HBWeekly

Atlanta Swimming Pool Construction Quarterly Review

Posted on July 5, 2023 by Erika Carruth

We’ve reached the midpoint of the year, and Atlanta continues to demonstrate a slow and declining market for new swimming pool construction. Since the start of 2023, there has been a 32 percent year-over-year decrease in new swimming pool construction in the Metro Atlanta area, resulting in approximately 1,500 new permits on record with HBW from January through June 2023. That being stated, it is evident that not all counties are equal, as there have been highs and lows in volume of pool starts, as well as growth rates.

Out of the 24 counties that make up the Metro Atlanta area, just a handful exhibited construction activity ahead of the same time last year. When reviewing the latest HBW Swimming Pool Construction Activity Trend Reports to identify where the bulk of new pool construction is taking place, there are three counties that top the chart for holding the highest volume of new permits; those counties are as follows: Fulton County (289 permits), Cobb County (146 permits), and Gwinnett County (136 permits) – Each county has demonstrated year-over-year decreases in new pool construction ranging from 23 percent (Gwinnett) to 33 percent (Fulton and Cobb).

In addition to the counties that are exhibiting greater concentrations of new pool construction activity, there are other areas that are worth noting based on apparent growth rates in pool starts since the beginning of this year. For example, while Paulding County didn’t land on the top three list for total permits, it is an area that appears to be reflecting small but consistent annual increases in new pool construction, having experienced a 90 percent year-over-year increase so far this year. Other Metro Atlanta area counties that are carrying lower levels of new pool construction but have experienced year-over-year increases in new permits since the start of this year include Bartow County (+111%), and Dekalb County (+22%).

Information utilized for the above listed figures for Metro Atlanta swimming pool construction was directly derived from HBW 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’s Top Home Builders – May 2023

Posted on July 1, 2023 by Erika Carruth

As published on the HBW blog earlier this week, there were 8,450 new residential construction permits with a total value of $2.5B on record for the Sunshine State last month. Out of the hundreds of contractors with new permits pulled for the one-month period, there were a few that were standouts, leading a large portion of new construction across the state.

Based on the latest construction data reports available from HBW, a few mega builders are leading Florida for new home construction. Across the five major regions reviewed (Tampa, Southwest, Orlando, Southeast, Jacksonville), Lennar Homes (1,227 permits), D.R. Horton (1,019 permits), and Pulte Homes (630 permits) landed in the top five for new home construction in every area, carrying approximately 35 percent of all new construction permits on record statewide for the month.

With construction and contractors having a local focus in certain areas, we have reviewed HBW construction data reports to identify leading home builders by region as based on the total number of new permits for the given period. Here is a breakdown of the top five contractors, their total permits, and the average value of construction by region during the month of May 2023:

Southwest

Builder	Total Permits	Average Value
1-Lennar Homes	271	$ 184,721.00
2-Pulte Homes	247	$ 193,365.00
3-D.R. Horton	174	$ 243,123.00
4-Taylor Morrison	160	$ 212,177.00
5-Neal Communities of SW FL	81	$ 265,326.00

Tampa

Builder	Total Permits	Average Value
1-Lennar Homes	444	$ 321,970.00
2-D.R. Horton	356	$ 245,609.00
3-Pulte Homes	120	$ 208,196.00
4-Taylor Morrison	99	$ 399,103.00
5-Highland Homes	94	$ 209,430.00

Southeast

Builder	Total Permits	Average Value
1-Pulte Homes	107	$ 338,366.00
2-Lennar Homes	100	$ 222,602.00
3-GL Building Corporation	63	$ 344,474.00
4-D.R. Horton	44	$ 414,485.00
5-K Hovnanian Homes	42	$ 355,743.00

Orlando

Builder	Total Permits	Average Value
1-D.R. Horton	196	$ 328,583.00
2-Lennar Homes	174	$ 206,865.00
3-Minto Communities	112	$ 311,750.00
4-Pulte Homes	91	$ 380,469.00
5-M/I Homes	80	$ 395,808.00

Jacksonville

Builder	Total Permits	Average Value
1-D.R. Horton	249	$ 207,651.00
2-Lennar Homes	238	$ 228,559.00
3-Dream Finders Homes	108	$ 196,067.00
4-Pulte Homes	65	$ 270,756.00
5-Dream Finders Construction	64	$ 263,462.00

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 Report – May 2023

Posted on June 28, 2023 by Erika Carruth

Based on the latest construction data reports from HBW, there were 8,450 new residential construction permits with a total value of $2.5B on record for the Sunshine State last month.

