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Texas Swimming Pool Construction Permit Report – September 2019

Posted on October 4, 2019 by Erika Carruth

An overview of the latest Texas pool construction permit data on record with HBW for the month of September 2019

When reviewing new pool construction in the major metro areas of Texas (Dallas, Houston, Austin, San Antonio) last month, we found approximately 770 new permits with a total construction value in excess of $35.5 million. Out of the four metro areas reviewed, new pool construction in Austin held the highest average value (average value: $61,868), while the Dallas area held a significant lead for total new permits (~380 permits).

Here is a breakdown of total permits and values for new swimming pool construction in Texas last month:

Dallas

Nearly half of all new pool construction on file for Texas took place in Dallas last month, as there were approximately 380 swimming pool starts with a total construction value of $15 million added to the HBW database for the area. The average value of new construction landed on the lower end of the spectrum in comparison to other metro areas reviewed, coming in at $39,387, and the counties with the greatest total amount of pool starts for the month were Tarrant County (102 permits) and Collin County (95 permits).

Houston

The Houston area ranked second for total new swimming pool permits on record last month, having more than 235 pool starts with a total construction value of nearly $13.7 million. The average value of construction landed on the upper range (average value: $57,906), and just over 70 percent of all construction activity took place in Harris County (167 permits).

San Antonio

In San Antonio, there were just over 80 new swimming pool permits with a total construction value of $2.6 million added to the HBW database last month. The average value of new pool construction was lowest in San Antonio (average value: $32,262) in comparison to the other areas reviewed, and the majority of permits originated from the County of Bexar (64 permits).

Austin

Finally, there were 70 swimming pool starts with a total construction value in excess of $4.3 million in Austin last month. The average value of new pool construction was highest in Austin (average value: $61,868) in comparison to the other areas reviewed, and nearly all new permits originated from Travis County (56 permits).

To gain more information on the builders, homeowners and permits for the construction activity above, check out HBW for your copy of the latest construction data reports. To gain access to the HBW database and receive custom and detailed reports on the latest residential and commercial building activity in Florida, Georgia, Texas, Alabama, and Oklahoma, please contact HBW for details.

Five Ways to Clean Up Your Act (on Social Media)

Posted on October 3, 2019 by Erika Carruth

Easy tips for tightening your social media game

From the title of this post, many of you may be thinking that we are going to be addressing social media etiquette (or lack thereof), but for today we will not be referring to that kind of “cleaning up”. This is not to take away from the importance of keeping language and images clean on your company profiles because, really, that should be a given. Rather, today we will review a few basic housekeeping items that should be part of a somewhat regular content audit on your social media profiles. And if you have never conducted an audit of your content, not to worry; there is no time like the present to take a few moments to ensure that your profiles are updated, secure and accurately reflect your brand.

Here are a few social media “housekeeping” tasks to consider adding to your checklist:

Out with the Old, In with the New – It’s easy to make social media profiles a depository for images, events and content. After all, every post drifts through the news feed for what seems to be a split second, only to fall down the abyss that has become social media. The truth is that there is a high probability that new and curious visitors to your social profiles will scroll down, scan through your posts and check out your history. For this reason, you should replace any old branding with your current logo, banners, etc., as well as remove or provide updates to posts that reflect products, pricing or services that are no longer offered.
Reconnect – A common issue with managing social media profiles is responding to feedback, comments and messages. Not to worry – You are not alone. Most business owners overlook a message now and again, but don’t allow it to be a reason to ignore it. Where and when appropriate, follow up and reconnect with inquiries, requests and responses (positive and negative) that may have been missed along the way. Better late than never.
Secure Your Accounts – Whether you have one or several social media account managers, you should have a system in place for regularly securing accounts. What this essentially means is that passwords for profiles should be strong and changed on a quarterly basis. Additionally, users/members of the page should be reviewed to verify that each user has the appropriate level of access (admin or limited user) and is still employed by your company.
Get Real – The bots in the world of social media are simply unavoidable. From spamming a blog’s comments section with the latest phishing scam to relentlessly following and messaging you on Twitter, they are out there. For this reason, it is important to eliminate fake followers, bots and connections that don’t abide by network guidelines and/or post questionable content.
Say “Good-bye” or Start Over – You may find that you have been more successful in engaging your audience on one social platform more than another. And while building a following and presence in each platform takes time, don’t hold onto something that isn’t working. Some networks are just a better fit than others for different companies, and it is completely acceptable to try again or simply eliminate your profile on a network where engagement and activity are nil.

