HBWeekly

Top Home Builders in Florida – August 2023

Posted on September 27, 2023 by Erika Carruth

Last week, HBW highlighted the most recent new residential construction permit activity on record for the month of August, and it was reported that there were 6,825 new residential construction permits with a total value in excess of $2.1 billion added to the HBW database for the Sunshine State. Out of the hundreds of contractors with new residential construction activity on record with HBW, Lennar Homes carried the greatest volume of housing starts statewide, having 930 new permits for the one-month period and ranking #1 in two out of five of the Florida regions reviewed (Tampa, Southwest, Orlando, Southeast, Jacksonville).

Another strong leader in the market has and continues to be D.R. Horton; the mega-builder ranked #2 for new home construction statewide last month, having 733 total new permits on record with HBW for the one-month period and ranking #1 in two out of five of the Florida regions reviewed.

Here is breakdown of the top five home builders by region, based on total new permits on record with HBW during the month of August 2023:

Southwest

Last month, there were more than 275 contractors with new residential construction activity on record in the southwestern region of Florida, and the following ranked as the top five for total new permits:

Builder	Total Permits	Average Value
1-Lennar Homes	260	$ 237,207.00
2-D.R. Horton	219	$ 196,443.00
3-Pulte Homes	165	$ 227,731.00
4-Taylor Morrison	73	$ 250,944.00
5-Neal Communities of SW FL	65	$ 285,420.00

Tampa

Out of more than 210 home builders with new construction activity on record with HBW in the Tampa area last month, the following ranked as the top five for total new permits:

Builder	Total Permits	Average Value
1-Lennar Homes	363	$ 302,387.00
2-D.R. Horton	102	$ 257,903.00
3-The Villages of Lake Sumter	72	$ 175,000.00
4-Pulte Homes	69	$ 216,294.00
5-KB Homes	64	$ 219,925.00

Orlando

Out of nearly 170 home builders with new permits on record with HBW in Orlando last month, the following ranked as the top five for total new permits:

Builder	Total Permits	Average Value
1-D.R. Horton	182	$ 292,219.00
2-Lennar Homes	153	$ 237,832.00
3-Pulte Homes	100	$ 372,776.00
4-Minto Communities	69	$ 413,902.00
5-Park Square Homes	66	$ 211,021.00

Jacksonville

In Jacksonville, there were 135 contractors with new residential construction activity on record last month, and the following ranked as the top five for total new permits:

Builder	Total Permits	Average Value
1-D.R. Horton	202	$ 172,624.00
2-Richmond American Homes	128	$ 279,947.00
3-Dream Finders Homes	123	$ 197,624.00
4-Lennar Homes	96	$ 257,331.00
5-Pulte Homes	66	$ 236,762.00

Southeast

In the southeastern region of Florida, there were more than 100 contractors with new residential construction activity on record last month, and the following ranked as the top five for total new permits:

Builder	Total Permits	Average Value
1-CBI Construction Services	104	$ 223,427.00
2-GL Building Corporation	86	$ 433,321.00
3-Lennar Homes	58	$ 273,717.00
4-Mattamy Homes	51	$ 229,198.00
5-K Hovnanian Homes	37	$ 323,374.00

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.

Florida Residential Construction Summary – August 2023

Posted on September 22, 2023 by Erika Carruth

Last month, there were 6,825 new residential construction permits with a total value in excess of $2.1 billion added to the HBW database for the Sunshine State; this reflects a 22 percent month-over-month decrease in new home construction activity.

Top Markets

Out of the five regions reviewed (Southwest, Tampa, Orlando, Jacksonville, Southeast), approximately 52 percent of all new home construction activity originated from the Southwest and Tampa areas last month where there were 1,815 and 1,723 new permits respectively. In addition to the Southwest and Tampa areas, higher levels of new residential construction activity also took place in the Orlando area (1,347 permits), as well as Jacksonville (1,268 permits).

Leading Counties

Out of the five regions reviewed last month, there were several counties that carried a greater amount of new residential construction activity than others; those counties include St. Johns County (636 permits) in the Jacksonville area, and Lee County (608 permits) in the southwestern region. Additionally, Polk County (Tampa) and Manatee County (Southwest) exhibited higher levels of new home construction in comparison to other counties across the state as there were 561 and 506 new permits on record for the one-month period respectively.