Out of the five regions reviewed (Southwest, Tampa, Orlando, Southeast, Jacksonville), Tampa carried the highest volume of new residential construction (2,467 permits), while the southeastern region held the highest average value of new home construction (average value: $347,382) for the one-month period.

Here is closer look at the total new permits, construction values and leading counties by region for new home construction in Florida during the month May 2023:

Tampa

Last month, Tampa led Florida for new home construction, having 2,467 new permits with a total construction value of approximately $670M on record with HBW. The majority of all new construction took place in the two counties of Polk (872 permits) and Pasco (712 permits), and the average value of construction in the Tampa area (average value: $271,412) landed on the lower end of the spectrum in comparison other Florida regions reviewed.

Southwest

In the southwestern region of Florida there were 2,200 new residential construction permits with a total value in excess of $663M on record last month. More than half of all new home construction took place in the counties of Lee (627 permits) and Manatee (482 permits), and the average value of construction was $301,605.

Orlando

In Orlando, there were approximately 1,540 new residential construction permits with a total value of $522.5M last month. Nearly half of all new permits originated from the two counties of Orange (404 permits) and Brevard (323 permits), and the average value of construction in the Orlando area (average value: $339,700) landed on the higher end of the spectrum in comparison to all other Florida regions reviewed.

Jacksonville

Last month, there were approximately 1,470 new residential construction permits with a total value in excess of $385M in the Jacksonville area. The majority of all new residential construction permits originated from the counties of St. Johns (569 permits) and Duval (488 permits), and the average value of new home construction was lowest in Jacksonville (average value: $262,120) in comparison to other Florida regions reviewed.

Southeast

In the southeast, there were more than 775 new residential construction permits with a total value of approximately $270M on record with HBW for the month of May. Just about half of all new home construction activity took place in St. Lucie County (388 permits), and the average value of new home construction was highest in the southeast (average value: $347,382) in comparison to other areas reviewed.

5 Tips for a Better One-Pager

Posted on June 23, 2023 by Erika Carruth

When following up with your HBW leads, chances are that you will be sending key information about your business and services their way. While an emphasis on social media and online presence is a vital part of your overall marketing strategy, printable and downloadable marketing collateral also play a major role in converting contacts into clients.

The question is less about whether you should follow up with print collateral and more about which marketing materials will be the most effective in any given situation. Should you send a product sheet, service outline, company overview, brochure? It is important to strike a balance between essential information and overload. This is where a one-pager (aka single-page flyer) comes into the picture.

A one-pager can refer to multiple types of informational or promotional flyers – From new service/product promotion to sales and product sheets, a single-page should focus on the most important content that you want to communicate. It may sound easy, but narrowing down your business, product/service, and core message to the key ingredients for a successful sale can be challenging. For this reason, here are a few easy tips to keep in mind as you develop the ultimate one-pager:

Keep it Concise – A single page should provide ample information without being text-heavy. By targeting key points of interest and condensing text, you are more likely to capture the attention of your reader. Unlike comprehensive brochures and lengthy presentations, one-pagers should be direct, to the point, and easy to read.
Catch the Eye – Now that you are not text-heavy, there should be room for an eye-catching image or two. The images that you choose should reflect the core message and add value to the page. In other words, don’t just add an image because there is space for it. Additionally, being authentic is important, but if you don’t have polished images or professional photographs of your own, consider using stock images.
Be on Brand – With the myriad of templates and design choices available, it is easy to want to step out of the brand box and get creative. And while creativity is an important component in designing your marketing materials, a cohesive message and staying on brand is vital to maintaining a professional presence and creating an impression that is unique to your business.
Have a Call to Action – What do you want the reader to do next? Having a call to action is a way to inform the reader of where to go next. This can be in the form of a one-liner such as “Book Your Free Consultation Today”, followed by contact information. You may also consider adding a QR Code to make it fast and easy for the reader to take the next steps.
Define a Purpose – A one-pager has multiple forms and uses. Some purposes include a company proposal, product/service sell sheet, company overview, testimonials, infographics, etc. Rather than sending everything to everyone, it is important to share the information that will be of greatest interest to your prospect and meet their current needs. You can always share additional services and information with them later.

