Parker Homes & Renovations

Concrete Countertops!

2012-01-28T08:18:00.000-08:00

In need of some new countertops? Have you considered concrete?

They can be done in a wide variety of styles and colors. They are handmade and can be customized with endless possibilities for shape, size, edge style, color, design, etc. They are sturdy, long-lasting and unique- great for indoor or outdoor areas!

830-626-3350

parkerrenovations@att.net

www.parkerrenovations.com

Check out some of these counters we've created:

New Home: Hill Country- More Pics

2012-01-25T14:30:00.000-08:00

Here are a few more pics from the Hill Country home we built. Enjoy!

Parkerrenovations@att.net

830-626-3350

www.parkerrenovations.com

Back of House:

Hill Country View:

Office:

Master Bedroom looking out on to back deck:

Master Fireplace:

Master Bedroom:

Living Room:

Looking into Kitchen/Dining area:

Big windows for a big view!:

Kitchen:

Guest Bath:

Back Deck:

Wine Barrel Table

2012-01-22T16:06:00.000-08:00

Looking for a unique piece of furniture? How about one of our own rustic wine barrel creations!?!

We created the one you see below for one of our customers. They are using it as an outdoor bar height patio table, and it turned out great! It has two doors that lead to extra storage. The top door even has a "Lazy Susan" for convenient reach of items. The table top is an Oak butcher block with metal banding to match the existing banding on the barrel. We left the table top natural so that it could weather like the rest of the barrel.

There are so many options when it comes to wine barrel furniture. We can create wine racks, kitchen islands, coffee tables, chairs, etc. Tell us your idea and we can create your own wine barrel masterpiece! (Prices vary depending on type & amount of material, as well as shipping charges for out of area customers- the table shown is $500)

Call or E-mail us to order one!

830-626-3350

parkerrenovations@att.net

Before:

Stained:

Doors Cut:

Top before table:

Door with handle:

Top Door Open:

Lazy Susan:

Both Doors Open:

Oak Butcher Block with Banding:

Table top with matching banding:

Complete:

New Home: Hill Country- Complete

2011-10-24T14:24:00.001-07:00

We recently completed the beautiful hill country home we started in June. We loved building this home and seeing all the unique features we designed with the homeowners come to life in this amazing hill country atmosphere. I have to admit, I will miss going out to this house everyday. There's something about the hill country breezes and views that make it so peaceful. We had to take pictures before it was actually final and clean, but we hope you enjoy the pictures anyway! We will be the first to admit that the views this home has, outweighs all the hard work and quality craftsmanship we put into building it, but we are still very proud! Enjoy!

If you or someone you know are interested in building a new home, please give us a call! Estimates are always free and referrals are always welcome and compensated*!

parkerrenovations@att.net

830-626-3350

*You must register your friend/family with us before the first meeting. Once they start building with us, you will receive your referral fee!

Front Entry:

The home tucked away on the side of the hill with plenty of trees:

Entry to house:

Storage Garage:

Sidewalk to entry:

Front Door (Blue tape is for some touch-ups we were doing)

Living Room Windows:

Living Room Fireplace:

Beams in Living Room:

Garage:

Hallway to Bedrooms:

Office:

Office Closet:

Guest Bathroom:

Guest Shower:

Recessed Soap Dish in Shower:

Tile Deco in Shower:

Beautiful knotty alder doors throughout:

Guest Bedroom:

Guest Closet:

Sliding Door:

Laundry Room:

Hallway to laundry and guest bath:

Kitchen... Not quite finished yet, sorry!

Dining Room- also great for storing ladders!

I would enjoy doing dishes with this kind of view!

Backsplash:

View from Back Porch:

View From Back Porch:

Wall of Windows:

Wall of Master Bedroom Windows:

Master Bathroom:

Master Closet:

Master Bedroom Fireplace:

Master Bedroom:

Master Bedroom Beam/Ceiling:

Master Bedroom View:

Hallway out of Bedroom:

Wrap around shower:

Half Bath:

Remember to contact us for all your new home and renovation needs!

830-626-3350

parkerrenovations@att.net

Help a Teacher Out- 2011 Reveal!

2011-09-01T08:18:00.000-07:00

What an amazing week we had revealing the gift baskets to these teachers! There is nothing else like the feeling you get surprising someone with such a great gift!

Of course NONE of this would have been possible without our great contributors. Be sure to check them out!

One thing we discovered in doing these deliveries... these schools not only have great teachers, but the secretaries, principals and other staff involved are just as wonderful! These schools run on such a tight schedule that it almost became a little overwhelming scheduling 12 different school deliveries within 4 days. Without the help of the school secretaries and principals, it would have been a disaster. We can not thank you all enough! But we can guarantee that if your child goes to any of these schools, they are in good hands all the way around!

This blog post will be a little long, but so worth the read! Enjoy learning about the 14 teachers this community helped support this school year! And stay tuned next summer, because after the great response, we will be helping teachers out again!