Average Value of Construction

During the month of August, the average value of new home construction across the Sunshine State ranged from a high of $351,913 (Southeast) to a low of $262,783 (Jacksonville), with the southeastern region leading and having the highest average value of new home construction in comparison to other Florida regions reviewed. Here is a look at the average value of new home construction statewide during the month of August:

Southeast (average value: $ 351,913)
Orlando (average value: $ 345,745)
Southwest (average value: $ 320,332)
Tampa (average value: $ 292,892)
Jacksonville (average value: $262,783)

Florida’s Top Swimming Pool Builders – August 2023

Posted on September 20, 2023 by Erika Carruth

As reported in HBW’s latest Florida Swimming Pool Construction Review, there were approximately 1,870 new swimming pool construction permits with a total value of nearly $147M on record for Florida last month, reflecting an 18 percent month-over-month decrease in new pool construction.

When using HBW’s construction data reports to identify the leading swimming pool contractors statewide, we found that across the five major regions reviewed (Southwest, Tampa, Orlando, Southeast, Jacksonville) the list of top pool builders varied greatly from region to region; here is a list of the top five swimming pool builders in each Florida region based on total new permits on record with HBW for the month of August:

Southwest

Builder	Total Permits	Average Value
1-Holiday Pools of West FL	46	$ 63,549.00
2-Pinnacle USA	45	$ 64,467.00
3-Miromar Pools	40	$ 66,021.00
4-Waterscapes Pools & Spas	33	$ 52,455.00
5-Contemporary Pools	22	$ 74,334.00

Tampa

Builder	Total Permits	Average Value
1-Cody Pools	24	$ 106,159.00
2-Tampa Bay Pools	16	$ 102,017.00
3-T&D Pool & Spa Construction	16	$ 35,000.00
4-Gulfstream Pools & Spas	13	$ 97,640.00
5-Dynasty Pools and Spas	13	$ 36,923.00

Orlando

Builder	Total Permits	Average Value
1.Bob’s Pool Service	24	$ 47,250.00
2-All Seasons	23	$ 74,706.00
3-Signature Pools	12	$ 176,901.00
4-Martin Pools	12	$ 73,271.00
5-Cody Pools	12	$ 51,417.00

Jacksonville

Builder	Total Permits	Average Value
1-Agua Pools & Spas	26	$ 117,269.00
2-Blue Haven Pools	15	$ 72,690.00
3-Pools by John Clarkson	10	$ 106,732.00
4-Paragon Pools of North FL	10	$ 76,984.00
5-Epic Pools & Hardscape Construction	7	$ 103,961.00

Southeast

Builder	Total Permits	Average Value
1-Van Kirk Construction	12	$ 97,820.00
2-Pools by Greg	11	$ 84,361.00
3-Sunsational Pools & Spa	11	$ 54,636.00
4-A&G Concrete Pools	10	$ 92,121.00
5-Fountain Blue Pool Service	10	$ 46,387.00

Florida Swimming Pool Construction Review – August 2023

Posted on September 15, 2023 by Erika Carruth

Based on HBW’s latest construction data reports, there were approximately 1,870 new swimming pool construction permits with a total value of nearly $147M on record for Florida last month; this reflects an 18 percent month-over-month decrease in new pool construction. Out of the five regions included in the reports (Southwest, Tampa, Orlando, Southeast, Jacksonville), the greatest volume of new pool construction activity could be found in the Southwest (653 permits), while the lowest level of new construction activity could be found in the Jacksonville area (262 permits).

When reviewing the reports to identify counties with the highest levels of new swimming pool construction, there were five counties that carried approximately 44 percent of all new construction activity statewide last month; those counties are as follows:

Lee County (Southwest): 319 permits
Palm Beach County (Southeast): 139 permits
Orange County (Orlando): 135 permits
Manatee County (Southwest): 114 permits
St. Johns County (Jacksonville): 114 permits

As far as the average value of new pool construction permits is concerned, the average value ranged from a high of $89,038 (Jacksonville) to a low of $73,851 (Southwest). Here is a closer look at the average value of new pool construction by region last month (from highest to lowest):

Jacksonville (average value: $89,038)
Orlando (average value: $81,596)
Tampa (average value: $78,060)
Southeast (average value: $77,501)
Southwest (average value: $73,851)

Leading Home Builders in Texas – August 2023

Posted on September 13, 2023 by Erika Carruth

As published on the HBW blog last week, there were approximately 6,060 new residential construction permits with a total value of $1.65B added to the HBW database for Texas during the month of August – This figure represents a 23 percent month-over-month decrease in new residential construction from the combined metropolitan areas of Texas (Houston, Dallas, Austin, San Antonio).

