Emerald Homes at Jacob’s Reserve

Background

New-home builder, Emerald Homes designs houses using an attention to luxury and detail that is the hallmark of their promise to homeowners. It’s a commitment that’s easy to see the moment you step into a home — gourmet gathering kitchens, master bath spas and thoughtful floor plans invite you into an oasis. In an exclusive gated subdivision in master planned community Jacobs Reserve in Conroe, Texas, the builder is extending that attention to detail outdoors and underfoot, making paver walkways and driveways standard in new home plans.

“Paver driveways and walkways give the homes in Oak Estates at Jacobs Reserve a classy look,” said Sam Sanders, purchase manager for Emerald Homes, the luxury home division of nationally recognized builder DR Horton and the only homes offered in the exclusive Oak Estates at Jacobs Reserve. Not only does each home have improved curb appeal, but the entire subdivision takes on a new look,” Sanders said. “You really get the feel of a custom home in a luxury community.”

The Challenge

This custom look is helping Emerald Homes draw the attention of new home buyers, which is a competitive business in this part of Texas. Jacobs Reserve is about 40 miles northeast of Houston and just minutes from I-45. The region is booming with development. One of Forbes magazine’s Fastest Growing Cities, Houston is expected to increase its population by 1.2 million in the next 10 years, and Exxon currently is building a state-of-the-art campus to host 10,000 employees.

The Exxon campus is just a stone’s throw away from Jacobs Reserve, which offers an ideal commute for executives looking for short commutes and smart purchases. “Paver driveways and walkways have really been successful with prospective homeowners,” Sanders said. “It’s a real differentiator for Emerald Homes, and it’s a difference that visitors to Oak Estates can see immediately”.

The Solution

Emerald Homes selected Belgard® Hardscapes Cambridge Cobble for the aesthetic appeal of the pavers’ color, style and patterns, and found the pavers’ performance benefits equally appealing. Using pavers on walkways and driveways has been a benefit to the builder and contractors during the construction phase of the new home. Unlike concrete or asphalt driveways, there is no dry time required for paver installations. And, according to installer Justin Gage of GageCo., the strength of concrete pavers reassures him that the driveways and walkways will be protected if subcontractors need to re-visit the home after he has installed the driveway.

“Concrete pavers are really durable,” Gage said. “You can park heavy trucks and equipment on the driveway, and it doesn’t hurt it. If something were to happen, such as a paver is damaged or paint is spilled on part of the walkway or driveway, you only have to replace the pavers that are affected. It’s a fast and easy fix for the builder, whereas trying to repair concrete or stamped concrete is a time intensive and expensive process.”

Pavers from Belgard Hardscapes, a leading hardscapes brand available nationally through Oldcastle’s comprehensive system of dealers, offer another benefit. Gage says the lifetime warranty of the pavers provides him and the homeowner with peace of mind for the long term.

The Result

In addition to durability, concrete pavers are low maintenance. Ants and weeds in joints can be prevented with sealers or herbicides. The small, high-density units resist cracking from everyday use. And they are resistant to damage from deicing salt that may be used during Houston’s unpredictable freezing rain that can make driveways, walkways and patios hazardous.

“When Emerald Homes turns the house over to the homeowner, the new owner knows that with the Belgard warranty they will never have to worry about repairs to their walkway or driveway,” said Gage, who has been in the outdoor landscape industry for 13 years and launched his own business more than five years ago. “Belgard’s transferable lifetime warranty is the best in the market,” he said. “Buying a new home or investing in an outdoor space can be a stressful endeavor, and it’s great to be able to tell my customers that they’re covered for life.”

Luckily, ice storms are infrequent, and Houston’s winters are generally mild, allowing residents to enjoy outdoors spaces year-round. Emerald Homes has used this favorable climate as another way to differentiate their new construction offering to prospective home buyers. With Emerald Homes, each new home in Oak Estates at Jacobs Reserve has a patio on which an outdoor kitchen is standard, creating a space where residents can gather with friends and family over a home-cooked meal. Homeowners also can add ambiance to the space by selecting Bristol fire and water features from the Belgard Elements collection, which are modular, easy-to-install outdoor living accessories.

“We’re seeing a lot of families designing their patios to be complete outdoor rooms,” Gage said. “Fireplaces, fire pits and waterfalls are popular accessories that turn a patio into a gathering space. DR Horton’s Emerald Homes is setting itself apart by including this level of detail in the outdoor spaces on their floor plans.”

In addition to their durability, concrete pavers offer great design flexibility. With applications for pools to patios and walls to waterfalls, Belgard concrete pavers help create a cohesive look for a home’s outdoor spaces. Plus, a range of colors, sizes and textures complement different home styles and regional preferences. For Emerald Homes, the selection of Belgard’s Cambridge Cobble brought a tailored, architectural look to the driveways and walkways with the pavers’ gently rounded corners and domed pillow top surfaces. The subtle color combinations in the shade Fossil Beige and the versatile pattern choices of Cambridge Cobble make it ideal for crafting intricate designs and captivating walkways, allowing Emerald Homes to illustrate that it pays attention to detail in every element of each new home it builds.