A storied history of building better
In 1976, David Weekley, a 23-year-old new graduate of economics and geology from San Antonio’s Trinity University, decided to start his own homebuilding company. He united with his older brother, Dick to establish David Weekley Homes in Houston, Texas. In their early years, David worked as a salesperson, purchasing manager and builder.
His dedication to advancing the homebuilding industry overcame trepidatious events like the 1985 Houston oil bust. Moments like these define a builder and David Weekley challenged the odds. Backed by a community oriented team, David Weekley began a partnership with The Department of Energy’s Building America. Decades before “green” even punctured the mainstream, the company evaluated the costs and benefits of building high-performance homes. Their case study opened the landscape for contemporary practices of green building.
David Weekley Homes was the first home builder in the United States to be awarded the Triple Crown of American Home Building, an honor which includes “America’s Best Builder,” “National Housing Quality Award” and “National Builder of the Year.”
Building Across the Nation
David Weekley builds in 19 markets and 12 states across the United States. These include Texas, Arizona, Colorado, Oregon, Washington, Indiana, Minnesota, Tennessee, Georgia, North and South Carolina and Florida. The philosophy of David Weekley extends quality and achievable projects that reach all sectors of the market. Three of their recent projects exemplify this mission. The flair of their in-house Design Team tailors each project to their respective geographic demographics.
Mustang Lakes in Celena, Texas, is close to their roots. The community strives for maximum design customization with nine floor plans with both one-and two-story plans. Situated on 50-foot homesites the homes range from 2,295 to 3,481 sq. ft. At Mustang Lakes high vaulted ceilings supported by detailed roof pitches range from cedar stone and brick options.
In Queen Creek, Ariz, Legado West the nine floor plans offer square footage ranging from 3,250 to 4,581. At Legado West the cathedral attic with open cell foam insulation, 2×6 construction and blown in cellulose contributes to its energy-efficiency.
Hidden Ponds Reserve in Awendaw, S.C., features french doors, a covered porch and options for boat storage. The floor plans include both one- and two-story options with up to five-bedrooms, four-and-a-half-baths and up to a three-car-garage. The square footage spans from 2,487 to 3,885. The homes have an average Home Energy Rating System score of 55, making them nearly 50% more energy efficient than a home built in 2006.
Best Building Practices
All David Weekley homes constructed above code requirements, but they also adhere to advanced building science standards and principles. This is to understand the physical behavior of the building as a system and how energy efficiency, durability, comfort and indoor air quality are affected.
They utilize Advanced Framing techniques and build walls 50% wider than standard framing. This allows for more insulation, eliminating hot spots, which in turn reduces energy usage. David Weekley incorporates formaldehyde-free insulation and fresh air ventilation systems with Johns Manville. Johns Manville, leading manufacturer for building insulation, is a National Preferred Partners of David Weekley Homes. Advanced framing also reduces the use of individual pieces of lumber, making their construction more resource efficient and green. Energy-efficient windows, garage doors and appliances are the standard in every project.40 years after David’s leap of faith, David Weekley homes is one of the largest privately held home builders in America. This distinction is an accumulation of decades of advancement in building practices and energy efficiency.
This story appears in the November issue of Builder and Developer, read the print version.