When reaching out to leads, a one-pager can be an effective way to get your foot in the door. To make the most of this opportunity, the message should be clear, concise, eye-catching and on brand. Although brief, the page should capture the core value of your business – What value do you provide and how do you address your prospects’ pain points? Once you have the perfect one-pager in place, you will find it to be a multipurpose tool that can be used in lead follow-up, website downloads, proposals, presentations, email marketing, social media, and so much more.

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’s Top Pool Builders – May 2023

Posted on June 22, 2023 by Erika Carruth

As published on the HBW Blog last week, Florida experienced a 2.5 percent month-over-month increase in new swimming pool construction last month, resulting in 2,360 new permits with a total construction value of nearly $172M on record with HBW. New construction activity was widespread across the state, and out of the five major regions reviewed (Southwest, Southeast, Tampa, Orlando, Jacksonville), the southwestern region (734 permits) carried the greatest amount of new permitting activity.

When taking a closer look at the leading pool builders driving new construction, most contractors had a local or regional focus, resulting in variations in the top five pool builders for each area. Here is a closer look at the leading contractors (based on total new permits) on record with HBW for each Florida region during the month of May 2023:

Southwest

Last month, there were 170 pool builders in Southwest Florida with new construction activity on record with HBW, and the following ranked as the top five for total new permits for the one-month period:

Builder	Total Permits	Average Value
1-Aragon Pools & Spas	83	$ 33,000.00
2-Pinnacle USA	51	$ 51,627.00
3-Holiday Pools of West FL	32	$ 56,549.00
4-Casa Pools	29	$ 50,436.00
5-Nassau Pools Construction	26	$ 135,245.00

Southeast

Last month, there were more than 200 contractors in the southeastern region of Florida with new swimming pool construction permits on record with HBW, and the following ranked as the top five for total new permits for the one-month period:

Builder	Total Permits	Average Value
1-A&G Concrete Pools	27	$ 81,788.00
2-Van Kirk Construction	20	$ 98,774.00
3-Fountain Blue Pool Service	20	$ 54,958.00
4-Pool Builders	18	$ 71,279.00
5-Louden Bonded Pools	13	$ 64,320.00

Tampa

In the Tampa area, there were approximately 140 contractors with new swimming pool 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-T&D Pool & Spa Construction	44	$ 35,000.00
2-Tampa Bay Pools	41	$ 102,591.00
3-Cody Pools	31	$ 109,283.00
4-Gulfstream Pools & Spas	25	$ 92,076.00
5-Landmark Pools	12	$ 97,636.00

Orlando

In Orlando, there were 110 pool builders with new permits on record with HBW last month, and the following ranked as the top five for total new permits for the one-month period:

Builder	Total Permits	Average Value
1-Bob’s Pool Service	72	$ 24,125.00
2-Dreamscapes Pools & Spas	37	$ 61,643.00
3-All Seasons	21	$ 68,569.00
4-Martin Pools	16	$ 61,213.00
5-Best Pools of Brevard	11	$ 66,875.00

Jacksonville

Last month, there were nearly 85 pool contractors in Jacksonville with new construction activity on record with HBW, and the following ranked as the top five for total new permits:

Builder	Total Permits	Average Value
1-Pools by John Clarkson	11	$ 130,030.00
2-Agua Pools & Spas	11	$ 87,455.00
3-Waterside Pools	10	$ 111,790.00
4-Blue Haven Pools	10	$ 79,988.00
5-Stanley Pools	9	$ 98,030.00

Florida Swimming Pool Construction Report – May 2023

Posted on June 16, 2023 by Erika Carruth

Last month, Florida experienced a 2.5 percent month-over-month increase in new swimming pool construction, resulting in 2,360 new permits with a total construction value of nearly $172M on record with HBW. Out of the five major regions reviewed (Southwest, Tampa, Orlando, Southeast, Jacksonville), the southwestern region ranked #1 for the greatest amount of new construction (734 permits), while the highest average value of new swimming pool construction projects could be found in the Jacksonville area (average value: $98,382).

Here is a closer look at new swimming pool construction permit totals by area, along with average value of construction and leading counties in each region:

Southwest

In the Southwest, there were 734 new swimming pool construction permits with a total value of approximately $55M. The average value of new pool construction was $74,787, and the county with the highest concentration of new construction activity was Collier County (222 permits).

Southeast

Last month, the southeastern region of Florida ranked #2 for new pool construction, having just over 525 new permits with a total construction value of nearly $35M on record with HBW. The average value of new swimming pool construction was $66,143, and more than half of all new permits originated from the two counties of Palm Beach (139 permits) and Miami-Dade (134 permits).