Teacher #1: BONNIE WEED (Canyon High School)

Nominated by: Michelle Koehl

“I would like to nominate Bonnie Weed for the Parker Homes Help A Teacher Out! I am the math department chair at Canyon, and Bonnie is one of the hardest working teachers in our department. She puts in a lot of time, energy, dedication, and money to her classroom. She simply goes above and beyond for her students each day. Ms. Weed is always in contact with the high school parents to keep them updated, she rewards her students with prizes often, and she supplies extra pencils, paper, etc. for her students. Her lessons are always well prepared as she spends extra time to implement as much technology as possible. There is no way I can put into words all that Ms. Weed does for her students, classroom, and other teachers on our campus as she is also our social committee chair for the campus and a class sponsor. With all that being said, Ms. Weed goes above and beyond every day, using her own money for so many things. And she does all this as a single parent of a boy who is in elementary school. It amazes me how she is so dedicated to do so many things, and then even picks up extra work (like summer school). I know she would GREATLY appreciate any help you would be willing to offer her. Thank you for your time and consideration.”

We were lucky we had the help of Michelle to coordinate this reveal. They had just gotten out of a long meeting and Michelle convinced her to go to the office, which is where my wife was waiting to surprise her along with one of her former students, Devin. (Devin is at Texas State now getting her teaching certification which she claims is due to the inspiration Bonnie Weed gave her in class- keeping the cycle of great teachers going!)

Bonnie was moved to tears, which started a domino effect with the rest of the crowd! And then to top it off, we honored Michelle Koehl as well with a $100 gift card. We thought it was selfless and kind of her to nominate another teacher, being a great teacher herself!

PICTURED: (From left to right)

Tiffany Parker, Michelle Koehl, Bonnie Weed, Devin Culpepper

Teacher #2: COACH KYLE HENDERSON (Church Hill Middle School)

Nominated By: Maggie Berry

“Inspiring, caring, dedicated, long hours, practical, realistic, kids love him, so do we!”

Like we said before, scheduling was crazy. Coach Henderson was in between meetings and we had a 10 minute time slot to catch him at the school. It didn't always work out that we could get the person who nominated the teacher there at the same time. (The teachers had not even started school yet, and they were crazy busy! Yet another reason to give credit where its due!) Coach Henderson was called down to the office, but luckily it was for a great gift basket full of stuff he will be able to use for the upcoming football season and school year! He was ecstatic about it!

Pictured: Coach Kyle Henderson

Teacher #3: CHRISTIE TIMMONS (Premier High School)

Nominated By: Anonymous

“Christie is amazing. She works at a charter school that helps at risk children. She spends many hours and is always looking for ways to help her kids. She treats them like they are her own children. She encourages, befriends and loves these kids and for some of them she is the only one who is a constant cheerleader for them. She gives them stuff for holidays, she becomes a mentor, she pushes them to do more than they ever dreamed they could do. I even know that one of her students was sick with no insurance and she paid for him to go to the doctor. She also has her own child that she is very involved with. Her husband works away for many months so she is essentially a single mom who never says no. She hated recognition because she feels that she is doing nothing out of the ordinary. I would love for her to have this. She spends so much of her time and money I would love to see her recognized. I would also like to remain anonymous to the fact that I nominated her!”

I think we really shocked Christie! All the staff at this school helped us with the surprise. We all went into her classroom and presented it to her. It was fun to see her confusion as we all came into the room with this big basket. She quickly became very excited and honored, and we were all excited for her! The person who nominated her wanted to remain anonymous but we are curious to see if Christie ever figured out who it was. What a great person!

Pictured: (From Left to Right) Tiffany Parker, Christie Timmons, Ryan Parker

Teacher #4: CHARLES RYALS (Clear Spring Elementary)

Nominated By: Amy Merritt

“Mr Ryals was my son's homeroom teacher last year. He inspires the kids to read, read, read, study hard and do their best. We were so incredibly blessed by his calming influence on our son and the work he put in for all of his students.”

From the second we mentioned this teacher's name when calling to schedule, the secretaries and principal got excited. We also had a 10 minute time slot for this teacher. Principal Nash was about to start a movie for the entire staff to watch, when she allowed us to stand up in front of everyone to present his award! He was met with a huge standing ovation- no doubt that this guy is a great teacher and co-worker!

Charles also took the time to answer a questionnaire we sent out and here are some of his answers:

Mr. Ryals is originally from the area but his dad was in the air force so they moved around a lot. Charles spent 25 years in Virginia Beach, Norfolk area. He just celebrated his 40th anniversary married to his high school sweetheart, Margaret. He retired from the Navy after 26.5 years. This is his 14th year to teach 4th grade in CISD schools.

He used to volunteer at his wife's school in Norfolk, VA and decided it was something he would love to do. He used his GI Bill to get his Masters in Elementary Education at Texas State. When asked what is his favorite part of teaching is, he says: "Watching a student when the light bulb comes on and they 'get it'. I love seeing the kids come in the morning." He also says he hopes to make a difference in his student's lives. (and we think that he more than likely has made a positive difference in many, many lives throughout all his years of service to not only our children but this great country!)

When asked how he will be able to use the items given, he mentioned he will not only help his own class but his fellow teachers with their needs as well- what a great guy!

He also said he felt very humbled. "I do what I do because its my calling and I am passionate about it. Recognition is something I don't expect."

