Nest Realty’s latest “Artisan’s Corner” features PBC

Our friends at Nest Realty in Wilmington profiled PBC in their monthly feature, “Artisan’s Corner.”

Tom Seabrook takes a deep dive with Dave Spetrino, asking the big questions about the building process. Below is one of my all-time favorite answers because it accurately sums up the PBC Team.

NR: What is your proudest accomplishment as a builder?
DS: After 20-plus years, there are dozens (hundreds) of meaningful accomplishments, but I would say two things really stand out. First, I am surrounded by the very best in the industry when it comes to talent, willingness to improve, and genuine interest in doing great work. It’s one of the few businesses where you still work with your hands and, at the end of the day, you can take a step back, look at what you’ve created, and bask in the feeling of a job well done. More importantly, we’re well respected by our peers and the local industry that works hard at their craft, too—and they appreciate that same hard work in others. That endorsement from other professionals is the real accomplishment.

To read the rest of the article Click HERE to go to Nest Realty

Join Casey, Dave, Kyle + Sonya for a Happy Hour House Tour on Facebook LIVE

These are a blast to make and we have had many requests to do more!  Enjoy this trip through RiverView Townes LIVE on our Facebook page! Casey and Dave point out the finer details, Kyle mans the camera and Sonya reads out viewer questions.  Informative and entertaining fun for all!

Posted by PBC Design + Build on Wednesday, July 8, 2020

 

Welcome, Kelsey Talis

Wilmington, North Carolina – PBC Design + Build welcomes Kelsey Talis, Allied ASID to Interior Design Team.

Multi-talented, eminently creative, and nationally published, Talis is an allied member of the American Society of Interior Designers with over eight years of experience in the New York, Philadelphia, South Florida, and North Carolina areas.  She obtained her Bachelor of Science in Interior Architecture + Design from the dually accredited program at Drexel University.

Motivated by her love of design and her ability to coordinate, oversee, and complete high-caliber projects, Talis is a valuable addition to PBC Design + Build.  Talis will work closely with custom home clients as well as all members of the PBC team. The design + build firm, as a whole, looks forward to watching her vast knowledge and creative touch come to life in all of their custom homes.

PBC Design + Build is an award winning full service firm specializing in custom homes throughout the Wilmington regional area.  Celebrating 22 years in business, PBC is a group of highly qualified individuals with wide-ranging talents, relevant expertise and a steadfast commitment to customer satisfaction.  For more information, visit our website at www.pbcdesignbuild.com or email:  [email protected]

Houzz TV Features the PBC Birdhouse Battle

Houzz TV features a special on our Birdhouse Battle, which includes a vote by the Houzz Community!  Who do you think wins?  For a special behind the scenes of the individual entries, please make sure to visit the PBC YouTube channel!

 

Join Dave for a Happy Hour House Tour on Facebook LIVE

Who doesn’t love a house tour?  Walk with Dave through the Thom’s Creek River House LIVE on our Facebook page! He includes valuable insights on the PBC building and design process with some very special guests.  We had a lot of fun filming this and truly enjoyed the rolling commentary from our viewers.

Houzz TV gets a PBC Covid-19 update from Dave

Houzz TV checks in with Dave for an update on all things PBC related…including a special birdhouse project!

PBC Implements Covid-19 Response

2020 can kick rocks.

This year is shaping up to be one for the record books!  During this difficult time, everyone on the planet has had to make an adjustment to #quarantinelife and figure out #socialdistancing protocols.  North Carolina entered a statewide lockdown in late March, with strict conditions for “essential businesses.”  The construction industry is considered an essential business but stringent guidelines were put in place for the safety and well-being of everyone, not just the people who continue to work.

Great leadership is key to moving forward!

Our CEO, president, fearless leader + all-around great guy Kyle Henry implemented a comprehensive outline for PBC as we navigated these uncharted waters.  Immediately, the team started working remotely and delegating tasks which involved contacting all subcontractors, vendors and clients.  Kyle put into place a checklist for the Project Managers that targeted keeping all job sites safe, sanitary and organized.  Our PMs are the best of the best;  it should be no surprise that they crafted “sanitation stations” and installed sinks for hand washing!  Scheduling is paramount to properly maintain socially distanced subcontractors, allowing them to comfortably work on our jobs without compromising personal health and safety.

