The Texas Association of Builders (TAB) announced the 2021 Star Awards finalists. For the third straight year, the program witnessed a record breaking 720 entries within the 162 elite categories. Projects and nominations were submitted by 120 companies from 60 cities across the state.

This year’s record number of entries once again showcases the exceptional talent within the residential construction industry in Texas. Our great State should be proud of its builders, remodelers, architects, and designers as well as its sales, marketing, and construction professionals. It is an honor to be recognized as a finalist among this group of distinguished leaders.

Texas Custom Patios is excited to be amongst such a stellar group of builders and remodelers. We are pleased to announce we placed as a finalist for three different projects!

TAB launched the Star Awards program in 1992 and it remains the only statewide tribute to excellence in the homebuilding industry. For the first time in program history, the Star Awards were judged virtually. The out-of-state panelists were tasked with selecting the best of the best by reviewing and evaluating the entries. 

Winners will be announced on July 15, the last day of the Sunbelt Builders Show™. 

Texas Custom Patios is currently featured in Hearth & Home magazine, we are among several gorgeous projects built across the country. So many different styles and prices, but we have one thing in common… the appreciation for design and a quality build.

When consumers were asked for their outdoor living feature wish list, these were the top contenders:

• Fire Pits/fireplaces
• Built-in gas grills
• Patio heaters
• Pizza ovens
• Beverage centers
• BBQ islands

So as you can see with four of the six items, outdoor kitchens continue to be a hot item! No matter the space you have, creating an outdoor oasis is doable and can increase the value of your home substantially. The foreseeable future forecasts “staycations” as a hot commodity, so the time is now to improve your home!

Our experienced personal project developers will work one-on-one with you to create a custom-designed outdoor kitchen that blends seamlessly with your home’s exterior.

You can choose stone, brick, or stucco finishes; and granite, tile, or concrete counters; but we’ll always use a high-quality framework underneath. We build all outdoor kitchens with tubular steel framing and fiber-cement sheathing to give you a durable, non-expansive, and heat-proof foundation.

For a look at some of our beautiful outdoor kitchens, click here.

Two of our projects were featured in Hearth & Home, both beautiful but very different! The first one beams with wow factor!

The second featured project in the magazine is cozy, quaint, but still says, “wow!” This project is 450 square feet of beautiful outdoor living space in Houston, Texas.

For a more in depth look at our monthly featured projects, click here!

Click here for more details on this beautiful featured project in Katy, Texas.

Click here to discover more details about this beautiful outdoor living area in Katy, Texas.

We would like to thank VoyageHouston for taking the time to get to know Texas Custom Patios!  Below is a fantastic article getting to know the people that are making outdoor oasis dreams come true all over Texas.  And to think it all started with a simple deck …

Today we’d like to introduce you to Rob and Katherine Douglass.

Thirteen years ago, Rob Douglass had a vision to open a company that would create outdoor living spaces that would be as functional and as attractive as the inside of the home. Something that looked original to the home and not an add on. Initially, Texas Custom Patios built simple decks and pergolas, but the market was changing and the timing was perfect. Along with his wife, Katherine Douglass, and business partner, Steven Schell, Texas Custom Patios began building luxury outdoor living spaces complete with fully equipped kitchens, outdoor living rooms, outdoor fire features, entertainment centers, and specialized dining areas. The first full year in business, 2005, there were 44 projects completed … now, an average of 200 projects are completed each year. This includes the newly opened branch in the Dallas Fort Worth area. In order to grow to this level, Texas Custom Patios needed to develop crews from all the trades that are required to build the projects. They have sub-contractors that have worked with them for many years – framers, electricians, painters, masons, plumbers and more. Texas Custom Patios has 7 project developers in the Houston area and 4 in the Dallas Fort Worth area that work closely with each homeowner throughout the process of designing and building the dream outdoor living space.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
The road has been relatively smooth, although with any business there are always some struggles. When Hurricane Ike hit the area, there was a definite slump in business. Everyone was focused on repairing damaged homes – not just theirs but others that were less fortunate.

Homeowners took the time to help out in the community and put their own backyard dreams to the side for a while. The recent oil slump has had an effect as well – homeowners have taken precautions with their spending. We have noticed an increase in sales since the beginning of 2017, which falls in line with the economy getting stronger again.

Texas Custom Patios – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Texas Custom Patios has several unique assets that stand out from all the other patio competitors. Their key to success is designing and building a structure that does not look like an add-on, it looks original to the home’s design. No matter how old the house is, roofing, bricking, siding is all selected to blend with the structure of the home. It can be a challenge sometimes to figure out how to tie in substantial additions while maintaining the style of the original home, but we achieve success time after time. We focus only on outdoor living – we are not interior remodelers. There are many types of projects we build – patio covers, pergolas, screened porches, pool houses, room additions, outdoor kitchens, outdoor fire features, decorative patios, and more. When we work with a customer on their backyard design, we gather information and create a project within their budget. We offer suggestions on design and finishes to make the project a custom space for the homeowner to enjoy. The project developer works with the homeowner from start of design to completion of the project… the project is not handed off to anyone else. Texas Custom Patios also has a strong written warranty.

What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Success is defined when we have happy homeowners. Knowing we are building and creating their dream outdoor space is something we take seriously. When at the end of the project, we are told it was exactly what they imagined or it turned out better than what they thought, that is success. We are always looking to have satisfied homeowners – ones that will and do refer us to their friends and neighbors.

For more from VoyageHouston, click here!

So often you hear, which came first … The chicken?  Or the egg?   We are continuing our series of most popularly asked questions and today we are diving into a big one!  Which should we have done first? … The patio or the pool?

Here are some notes from our experts …

1)      Go after it with a “big picture” mentality

2)      Having a design/build contractor is necessary for this – make sure plumbing is only done once … have a total vision and then work backwards

3)      Pool first – have them pour all of the concrete – we will set our footing details while they are there – save the decorative finish of the concrete for after we have come in and done our part … we can do all of the decorative finish around the pool and to your patio (that way it’s cohesive and as simple as possible)

4)      Make sure the size and location of pool does not interfere with the space planning of the patio cover … or vice versa .. is the pool built far enough away from the home to create a covered area – or would you be good with a detached patio cover or something off the garage?

Think about your whole vision for the backyard, and unlike our chicken friends, we have an answer for you … pool first, patio second!