Many people would love to build a custom home for their family, but do not have the time or knowledge to properly oversee its construction, or arrange for construction loans needed in advance of closing.
Instead, they compromise what they really want, and end up going with a traditional production builder that allows minimal customization of their floor plans, which often is expensive, and the builder does reluctantly.
But now, Tampa Bay homebuyers have a third option — ICI Homes, which brings together a buyer’s specific custom requests with the resources of an established and reputable production builder.
“ICI Homes is truly unique among all production builders. We fill a custom niche that buyers won’t find anywhere else,” said Ron Ferguson, division manager of the company’s West Florida Division.
Ferguson explains that ICI Homes even goes as far as moving walls with plumbing, stretching exterior room dimensions, adding bonus rooms and expanding outdoor living areas.
“We routinely do structural changes that other builders will not do,” said Ferguson. “Because we have been customizing homes for over 40 years, we have the processes in place that encourage customization. In fact, that’s what our entire production philosophy is based on.”
And, because ICI builds hundreds of homes a year, the efficiencies of being a production builder brings the cost of customization to a very affordable level.
“We save buyers thousands of dollars for a home that’s uniquely theirs, compared to hiring a private contractor to build a similar home,” said Ferguson.
In addition, since the builder is ICI Homes, the buyer does not need to secure a construction loan, which is always required with a private builder.
“The financial risk is on us, the builder — not the homeowner,” said Ferguson.
As an established homebuilder, ICI Homes pulls building permits faster and completes construction on most homes in just six to eight months. That compares to a year or longer for an individual custom home to be built.
ICI Homes got its start 40 years ago in Daytona Beach. The original founder still owns the company, and over the years expanded into Jacksonville, Orlando and Gainesville. It entered the Tampa Bay market in 2015 in Fishhawk Ranch in south Hillsborough County
The company moved into Pasco County two years later as one of the original builders in Bexley in Land O’ Lakes. Then, in late 2017, it added Asturia in Odessa to its growing list of communities. It also sells homes to buyers wanting to build on their own lot.
The process to customize an ICI home begins with a meeting between the buyers and the company’s architectural designer, who is based at the division’s Wesley Chapel office.
“One of the first things our buyers do is meet with our architectural staff to discuss the custom features they want added to their plans,” said Sales Manager Leah Turner.
ICI’s staff then helps buyers select design features, finishes and colors to personalize their home.
“Our architectural design team works closely with our buyers so they can focus on what they want in their dream home, without worrying about the thousands of details that go into planning their home’s layout and construction,” Turner ads.
ICI Homes has hundreds of floor plans that have been customized over the past 40 years. It’s this experience that enables the company to affordably replicate the most popular custom elements.
“We call these bubble options, because they can be easily added to a plan without causing delays to the construction process,” said Ferguson, “And, because they have already been engineered, the cost for bubble options is reasonable.”
Because everybody wants their home to be unique, ICI Homes has over a dozen floor plans for buyers to choose from. It also has model homes in Asturia and Bexley that are open daily for tour. The Serena model recently opened in Asturia, and more models are planned for later this year in both Asturia and Bexley.
Prices begin at $290,900 for a 1,789-square-foot home in Asturia, and $419,900 for a 2,565-square-foot home in Bexley. Many home sites back up to conservation and water, and all offer privacy. Home sites are 55- and 65-foot lots in Asturia, and 70-foot lots in Bexley.
Open concept floor plans are very popular with families building ICI Homes, as are outdoor living areas with kitchens, grill pads and pavers, according to Sales Manager Turner.
“Our buyers are building their private outdoor oasis,” said Turner. “Our home sites in Asturia and Bexley are some of the most pristine along the State Road 54 corridor, and outdoor living and recreation is a huge attraction for our families.”
ICI Homes is one of Florida’s most premier builders, and for many years has been ranked in the Top 100 Builders in the nation by Builder Magazine. Established in 1980, the company has built over 4,000 single-family homes in Florida, and is the recipient of several prestigious awards for design and innovation.
The Asturia sales center for ICI Homes is at 15134 Aviles Parkway in Odessa, (813) 359-0264. At Bexley, the sales center is at 16754 Courtyard Loop in Land O’ Lakes, (813) 530-9069.
Published May 23, 2018