In closing he said, "I would like to thank you for taking your time to do this for teachers. 'Help a Teacher Out' is truly an awesome idea for groups of people to help teachers- Thank you."

Pictured: My wife, Tiffany and Principal Nash (this is a great picture, because my wife is a bit shy and hates talking in front of large groups of people- and the entire staff was there :) )

Pictured: Charles Ryals

Teacher #5: BARBARA CHRISTY (Mountain Valley Middle School)

Nominated By: Chyrel Madden

“Barbara works with students with intellectual impairments, autism, and physical disabilities. She has unending patience working with these students with disabilities, wanting them to understand how very able they are. She focuses her efforts on helping her students become socially acceptable and as ready for the work force as possible. Barbara believes in the premise that ALL students can learn. She works hard to help them reach their full potential.”

Yet another busy teacher/school. We were able to swing by during one of their faculty meetings and present her award in front of everyone. The Principal, Dr. Maika wanted to be sure she was surprised and in front of all to see, and that she was! Barbara also filled out our questionnaire and her replies are below:

She grew up in Jacksonville, FL and has lived in Texas for the last six years. She has been married for almost 11 years and has a 9 year old daughter Layla, and a 6 year old son, Lance. Both of her parents were teachers and she has always loved working with children with special needs. How lucky are we to have great teachers like Barbara!?!

When asked what her favorite part of teaching is, she replied, "I appreciate the little milestones my students make everyday."

She goes on to say, "The items I received are amazing for use with special needs children. There are items that will reinforce the skills that I teach, items I can use for prizes, and items I can use everyday."

And her reaction to receiving the recognition: "I literally was speechless!" and also adds, "I want to thank everyone responsible for this honor and I am humbled by it."

Pictured: Barbara Christy

Teacher #6: PAIGE HOLDEN (Freiheit Elementary)

Nominated By: Cassie Harig

“I met Paige while we were both getting our teaching degrees down in Corpus Christi. Over the years I've had the opportunity to see Paige grow as a teacher and I've seen all the wonderful things she does with her class. From exploding soda with mentos to Eric Carle inspired art projects, her creativity and dedication as a teacher comes through in her lessons. I've had the opportunity to be in Paige's classroom many times and I'm always impressed by what I see. Like most teachers, I know she spends quite a bit out of pocket to supplement her classroom, so if anyone deserves a little help, it's most definitely her.”

Freiheit actually had two teachers nominated and the school wanted to be sure we presented the awards in front of the entire staff as well. (I'm glad my wife was such a trooper when doing these presentations in front of everyone!) So here is the 2nd teacher nominated there:

Teacher #7: DAVID WAGNER (Freiheit Elementary)

Nominated By: Rachelle Wagner

“David is a dedicated science teacher and this is his second year teaching. He is also a dedicated father and husband. He could really use some supplies to jump start the school year! Thank you for your consideration and support of all teachers!!!”

These teachers have some great supporters in their lives! Rachelle is David's wife and she brought their two children to the big reveal as well. When my wife, Tiffany, was done presenting, David's oldest son ran up to David and presented him with a special necklace he made, telling him he was the best teacher/dad ever! I think that was even better than the basket he got!

Pictured: (From left to right) Paige Holden and David Wagner

Pictured: Rachelle Wagner and David Wagner with their children (the newest addition is in the background in the stroller :) )

Teacher #8: MATTHEW HERZOG (Startzville Elementary)

Nominated By: Shari Tucker

“Mr. Herzog is always reaching into his own pocket to provide his 3rd grade class with little extras. He is very innovative in the way he teaches and is able to not only get the information across that the students need to learn but does so in a fun and engaging manner. Every student that has Mr. Herzog loves him and every student in the younger grades wants to have Mr. Herzog as their 3rd grade teacher when they get there. He spends hours of his own time preparing lessons for his class. Matthew Herzog is a dedicated teacher and is very deserving of any help that you would be offering.”

Shari met my wife at the office and walked down to Matthew's classroom to surprise him. Mr. Herzog teaches 3rd grade so the entire 3rd grade team came out to see what was going on and cheer him on. Everyone was so excited to see him get the recognition and couldn't wait to go through all the stuff. You know they must be great teachers when they get excited about a basket full of glue sticks, markers, and pencils! :)

Pictured: (from left to right) (sorry, but we did not catch the other teachers' names!) -3rd grade teacher-, -3rd grade teacher-, -3rd grade teacher-, Matthew Herzog, Shari Tucker, and -3rd grade teacher-.

Teacher #9: AMY BIDDISON (Klein Elementary)

Nominated by: Terra Marrou

“Mrs. Biddison is a warm and wonderful teacher. She just recently gave up her law license and became a teacher and then with all the budget cuts lost her position at County line Elementary. She was hired on at Klien, thank goodness but in the process her husband (also a teacher) lost his job and is still looking. She was a wonderful mentor to my son in the Destination Imagination club as well. I know that being a teacher is hard on the pocket book and then to have both parents at one time lose their job is just a very sad thing. I am so glad she was hired back but we are sad to see her leave CLE. I think she deserves it for all the sacrifices she and her family have made to be educators to our children.”