For more information on construction business and marketing tips, stay connected with the HBW Blog. To get ahead of construction activity and gain access to the latest permitting data in Florida, Texas, Georgia, Alabama and Oklahoma, contact HBW for more information on construction data reports and industry leads.

Top Florida Home Builders – August 2019

Posted on September 27, 2019 by Erika Carruth

A review of the top home builders with new residential construction permits on file with HBW for the month of August 2019

Earlier this week, we reviewed the latest construction permit data available from the HBW database for new home construction in Florida in our post “Florida Home Construction Update – August 2019”. Today, we are taking a deeper dive into the same construction permit data to identify the leading contractors and home builders in the Sunshine State during the month of August.

For our purposes, leading home builders are those with the highest concentration of new residential construction permits on file for a given period. In Florida, permit data is pulled from five major regions: Jacksonville, Orlando, Tampa, Southwest and Southeast.

Looking at the figures statewide, and as reported in our last post, there were approximately 5,560 housing starts with a total construction value in excess of $1.5 billion on file for Florida last month. Out of the hundreds of companies with active permits on record for the one-month period, D.R. Horton (768 permits) and Lennar Homes (710 permits) ranked as the leading builders for total new permits.

Here is a breakdown of the top five leading home builders by Florida region during the month of August 2019:

Southwest

Builder	Total Permits
Lennar Homes	163
D.R. Horton	151
Taylor Morrison	91
Pulte Homes	88
Neal Communities of SW FL	54

Tampa

Builder	Total Permits
Lennar Homes	279
D.R. Horton	173
Pulte Homes	87
M/I Homes	62
Highland Homes	39

Orlando

Builder	Total Permits
D.R. Horton	188
Lennar Homes	102
Mattamy Homes	98
Taylor Morrison	67
Meritage Homes	44

Jacksonville

Builder	Total Permits
D.R. Horton	211
Dream Finders Home	97
Lennar Homes	94
KB Homes	87
Richmond American Homes	62

Southeast

Builder	Total Permits
GL Building Corp	111
GHO Homes	39
Lennar Homes	72
D.R. Horton	45
Kolter Signature Homes	36

Florida Home Construction Update – August 2019

Posted on September 25, 2019 by Erika Carruth

An overview of the latest residential construction permit data for Florida based on the HBW database

When reviewing the latest residential construction permit data on file with HBW for the Sunshine State, we reviewed the five major regions of Tampa, Orlando, Southwest, Southeast and Jacksonville. For the month of August 2019, there was a combined total (from all regions) of approximately 5,560 housing starts with a total construction value in excess of $1.5 billion, reflecting a month-over-month decrease of nearly 19 percent in new residential construction permits.

From a regional perspective, Tampa continues to lead with the highest level of new home construction month after month, having more than 1,400 new permits on file in August, and Orlando held the highest average value of new home construction (average value: $318,841).

Here is a closer look at the latest stats on new home construction in Florida by region last month:

Tampa

As previously mentioned, Tampa has been maintaining its lead in Florida as a hot spot for new home construction. Last month, there were more than 1,400 new permits with a total construction value of nearly $405 million in the area. The average value of new home construction was on the upper range in comparison to other regions reviewed, landing at $288,530, and nearly all new construction took place in the counties of Polk (499 permits), Pasco (391 permits) and Hillsborough (383 permits).

Orlando

While Orlando ranked second highest for total new construction permits on file with HBW, it ranked #1 for having a higher average value of construction (average value: $318,841). Last month, there were approximately 1,217 housing starts with a total construction value in excess of $388 million in the Orlando area, and the area with the highest concentration of new home construction was the city-central County of Orange (406 permits).

Southwest Florida

In the southwestern region of Florida, there were approximately 1,190 housing starts with a total construction value of nearly $299 million last month. The average value of new home construction (average value: $251,477) landed in the mid-range in comparison to other regions reviewed, and just about half of all new residential construction permits originated from two counties: Lee County (326 permits) and Sarasota County (276 permits).

Jacksonville

Last month, there were approximately 1,080 housing starts with a total construction value of more than $236.5 million in the Jacksonville area. The average value of new home construction was lowest in Jacksonville (average value: $219,250) compared to other Florida regions reviewed, and more than half of all new permits originated from the counties of Duval (449 permits) and St. Johns (303 permits).