The “new” normal?

We continue to work from home and diligently update our amazing clients via the online portal. PBC is committed to doing everything we can to get through this trying time, including supporting the real heroes– frontline health care providers.  We hope that everyone remains healthy and we can get back to a new normal with a greater appreciation for each other.

Innovation still thrives within our team!

Kyle + Sonya created a company wide birdhouse building contest using leftover materials from job sites.

John Jarvis made a sanitizer necklace, patent pending.

Angela put together wellness bags for all, including a roll of premium tp and PBC socks!

Dave’s remote background is a picture of Kyle.  (It works every time! “Is Kyle standing next to you?”)

Most of the gentleman have grown facial hair/invented new hairstyles.

The newest team members are not legal adults, some have 4 legs.

Daniel sings that “We will rise up!” song at the beginning of every virtual meeting.

Our sales team signed contracts in the past week, even during a pandemic!

A group text will make us smile when the news gets discouraging.

Until we see you again, stay safe!

PBC Design + Build of Wilmington Awarded Best Of Houzz 2020

Heron Model Home, Autumn Hall

The Annual People’s Choice Award from the Houzz Community Highlights Home Remodeling and Design Professionals with Most Popular Designs and Top Ratings

WILMINGTON, North Carolina, February 5, 2020PBC Design + Build of Wilmington has won a “Best Of Houzz” award for Design Photography on Houzz®, the leading platform for home renovation and design. The award-winning firm, specializing in custom homes throughout the Wilmington region for the past 22 years, was chosen by the millions of homeowners that comprise the Houzz community from among more than 2.5 million active home building, remodeling and design industry professionals.

The Best Of Houzz badge is awarded annually, in three categories: Design, Customer Service and Photography. Design awards honor professionals whose work was the most popular among the Houzz community. Customer Service honors are based on several factors, including a pro’s overall rating on Houzz and client reviews submitted in 2019. Architecture and interior design photographers whose images were most popular are recognized with the Photography award.

A “Best Of Houzz 2020” badge will appear on winners’ profiles as a sign of their commitment to excellence. These badges help homeowners identify popular and top-rated home professionals in every metro area on Houzz.

“I can tell my team that they are doing a great job, but when an organization we hold with such high regard provides that validation for their hard work through the Best of Houzz awards, my whole company swells with satisfaction. Their heads are higher, their smiles are brighter and they get the opportunity to shine.” – Dave Spetrino, founder of PBC Design + Build

“This year’s Best Of Houzz awards go to an incredibly talented and service-oriented group of home remodeling and design professionals, and we’re proud to highlight the winners on the Houzz website and app,” said Liza Hausman, vice president of Industry Marketing for Houzz. “This award is particularly meaningful as it reflects the sentiment of the millions of homeowners in the Houzz community who are hiring home professionals for their projects across the U.S. and around the world.”

Follow PBC on Houzz.

About PBC Design + Build

PBC Design + Build is an award winning full service firm specializing in custom homes throughout the Wilmington regional area. Celebrating 22 years in business, PBC is a group of highly qualified individuals with wide-ranging talents, relevant expertise and a steadfast commitment to customer satisfaction. For more information, visit our website at www.pbcdesignbuild.com or email: [email protected]

About Houzz

Houzz is the leading platform for home remodeling and design, providing people with everything they need to improve their homes from start to finish – online or from a mobile device. From decorating a small room to building a custom home and everything in between, Houzz connects millions of homeowners, home design enthusiasts and home improvement professionals across the country and around the world. With the largest residential design database in the world and a vibrant community empowered by technology, Houzz is the easiest way for people to find inspiration, get advice, buy products and hire the professionals they need to help turn their ideas into reality. Headquartered in Palo Alto, Calif., Houzz also has international offices in London, Berlin, Sydney, Moscow, Tel Aviv and Tokyo. Houzz is a registered trademark of Houzz Inc. worldwide. For more information, visit houzz.com.

LEED Professional or PBC Green Building Superman?