We loved this one because Terra was able to meet us at Klein with ALL 6 of her children, one of which was a student of Mrs. Biddison's and a couple others knew her as well. Before Amy even knew about the award, she was so excited to see the kids, as they ran up and hugged her. And they were all so excited to show her the basket full of goodies she received for the recognition. You could tell that Terra was a very thankful mother towards Mrs. Biddison. What a great way to show her thanks!

Pictured: (From left to right) Terra Marrou, 2 of her kiddos (sorry can not remember their names!), Amy Biddison, and 2 more kiddos. (2 kids were not pictured)

Teacher #10: DEBBIE HAHN (Carl Schurz)

Nominated by: Henry Hahn

“Ms. Hahn has over 25 years experience teaching, of which, 11 have been in NBISD. She has always used much of her own money and resources to provide the best learning experience that first graders can have.”

Henry, which is Debbie's brother, met us at Carl Schurz and we walked to Debbie's classroom to surprise her. She was busy getting ready for "Meet the Teacher" which was happening that evening. She was blown away by the kindness of her brother, thinking of her and recognizing her hard work and dedication. It was a really sweet moment!

Debbie filled out our questionnaire as well:

Debbie Hahn has 26 years of teaching with 12 of those years at NBISD. She has two daughters, one lives in California with her family and one lives in Florida. She is known as "Gammy" to 3 grandchildren. Her brother and sister-in-law live just 9 houses away from her. New Braunfels has always been a favorite town of hers.

Debbie has always loved to be around children. When she was growing up, she always wanted to babysit the neighbors children. "Playing School" was her favorite past-time and the elementary education courses in college always interested her as well. So she sought out being the best teacher possible!

What's her favorite part of teaching? "There is never a dull moment! I love the challenge of teaching these little minds academically, as well as socially. I feel so fullfilled when I see how much they learn and grow."

How will she be able to use the items in the basket? "Oh my... EVERY item is needed and WILL be used. I feel like I won the classroom lottery! The choice of items is just perfect and I'm looking forward to using it all with my first graders."

Her reaction to the nomination? "Totally stunned! My adrenalin was sky high and I fell so thankful to have been chosen. It was an awesome moment."

She also includes... "This community service for teachers is a wonderful thing. I think I can generalize and say... most teachers do not feel appreciated. This generosity shows that there still are people out there that understand the hard job we have each day."

These contributors are some of the generous and caring people she is referring to!

Pictured: (From left to right) Henry Hahn and Debbie Hahn

Teacher #11: TONYA HEFFINGTON (Seele Elementary)

Nominated By: Jennifer Gomez

“I was very thankful that our son Zach was blessed with such a great kindergarten teacher. She really is a very sweet and loving teacher who taught our son so much his first year of school. And the reason why he enjoys it. After the year was over she made the decision to move to third grade and i am hoping we will be blessed with Zach having her as a teacher again. Zach says she is nice and funny and he had an awesome time in kindergarten.”

Another appreciative mom! Its always a comfort to know your children are in good hands as they journey through life! We surprised Tonya Heffington in her classroom. I think she was in complete shock and overcome with emotion! She was having a meeting with her team members and I am sure it was hard to concentrate after that!

Pictured: Tonya Heffington

Teacher #12: RACHEL SHERRERD (Garden Ridge Elementary)

Nominated By: Kathy Riley

“Mrs. Sherrerd is the teacher all kids LOVE! Every child is fully engaged in her class and are eager to hear what she has to say. She makes science come to life in the classroom. She absolutely loves her job and science and it shows everyday in the classroom. In the words of my 11-year-old son, she is the BEST teacher in the world!”

We also surprised Rachel as she was in a team meeting. Once again shocked and overwhelmed like so many of the teachers. Its great to see someone's hard work and dedication get recognized. For that moment she got to celebrate her talent as a teacher before she quickly went back to work! :) Kathy, who nominated her, wanted to be there as well with her son but had to move her two daughters to college that day.

Pictured: Rachel Sherrerd

Teacher #13: ANGELA JENSEN (Garden Ridge Elementary)

Nominated by: Laura Cannon

“Angela was a first year teacher at our school this year--she actually got her job after school started when our enrollment swelled. She did a fantastic job and always had a positive outlook even during the possibility of job cuts with the state budget difficulties. She is dedicated to her job and her students and would use a grant wisely to help her classroom be even better this year. We are so glad her job has remained intact and I think she is worthy of some help.”

Another great teacher at Garden Ridge Elementary! By the time we arrived at Angela's classroom, we had a big crowd of teachers following us, ready to cheer on their co-worker. Laura Cannon, who nominated Angela, was also there and we got to surprise her with a $100 gift card as well, for being such a selfless, giving teacher by nominating a co-worker. There were lots of cheers and lots of tears of happiness. These teachers are amazing!

Pictured: (From left to right) Angela Jensen and Laura Cannon

Teacher #14: KIMBRA CULPEPPER (Goodwin Frazier)

Nominated by: Devin Culpepper

“Mrs. Culpepper is always ready to help kids learn about everything that goes on in our world. From what makes the Earth turn to what we are made of. She is passionate about science, and I think she could use some more cool science gadgets to help get her kids just as passoinate about it as she is!”