Southeast Florida

Last month, there were just over 670 housing starts with a total construction value of more than $198.6 million in the southeastern region of Florida. The average value of construction landed on the higher end of the spectrum, coming in at $295,576, and nearly half of all new home construction took place in St. Lucie County (304 permits).

Understanding Content Marketing

Posted on September 20, 2019 by Erika Carruth

What is content marketing? Well, if you have been following the HBW Blog, you probably have a fairly good idea. Just check out our previous posts “7 Tips for Content Marketing Success” or “Seven Apps for Improving Social Content” to gain insight on ways to use and improve content in your marketing efforts.

For the purpose of this post, we are going back to the basics and revisiting the fundamentals of content marketing and how it plays an important role in your strategy. According to Oxford, content marketing is “a type of marketing that involves the creation and sharing of online material (such as videos, blogs, and social media posts) that does not explicitly promote a brand but is intended to stimulate interest in its products or services.” In other words, it is everything that you put on the internet and social media that is not a direct ad – It is a way to share your brand and company activities without aggressively or directly selling to the viewer. We are essentially being inundated with content marketing every day, and most of the time the viewer is completely unaware of it. From videos and blog articles to your daily social news feeds, you are living in a world that is engrossed in content marketing.

So, how does content marketing benefit your business? In short, it increases your visibility, integrity and authenticity when done properly. Content marketing is a necessity in the current digital marketing landscape, and it is one of the most practical and effective parts of your marketing strategy. A few of the many benefits include:

More Content – Yes, it sounds simple, but by having more content on your site and social profiles, you are offering more ways and information to engage your target audience. Stale and outdated content makes for a stale and outdated looking business in the digital world, so it is important to keep the content flowing, fresh and relevant to the latest buzz within your business and industry. By having new videos, stories, case studies and regular activity on your social media profiles, you are keeping your brand front and center, as well as demonstrating that your business is active and informed.
More Visibility – With every new post that you add to a blog or website, you have just added another page that will be indexed by Google. Increased pages and better-quality content provide your business with more opportunities to rank for more search inquiries. For this reason, it is important to know the keywords and topics that are most frequently searched by your target audience and to include them in the body and headers of your posts, stories and videos.
More Credibility – When viewers access your content, they are immediately forming an impression of your brand. Content that is helpful, informative, professional and speaks to the viewers’ needs will ultimately increase your credibility and reputation. Additionally, it can expand your reach by being shared by other reputable sources within the industry; with your content being published by a third party, it is likely to show up in your target audience’s news feeds which builds an additional layer of trust and reinforces your company’s position as a leader in the industry.

Florida Top Swimming Pool Builders – August 2019

Posted on September 18, 2019 by Erika Carruth

An HBW review of the latest swimming pool construction permit data and leading contractors by area for the month of August 2019

If you have been keeping up with the HBW blog, then you already have a little insight into the latest statistics on Florida’s swimming pool construction last month. In our most recent post, the southwestern region of Florida was in the spotlight, as 33 percent of all new swimming pool construction took place there during the month of August. When looking at the Sunshine State overall, there were approximately 1,850 new swimming pool permits with a total construction value in excess of $84 million last month.

When it comes to swimming pool contractors, the leaderboard widely varies by region. For this reason, here is a summary of the latest swimming pool construction permit data and leading pool builders, by Florida region, for the month of August 2019:

Southwest Florida

As previously mentioned and explored in last week’s blog post, Southwest Florida ranked #1 for new swimming pool construction last month, having nearly 615 swimming pool starts with a total construction value of more than $26.8 million. The average value of construction landed on the lower to average range in comparison to other major regions reviewed coming in at $43,819 for the one-month period.

Out of the 130+ swimming pool contractors on record for the month, the following ranked as the top five for total new permits:

Company	Total Permits
Aragon Pools & Spas	70
Coast to Coast Pools	59
Waterscapes Pools & Spas	25
Pinnacle USA	22
Casa Pools	22

Tampa

In Tampa, there were 380 swimming pool starts with a total construction value in excess of $19.6 million last month. The average value of construction was higher in Tampa in comparison to other regions reviewed, coming in at $51,606.

Out of the 125 active pool builders on file, the following ranked as the top five for total new permits for the one-month period:

Company	Total Permits
Olympus Pools	47
Natural Springs Pools	19
Challenger Pools	18
Gulfstream Pools & Spas	17
Tampa Bay Pools	14

Orlando

Not far behind Tampa, the Orlando area had approximately 365 swimming pool starts with a total construction value of nearly $16 million last month, and the average value of new construction was $43,820.

