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CONSTRUCTION
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The Industry’s Newspaper www.constructionnews.net H (210) 308-5800 H Volume 15 H Number 1 H JANUARY 2018
Providing years of service
High hopes
Charlie and Darlene Jones started their company in 1982.
The Vela family enjoying the holidays.
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harlie Jones, owner of Chaparral Plumbing in Spring, started his plumbing career in 1967 after moving from Point Blank, TX. He went to work as a plumber’s helper at a small company in Houston. “While working for that first company, a guy asked me if I was going to make this my trade and I told him, ‘No way, it’s just temporary. Almost 50 years later and it’s still temporary,” chuckles Jones. Jones and his wife Darlene opened the company in 1982 with a small office and a storage building in Spring. Jones and his wife lived on site in a mobile home where they raised their family of three boys and two girls. Two of his children, Randy and Denise, are still employed at Chaparral.
The company has survived all of the ups and downs that the construction industry has been through. “The 1980 construction market collapse created the subcontractor market we see today. In the 2006–2007 collapse, we faced a tremendous downturn in business and a furthering of the subcontractor market by the forced reduction of plumbers on staff. We continue to adapt and meet each new struggle,” shares Jones. A memorable experience Jones had was the first Christmas after the company opened. He received an odd request from a builder’s manager to make a steel pipe for a gumball machine they were giving to their manager. “Here we are on a cold night in December inside the continued on Page 14
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fter earning a degree in engineering in his home country of Mexico, but being unable to obtain a job in that field, Oscar Vela, owner of Hi Precision Drywall, decided to move to the U.S. for a better life. “I had my degree in engineering and I couldn’t find a job for three years.” He came to the U.S. in 2003 and started working for his uncles who were involved in the commercial construction industry. Their business slowed down, so he started working on small projects by himself and got into commercial framing. “I didn’t know anything about it, but I knew the basics. I started from zero here because I wasn’t working in the field I got my degree in, but I needed to do something.”
All that hard work paid off when MedTech in Dallas gave Oscar his first commercial job in 2007 and he says it has been his most memorable project to date. “The company actually had an ad on Craigslist.” At that time, Oscar only had one other person helping him. “I can remember every single detail about this job. Where it is, where I put every single piece of sheetrock.” When he worked with MedTech, he was building small offices that were 3,000 to 6,000sf. He started working with Triad and they jumped to building out 100,000sf. spaces. Although his company has grown since that first MedTech job, Vela is hands-on with his work. “I still go out and work with the guys.” continued on Page 14
Maximum effort
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s anyone who has driven through Houston can attest, there are many vehicles on the road at all hours. All of these vehicles need somewhere to get their gas and maybe grab a snack, and Maxx Builders is helping with that. The company was founded in 2008 by Harris Khan; Hira Khan, Harris’ sister; and Shakil Khan, Harris’ father. With two offices in Texas – one in Houston and one in Dallas – the company stays busy. “Our niche markets include retail, multi-family, hospitality, medical, fuel gas stations, restaurants, tilt-up structures, franchises, banks, and dealerships,” explains Harris Khan. Dhanani Private Equity Group hired Maxx Builders to complete the 24 Seven Sam Houston Gas Station and Y-Shoppes at Sam Houston right off the toll road. This was new construction and it was given a 6-month timeline and $2.7 million. The primary interior materials used
were metal framing with a steel building. The exterior includes glass storefronts surrounded by stone, brick, stucco, and metal cladding on exterior finishes. There were some unforeseen changes in weather that slowed the process down. Of course Harvey had a huge impact, but the team was working during a rainy time in Houston as well, so there were days when work had to slow or stop in order to let the rain pass. “Despite the weather conditions, the project was delivered ahead of schedule,” Harris says. “We have built into our construction management philosophy a series of checks and balances to ensure each project progresses on schedule and within budget.” He says the owner paid on time and made the necessary decisions quickly, which made for a positive work relationship. Harris also enjoyed working with The 24 Seven Sam Houston Gas Station has multiple gas pumps and a spacious parking area.
continued on Page 14