you will do and how often.
  • Whether you will you eat the food outside or bring it inside the house. 
  • Whether you are designing the outdoor kitchen for a small family or are planning to use it as a place to host party gatherings .
  • The furniture that needs to be used with the design .
  • The time of the year you will be using the outdoor kitchen . 
  • Whether you want the outdoor kitchen to be a flexible , movable arrangement or do you want it permanently installed 

*source: www.outdoor-kitchens.org

Visit our NEW Outdoor Living section to view photos of our outdoor living projects. Outdoor kitchen photos are coming soon and new photos will be added regularly, so keep checking back!

If you have an idea for a space, call us for a consultation!

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The Home Building Process

Aug 14

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The home building process can be exciting yet intimidating, especially for first time builders. Our Feature Construction section is designed to help you learn a little more about the process by allowing you to watch one of our custom homes as it is being built. Want to know what goes on from foundation to framing to everything in between? Then this section is for you! 

As each phase of construction is completed, we’ll post photos and descriptions so you can experience exactly what’s happening–from beginning to end. After the home is built, a new feature construction will be posted in its place.

Currently, we are constructing a 2002 Southern Living Idea home (Walker’s Bluff). Click here to view.

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Lights…Camera…Action!

Jul 16

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Today, we held a video shoot for a television commercial along with a photo shoot for the upcoming Outdoor Living section of the Web site. Two homes were featured-one in Tifton and one in Sylvester. The Tifton home highlighted beautiful outdoor spaces including the pool, pool house and decorative arbor. While the Sylvester home was filmed for the overall floor plan and design, special emphasis was given to the master bedroom, master bathroom and the outward characteristics of the home. 

Check back soon to view photos from the shoot in the Outdoor Living section and Portfolio. Also, be on the look out for the addition of our video. They may spur some ideas if you are looking to build a new home or remodel your existing home!

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Southern Living Home Builder…What does that mean?

Jul 6

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We like to set  ourselves apart by letting our customers know we are one of  100 builders selected to be part of the Southern Living Custom Builder Program. Each year, Southern Living selects members to join this exclusive program based on their reputation among local businesses and consumers, strength of presence in their respective markets, superior quality and attention to detail and innovative style. 

But what exactly does that mean to those looking to build? It means that Structures has the available tools to create a custom designed home for you. We have exclusive rights to a special portfolio of Southern Living House plans. Builders also have access to the entire Southern Living House Plans Service collection, which includes more than 800 plans created by respected architects and designers throughout the nation.

We also have the opportunity to attend Southern Living Custom Builder conferences to learn about the latest design trends and products that differentiate custom builders from the rest. 

We attended a Southern Living Builder Conference this past February and were able to network and share ideas with other custom builders as well as see the newest building materials from Delta Faucet Company, James Hardie Siding Products, Lenox Heating & Air, Pella Windows & Doors, Schlage Hardware, Sears Commercial, Sherwin-Williams, Eldorado Stone and Rinnai Tankless Water Heaters. 

At Structures, we feel the Southern Living Custom Builder Program gives us a huge advantage over the competition and valuable knowledge that can benefit our clients during a time when it matters more than ever. 

 

 

 

Lake Blackshear home featured on the Southern Living Custom Builder Web site

Lake Blackshear home recently featured on the Southern Living Custom Builder Web site. View our portfolio section for more photos of this home.

 

 

 

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