PBC Design + Build recently celebrated some pretty important people with a fun Sunday afternoon at local favorite Palate Bottle Shop and Reserve.  For years, our office family has been blessed to work with Libby and Maureen Beccarino. These two have been a rock star team providing updated, beautiful spaces to some amazing clients throughout Southeastern North Carolina.  Although known to most as the PBC Renovations Division, they have been so much more to us over the years!

Upon their much-deserved retirement, below is a list of reasons why PBC Design + Build would not have been the same without Team Beccarino…

• Kyle would never have gotten that first “punch-out job” back in 2002, eventually leaving Dave without a business partner, lonely, and sad.
• Several plants would have lost their lives over the years, causing periods of oxygen depletion in the office and much slower work production.
• Bar tabs at company events would have been lower. That said, there is no party like a Beccarino party!
• Dave or Kyle would have been forced to answer to “Mr. Plantation”.
• Angela and Libby wouldn’t be nearly as close as they are if it wasn’t for all that quality time spent resetting Lib’s passwords.
• Maureen may never have received her unofficial title of “Saint” had she not BOTH lived with Libby AND worked with him.
• Downtown would be missing some beautiful new homes, revitalization, and existing home renovations.
• Things would have been quieter, laughs would have been fewer, and overall our company just wouldn’t have been the same.

Cheers to the years! We will miss Libby and Maureen tremendously in the day-to-day operations but we know that the friendships won’t end there.  What a wonderful career they have spent building custom homes, performing beautiful renovations,  meeting great friends, and creating happy clients.  Bon Voyage!

You may have caught Dave Spetrino, president of PBC Design+Build, in the latest episode of “My Houzz,” when skateboarder Tony Hawk enlists his help for a special renovation. We talked with Dave to learn more about his building philosophy, where he finds inspiration and his favorite parts of the My Houzz renovation – check out what he had to say below.

What is your building philosophy?

Some days it feels like the world is against you when you’re designing, budgeting and then constructing a home. I know it’s not rocket science or brain surgery but for most clients, what we do for them is about the most money and effort they’ll ever expend. It’s a worthy challenge.

With any project you’re committed to delivering on quality, schedule and budget – all equally important components to a successful project, but never willing to cooperate with one another in reality.

At the end of the day, you have to ask yourself: Is this “place” better because of our hard work? Does it feel good? Are our clients smiling? Am I smiling? Do I deserve a milkshake? As long as the answer continues to be yes, I’ll continue to show up the next day.

Where’s the most unexpected place you’ve found inspiration?

Travel has been a tremendous benefit. I can’t go anywhere without seeing something within the built environment – from any country or century – that doesn’t have an effect on me.

What trend are you most excited about right now?

I’m not much of a ‘gadget guy’ but I am continually impressed with what technology, mobile apps and intuitive features are doing for home building right now. The benefits of technology and the speed with which they are being implemented into construction will continue to benefit our clients, and it’s only getting better and better with time.

The whole point of custom home building is to allow your client to set their dreams in your hands and then trust you to deliver. It’s a serious role to take on and the ability to translate that information into something tangible is an art.

It’s more than features or finishes, what our clients are really asking us for is to guide them, use our knowledge to help them make good decisions, and prevent them from missing an opportunity to do something great.

What do you geek out on when it comes to design/construction?

I am such a sucker for light fixtures. I think they’re the hardest detail to commit to – it’s probably why I push a lot of clients to concealed or can lights and then limit the number of decorative fixtures to the most compelling places within a home to keep them from feeling overwhelmed.

You can set the entire ‘vibe’ of a home with a sconce or chandelier – a light fixture can create a conversation or set the mood as soon as you walk into a space. Light is powerful, and that mode of delivery cannot be understated.

What is one of your design secrets/ tricks?

There are always a couple of “cheats” where we seem to get more from a design without having to put too much of our budget toward a feature. This usually comes from our designer who will choose a special element within the design and celebrate it. Sometimes it’s well defined symmetry or an interior connection that extends to the exterior. Other times it’s just the use of a detail that has meaning to our owners.

Basically, the secret is just being thoughtful about how your client may better appreciate a space well after you’ve moved on to the next project. That’s really the best way to leave your ‘mark.’

What’s your favorite building or space in the world?

Maybe it’s my lust for travel or a nostalgia of sorts but I love train stations. New, old, repurposed into a museum, I can’t get enough of these iconic buildings. The ceiling heights, ornamentation, the elegant organization of moving people from space to space within a building, I’m continually transported in both space and time!

Going to Omaha? Visit the Durham. Going to Paris? Don’t miss the Orsay!

What did you enjoy most about this particular project?

We loved meeting the family. They were amazing in all the right ways.

They trusted this specific process (move out and don’t ask questions!) and they were genuinely grateful and truly overwhelmed at the reveal.

Kerry’s reaction was the best! It was the moment where “it all came together.” It is an amazing feeling to make a difference in someone’s life and the joy from Kerry permeated to everything. It really is unlike anything we’ve ever done before professionally and it felt good to be a part of that happiness.

But don’t get me wrong, meeting Tony Hawk was incredible! He is so cool. Did I mention Tony and I are friends?

What is your favorite element in the space from this project?

There are some really cool features within Brad and Kerry’s home that became the ‘bookends’ for the renovation. In many ways the farm table became the centerpiece for the whole house – not just as a piece of furniture but in what it represented to the family as the centerpiece for the way they live.

Also, the ability to re-purpose some of the existing elements. The reclaimed wood and the sliding barn doors within the new living room. I love seeing ‘something old and something new’ in such a personal project like this.

Chrissy Bonney, our Interior Designer at PBC, was completely in tune with Kerry’s vibe. The family spends a lot of time together and the house was somewhat disjointed; an open concept was introduced to allow the main living area flow easily into the kitchen.