Our last stop was at Goodwin Frazier where we surprised Kimbra in the copy room. Devin is her daughter and was there helping her mom put together her room for the school year. Kimbra was very excited and honored to receive such a great gift not only from us but from her sweet daughter as well. You know you must be doing something right if you can raise your own kids to appreciate what you do for a living!

Pictured: (From left to right) Kimbra Culpepper and Devin Culpepper

As you can see, it was an AMAZING week. If we could hand out those baskets everyday, we would. Its amazing how something as small as a thank you, as special as a homemade necklace, or as big as a basket full of stuff can make a difference in someone's life. I gaurantee the teachers we all honored will have an extra spark this school year. We hope they continue to do an outstanding job and we hope you all continue to support ALL the great teachers out there. We will be back again next summer to honor more great teachers, so start thinking and writing out your nominations!

Again, Thank you to EVERYONE who helped make this project a success!

To all the teachers out there... We hope you have an INCREDIBLE year and THANK YOU!

Enclosed Porch to Create a Sunroom

2011-08-24T16:48:00.000-07:00

We added on a sunroom to this customer's existing Parker home. It turned out very nice and is a great extra space for them! We hope you enjoy the pictures and testimonial to the job!

Let us know if you or someone you know want to add or enclose a room!

830-626-3350

parkerrenovations@att.net

Testimonial:

Parker Homes built our home in 2005. Several builders have come in and develpoed in our subdivision. the houses built by Parker Homes have been the highest quality of the houses in our neighborhood. Our neighbors have repeatedly told us they wish Parker had built their homes.

The attention to detail and responsiveness to our needs lead us to come back again and contract with Parker Renovations to enclose our porch to create a sunroom on the back of the house in August 2008.

The design/estimate process has always been very professional. Work has always been completed on time, within budget and in an accommodating manner.

We should gladly recommend Parker Homes/Parker Renovations for consideration on any new construction, upgrade or renovations project to anyone.

J.C. & S.C.
New Braunfels, TX

A Rustic Getaway

2011-08-22T11:40:00.000-07:00

This customer wanted to transform his guest house into a rustic getaway. We replaced the siding with vertical cedar planks and the posts with natural blonde cedar. We also replaced the old worn out composition roof with corrugated tin. We moved the entry doors and windows to better accommodate our customers needs. Inside, we refinished the wood floors, installed cedar baseboards with a corrugated tin wainscot, and applied a hand-troweled texture with faux-finish paint. We created a bathroom out of an existing storage area, complete with a concrete shower, toilet and antique vanity. The bathroom also has a walk-in closet, smooth cedar flooring, and a custom-built sliding cedar door (to resemble a barn door).

If you are in need of transforming a space into your dream getaway, please contact us!

830-626-3350

parkerrenovations@att.net

Exterior cedar siding with cedar posts:

Exterior- Roof, siding, posts and new locations for doors/windows:

Corrugated tin wainscot with cedar trim and hand-troweled, faux-finished texture:

Custom Cedar Electrical panel door:

Antique vanity with copper sink:

Concrete shower with glass door:

Another View of Bathroom:

Sliding cedar door to bathroom:

Sliding Cedar Door open to bathroom:

Custom Water and Fire Fountain

2011-08-19T17:28:00.000-07:00

Here is the finished product of the custom built water and fire fountain we did for our customers in Champions Village. It turned out awesome! There is a fire plate on the very top of the water bowl that overflows into a larger basin. The rock around the bottom matches the house. Its a nice feature to have for your outdoor living space!

Let us know if you or someone you know would like one! Its custom built so we can accommodate to your needs!

830-626-3350

parkerrenovations@att.net

Thank you for "Helping a Teacher Out"

2011-08-14T16:33:00.001-07:00

Well all the baskets are packed and ready to go!

But we wanted to take a moment and thank each and every one of you who donated items, money, time and even those who nominated and helped spread the word. Without all of you, this project would not have been a success. So THANK YOU!

Items/Supplies:

My Sister's Closet- Donated 14 candles for the teacher baskets
The Jumpy Place- Donated free passes for all the teacher baskets
Caraway Lawn Service- Donated $20 gift cards for lawn services for all teachers
Pookie Janes- Donated Buy One Get One 50% off Coupons for all teachers
Tantogo- Donated $5 off coupons for all teachers
Lazer X- Donated free game cards for all teachers
Supplize- Donated 15% off coupons
S.C. Strawser Photography- Donated free family photo session for all teachers
Aahhh! The Plumber Inc.- Donated $25 off of $100 or more of plumbing
Jennifer Gottschalk of New Braunfels Macaroni Kid- Donated a box full of supplies and has been broadcasting and helping us get the word out- which is just as helpful!
Lisa Johnson- donated several bags full of supplies & helped spread the word on her blog
Tiffany Cox- donated several bags full of supplies
Linda Hoffmann- donated several bags full of supplies
Anonymous donor- donated several bags full of supplies
Rojas Construction Services- 14 candles for the teacher baskets
Altex Computers & Electronics- 14 bags full of Altex gear, including flash drives
McAdoo's Seafood Company- Donated $20 gift cards to ALL 14 teachers!
Betsy Green- Donated free facials/makeovers and $20 towards Mary Kay products for all 14 teachers!
Miranda Laine Photography- Donated $25 off coupons for photo session for all 14 teachers
Stacy Ford- Helped sort all 14 baskets!
Parker Homes & Renovations- $500+ worth of supplies and all the baskets

Monetary Donations

Chyrel Madden- $35.00
Anonymous- $15.00
Linda Hoffmann- $100.00
S. M. - $8.95
Woods Cycle Country- $50.00
Culpepper Plumbing- $100.00
Kimberly Griffith- $50.00
Annette Alexander- $10.00
Charlotte Patin- $20.00
Elizabeth Culpepper- $100.00
Miranda Laine Photography- $115.00
Renew Church- $295
Parker Homes & Renovations- $501.05

What an awesome community we live in!

