After 33 years in the residential construction industry in Jacksonville, Florida, the team at Providence Homes knows that building unique, premium homes means building sanctuaries where people choose to create the stories of their lives. Building with dedication and integrity has secured the company a place in the hearts of many across the region.
Providence Homes is proudly associated with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s ENERGY STAR® and Indoor airPLUS programs and the Florida Home Builders Association (FHBA), among other organizations. Its primary goal is to deliver quality homes that are more cost-effective to run from an energy standpoint while being healthier to live in. As a result, the typically high cost of ownership is significantly mitigated, making home ownership more accessible.
Signing off just under 200 homes per year in some of the region’s loveliest communities, the company makes a noble promise. “We’re building homes that are better than ever. We feel like all of our practices are good for consumers, and are leaving homes better places for all,” says Robert Goettlicher, Vice President of Sales and Marketing.
“We saw that homes had to be healthier, cleaner, better for the environment. For us, sustainability is part of our process,” he adds, underscoring that there are several additional benefits achieved from meeting energy efficiency goals. With cost savings generally between 30 and 50 percent, investing in an energy-efficient home is also financially beneficial.
From real feedback collected by an independent customer satisfaction-rating agency on its behalf, Providence Homes knows that its customer satisfaction rates are typically even higher 12 months after customers take possession of their property. This is in stark contrast to the current industry trend where initially favorable scores exhibit a clear nosedive shortly after homeowners move in. At Providence Homes, relationships do not end on the day the keys are handed over; instead, new owners are taught how to optimally manage their systems while the team remains on standby for any possible issues, resulting in exceeded expectations.
Looking back at homes built during the economic upheaval around 2008 and 2009, the company saw that these were making their way back onto the market for less than their original purchase prices, so the team decided to step up and meet customers where it matters most—their wallets. While building costs are significantly higher now, the company balances the long-term math of cost of ownership in a way that makes better sense overall. “We realized how much better these homes performed, and that there’s really a market for these types of homes,” says Charles Roberts, Vice President of Operations.
While potential customers’ concerns can include material quality and longevity, the company’s commitment to good, solid value has proven to outperform such qualms. Yet, its vision of making its homes more energy-efficient took the team down an interesting and unexpected path of creating increasingly more healthy homes that also hold up better. “One can’t build energy-efficient homes without addressing the other concerns as well. They all go together,” Roberts adds.
In this hot and humid climate, where daily outdoor humidity levels can exceed 90 percent and temperatures can exceed 90 degrees during the summer months, the company places a chocolate bunny in the attic of each model home, and instead of melting in the midday heat, it remains unfazed and safely huddled away in the comfort of the enclosed attic, protected by first-in-class spray foam insulation. To achieve this level of cool comfort in blazing Florida summers, the team employs cutting-edge building science and top-performing materials. “It’s fun seeing people who come in gravitate toward the idea of chocolate bunnies being comfortable in attics during a Florida summer,” Goettlicher says with a smile.
With typical summer temperatures chasing the mercury up to around 120 degrees Fahrenheit in the attics of typical Florida homes, reducing ambient air temperatures in attics and implementing smart air conditioning design makes the living space beneath far easier to keep cool. Within this context, it stands to reason that optimal architectural design and sophisticated air conditioning systems are paramount to the company’s success. In addition, dehumidifying spaces that are hard to clear of extra moisture with air conditioning alone is another driver. “We design the air conditioning systems to take the latent [moisture] load into effect,” Roberts explains. Despite these measures, the climate can demand extra humidity mitigation support, which is where the company’s dehumidifying systems save the day, boosting existing systems and keeping occupants more comfortable.
While the height of summer is an intense time here, the area does not remain this hot year-round, with a cooler part of the summer making way for mild to chilly winters dropping as low as 30 degrees Fahrenheit. In response to this, Providence Homes designs all its homes to perform at their best within this full range.
Founded by Chief Executive Officer Bill Cellar, its formula has proven successful. Today, Providence Homes’ growth is truly inspiring. “It is my personal pledge to make a difference in the industry,” Cellar says on the company’s website. “The team has made it our personal goal to build every home with the same attention to detail and commitment to excellence we would with our own homes.”
Providence Homes typically serves existing homeowners looking to purchase a next or additional home, with house prices ranging in price between $300,000 and $1 million. Known as a builder of choice in one of the state’s most desirable communities after receiving considerable local and national acclaim, the company is well-versed in rendering some of the best quality wood frame homes in the country.
And hard work leads the way. The company is deeply appreciative of its tight-knit team of around 30, and long tenures are commonplace here, with some staff tallying over two decades of service. “We treat each other with respect, and we work hard to break down barriers between departments so we’re all working together,” says Roberts. Genuine respect and camaraderie between its departments means that everyone at Providence Homes belongs to the same family at work.
“The success and longevity we’ve had is thanks to the quality of our people,” Roberts says of the team’s dedication to working together, especially when the going gets tough. Always ready to pivot to meet the next market shift, the team gives the company the ability to adapt to and weather economic and market changes at a moment’s notice. “It’s a pleasure coming to work when you work with people who really like being around each other,” he adds, noting that staff enjoy spending downtime together as friends.
According to Goettlicher, it could be argued that the company’s culture is so well-developed because everyone gets to contribute in meaningful ways where they can make a real impact. “We always feel like we’re handing off the customer to the next expert as they progress through the building process. Everyone is doing their best,” he says, describing the freedom to express opinions here as refreshing. To maintain the company’s overall sense of continuity and the value that brings customers, Providence Homes believes that retaining its most valuable asset, namely its staff, drives its success.
Maintaining this continuity as the company moves up and ahead while achieving its fiscal goals remains its immediate priority for the foreseeable future. By following the trail it created for itself during the last recession and remaining a better firm that builds a better house rooted in a wholesome company culture, Providence Homes continues bringing lasting, positive change to a tough industry. “We feel like the opportunities are there for us to expand, and we’re in a position where we can be discerning,” says Goettlicher.
From ensuring improved indoor air quality to creating more comfortable ambient temperatures, Providence Homes leaves new homeowners with peace of mind knowing that their home has been planned and constructed with their best interests in mind.