Tampa

In Tampa, there were more than 490 new swimming pool construction permits with a total value in excess of $38M during the month of May. The average value of construction was $78,047, and the county with the greatest concentration of new pool construction activity was Hillsborough (190 permits).

Orlando

Last month, there were nearly 400 new swimming pool construction permits with a total value of approximately $22.5M added to the HBW database for Orlando. The average value of new pool construction was lowest in the Orlando area (average value: $57,182) in comparison to other regions reviewed, and more than half of all new permits originated from the two counties of Orange (160 permits) and Brevard (75 permits).

Jacksonville

In Jacksonville, there were more than 215 new swimming pool construction permits with a total value of nearly $21.3M on record last month. The average value of new pool construction was highest in Jacksonville (average value: $98,382) in comparison to other Florida regions reviewed, and nearly half of all new permits originated from St. Johns County (99 permits).

Top Texas Home Builders – May 2023

Posted on June 14, 2023 by Erika Carruth

As published on the HBW blog last week (Texas Residential Construction Report – May 2023), there were 9,000 new residential construction permits with a total construction value in excess of $2.5 billion on record for Texas last month. While the previous post highlighted the total number of permits available in the HBW database for the given period, this week we are reviewing the leading home builders driving the latest construction figures in the four major metro areas of the Lone Star State (Dallas, Houston, Austin, San Antonio).

Month after month, D.R. Horton has led new home construction in Texas. During the month of May, the mega-builder had approximately 925 new permits on record from the combined areas of Dallas, Houston, Austin and San Antonio, and it landed as the leading builder in two out of four areas reviewed.

Another top-ranked home builder that consistently makes its mark in Texas is Lennar Homes. Last month, Lennar Homes had nearly 885 new residential construction permits on record with HBW from the four Texas areas reviewed, and it landed on the top five list in all four regions.

As each area of Texas has its own unique construction patterns and local contractors, the volume of new residential construction permits varies for each contractor and region. For this reason, here is a look at the top five home builders by metro area (based on total # of new permits) last month:

Dallas

Builder	Total Permits	Average Value
1-D.R. Horton	344	$ 191,235.00
2-Lennar Homes	280	$ 197,811.00
3-Perry Homes	167	$ 459,583.00
4-Meritage Homes	163	$ 257,726.00
5-Trophy Signature Homes	147	$ 336,343.00

Houston

Builder	Total Permits	Average Value
1-D.R. Horton	519	$ 161,522.00
2-Lennar Homes	405	$ 175,420.00
3-K Hovnanian Homes	226	$ 157,858.00
4-Perry Homes	190	$ 384,084.00
5-Chesmar Homes	140	$ 207,972.00

Austin

Builder	Total Permits	Average Value
1-KB Homes	71	$ 285,861.00
2-Perry Homes	70	$ 529,317.00
3-D.R. Horton	61	$ 207,651.00
4-Lennar Homes	52	$ 150,387.00
5-Taylor Morrison Homes	49	$ 393,294.00

San Antonio

Builder	Total Permits	Average Value
1-Lennar Homes	146	$ 151,165.00
2-LGI Homes	68	$ 158,019.00
3-Continental Homes of Texas	45	$ 163,212.00
4-KB Homes	44	$ 205,819.00
5-Century Communities	41	$ 174,790.00

Texas Residential Construction Report – May 2023

Posted on June 9, 2023 by Erika Carruth

Last month, Texas demonstrated a 25 percent month-over-month increase in new residential construction. Based on HBW’s latest construction data reports for the four major metro areas of the Lone Star State (Dallas, Houston, Austin, and San Antonio), there were 9,000 new residential construction permits with a total construction value in excess of $2.5 billion on record for the one-month period. Out of the four areas reviewed, Houston (4,084 permits) ranked #1 for highest volume of new residential construction, while Austin held the highest average value of housing starts (average value: $334,617).

Here is a closer look at the total new permits, construction values and leading counties in each of the Texas metropolitan areas reviewed for the month of May 2023:

Houston

As previously noted, Houston ranked #1 for new home construction last month, having approximately 4,085 new permits with a total construction value of nearly $990 million on record for the one-month period. The average value of new home construction has continued to remain on the lower end of the spectrum in Houston (average value: $242,382) in comparison to the other areas reviewed, and more than half of all new permitting activity took place in Harris County (2,125 permits).