Stay tuned for the post about the reveals. We'll get it up as soon as we can.

Until then...

Here are a couple pics of all the baskets ready to go along with a folder full of gift cards and coupons for each teacher. I think we will have some very happy teachers! (And I will be happy to get my home back to normal as well!)

THANKS AGAIN!!!

Convert Extra Space Into Bedroom

2011-08-11T07:33:00.000-07:00

We've done several projects for these customers and the latest project we completed was converting an extra space they had (they used as an exercise/game room) into a bedroom complete with an entire wall of closet space, drawers and even a desk area. They are trying to sell their home and wanted to have an additional bedroom to add to the resale value of their home. (If you are interested or know someone that is interested in buying a home, ready to move in to, out at Rockwall Ranch, please let us know and we will put you in contact with our customers- Its a beautiful home!)

If you or someone you know are interested in converting a space you have into something else, please contact us! Thank you!

830-626-3350

parkerrenovations@att.net

Custom-built wall of closets, cabinets, drawers, and desk:

Inside of closet:

New wood floors, base and paint:

Repainted Shutters:

Shutters:

2nd story, Kitchen and Deck Addition/Remodel

2011-08-03T07:36:00.000-07:00

We added on about 800 sq. ft. to this home. We added a 2nd story that included a bedroom, bathroom, and living area. We also remodeled the kitchen/dining/living/entry area downstairs. These customers also love being outside, so we created a great outdoor living space for them as well. It all turned out nicely and looks as though it should have always been there. We had a great time creating a more comfortable home for these customers!

Here is their testimonial of the job:

The reasons we chose Parker Renovations for our project:
1. honest and ethical approach/attitude
2. had creative ideas for our job
3. did their best to stay within the budget and time frame
4. strong and positive communication throughout the project
5. their workmanship
Should the oppportunity arise, we would choose Parker again for our project-

If you or someone you know are in need of an addition and/or remodel, please contact us today!

830-626-3350

parkerrenovations@att.net

BEFORE AND AFTER PICTURES:

BEFORE:

Single Story Home:

2nd Story will be built above garage:

Outside where wrap around deck will eventually be:

Back of house before:

Dining area before:

Kitchen Before:

Dining area before:

Kitchen and view into living room before:

Living room Before:

Living Room Before:

Entry before:

AFTER:

New Entry and view of 2nd story:

2nd Story:

2nd Story above garage:

Another view of 2nd Story:

Wrap around deck:

Deck with pergola:

Kitchen with new exterior doors:

Bigger kitchen with lots of cabinet/counter space:

Beautiful kitchen! :

More Kitchen with walkway to laundry and garage:

View into living room:

New dining room with exterior door:

New Entry with stairway:

Stairs to 2nd story addition:

New Living room upstairs:

New Bathroom Upstairs:

View from bedroom into closet/bathroom:

Bedroom upstairs:

Living room upstairs:

Help a Teacher Out- Our Final Plea!

2011-07-29T08:56:00.000-07:00

To Catch up on what this project is all about, visit these links:

First Post- "Help a Teacher Out"

Second Post- "Help a Teacher Out"- Update

Third Post- "Help a Teacher Out"- The Big Goal

Well, we are into our final two weeks of this community service project also known as "Help a Teacher Out." So, as we come close to the end, we must give our final plea for help and update everyone on where we stand.

To read more about the 14 teachers that were nominated for this project please click here.

To Donate:

Donate Supplies- SEE LIST HERE for ideas or buy what you think is needed.
Donate money- either through paypal (you can us a credit card this way), a check sent through the mail (made out to Parker Homes & Renovations- memo: Help a teacher out) or cash in person.

DONATIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED UNTIL AUGUST 12TH 2011!

Mailing/drop-off Address: 224 Chartwell Ave., New Braunfels, TX 78130

Call to arrange an in-person monetary drop off: 830-626-3350

We can even come pick up donations! Just call or email us to set something up!

Any Amount Helps!

