Looking Back on 20 Years – Thank You, Lakeway!

Twenty years ago this month – Sept. 1, 2001 – marked a major milestone for us. That was the date we founded JKD Builder.

After more than two decades of being the behind-the-scenes magician building gorgeous homes under other people’s names. Two decades of Keith wrangling and finessing subcontractors to prioritize his boss’ jobs while following his own exacting construction standards. Two decades of being the on-the-jobsite face and resource to homeowners as they watched their dreams become reality. Two decades of honing his craft and building a reputation as one of the top custom home project managers in Austin, it was time for Keith to begin making his own home legacies under his brand. 

Just 10 days after we finally made what for us was a long-considered, bold but scary decision to launch JKD Builder, the world as we all know it changed. On Sept. 11, 2001, no one was thinking about what tile to choose for their new bathrooms, or which appliances they would want in their new home’s kitchen. Including us. The world stopped.

Each year when we remember 9/11, we remember our shock and fear and anger and grief. Like others, we can remember precisely where we were that day in detailed technicolor.

On the 20th anniversary of both 9/11 and JKD Builder this year, those emotions were also mixed with intense gratitude. Not only for the heroes that day, and the lives saved, and our country’s leaders. But also for the 20 years that came after that event, for a just-launched business whose trajectory could have taken any number of directions.

The […]

By |2021-10-08T14:10:29+00:00October 8th, 2021|blog|Comments Off on Looking Back on 20 Years – Thank You, Lakeway!

Lone Star Living Makes the Headlines

Lone Star Living Makes the Headlines

Building modern home designs in the Austin area is not unique to JKD Builder. But how we do it is what sets us apart. At least that’s what the editors at Modern Home Builder magazine zeroed in on when they profiled us in a recent issue.

Modern Home Builder magazine is a national print and digital magazine with a subscriber list exceeding 70,000 builders and developers across the U.S., Canada and the Caribbean.

As part of its Hot Housing Markets issue, the magazine was interested in hearing our take on the housing trends we are seeing in the Austin area. Perhaps one of the biggest trends, Keith shared, has been the evolution from Tuscan home styles not that long ago, to the Hill Country Modern Farmhouse designs popular today.  We were one of the first builders in Austin to venture into the Hill Country Modern look more than 12 years ago, with one of our first designs featured on HGTV. Demand for that style has led to our use of softer woods, exposed ductwork, metal roof accents, large barn doors, and floor plans that “incorporate the kitchen, family room and dining room into a single space,” said writer Alan Dorich.  

However, the magazine noted, the thing that truly sets JKD Builder apart from other builders is its customer service and relationships.  “When JKD Builder constructs a home for a client, it also builds a new friendship,” Dorich said, noting that customers often give tours of their homes to new clients.

Those strong relationships also extend to the company’s partners.  “JKD […]

By |2018-11-06T19:52:53+00:00November 6th, 2018|blog|Comments Off on Lone Star Living Makes the Headlines

Fall is in the Air! It’s Fall Fest Time

Fall is in the Air! It’s Fall Fest Time

We love fall in Lakeway – well, full disclosure, we love all the seasons in Lakeway which is why we have lived here since the ‘80s! But, we especially love fall in part for all the outdoor fests that happen here and around Central Texas.  

One of our favorites is coming up soon – the annual Hills of Lakeway Hills Fest –and we are excited to again be a sponsor of this fun event right here in our own backyard.

Join us and your Hills of Lakeway neighbors Sunday, Nov. 4, for an afternoon of free local food truck vendors, games, petting zoo, music and giveaways. The fun gets underway at 1 p.m. in the Hills Park (what a hidden gem this park is!). Hills Fest always draws a crowd.  It’s JKD Builder’s third year to be a sponsor of this family-friendly afternoon.  Stop by our display in the vendor tent for giveaways! See you there!

By |2018-10-29T19:31:45+00:00October 29th, 2018|blog|Comments Off on Fall is in the Air! It’s Fall Fest Time

Our One-Story in the Hills Nearing Completion

Our One-Story in the Hills Nearing Completion

Home sites in The Hills of Lakeway that will accommodate a one-story design are virtually non-existent. In fact, our custom home at 8 Cheverly Court is the only one-story new construction in The Hills. It is nearing completion and will be ready for move-in before the holidays!

If you’ve not seen our Cheverly property yet, that may be because it is tucked away on a lovely quiet cul-de-sac of established homes – meaning very little traffic and lots of quiet.  The lot itself is a big one by Hills standards – 17,000 square feet – with some beautiful oaks perfectly positioned to frame the home and yard.

