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Why Paul Billingsly
Realtors is OUR Realtor
(in our own words-by Dave &
Kristen Pottinger)
In
October 2009, we decided to sell our home. We had just
received a postcard from Paul Billingsly Realtors and decided to
call them for an interview. After hearing several other
agents' sales pitches, we were impressed with the straightforward
style of both Jana and Paul. We knew the market was "pretty
tough", but were confident that if our house could be
SOLD,
Paul Billingsly Realtors could get it done! Our house was
barely on the market for a month before it was put under contract
and SOLD!
We
were so pleased with the quick sale of our old house, and the way
they had achieved it, that we asked them (Paul Billingsly Realtors)
to help us find a replacement home in the Lovejoy ISD that we could
move into within 30 days. They found several homes that fit
our parameters and quickly arranged to show us each of them.
When we decided on which home we wanted, Jana and Paul were rock stars in helping us
get that deal done, too.
What we bought:
While the "basics" were good
in the new house, it needed quite a bit of
work, as it was dated by the '80s "look". When discussing our needs
with Paul, to our pleasant surprise, he informed us that he could
help us with that aspect, too! After checking around and doing
our homework, we discovered that Paul not only could do it, but was
one of the most respected homebuilders/re-modelers in the area!
Having already gained our trust with his smooth handling of our past
home sale, and the subsequent purchase, we decided to talk to Paul about
making some renovations to the home after we moved in.
The
first part of the process involved discussing what we wanted and
getting the basic design drawn up. With his extensive
experience and contacts, Paul was able to recommend an architect
that was perfect for us. Paul and the architect both listened
carefully to our goals. The remodel consisted of two major
parts: The addition of a large garage (to serve as a shop for
my wood working hobby-see picture below), and a complete facelift to the
elevation/exterior of the home. Paul and the architect worked
in concert to develop a plan that suited our needs very well.
The garage/wood workshop finished:
Once
the architectural plans were completed, the next order of business
was to "develop" the lot, so it could accommodate this new
structure. Our lot is "tiered" (the backyard was higher than
the house), so this involved some major grading, soils testing, and
the building of a pretty massive retaining wall.
What the backyard looked like at
first:
The retaining wall under
construction:
Paul's attention to detail and commitment to
quality stick out as two of the most appreciated qualities he brings to
the table. For example, the Town of Fairview requires an
engineer's sealed plan for retaining walls over 4' high.
Again, Paul knew exactly the right engineering firm to call.
Additionally, Paul not only complied with the plan, but made
sure that he built a wall that exceeded the requirements.
Plus, we think it looks pretty darn great, too!
The retaining wall completed:
After
getting the lot prepared, the next thing was the installation of the
foundation. Paul worked with us the entire way, and remained
flexible, so that we could make changes to the plans to include a
breezeway to connect the two garages, once we saw how things laid
out.
This is the kind of "flexible" add
we're talking about-adjusting the steps to meet the finished grade:
The foundation preparation for
concrete:
Once
the foundation for the additional garage was taken care of, our
attention turned to the face lift on the rest of the house. We
wanted a new look that got rid of the "drab" colors, and add just a
tiny bit of "WOW!" to the front of the house.
The
old brick porch with the '80s "arch" was the first thing to get torn
out:
We also replaced the old aluminum
windows with new, energy efficient vinyl models. We looked at
several options with Paul's window distributor and decided on some
excellent Jeld-Wen windows. As the picture below shows, the
new windows make a huge difference in the new look of the house.
Next
up...Removing the late '80s cornice and masonry details. We
also "nuked" the eyebrow arches on the upper windows.
Additionally, we added some interest to the facade with a couple of
shed roofs that are supported by heavy timber brackets.
To
complete the look we wanted, we built a new front porch with heavy
timber trusses. Another nice touch from Paul: the arch in the
front collar beam mimics the arch in the new transom window that's
situated above the new alder wood arched-topped front door unit!
 e
We
knew it would be hard to live in a home while it underwent such
extensive construction. While there were a few moments (there
always is?), in which we questioned our sanity, Paul made the
process very easy, and as painless as possible. And, we ended
up with a finished product that we love! Isn't that the
goal? (See Before & After Pictures below)
Before:
After:
:
If
you want a Realtor that can sell your home, help you find a home, or
make renovations, Paul Billingsly Realtors are the people to go to!
We are so pleased with our final product, we will recommend Jana and
Paul to all our friends who are looking to Buy, Sell, Remodel, or
Build New.
Thank
you Paul and Jana, for your vision and professionalism throughout
the entire experience!
Dave & Kristen Pottinger |