HERE IS THE UPDATE:

DONATIONS WE HAVE RECEIVED SO FAR:

Items/Supplies:

My Sister's Closet- Donated 14 candles for the teacher baskets
The Jumpy Place- Donated free passes for all the teacher baskets
Caraway Lawn Service- Donated $20 gift cards for lawn services for all teachers
Pookie Janes- Donated Buy One Get One 50% off Coupons for all teachers
Tantogo- Donated $5 off coupons for all teachers
Lazer X- Donated free game cards for all teachers
Supplize- Donated 15% off coupons
S.C. Strawser Photography- Donated free family photo session for all teachers
Aahhh! The Plumber Inc.- Donated $25 off of $100 or more of plumbing
Jennifer Gottschalk of New Braunfels Macaroni Kid- Donated a box full of supplies and has been broadcasting and helping us get the word out- which is just as helpful!
Lisa Johnson- donated several bags full of supplies & helped spread the word on her blog
Tiffany Cox- donated several bags full of supplies
Linda Hoffmann- donated several bags full of supplies
Anonymous donor- donated several bags full of supplies
Rojas Construction Services- 14 candles for the teacher baskets
Altex Computers & Electronics- 14 bags full of Altex gear, including flash drives
McAdoo's Seafood Company- Donated $20 gift cards to ALL 14 teachers!
Betsy Green- Donated free facials/makeovers and $20 towards Mary Kay products for all 14 teachers!
Miranda Laine Photography- Donated $25 off coupons for photo session for all 14 teachers
Stacy Ford- Helped sort all 14 baskets!
Parker Homes & Renovations- $500+ worth of supplies and all the baskets

Monetary Donations (Remember we set a goal to raise $1400 for 14- $100 gift cards)

Chyrel Madden- $35.00
Anonymous- $15.00
Linda Hoffmann- $100.00
S. M. - $8.95
Woods Cycle Country- $50.00
Culpepper Plumbing- $100.00
Kimberly Griffith- $50.00
Annette Alexander- $10.00
Charlotte Patin- $20.00
Elizabeth Culpepper- $100.00
Miranda Laine Photography- $115.00
Renew Church- $295
Parker Homes & Renovations- $501.05

We've raised a total of $1400.00

WE STILL NEED: $0.0

Can you help us reach this goal and donate today?

As you can see, the community support is already very apparent. People appreciate these teachers and it shows by their generous donations, no matter how big or small. By donating, you are not only supporting these 14 teachers but also each of the children they will reach this coming school year. Its a great way to show all teachers that we appreciate and acknowledge all that they do.

What we still need:

If you are wanting to donate supplies:

Really anything and everything off of the list we posted.

We've gotten a little bit of everything. With 14 teachers coming from all different grade levels and subjects (including coaches, special needs, high school, elementary, etc), any item you can donate would be put to great use. I know these teachers probably go through these supplies like air on some days, so I'm sure a stock of supplies will help them out.

Drop Off Locations:

224 Chartwell Ave., New Braunfels, TX 78130 (If we are not home, just leave by the garage or front door/gate)

StoreMore Warehouses: 123 Schumans Beach Rd., NB, TX 78130

Only during the week during working hours- Just leave in the office with receptionist

Call us to arrange a date/time for us to pick up the donation

830-626-3350

parkerrenovations@att.net

If you are wanting to donate money:

As you can see we still need almost $600 to reach our goal for the gift cards

We realize that its hard to trust an individual with a donation, but we guarantee your money will be spent on gift cards for these teachers. We post right away, for all the public to see, when we receive a donation, so you and everyone else will know that your donation was received and will be applied towards the goal. We are even putting in $500 of our own money to make this happen. We will send a receipt of the gift card that your money helped pay for and we will post pictures of all the gift cards and baskets full of supplies so you can see the results. We are making everything as public as we can to ensure everyone's trust in this project.

If you still don't feel comfortable donating money, you can always donate gift cards as well. We know teachers would appreciate Starbucks gift cards, Hobby Lobby, Target, Wal-Mart, or other teacher supply stores- we were even thinking spa gift cards would be nice too! (and any amount will do, even if you can only purchase one gift card, that's still great!)

Mailing address/Drop off location: 224 Chartwell Ave., New Braunfels, TX 78130

If you are a business wanting to help:

E-mail us at parkerrenovations@att.net and let us know what you would like to donate

We have personally contacted over 100 local businesses and hope that more businesses will add to the donations to show their support!

Your business name will be included in all future posts of "Help a Teacher Out" and also on the certificate we give to the teacher.

You can also help by spreading the word and sending this info to someone you know that may want to help out!

REMEMBER DONATIONS CLOSE AUGUST 12TH

So get your donations in soon!

If you have any questions or concerns please contact us at parkerrenovations@att.net.

We will be surprising the teachers/ handing out the packages during the week of August 15-19.

Stay tuned for updates and pictures of the big reveals!

For more frequent updates, please check out our facebook page!

THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT!!!

Need a Garage?

2011-07-26T12:57:00.000-07:00

We recently built a garage for a customer who needed one. Their house did not have a garage and they wanted to build a detached one with a carport. We were able to clear a part of their land and build this garage/carport to match their existing home. We also built a small shed to house their well pump. Enjoy the pictures below!

If you or someone you know are in need of a garage or carport, contact us today!

830-626-3350

parkerrenovations@att.net

Garage with Entry door:

Posts for carport:

Garage door opener hanging from handle inside garage:

Another entry door into garage from carport:

Garage/Carport:

New Home: Champions- COMPLETE!

2011-07-15T18:43:00.000-07:00

There are still a few minor things to be done at this home and it will not officially close until next week, but with our busy schedules, the only time we could take pictures was today- before everything was complete and clean, so please excuse our mess!