Our vision for this home: A modern farmhouse design with open, flowing livability. Here are a few of our favorite features about 8 Cheverly:

  • That master closet! A huge built-in center dresser island, surrounded on four sides by tons of hanging closet and shelf space.  What’s really cool is that the master closet is accessed directly from the laundry/craft room and garage, as well as from the master itself.
  • And then there’s the master bath. If you didn’t know better, you might think you’ve been whisked away to a spa resort when you see this bathroom. A huge – seriously, huge! – walk-in shower could accommodate the whole family, five dogs and three cats, but then who would want to do that? Its glass half-wall separates the shower […]
By |2018-10-25T22:43:39+00:00October 25th, 2018|blog|Comments Off on Our One-Story in the Hills Nearing Completion

If You Don’t Look for Anything Else in a Builder, Look for This

If You Don’t Look for Anything Else in a Builder, Look for This

I happened upon an interview last week on business radio with the longtime CEO of General Electric, Jack Welch. One comment in particular really caught my ear.

“Leadership,” Welch said, “distills down to two words – truth and trust. If people trust you, if you’ve been authentic, you’ve got to get truth in your company. And you’ve got to get rid of the spin and all that. You’ll only get that if people trust you, if you’ve been authentic.”

Wow. I couldn’t help but think how relevant Welch’s words were in our world of residential construction. Sadly, our industry is not always known for truth and trust. Custom home building is an industry fraught with opportunities for the unsuspecting consumer to be swayed by not-so-truthful promises from not-always-trustworthy sources. Anyone can hang out their builder shingle in Texas, and in boom times like these, they do. And, low-balling bids is a common tactic to land a project. Get the foot in the door, base bids on low-quality finishes and then hit the customer with change orders to get what they had originally envisioned to begin with. More often than not, that’s not going to win long-term happy clients.

That’s never been how we do business. But we see it time and again. I recently ran into a guy who had asked us to bid a large remodel and pool project not long ago. When we walked the project and listened to the customer’s vision, we pulled no punches […]

By |2018-02-23T15:15:16+00:00February 22nd, 2018|blog|Comments Off on If You Don’t Look for Anything Else in a Builder, Look for This

Believe It! One-Story New Construction in The Hills

Home sites in The Hills of Lakeway that will accommodate a one-story design are virtually non-existent. That’s why we were thrilled to recently uncover this gem at 8 Cheverly Court.  Cheverly is a quiet cul-de-sac of established homes, and this tract is an oversized pie shape lot at the heart of the cul-de-sac.  With trees perfectly positioned around its perimeter, the building site is the perfect palette for a one-story design with lots of privacy, plus plenty of room for a pool and spa.

Over the past several weeks, we worked with Lakeway architect Janet Hobbs to convert our vision for this home to blueprints, and couldn’t be happier with the final drawings. We opted for a modern farmhouse design, complete with barn doors, shiplap and generous use of windows to bring the outdoors in. One of our favorite features is the craft room with direct access outside. In addition, 8 Cheverly features four bedrooms plus a huge game room that opens to the covered outdoor living area with fireplace.  The wall of windows in the great room and kitchen overlooks an L-shaped outdoor kitchen, living and porch, with generous space for an adjacent optional pool and spa.  This home totals 3,750 square feet.

For pricing and detailed plans on the only one-story new construction home in The Hills, please contact JKD Builder at 512/771-1660.

By |2018-02-08T17:16:24+00:00February 8th, 2018|blog|Comments Off on Believe It! One-Story New Construction in The Hills

Breaking Ground: 11 Glenway, Hills of Lakeway

Activity got underway this week on JKD Builder’s latest project in The Hills of Lakeway, at 11 Glenway Drive. The lot has been cleared to reveal oak trees that are ideally positioned to frame the front and back yards, and we’ve staked out the slab.  

We worked hand in hand with our architect to bring our vision for this custom home to life. This Texas contemporary style encompasses 3,080 sq. ft. of living space. The master and study flank opposite sides of the downstairs, providing each with great privacy. The office even has its own bath and direct outdoor access. Upstairs are two additional bedrooms and baths and a large game room. We took great care to precisely position this home on the site to maximize the existing trees and privacy from neighboring homes. Best of all, we allowed plenty of room to include a pool around the large outdoor living area.

If you have been looking for home with contemporary flair in a comfortable, livable floor plan, check out 11 Glenway. Give us a call at 512/771-1660 to see complete plans, and discuss how you could make this home your own.