ICYMI and are as conscientious about saving the environment as we are, you’ll be glad to know that PBC Design + Build’s own Dan Spann AKA Director of Construction, is not only the master of a good LOL, but he is also a LEED AP. Yep, PBC has a professional on staff with a very specific area of expertise, who is certified by the U.S. Green Building Council. Have you figured out what the acronym that follows Dan’s signature stands for yet?  Take your time, we’ll BRB…

While you’re thinking about it, let’s get back to that environmentally-conscious trait that we all possess inside of us somewhere.  Do you ever find yourself thinking about this great big, precious world and how you can preserve the future of it?  Are you building your own custom home, or hoping to one day, and wondering how you can do-so while not contributing as much to the planet’s daily waste, pollution, or overuse of energy?  We share your concern and know that it can seem completely overwhelming.   You don’t know where to begin, or how to find the time to research, or you are wondering how in the world you could budget for huge expensive solar equipment?  Not to worry, help is on the way!  Remodeling, redecorating, AND building new construction can ALL be eco-friendlier processes just by making a few simple changes… from re-purposing an old piece of furniture to installing a tankless water heater, you can do it!

  • REPURPOSE, REPURPOSE, REPURPOSE!  Do you still have that dresser from 1983 that your spouse insists must go in your kiddo’s room because that thing was in their own room as a child and “if it was good enough for me well then, it’s good enough”?  No?  Us either ;).  But if we DID, we would use some cool Chalk Paint (try Annie Sloan– several non-toxic qualities) that everyone is talking about.  The kind that apparently covers any surface with no prep and leaves a nice, flat, seemingly even “aged” look?  Pick a color, grab some new hardware, and GO!  Chances are, that 30-something-year-old dresser has lasted this long because it is actually made out of real wood and that it is not only going to save you money but also possibly a baby tree’s life.  Win-win.Annie Sloan Re-purposed Dresser
  • Speaking of wood, re-claim that stuff!   Jump on the pallet craze.  Use a chunk of the tree trunk from the latest backyard weekend project as a night stand.  Or better yet, go visit our friends at Old Growth Riverwood in Castle Hayne, NC.  They use recovered wood that is harvested locally from the Cape Fear River as well as reclaimed wood from old barns and buildings. You can use the wood to create a unique space in your new home or get those cool people to build you a beautiful piece of furniture.  Whatever you choose to do with your reclaimed wood, there will definitely be a story to tell.   How awesome is that?!Whitebridge Re-claimed wood wall, Old Growth Riverwood
  • Take your concerns to your interior designer. Choosing your selections are one of the biggest hurdles during the design and build process.  You love something one day and doubt it the next.  There is one small way to make this process a little bit easier though, choose eco-friendly!  Can’t decide on countertops?  Skip the traditional and trendy options and go right for the ones that’ll make your insides warm and happy. Countertops can be made from all sorts of recycled materials including glass, paper, aluminum, copper, and acrylic.  Or go with trendy, because the manufacturing of quartz is actually eco-friendly.  We are sure our favorite people at Sellers Tile can help you out.  Flooring is another area where you can choose selections that are kinder to our Earth.  From Bamboo and Cork to recycled-plastic carpet, you can find options that suit your wants and fit your budget.  Cork is actually the outer bark of a Cork Oak Tree, it can be harvested from the tree which allows new bark to grow all while NOT DAMAGING OR KILLING SAID TREE!  And, you will be shocked to find out all of the amazing products you can find that are made from cork.  Our go-to flooring experts at Rug Runner can help you choose something that suits your taste.  The options are endless and bragging rights promised- go ahead, fill your home with a renewable resource!!
  • Don’t forget appliances! From more energy-efficient ovens to installing a tankless water heater, the knowledgeable team of construction professionals that you have hired (ahem) and their all-knowing friends at Ferguson, can tell you all about your options.  Just ask.
  • If you take the time to talk to your favorite design and build team member, I am sure they’d come up with a few easy outdoor selections that would be friendly to the environment.  ICF Construction, Cedar siding, a smaller footprint (go up), and leaving as many trees on the property as possible are all great ways to help avoid some of the everyday stressors on our Earth.

I bet you’re wondering how any of this is related to that curious signature at the end of every email from Daniel Spann, LEED AP?  You should know that Dan is neither a member of the Associated Press nor our Accounts Payable professional.  Instead that fancy label after his name means that Dan is super knowledgeable about GREEN BUILDING.  After studying sustainable construction and development at App State and starting his career in such, he took some extra classes, studied hard, and passed the exam given by the U.S. Green Building Council.   LEED AP stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Accredited Professional.  Mr. Spann isn’t only our Director of Construction here at PBC but also your go-to for all things eco-building-friendly!  And quite frankly if we ever find a spare five minutes, he’ll be getting that custom-made green cape that we all know he deserves.

