T H E M A G A Z I N E F O R C A P TA I N S O F I N D U S T RY
CONSTRUCTION LEADERS TODAY
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Robert R. Bauer BEST IN THEIR CLASS
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For 30 years this certified green building company has brought the American Dream to life with affordable modern home construction and they look forward to many more years ahead.
T H E M A G A Z I N E F O R C A P TA I N S O F I N D U S T RY
CONSTRUCTION LEADERS TODAY
Editor-in-Chief Todd Weaver Editor Diana Doyle Executive Editor Jonathan Mack Assistant Editor Joseph Orange Creative Director Emily Detoro Art Director Stephanie Hess Director of Advertising Julian Vu Production Coordinator Jason Rone Assistant Production Coordinator Elizabeth Macks Photography Editor Ian Palmer Video Director Susan Maybach Editorial Director Kate Darling Editorial Production Rachel Goldberg Copy Editor William Finch Assistant Copy Editor Amy Roberts Correspondents Brandon McBride (W), Aaron McGaskey (SW), Juan Orellana (NE), Steve Peters (Nation), Mike Rodgers (Nation), Juan Stewart (SE) Vendor Relations Director Diana Stephens Vendor Relations Eric Miller, Dov Teta Advertising Sales Coordinator Patricia O’Brien Advertising Sales Director Peter Jostens Advertising Sales Moe Kazemi, David Levi, Tom Nichols Publisher Steve Reed
oZ WORLD MEDIA, LLC 1330 New Hampshire Avenue Suite B1 Washington D.C. 20036 Construction Leaders Today is a quarterly B2B trade journal that services the construction industry in architecture, custom build, geothermal, green building, specialty architecture, posttentioning, and new technology sectors. CLT has a readership of 100,000 C-Level executives within the energy industry. We do not accept subscription requests from the general public, however an abbreviated version is available on our website.
www.constructionleaderstoday.com
northeast
| custom homes
Heart of the
American Dream by Jane Caffrey
4 Construction Leaders Today
custom homes
After a quarter of a century building custom homes, RRB Building Contractors shifts with the evolving American dream by incorporating sustainable building.
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At Robert R. Bauer Building Contractors, Inc., making the dream of home ownership into a reality for American families has been the company’s goal for nearly three decades. Custom Homes built by RRB are comfortable places for family and friends to gather, for children to grow, and for creating memories that will be cherished for a lifetime. Yet today, as the American dream home is evolving with the green movement and the increased need for sustainability, RRB Building Contractors keeps abreast the changing standards by remaining committed to ecologically–friendly products and practices. “We’re constantly trying to educate ourselves to be more environmentally conscious,” Robert Bauer, President of RRB Building Contractors, said. “As a certified green builder and a certified graduate builder, we do anything that we can to educate ourselves and better our role in the building industry.” With this emphasis on sustainability, RRB Building Contractors stays on the cutting edge of building the new American dream homes. Bauer, who has been working in the construction industry since he was a high school student, founded Robert R. Bauer Building Contractors, Inc. in1982. “It’s something that I’ve been interested in all my life. You learn something new every day,” Bauer said. After completing small jobs and custom homes in Pennsylvania, the company relocated to Virginia in 1998. For the last decade, RRB Building Contractors has been completing 5 to 6 completely custom homes each year. These luxury houses average in the price range of three quarters of a million dollars, and rest in the pristine Smith Mountain Lake area and four counties in Virginia. Today, with eight employees, the company is a member of the Home Builders Association, a Certified Green Professional, and a BBB Accredited Business. “We try to stay active in the community, and have a lot of involvement,” Bauer said. “And we enjoy what we do. Our finished product reflects that.” Bauer sees partnership as the most crucial element in the home construction process, and works closely with his team of professionals, local vendors, and homeowners in crafting both the exteriors and interiors of custom homes. “It’s a team effort, and we’ve got a network of subcontractors,” Bauer said. “Most of my subcontractors have been with me for at least five years. They are on board as part of the team to make everything work.” RRB Building Contractors regularly partners with companies such as Capps Home Building Center, Ferguson Enterprises, Inc., CHD, Inc.—Comprehensive Home Design, P.A.C. Interiors & Floor Fashions, Inc., Security Services, Inc., and Dan Chitwood Landscape Architect, among others. The results are stunning homes with wide porches or large picture windows, crafted from the highest quality materials, and resting in tranquil forests or on picturesque lakeshores. Teamwork extends to the homeowners as well at RRB Building Contractors. “Communication with clients is critical, and we keep 1. Bauer Residence, Moneta, Va. Photo by Robert Bauer Summer 2010 5
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them on board. Homeowners become part of this team and part of the building process,” Bauer said. One way that the company keeps clients connected to the process is by utilizing BuilderTREND web–based technology. With this software, homebuyers, associates, and subcontractors have perpetual access to scheduling information, change orders, documents, photos, options, and warranty. “With clients becoming part of the building process, the final product is something that the owners can be proud to have participated in, and we’re proud to have had the opportunity to serve them. My most important goal is always to finish the job with satisfied customers,” Bauer said. While clients are collaborating with RRB Building Contractors to make their dreams a reality, the company is also working to keep their business on the cutting edge of a growing American priority: sustainable building. As a Certified Green Builder, RRB is committed to providing customers with energy–efficient homes that are gentle on the environment and healthier for the homeowner.
6 Construction Leaders Today
custom homes
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We’re creating more intelligent homes that are more sustainable to the environment. With efficient equipment, we’re changing the way that buildings function. In each home, the company strives to improve indoor air quality, reduce water usage, reduce chemical danger and exposure risks, limit the amount of building products that end up in the waste stream, and cut the carbon footprint that a home produces over the course of its lifetime. These means are achieved by using green products such as fiber cement siding, GAF/Eik Timberline Cool Color Roofing, and composite decking and railing, all of which divert waste from landfills and increase the efficiency of a home. The company also strives to lower pressure on the environment by using products that are manufactured responsibly, and supports sustainable harvesting of natural resources such as lumber, water, and extracted minerals. “We’re creating more intelligent homes that are more sustainable to the environment. With efficient equipment, we’re changing the way that buildings function,” Bauer said. RRB Building Contractors will continue to focus on the market for energy efficient homes in upcoming years. “By getting our green certification, we can be prepared for bringing in new technology, utilizing sustainable products in the market, and being more sustainable with our homes,” Bauer said. Beyond emphasizing green building, the RRB Building Contractors will continue to foster client satisfaction with projects that are completed on time and on budget, with a sense of pride and commitment to quality in every home built. “I think communication, commitment, and dedication set us apart,” Bauer said. “It helps when you enjoy what you do. I get up every morning, and my heart is in my job. That separates us from a lot of folks out there in the industry. We are committed to professionalism, hard work, and dedication. We want to make sure that our customers are happy.” Thus, after a quarter of a century in the construction industry, the core philosophy of teamwork and personal service holds steadfast at the company. One home and one buyer at a time, RRB Building Contractors works to fulfill the American dream. CLT 2. Chisholm sun room, Moneta, Va. Home completed 2009. Photo by Robert Bauer. 3. Hill living room, Moneta, Va. Home competed 2007. Photo by Robert Bauer. Summer 2010 7
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