Out of the approximately 100 active swimming pool contractors on record for the month, the following ranked as the top five for total new permits:

Company		Total Permits
Bob’s Pool Service	57
Dreamscapes Pools & Spas	24
All Seasons	15
Martin Pools	15
Atlas Pools of Central Florida	14

Southeast Florida

In the southeastern region of Florida there were 340 pool starts with a total construction value of $14.6 million during the month of August. The average value of new pool construction was lowest in the southeast in comparison to other regions reviewed, coming in at $43,017.

Out of the 140 pool contractors with new construction activity on record for the month, the following ranked as the top five for total new permits:

Company	Total Permits
A & G Concrete Pools	31
Pools by Greg	18
Paradise Swimming Pools & Spas	12
Crystal Pools	11
Rosmel Pools	11

Jacksonville

Finally, in Jacksonville there were just over 150 new swimming pool permits with a total construction value of nearly $7.3 million last month, and the average value of new construction was $47,000.

Out of the nearly 70 active pool contractors in the region last month, the following ranked as the top five for total new permits on record with HBW:

Company	Total Permits
Blue Haven Pools	10
Island Pools	7
Crown Pools	7
Pools by John Clarkson	7
Superior Design Pools	7

New Pool Construction Holding Strong in Southwest Florida

Posted on September 14, 2019 by Erika Carruth

An HBW report on the latest permitting data for new swimming pool construction in Southwest Florida during the month of August 2019

When reviewing the latest construction permitting data available from the HBW database, we found approximately 1,850 new swimming pool permits in Florida for the month of August alone. And while that may be just about on par for new pool construction during the summer months, with monthly totals ranging from 1,820 to 2,110 from May through August, one Florida region has been consistently holding its lead in new pool construction month after month: Southwest Florida

Based on HBW’s construction data reports, more than 33 percent of all new swimming pool construction in Florida last month took place in the southwest. During the month of August, there were nearly 615 new swimming pool starts with a total construction value of more than $26.8 million. The average value of construction landed on the lower to average range in comparison to other major regions reviewed (Southeast, Tampa, Orlando, Jacksonville) coming in at $43,819 for the one-month period.

When looking at figures from a countywide perspective, 70 percent of all new swimming pool construction took place in Lee County (184 permits), Sarasota County (143 permits) and Collier County (103 permits), where the average value of new construction ranged from as low as $41,930 (Collier County) to as high as $45,670 (Lee County).

Last month, there were more than 130 active swimming pool contractors that had new permits on file in the area. When looking at the contractors with the greatest total amount of starts on record for the one-month period, the following ranked as the top five for total new permits:

Company	Total Permits	Average Construction Value
Aragon Pools & Spas	70	$ 37,857.00
Coast to Coast Pools	59	$ 46,364.00
Waterscapes Pools & Spas	25	$ 46,340.00
Pinnacle USA	22	$ 44,569.00
Casa Pools	22	$ 33,432.00

HBW Report: Texas Swimming Pool Construction – August 2019

Posted on September 11, 2019 by Erika Carruth

A review of the latest monthly permitting data available for new swimming pool construction in the four major metro areas of Texas

During the month of August, approximately 715 new swimming pool permits were added to the HBW database for the combined Texas metro areas of Dallas, Houston, Austin and San Antonio. Out of the four areas reviewed, Dallas ranked #1 for total swimming pool starts (320 permits), while Houston held the highest average value of new construction (average value: $61,367). Here is a breakdown of the permit data and counties with the greatest concentration of new construction activity in Texas last month:

Dallas

As previously mentioned, Dallas ranked #1 for total new pool construction permits during the month of August. There were 150 active pool builders on file for the one-month period, contributing to a total of 320 pool starts and a total construction value of nearly $13 million. In comparison to the other metro areas reviewed, the average value of new pool construction was on the lower end of the spectrum in Dallas (average value: $40,086), and the counties with the highest concentration of new permits were Tarrant (88 permits) and Dallas (70 permits).

Houston

In Houston, there were 130 pool builders with permits on record with HBW last month, resulting in nearly 250 new permits with a total construction value of $15.2 million. The average value of new construction was highest in Houston (average value: $61,367) in comparison to the other metro areas reviewed, and the bulk of new construction took place in Harris County (148 new permits).

