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From Foundation to Finish: House-Raising & Shoring for Flood-Prone Homes
From Foundation to Finish: House-Raising & Shoring for Flood-Prone Homes
When people think about building or maintaining a home in Southeast Louisiana, the first thing that often comes to mind is water. Around here, water finds its way into just about every conversation, from fishing stories to flood maps. For homeowners, it isn’t just background chatter—it’s a reality that has to be managed. Flood-prone areas,...
Renovate with Respect: Modern Techniques That Honor Historic Homes
Renovate with Respect: Modern Techniques That Honor Historic Homes
Working in construction around Louisiana, I’ve spent a good part of my career walking through homes that have stood longer than I’ve been alive. These aren’t just buildings. They’re pieces of history. They’ve sheltered families through hurricanes, celebrated generations of holidays, and carried the craftsmanship of eras when details mattered in every corner. The challenge...
How to Future-Proof a Home During Renovations
How to Future-Proof a Home During Renovations
Renovations often begin with a desire for an updated look or improved comfort, but the most valuable improvements are those that stand the test of time. A renovation project offers a unique opportunity not only to repair or modernize but also to prepare a home for the years ahead. Future-proofing during renovations means making choices...
Why Hiring Licensed and Insured Contractors Matters in the Gulf South
Why Hiring Licensed and Insured Contractors Matters in the Gulf South
In the Gulf South, construction work is always in demand. Between new development, renovation projects, and the never-ending cycle of rebuilding after storms, the need for skilled contractors is constant. But there’s one factor that can make or break a project before it even begins—whether the contractor is licensed and insured. From a distance, hiring...
Permits, Inspections, and Liability: Why Hiring a Licensed Contractor Matters
Permits, Inspections, and Liability: Why Hiring a Licensed Contractor Matters
Hiring a contractor is one of the most important decisions a property owner can make—whether the job is a full-scale commercial buildout or a backyard renovation. It’s easy to get distracted by price, personality, or promises, but the foundation of any successful project begins with one key factor: licensure. The contractor’s license isn’t just a...
Small Job or Big Risk? Why Even Minor Projects Can Require a Licensed Contractor
Small Job or Big Risk? Why Even Minor Projects Can Require a Licensed Contractor
People often think construction projects fall into two categories: big jobs that obviously need permits, inspections, and professionals—and small jobs that seem simple enough to tackle without much oversight. But here’s the truth: even the so-called “small jobs” can lead to major issues if not done properly. And in this industry, “properly” usually starts with...
Licensed Contractor vs. Handyman: What’s the Real Difference?
Licensed Contractor vs. Handyman: What’s the Real Difference?
Let’s get one thing out of the way right up front: handymen are great. They can tighten a loose cabinet, patch a bit of drywall, maybe even install a ceiling fan if you’re lucky. But when the job moves from a screwdriver to a set of architectural drawings, you might want to pause before you...
Custom Homes, Without the Headache
Custom Homes, Without the Headache
Building a custom home should be exciting—not exhausting. Unfortunately, too many people hear the phrase “custom home” and immediately picture blown timelines, unclear budgets, disappearing contractors, and meetings that never seem to end. And yes, the construction world has earned some of that reputation. But it doesn’t have to be that way. With the right...
What to Know Before Your First Franchise Build-Out
What to Know Before Your First Franchise Build-Out
Building a franchise location isn’t like slapping up a backyard shed or putting together a grill with three missing screws and vague instructions. It’s part construction, part choreography, and a lot of reading between the lines—especially when those lines include permits, codes, and corporate manuals thicker than most law books. For anyone stepping into the...
Garage Conversions: Turn Wasted Space Into a Guest Suite or Office
Garage Conversions: Turn Wasted Space Into a Guest Suite or Office
There’s a trend happening in neighborhoods all across Southeast Louisiana, and it’s not about kitchen backsplashes or open shelving. It’s about the garage. That’s right—the space that used to store old tools, leftover paint cans, holiday decorations, and maybe a lawnmower that hasn’t worked since the Saints won the Super Bowl is now prime real...
Bulkheads, Docks & Piers: Building for Gulf Coast Durability
Bulkheads, Docks & Piers: Building for Gulf Coast Durability
Coastal construction isn’t about aesthetics—it’s about survival. Here on the Gulf Coast, bulkheads, docks, and piers take a beating from the elements almost daily. Between the saltwater, wind, tides, and the occasional hurricane knocking on the door, marine structures are in a constant fight against decay, corrosion, and collapse. That’s why building in these environments...
Bulkheads, Docks, and Piers: Engineering for Gulf Coast Longevity in Saltwater Environments
Bulkheads, Docks, and Piers: Engineering for Gulf Coast Longevity in Saltwater Environments
In the Gulf South, waterfront construction presents unique engineering challenges due to saltwater exposure, tidal activity, and storm surge risk. Bulkheads, docks, and piers must not only withstand daily marine conditions, but also hold up against seasonal hurricanes and long-term corrosion. With coastal infrastructure playing a key role in both commercial operations and residential property...
Building for the Bayou: How to Weatherproof Your Home Against Rising Water
Building for the Bayou: How to Weatherproof Your Home Against Rising Water
Living and building in Southeast Louisiana comes with a unique set of challenges. One of the biggest is water—lots of it. Between heavy rainfall, high groundwater, and rising flood zones, homes in this region are under constant pressure from moisture. Whether it’s a seasonal storm or a slow, creeping rise in the bayou, water always...
Smart Lighting 101: Controlling the Home’s Mood with a Tap
Smart Lighting 101: Controlling the Home’s Mood with a Tap
Lighting used to be simple. Flip a switch, bulb goes on. Flip it again, bulb goes off. That was it. These days, lighting has graduated. It’s no longer just a utility—it’s part of the personality of a home. Whether the goal is setting a relaxing mood after a long day or simulating sunrise to wake...
Designing Commercial Spaces That Actually Work: Where Function Meets Form
Designing Commercial Spaces That Actually Work: Where Function Meets Form
Designing commercial spaces is a balancing act. There’s the technical side: mechanicals, safety codes, workflows, and structural load. Then there’s the visual side: the look, the feel, the impression it makes on a client walking through the door for the first time. One without the other falls short. After years of building everything from government...