Since we previously took a dive into the permit data and leading areas for new home construction, today we are going behind the reports to identify the leading contractors driving new residential construction across the Lone Star State. During the month of August, D.R. Horton continued to be a major driver in new home construction, having 867 new permits on record with HBW for the one-month period and ranking #1 for volume of housing starts in the areas of Houston and Dallas. Following D.R. Horton, Lennar Homes also carried a heavy presence in Texas residential construction last month, having 580 new permits on record and ranking #1 in San Antonio and #2 in Houston and Dallas for total new permits.

To gain a better understanding of the leading contractors from a regional perspective, we pulled the top five home builders by major metropolitan area (based on total new permits) during the month of August – The results are as follows:

Houston

Out of 310 active contractors with new construction activity on record in the Houston area last month, the following ranked as the top five for total new permits:

Builder	Total Permits
1-D.R. Horton	304
2-Lennar Homes	297
3-Perry Homes	141
4-David Weekley Homes	112
5-K Hovnanian Homes	96

Dallas

In Dallas, there were approximately 245 home builders with new construction activity on record last month, and the following ranked as the top five for total new permits:

Builder	Total Permits
1-D.R. Horton	508
2-Lennar Homes	182
3-David Weekley Homes	99
4-Bloomfield Homes	99
5-Meritage Homes	61

Austin

Last month, there were more than 90 home builders with new construction activity on record in the Austin area, and the following ranked as the top five for total new permits for the one-month period:

Builder	Total No
1-Milestone Community Builders	43
2-KB Homes	40
3-Perry Homes	39
4-Pacesetter Homes	35
5-Pulte Homes	34

San Antonio

In the San Antonio area, there were 85 home builders with new construction activity on record last month, and the following ranked as the top five for total new permits:

Builder	Total Permits
1-Lennar Homes	85
2-KB Homes	58
3-Continental Homes of Texas	56
4-Perry Homes	34
5-LGI Homes	34

Texas Residential Construction Update – August 2023

Posted on September 8, 2023 by Erika Carruth

Residential construction data reports are in and ready at HBW – According to the latest available from the HBW database, the four major metro areas of the Lone Star State (Houston, Dallas, Austin, San Antonio) had a combined total of approximately 6,060 new residential construction permits with a total value of $1.65B during the month of August; this figure reflects a 23 percent month-over-month decrease in new home construction.

Out of the four metro areas reviewed, Houston maintained its lead for volume of housing starts having 2,832 new residential construction permits on record for the month, while the Austin area held the highest average value of new home construction (average value: $352,114).

Here is a closer look at the total permits, average value of construction and leading counties by metro area in Texas during the month of August 2023:

Houston

In Houston, there were more than 2,830 new residential construction permits with a total value of approximately $750.1M on record last month. The average value of construction was $265,120, and just about 76 percent of all new construction activity took place in the counties of Harris (1,299 permits) and Montgomery (856 permits).

Dallas

Last month, there were 2,105 new residential construction permits with a total value in excess of $577M in the Dallas area. The average value of new home construction was $274,192, and nearly half of all new permits originated from Tarrant County (993 permits).

Austin

In the Austin area, there were approximately 575 new residential construction permits with a total value in excess of $202M during the month of August. As previously mentioned, Austin carried the highest average value of new home construction (average value: $352,114) in comparison to other areas reviewed, and the bulk of new residential construction activity took place in the two counties of Travis (246 permits) and Williamson (180 permits).

San Antonio

Not far behind Austin, the San Antonio area had nearly 550 new residential construction permits with a total value of $120.4M on record with HBW last month. The average value of new home construction was $219,726, and the majority of all new residential construction permits originated from the County of Bexar (353 permits).

Texas Swimming Pool Construction Review – August 2023

Posted on September 6, 2023 by Erika Carruth

Every month, HBW reviews and publishes the latest stats on permit data available from the HBW database, providing readers a glimpse into just some of the information that is available to HBW subscribers. Not only does this information allow readers a sneak peek into the market from a monthly, quarterly, and annual basis, but it also allows users to understand patterns in the market, as well as prospects and opportunities for expanding business.

Today, we are looking specifically at the latest data on new swimming pool construction in the four major metro areas of Texas (Dallas, Houston, Austin, San Antonio) during the month of August. Last month, there approximately 675 new swimming pool construction permits with a total value in excess of $42.6 million added to the HBW database for Texas. Out of the four regions reviewed, the highest concentration of pool starts could be found in Dallas (286 permits), while the highest average value of new swimming pool construction could be found in Houston (average value: $79,750).

