October 7, 2009
Keith Groninger was elected by the Green Building Committee at the Home Builders Association of Metro-Orlando to serve as the 2010 Vice-Chairman.

Help-You-Build:
You can save some money if you act as your own contractor but you don't have to do it alone.  Consider some smart services that can help you maximize the use of your time and effort. more...

Project Management:
Some experienced home buyers don't need the entire set of services normally provided in a turn-key contract. more...

Congratulations to:
Marquis Fine Homes 
for Best Outdoor Space from
Orlando Home & Leisure.

Maison De Ville was built by Groninger Homes under a Construction Management agreement with Marquis.

July 22, 2009 - as featured in:

The MCBC Builder Magazine

July 10, 2009

Keith Groninger has been selected to compete in the Aurora Awards Design Concepts Competition to be held at the SEBC and Green Building Show the end of this month.

June 4, 2009
Rustic luxury wins in Winter Park.  Lüjo Rustico and Groninger Homes featured in Winter Park / Maitland Observer.

May 20, 2009
Lüjo Rustico wins First Place in the 2009 Parade of Homes.  Groninger Homes is also the recipient of two Outstanding Feature awards and a Merit award in the Design Specialty Showcase.

May 2009 - as featured in:

Builder Architect Magazine

May 2009
Having successfully completed the requirements established by the NAHB Green Building Subcommittee of the Construction, Code and Standards Committee, Keith Groninger is designated a Certified Green Professional.

March 10, 2009
Ken Bradley wins election for Winter Park mayor.  Congratulations to our customers Ken and Ruth Bradley on their recent victory.

October 27, 2008
Groninger Homes has just completed its second home for customers, Andrew and Christy Matthews.

McMansions vs. Smart Design
by Keith Groninger

An article written by Keith Groninger was published in the January 2010 issue of Builder Magazine. The article describes the difficulty faced by builders in a market that is focused on cost-per-square foot pricing.

Business Administration

After years of supervising projects themselves, the team at Groninger hired its first rookie superintendent and soon realized that changes would be necessary. Even though the firm was organized, it was discovered that information was being kept in nine different places.

“We tried a few different standardized construction management systems, but never found one with all the answers,” says Keith Groninger. “Hence, our own system has evolved into four components: a cost accounting system; the construction schedule; a hierarchy of files and templates; and a document we call JobNotes.” more>>

Services

Groninger Homes offers a full range of services for home owners that are interested in improving their property or building a new home. Even if we don't perform the actual construction, consider some additional services that may streamline the process, save you money and avoid problems.

Lüjo Rustico wins another award:
Orlando Home and Leisure - Sept 2009
Editor's Choice Award
The centerpiece of this master bathroom is the stunning freestanding carved stone bathtub. Created especially for this home, it sits atop a bed of aggregate, echoing the oval profile of the tub. A study in calm and cool, this 14-foot-by-14-foot bathroom features a neutral and natural palette flooded with soft natural light. more...

St. Augustine - New Design on the Boards

The history of St. Augustine has a dynamic affect on its architecture.  Originally settled by the Spanish, the town initially had the characteristics that you would expect: thick stucco walls, arched openings and tile roofs.  more...

Designing for the "Move-Down" Buyer
Demographics tell us there is a large group of homebuyers that are a little bit beyond middle-age but still within their peak earning capabilities.  Perhaps their children have left the nest or will be soon and they have started thinking about "downsizing".  Even though this affluent group wants a smaller home, they still like nice things and don't want to sacrifice quality and amenities.

Now that the kids are gone, there's more time to enjoy themselves.  They probably like to entertain and hope to do more traveling.  He can finally purchase that sports car he's been wanting and they both have concerns about what to do with all their "stuff". 

Move-Down buyers have unique demands and desires more...

Lüjo Rustico   (Rustic Luxury)
Spanish Mission Architecture revolved around the courtyard.  While the exteriors may not have been imposing, the courtyards were a showcase of style and function.  Indoor-outdoor living was made easy by the privacy and security of the courtyard.

Mission Architecture has an eclectic feel that was influenced by its location.  Missions dot the coast from Mexico to Northern California and are typically located within a one-day walk of each other.  To the south they were built in the Mexican or Pueblo-style, while northern missions were influenced by European wine-making countries of France, Spain and Italy.

Lüjo Rustico might have been located centrally within the collection of missions.  Thick walls and arches came from the Pueblo-style and its low-pitched roof wouldn’t have to shed any snow.  However, stone and fine woodwork were more northern traits, hence creating the eclectic mix. 

We think you will find Lüjo Rustico to be refreshing and fun.  The style is tastefully rustic and informal while the finishes and details are rich and luxurious.  The floor plan offers versatility and should appeal to a broad range of households.

Meet the Bradleys
Ken and Ruth Bradley were referred to us by friends, Ted and Jackie Hamilton for whom we’ve actually built two homes.  Their corner lot in Windsong was ideal for a stately façade and we had fun researching architectural styles.
Santa Barbara and Spanish Colonial Revival homes can appear rather plain so attention to detail is crucial.  Symmetry, massing, roof pitch, overhangs and even the size and shape of the windows all play important roles.  As you may agree from the photos, I think we got it right.
The Bradley’s also desired a flexible floor plan.  They were expecting one of their parents to move in with them in the near future and wanted two master suites – one on the first floor and one on the second.
We finished the Bradley’s house ahead of schedule and under budget, so I’m pleased to say they are happy customers.  If you would like to talk to them about Groninger Homes building for you, please contact our office and we will give you their information.