When you’re not designing, where can you be found?

I really enjoy being on the move, traveling and exploring new places. A lot of our adventures start with the need to see a historical building or even a compelling neighborhood. It’s not just to experience the architecture, I love seeing how other communities (or cultures) live, manage or adapt to their environment

 

Houzz TV: Meet the Builder

Real Estate Scorecard is an industry leader of online real estate reviews, providing in depth information about the most popular master planned communities in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee.

By Margie Casey

If you’re one of the 76 million Baby Boomers approaching retirement, it’s likely the happiest time of your life. After working hard and diligently saving, for many, now’s the time to cash in the rewards and what better place than in one of the North Carolina’s most beautiful coastal areas. Wilmington is found in a string of barrier islands connected by the famous Cape Fear River. Boomers love Wilmington because it’s not too far from family and friends in the northeast, the region rarely experiences snow and it boasts over 200 days of beautiful sunshine.

When folks first dabble into exploring Wilmington NC real estate for retirement, it’s natural to start by exploring communities who were built in the early 1980’s. Amenities are in and the curb appeal is apparent. Yet for some, the downside to living in older communities is the awareness that resale homes are often outdated and homesites to build a new home don’t exist. Older homes built in the 1980’s and 90’s are typically smaller, have low ceilings, smaller bathrooms, short doors, and limited glass. These type of renovations are costly which makes building a new home far more attractive.

We had the opportunity to chat with one of the most respected custom home builders in Wilmington NC, Dave Spetrino of Plantation Building Corp, a company established in 1997 who agreed with us that building a new home will make you happier in the long run for many reasons.  According to Spetrino “products and trends are constantly evolving, colors and features come and go – but a good design is timeless”. This is why they’ve become “obsessed with design and approach”.

Plantation Building Corp is one of Brunswick Forest’s preferred custom home builders who builds about a dozen homes in Brunswick Forest every year, as well 30 or so in 18 other communities in one of the best coastal towns in North Carolina. Their homes have spacious open floor plans, lots of windows to capture the outdoor beauty and their homes are technologically brilliant. They’ve won dozens of home building awards. Before they ever put a pencil to paper, they spend 2-3 months getting to know the client and their retirement lifestyle. Do they cook and entertain? Are they gardeners? How large is their family that will visit during the holidays? Do they need a split floor plan or bedrooms upstairs? Do they need a workshop, mud room or office?

Some interesting stats about Plantation Building Corp clients:

• 63% are empty nesters
• 56% live out of the area during the home building process
• 27% choose 3 car garages
• 17% build swimming pools
• 16% choose waterfront

Spetrino describes the typical Brunswick Forest buyer as “middle to upper class clientele, educated, have strong marriages and are financially sound. As buyers who have been sacrificing and saving and are now their willing to splurge on themselves. They want the upgraded appliances, modern fixtures and accessories.” This is why Plantation Building Corp has clients pick their appliances and fixtures first so they have an idea of the level of quality the client desires in their home. From start to finish, clients will be happy to know the entire process to take less than 12 months. The best statistic of all, they’ve achieved 100% satisfaction! Take a peek at what clients have to say about them:

Plantation Building Corp Testimonials

The Cate Greene is Plantation Building Corp’s most popular model. This beauty is like no other home in Brunswick Forest. Situated perfectly on the 11th tee of the Cape Fear National Golf Course, the home was designed to capture sunsets and golf games with floor to ceiling windows across the back. It won BEST DESIGN MASTER BATH overall and the SILVER award in the 2016 Wilmington-Cape Fear Home Builders Association Parade of Homes. Be sure to tour the Cate Greene model when you visit Brunswick Forest located in one of the best coastal towns in North Carolina.

Plantation Building Corp has found over the years people typically spend $75,000-$90,000 more on building a new home versus purchasing a resale. The reward; the home is more energy efficient, it’s tailored to their interests, has a more functional floor plan and is built with lower maintenance materials. Spetrino admits “building is rarely the less expensive option but the benefits of new construction is the long term savings from utility costs and deferred maintenance that will ultimately by on the horizon”. We agree, new construction doesn’t provide an immediate benefit but it does provide immediate happiness from having something perfectly designed and built for you. We love the fact that their custom home building team takes the time to study the homesite selection to maximize the sunrise, sunset and vista views common at Brunswick Forest. It’s a photographers dream.

Since 2005, Brunswick Forest has welcomed over 1,800 families. It’s conveniently located, has incredible curb appeal, optional golf at their own Cape Fear National golf course and they are constantly adding new amenities such as swimming pools as the community continues to grow. Amenities currently include:

• 18 Hole Championship Golf Course designed by NC native Tim Cate
• Golf Clubhouse with restaurant and bar
• 18,000 Square Foot Fitness & Wellness Center with lounge
• Indoor and Outdoor Swimming Pools
• 5 Hard Surface Tennis Courts and a Sport Court
• 6 Hard Surface Pickleball Courts
• Community Parks and Gardens
• 100+ Miles of Walking, Biking and Nature Trails
• Canoe, Kayak and Small Boat Launch

We also like the fact that Brunswick Forest is a walkable and bicycle friendly community. You can leave the car at home. The Villages at Brunswick Forest is the community’s 500,000 square feet town square with a grocery store, restaurant and pizzeria, a famous coffee shop, banks and medical practices.

Spetrino loves building at Brunswick Forest. “The greatest people I’ve ever worked with live in Brunswick Forest. A true sense of community, not just an anomaly.”

If you’re considering Wilmington NC real estate for retirement, call Brunswick Forest now at 877-588-4313 to schedule a tour.