Here is a closer look at the total permits, average value of construction, top counties, and leading pool contractors by region for the Lone Star State last month:

Dallas

Total # of Permits: 286

Average Value of Construction: $59,075

Top Counties for New Construction (based on total permits): Dallas County (90 permits); Tarrant County (73 permits)

Top three Pool Builders (based on total new permits in August 2023):

Builder	Total Permits
1-Riverbend Pools	22
2-Puryear Custom Pools	13
3-Gold Medal Pools	10

Houston

Total # of Permits: 218

Average Value of Construction: $79,750

Top County for New Construction (based on total permits): Harris County (153 permits)

Top three Pool Builders (based on total new permits in August 2023):

Builder	Total Permits
1-Platinum Pools	16
2-Cypress Custom Pools	10
3-Backyard Oasis	7

Austin

Total # of Permits: 101

Average Value of Construction: $60,766

Top County for New Construction (based on total permits): Travis County (71 permits)

Top three Pool Builders (based on total new permits in August 2023):

Builder	Total Permits
1-Cody Pools	10
2-Anthony & Sylvan Pools	7
3-Premier Pools & Spas of Austin	6

San Antonio

Total # of Permits: 68

Average Value of Construction: $32,721

Top County for New Construction (based on total permits): Bexar County (49 permits)

Top three Pool Builders (based on total new permits in August 2023):

Builder	Total Permits
1-Cody Pools	8
2-Keith Zars Pools	7
3-Backyard Vacation Oasis	6

Refreshers for Improving Your Online Presence

Posted on September 1, 2023 by Erika Carruth

Let’s face it – Technology and social media preferences are seemingly everchanging. From new platforms being launched or changed to social media trends going from hot to not in less than a day, there is a lot to keep up with when it comes to building your online presence. That being stated, there are certain things that you can count on – simple areas that you can give attention as a contractor without breaking the bank or adding a new team member.

Sometimes, it is just a matter of giving your website and social profiles a little “refresh”. Whether you need to update content on your website or remove and update your socials, here are a few key areas to focus on to ensure that you’re making the most of your online presence:

Get Social – If you are already on social media, then it is important that all of your profiles (on all platforms) are active. Often, if social media profiles are not regularly managed, then months can quickly go by without a post; this can lead to loss in your audience and engagement. For this reason, check your pages/profiles to ensure that they have been properly maintained and are updated with your latest and greatest happenings. Remove any unwanted or duplicate profiles, and work on streamlining your content sharing process.
Update Your Website – To have an updated website doesn’t necessarily mean that you need to make radical changes or create an entirely new site. Sometimes, a simple “cleaning up” of text and images can give your business a refreshed look. More importantly, if you have added a blog, have new pages or profiles on social media, or have changed your location or contact information, make sure that all appropriate updates have been made and links have been added to your website.
Invest in SEO – In order for your website to show up “higher” in search results, you should consider checking in on your current SEO (Search Engine Optimization) efforts. SEO isn’t a one-time action; rather, it is something that takes time and continual attention to maintain momentum. To start, you will need to choose the best “keywords” for your industry and products/services; keep in mind that these can change over time depending on how most people search for your type of service. There are a variety of online tools to find the best keywords; be sure to include short and long-tail keywords such as “flooring contractors in Orlando, Florida”. Be sure to have keywords positioned properly throughout the front and back-end of your website. Additional optimization efforts that you can make include improving page loading speed, accessibility, navigation, and adding links to partner sites.

For contractors, and HBW subscribers who are contacting new leads, it is important that you make a positive first impression when potential clients are searching for your business online. By sticking with consistent brand representation, active social profiles and an updated website that is easy to locate and navigate, you will be well on your way to attracting and retaining customers for the long-term.

For more information on construction business 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.

Florida Top Home Builders – July 2023

Posted on August 30, 2023 by Erika Carruth

As reported on the HBW blog last week, there were approximately 8,760 new residential construction permits with a total value in excess of $2.6B on record for Florida during the month of July 2023. Across the state (Southwest, Tampa, Orlando, Jacksonville, Southeast), two major players in the market continued their lead for new residential construction – those home builders are Lennar Homes and D.R. Horton; for the one-month period, both mega builders had 1,362 and 1,042 new permits on record with HBW respectively, and Lennar Homes ranked #1 for new home construction activity (based on total permits) in three out of five regions reviewed.