Dallas

The Dallas area ranked #2 for new home construction as there were 3,430 new permits with a total construction value in excess of $1.1 billion added to the HBW database during the month of May. The average value of construction landed on the higher end of the spectrum in Dallas (average value: $330,941) in comparison to the other Texas areas reviewed, and more than 65 percent of new construction activity took place in the counties of Collin (1,247 permits) and Tarrant (1,004 permits).

Austin

In Austin, there were 790 new residential construction permits with a total construction value in excess of $264.3 million last month. The average value of construction was highest in the Austin area (average value: $334,617) in comparison to other Texas areas reviewed, and approximately half of all new permits originated from Travis County (391 permits).

San Antonio

Last month, there were 695 new residential construction permits with a total value of $150 million in the San Antonio area. The average value of construction was lowest in San Antonio (average value: $215,890) in comparison to the other areas reviewed, and the bulk of new permits originated from Bexar County (514 permits).

Texas Swimming Pool Construction Review – May 2023

Posted on June 7, 2023 by Erika Carruth

The latest and greatest HBW reports are in and ready for review. Based on construction data reports for the month of May, there have been approximately 895 new swimming pool construction permits added to the HBW database for Texas; this figure reflects a 23 percent month-over-month increase in new pool construction.

Out of the four metro areas included in the report (Dallas, Houston, Austin, San Antonio), the greatest concentration of new permits could be found in Dallas (360 permits), while the highest average value of new pool construction projects could be found in Houston (average value: $83,453).

Here is breakdown of the total permits, average value of construction, and leading counties and contractors for new swimming pool construction in the Lone Star State during the month of May:

Dallas

Total # of Permits: 360

Average Value of Construction: $57,417

Top county for pool construction (based on total permits): Dallas – 128 permits

Top three swimming pool builders (based on total permits):

Builder	Total Permits
1-Riverbend Pools	25
2-Gold Medal Pools	13
3-Puryear Custom Pools	12

Houston

Total # of Permits: 312

Average Value of Construction: $83,453

Top county for pool construction (based on total permits): Harris County – 171 permits

Top three swimming pool builders (based on total permits):

Builder	Total Permits
1-Cypress Custom Pools	25
2-Platinum Pools	24
3-Blue Haven Pools	10

San Antonio

Total # of Permits: 119

Average Value of Construction: $39,701

Top county for pool construction (based on total permits): Bexar County – 82 permits

Top three swimming pool builders (based on total permits):

Builder	Total Permits
1-Cody Pools	15
2-Keith Zars Pools	14
3-Aquamarine Pools of DFW	8

Austin

Total # of Permits: 103

Average Value of Construction: $46,480

Top county for new pool construction (based on total permits): Travis County – 85 permits

Top three swimming pool builders (based on total permits):

Builder	Total Permits
1-Cody Pools	12
2-Denali Pools	10
3-Majestic Poolscape	5

Tips for Boosting Social Media Profiles

Posted on June 2, 2023 by Erika Carruth

Whether you are new to social media, just launched a page on a new platform or consider yourself to be an experienced pro, a little refresher can always help start and keep social media marketing strategies on track. The truth is that social media management often changes hands in a company; whether due to turnover in the marketing department, or a change to third-party management, your social media profiles may have a few loose ends to tie along the way.

No matter the status of your social media efforts, here are three easy things that you can do right now to improve your profiles and company pages on various social media platforms:

1. Update Profile – From new addresses and contact information to added services and mission statements, chances are that you have some updates that could be made to the contact information and descriptions within your company profile. Is contact information up to date? Have you linked your website, newsletter, and other social profiles? Have you checked previously used links to ensure that they are still active (and not 404 pages)? Are team members and contacts the latest and greatest? Check and check again because one outdated click can lead to a disengaged visitor.

2. Confirm Admins – While your company’s social media page admins should be limited to just a select few people, you may have experienced turnover that has left some admins that may no longer be with your company. For this reason, it is critical that you check who has access to posting and managing your account, remove any outdated contacts, and add those who are currently responsible for social media management. Keep in mind, even if the company owner is not overseeing or contributing to content creation, he/she should be the primary account holder and master admin for all profiles.

3. Get Creative – It is easy to get in a posting slump – sharing the same type of content or format every single time. This can get old for both the creator, and more importantly, the follower. For this reason, work with your team to develop a social media strategy that is designed to diversify your content and provide variety for your viewers. Don’t be afraid to get creative and try something new; you may be surprised by which content gets the most views and shares, and new data on follower interest can serve as a helpful guide in content development going forward.