Austin

In Austin, there were approximately 55 active swimming pool contractors with permits on record last month, resulting in nearly 95 new permits and a total construction value in excess of $5.1 million. The average value of new pool construction landed in the upper/mid-range (average value: $54,766) in comparison to other Texas metro areas, and the majority of new permits originated from Travis County (73 permits).

San Antonio

New swimming pool construction remained low in both activity and value in San Antonio and surrounding areas last month. There were just over 25 pool contractors with new permits on record last month, resulting in roughly 55 new permits with a total construction value nearing $2 million. The average value of construction was lowest in San Antonio (average value: $36,479) in comparison to other Texas metro areas reviewed, and more than half of all new construction took place in Bexar County (38 permits).

HBW Report: Texas Residential Construction Review – August 2019

Posted on September 7, 2019 by Erika Carruth

A monthly review of the latest construction permit data for Texas during the month of August 2019

Texas New Residential Construction Permit Totals by Metro Area – August 2019

The latest figures are in for new residential construction on file with HBW for the Lone Star State during the month of August, and it appears that the market has experienced some fluctuations over the summer. From the combined areas of Houston, Dallas, Austin and San Antonio, there were 5,660 housing starts with a total construction value in excess of $1.3 billion last month which reflects just about a 12 percent month-over-month decrease in new residential construction. Looking at the totals from the summer months (June thru August), new residential construction was strongest during the month of July (6,460 permits), while June and August were somewhat consistent, ranging from 5,660 to 5,825 housing starts on a monthly basis.

Last month, the area with the greatest amount of new construction activity in Texas was Houston; with 2,484 housing starts and a total construction value of nearly $476 million, Houston has experienced a month-over-month decrease in new home construction of approximately 12 percent. Dallas ranked second-highest with 1,626 permits, followed by Austin (1,086 permits) and San Antonio (464 permits).

When looking at the average value of new home construction, Dallas continued to lead as it held an average value of nearly $293k for new residential construction, followed by Austin with an average construction value of $255,567.

Out of the hundreds of active home builders with permits on record with HBW last month, D.R. Horton maintained its lead in Texas, ranking #1 in three out of four major metro areas (Houston, Dallas, Austin) and having more than 525 new permits on file. Other top home builders with higher concentrations of new permitting activity throughout the state include Lennar Homes (281 permits) and Pulte Homes (249 permits).

3 More Marketing Tactics

Posted on September 5, 2019 by Erika Carruth

A continuation of the previous “3 in 3” article, reviewing three additional marketing tactics that can be easily executed in minutes

In follow up to last week’s post 3 in 3 – Three Marketing Tips in Three Minutes, we decided to take a look at a few more marketing tactics that you and your team can execute in limited time. You don’t need to be a marketing guru to follow these tips, and whether you have a seasoned veteran or new recruit handling your marketing efforts, all levels of experience can benefit from a few reminders and refreshers. Here are three more tips to keep the momentum going:

Ask Customers – Surveys serve a variety of purposes, especially in marketing. First, a survey allows you to gauge your customers’ interest in a new product, service and experience with your brand; such feedback can act as a guide to help you develop content around your target audience’s interests so that you maximize engagement. Additionally, surveys are a great way to gather information and quotes for testimonials. For this reason, your survey should not be limited to multiple choice; instead, offer a chance for them to provide honest and open comments that you can address when there is an issue and share when there is a success.
Recycle – Just like recycling and repurposing paper and plastic, so can you recycle your content. When repurposing previously published content, it is important to make sure that you are connecting the content to something relevant today. For example, you may have posted an article or video that highlighted the features of a new project or installation; consider revisiting the project in five years to demonstrate the longevity of a roof in a construction project or the growth and expansion of a garden in a landscape design. Additionally, posts with instructional content or product information may be repurposed to address recent questions. Seasonal content may also be repurposed and expanded with any new information that may have developed since the original message was published.
Email Your List – As an HBW subscriber, your lead list is growing every day, and with it comes the need for maintenance. Often, we gravitate to new leads, new names and new opportunities, and while keeping it fresh is vital to your marketing success, you will also want to maintain communication with contacts who may be further down the list. For this reason, you should have consistent, and somewhat regular, communication with all of your contacts. Use your time wisely, and consider reaching out to customers and contacts just to wish them a happy holiday, provide valuable advice about their property or offer an exclusive discount. Monthly or quarterly e-newsletters or news briefs can also be helpful in keeping in touch while simultaneously providing value to your customers.