Here is a closer look at the leading home builders by Florida region for the month of July 2023:

Southwest

Last month, there were more than 360 home builders in the southwestern region of Florida with new home construction activity on record with HBW, and the following ranked as the top five for total new permits:

Builder	Total Permits	Average Value
1-Lennar Homes	332	$ 177,100.00
2-Pulte Homes	232	$ 215,083.00
3-D.R. Horton	221	$ 214,143.00
4-Taylor Morrison	149	$ 229,908.00
5-Neal Communities of SW FL	100	$ 248,820.00

Tampa

In Tampa, there were 205 home builders with new construction activity on record last month, and the following ranked as the top five for total new permits:

Builder	Total Permits	Average Value
1-Lennar Homes	573	$ 316,102.00
2-D.R. Horton	359	$ 258,589.00
3-Meritage Homes	143	$ 311,664.00
4-KB Homes	93	$ 188,754.00
5-Pulte Homes	87	$ 224,022.00

Orlando

There were 170 home builders in the Orlando area that had new residential construction activity on record with HBW last month, and the following ranked as the top five for total new permits:

Builder	Total Permits	Average Value
1-D.R. Horton	181	$ 326,988.00
2-Lennar Homes	166	$ 193,065.00
3-Pulte Homes	145	$ 383,809.00
4-Meritage Homes	111	$ 288,606.00
5-Mattamy Homes	67	$ 273,556.00

Jacksonville

Last month, there were nearly 135 contractors with new residential construction activity on record in the Jacksonville area, and the following ranked as the top five for total new permits:

Builder	Total Permits	Average Value
1-D.R. Horton	199	$ 189,264.00
2-Lennar Homes	152	$ 307,145.00
3-Pulte Homes	119	$ 280,934.00
4-Richmond American Homes	66	$ 276,909.00
5-Dream Finders Homes	63	$ 217,359.00

Southeast

In the southeastern region of Florida there were 115 home builders with new residential construction activity on record with HBW last month, and the following ranked as the top five for total new permits:

Builder	Total Permits	Average Value
1-Lennar Homes	139	$ 264,489.00
2-GL Building Corporation	102	$ 415,449.00
3-D.R. Horton	82	$ 192,641.00
4-Mattamy Homes	69	$ 193,758.00
5-Pulte Homes	55	$ 319,023.00

Florida New Home Construction Summary – July 2023

Posted on August 25, 2023 by Erika Carruth

In Florida, there were approximately 8,760 new residential construction permits with a total value in excess of $2.6B during the month of July 2023. Out of the five major regions reviewed (Tampa, Southwest, Orlando, Jacksonville, Southeast), Tampa held the highest volume of new permitting activity (2,520 permits), while the highest average value of new home construction could be found in Orlando (average value: $342,098).

Here is a closer look at the total permits, average value of construction and leading counties for new home construction in Florida by region during the month of July:

Tampa

As previously noted, Tampa took the lead last month for new home construction, having 2,520 new permits with a total value in excess of $733 million. The average value of new home construction was $290,962, and the majority of permits originated from the counties of Pasco (853 permits) and Polk (781 permits).

Southwest

Last month, there were 2,460 new residential construction permits with a total value in excess of $696 million added to the HBW database for Southwest Florida. The average value of new home construction was $283,062, and the counties with the highest concentration of new permitting activity were Manatee (741 permits) and Lee (732 permits).

Orlando

The Orlando area had 1,582 new residential construction permits with a total value in excess of $541 million on record with HBW last month. The average value of new home construction was highest in the Orlando area (average value: $342,098) in comparison to other regions reviewed, and more than half of all new home construction took place in the counties of Orange (522 permits) and Brevard (359 permits).

Jacksonville

In Jacksonville, there were 1,270 new residential construction permits with a total value of nearly $350 million added to the HBW database last month. The average value of new home construction was lowest in Jacksonville (average value: $275,355) in comparison to other Florida regions reviewed, and the bulk of all new residential construction activity took place in the counties of St. Johns (624 permits) and Duval (223 permits).

Southeast

Last month, there were approximately 925 new residential construction permits with a total value of nearly $305 million in the southeastern region of Florida. The average value of new home construction landed on the higher end of the spectrum (average value: $329,061) in comparison to other Florida regions reviewed, and the county with the greatest concentration of new residential construction activity was St. Lucie County (550 permits).