By |2018-02-01T16:20:57+00:00February 1st, 2018|blog|Comments Off on Breaking Ground: 11 Glenway, Hills of Lakeway

#PrettyGoodDay to Build Your Home in The Hills

Lake Travis area homes for sale in the The Hills Of Lakeway Community.

Our friend Bonni has a favorite hashtag she uses when good things happen in her family: it’s a #PrettyGoodDay.  So when we recently uncovered two spectacular home sites in the Hills of Lakeway for our next projects, we couldn’t help but know that it indeed was a #PrettyGoodDay.

To say that nicely treed, affordable, buildable lots in attractive communities around Lake South are hard to find is a gross understatement. If you’ve been looking for such a home site, you know how rare those lots are.  That’s why we were so thrilled to find not just one, but two, gorgeous home sites in The Hills of Lakeway that meet those criteria and our high standards.

We looked for months to find just the right home sites for our next projects.  We are breaking ground this month on these two beautiful projects in The Hills of Lakeway.  Since late fall, we’ve been working with our architects to put our vision on paper, with site-specific designs that maximize the best features of both lots. Over the next few weeks, we’ll share more about the floor plans, home sites and design styles of these two custom homes.

In the meantime, drive by 11 Glenway Drive and 8 Cheverly Court in The Hills to get a sneak peek.

If you’ve been looking to live in a new home in The Hills, without steep sloping driveways or challenging terrain, these are a worth a look. Give us […]

By |2018-01-26T17:13:37+00:00January 26th, 2018|blog|Comments Off on #PrettyGoodDay to Build Your Home in The Hills

The 2018 Outlook for Lakeway: Firing on All Cylinders

Lakeway continues to be a draw for people seeking great schools, affordable homes and beautiful surroundings.

If you love good news like we do, this week’s Lake Travis Chamber of Commerce’s Economic Forecast Luncheon was the place to be. We joined around 250 other Lakeway business owners and representatives at the lovely Vintage Villas to hear what is in store for Lake South this year. Here are a few factoids that caught our attention:

  • We’ll continue to see strong growth in 2018. The City of Lakeway gains about 500 new residents a year, and will continue at that growth rate this year. From its sleepy beginnings as a tiny retirement getaway, Lakeway’s population now is around 15,000.
  • Property values will continue to rise. Since 2015, City of Lakeway property values have increased on average 10% per year.
  • Lack of lots will impact the availability of new homes. Some 275 new home permits will be issued, in line with the last four years. “That is driven in large part by the lack of available, buildable lots,”said Steve Jones, Lakeway city manager.
  • Home sales will remain robust, following five years of skyrocketing sales. Last year, the Lake Travis ISD (known as Lake South) area notched 1,662 sales totaling nearly $1 billion. “Five years ago we were doing half that number,” says Kuper Sotheby’s broker-associate Doug Land. “Real estate drives our economy.”
  • With growth comes the need for […]
By |2018-01-18T23:44:49+00:00January 18th, 2018|blog|Comments Off on The 2018 Outlook for Lakeway: Firing on All Cylinders

Coming Home for the Holidays

You’ve probably seen the real estate ads this time of year, enticing with their “home for the holidays” headlines. No doubt, there truly is something special about spending the holidays in our warm, comfortable homes surrounded by family.

But when we think of what “home for the holidays” means this year, it isn’t so much about our home or those we’ve built for neighbors. No, instead, we are thinking back to Thanksgiving week, and the incredible opportunity we had to work alongside other Lakeway folks to make “home” a reality for another family.  

The trip was coordinated through Casas por Cristo, and organized by the Lakeway Church.  The goal: to build a home for a family of four in less than four days – he, a pastor, and she, a hairdresser – in Acuña, Mexico, just across the border from Del Rio. Our group of 22 Lakeway volunteers must have looked like an unlikely construction crew when we arrived early the first morning, our team ranging from elementary-school age to retirees. But before lunch that day, we had a slab poured where earlier there was only a blank dirt canvas. By end of day one, walls were framed and placed in position and roof rafters readied. For the next two days, the job site resembled a bustling ant mound with small groups teamed up on the roof; others installing insulation, sheetrock and electrical inside, while yet others tackled the exterior wall board and stucco, set windows, painted trim, and even built a dog house out of scrap lumber. 

This family is one of hundreds who have […]

By |2017-12-20T17:30:47+00:00December 12th, 2017|blog|Comments Off on Coming Home for the Holidays
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