Trending Now: Top 5 Popular Designs PBC Clients Are Asking For

Once focused on Craftsman style, granite countertops, and textured walls, today we are seeing our custom home clients move more towards a cleaner and simpler aesthetic.

We all remember it.  Ten years ago seems to have come and gone in the blink of an eye and it feels like it’s been “one sleep” since 2001, but the reality of it is that time moves forward and “popular” is just as it has always been. Once loved and relevant by most is now replaced by newer, cooler, and more aesthetically pleasing.  The overdone McMansions have been replaced by functional, simpler, dare-we-say more “modern” homes.  Instead of seeing the constant of dark wood, bold wall colors, and Tuscan kitchens we are moving more towards interior metals, larger exterior spaces, and lighter colors overall.

1.  MORE METAL

In the late 2010s, we are celebrating the metals.  All of them!  We are mixing them, we are designing staircases around them, we are replacing wood with them, the list goes on.  We LOVE metal and it turns out, our clients do too.  Metals are a great way to modernize the home and make it look cleaner, sleeker, and more current.  We are seeing more clients ask for it in place of wooden pickets inside their homes (and out), we are seeing it replace wider and more traditional wood around the glazing on French Doors, and due to the popularity of the modern farmhouse we are seeing A LOT of steel windows.

2.  CLADDING

/kladiNG/

noun;    a covering or coating on a structure or material.

You’re welcome.  It’s just a big word for wallpaper and faux paint or texture, as seen on this white washed brick fireplace.  Be it paint, paper, or plaster, it is intended to make a wall (or surface) look like it is made of a different material than it actually is.  Although some styles are a trend of the past, they have made their way back and are making their presence known.  Clients are loving the ability to put their own individual stamp on their new custom home and we just happen to know of the best in town.  Texture away!

3.  POOLS

Pools upon pools upon pools!  Although (possibly) an exaggeration, it seems like EVERY client we built for in the last year had a pool on their plans.  A couple of the most in-demand are “plunge pools” and “cocktail pools”.

A plunge pool is more shallow and compact than a traditional backyard pool but it also has a few different goals in mind, like aquatic exercise, physical therapy, and relaxation.

A cocktail pool is very similar to the plunge pool.  The biggest difference between the two is that a cocktail pool tends to be a bit more shallow than the plunge, and typically the cocktail pool has a bench seat around the perimeter with the idea that guests will sit and enjoy a cocktail while relaxing and cooling off with friends.  Either way, we like happy clients.  If it’s a pool that they want, a pool they will get!

4.  SCULLERIES OR LARGE PANTRIES

FINALLY, we have all realized that an overabundance of cabinet space in the kitchen maybe isn’t a necessity.  There are lots of things we all possess that we don’t use every day.  They need a home, and we don’t necessarily have to have a place in our everyday kitchens to store them.  We want amazing pantries, full of shelving and storage, as seen in our Thom’s Creek River House.  Specifically, a scullery or an “overflow kitchen” with secondary cabinetry and plumbing (beverage refrigerator, another sink, an extra dishwasher).  Three cheers to bringing back a scullery!

5.  WIDE PORCHES

We know, we know, this is probably a southern thing.  That said, large porches like this one (seen on our recently built home at Wrightsville Beach) began years ago before the present-day comfort of central air conditioning.  Big, sometimes screened in, the porch was a go-to for southerners. They did not stay inside and suffer miserably in the 100-degree humidity but instead enjoyed wide open porches and southern breezes as a way to cool off.  Fast forward, those large porches are coming back!  Yes, we have the luxury of HVAC, most of which we can adjust from an app on our phone, but we still love a great evening outside on the porch. Although most clients and designers believe that 10 foot porches are comfortable and deep, both agree that 11 and 12 foot porches add more livability, more room to sit within and enjoy the view, and that they add an element of ease and comfort while entertaining.

No matter what is trending in custom homes or how high on the popularity chart your countertop selection is, just make sure that YOU do YOU.  Probably check with Chrissy first.  And consult Jessica at FergusonMaybe ask Jarvis or Dave.  Bottom line, trends change and so do you so most importantly, love where you live!