We are proud to add this house to our extended family of homes around the New Braunfels area. Its a one-of-a-kind true Parker custom home! We are so appreciative of our customers and so glad we had the opportunity to build their new home! We always have a great time getting to know our customers and seeing them watch their dream home come to life. We truly have one of the greatest jobs. Please check out the pictures below and see for yourself!

If you or someone you know are in the market for a new home please contact us today!

830-626-3350

parkerrenovations@att.net

Guest Bathroom:

Stainless Steel undermount sink with black granite:

Tinted Stainless Steel tile accent:

Soap Dish Inset and Shower Seat:

Guest Bedroom Walk-in Closet:

One of Two Guest Bedrooms:

Interior doors:

Laundry Room:

Security System:

Dining Room Picture Window:

Dining Room with Travertine tile throughout:

Hall to Laundry, one of the Guest bedrooms/bathrooms, Door to backyard, Garage, and Stairs to Media Room:

View from Dining Room into Kitchen and Living Room:

Fireplace with Cabinetry:

Front Door:

Living Room:

Electric Fireplace:

Living Room:

Living Room Looking into Kitchen With coolstone columns and arches:

Living Room:

Cooktop Splash:

Cooktop Area:

Microwave with double oven:

Fridge with extra countertop space:

View into Kitchen (sorry for the mess, our guys were doing final paint touch-ups and grout touch-ups)

Hall to 2nd Guest bedroom/bathroom:

Guest Bedroom:

Guest Shower:

Guest Vanity- Sink and faucets not yet installed but will be a rectangular vessel bowl sink- again sorry for not having a final picture of it!

Hall to Master Bedroom/Bathroom:

Niche Cabinet in Master:

Master Bedroom:

Again, Paint touch-ups and grout touch-ups were being done in the master bathroom so excuse our mess!

One of the Master Vanities:

2-entry, arched Shower with tub below:

Master Closet:

Master Closet Built-in Dresser:

One of two shower heads in master shower:

Master Shower Floor:

Shower seat:

2nd Vanity:

Floor and tub deck with step:

Master Bedroom Windows:

Master Bedroom:

Stairs to Media Room:

Media Room:

Media Room Entry, Equipment closet, and attic access (which was plumbed for a future barspace):

Platform with floor outlets:

Rope Lighting:

Garage:

Back porch: (Water feature not yet complete- we will post better pictures of it once complete)

Back of House:

Driveway to Garage:

Front of House: (Homeowner is installing sprinkler system himself before the grass goes in- pictures will be posted when complete)

Grand Entry:

Entry:

Windows are trimmed with coolstone as well as columns:

Thanks again to our wonderful customers- we hope you enjoy your new home!

If you are interested in building your own Parker Home, please contact us today to set up a meeting. We can walk through homes that are complete or in the building stages, we can go over floor plans and customize to your liking, and we can go over the many options you have to stay in budget and get the home of your dreams!

830-626-3350

parkerrenovations@att.net

New Home: Hill Country- Progress

2011-07-12T15:08:00.001-07:00

This Hill Country home is coming along nicely and we can't wait to see the finished product. We hate to say it but the views this home has will probably overshadow our beautiful work creating this house. Nothing can top hill country views! Enjoy the pictures and look forward to more progress pictures soon!

830-626-3350

parkerrenovations@att.net

Entry of house with beautiful oaks & cedars:

Fireplace Stack:

Garage:

Garage and workshop to the left:

Living Room Windows:

Living Room windows that maximize the view:

Living Room Exposed Beams:

Start of the fireplace in Living Room:

Standing in Kitchen Looking into Living Room:

Kitchen:

Standing on Back Porch looking into Living/Kitchen/Dining:

Guest Bathroom:

Master Bedroom Windows/View:

Master Bedroom Fireplace:

Master Bedroom Ceiling & another window:

Master Bathroom:

Back Slab:

Living Room Windows from back porch:

Standing on back porch:

View from Master:

Gotta love those Hill Country Views!

Rustic Kitchen

2011-07-09T17:30:00.000-07:00

This customer is a bachelor who had very specific tastes when it came to remodeling his kitchen. He loves rustic/antiqued things and he loves his Longhorns. He also wanted his kitchen to be more open with a bar and he was on a tight budget. We came up with some great ideas, and he was excited to see it all come together. We took on this challenge when remodeling his kitchen and we think we were able to combine all his needs nicely into one great-looking and functional kitchen. Check out the before and after pictures below.

Let us know if you or someone you know are in need of a kitchen remodel:

830-626-3350

parkerrenovations@att.net

BEFORE:

Plain white cabinets and walls. The kitchen was smaller and in an L-Shape but in this picture demo has already begun. There used to be a wall that closed in the kitchen where I am standing taking the picture.

Same before picture of kitchen, but I installed the bar with wagon wheel lighting fixture (better view of it later)

To save him money, we didn't trash the cabinets but instead resurfaced the cabinet boxes and built new doors.

AFTER:

Cedar posts outline entry and bar area. Paper bag treatment on two accent walls and hand-troweled texture walls elsewhere. Cedar plank bar with Longhorn branded in center covered completely in liquid glass and banded with aged steel.

Custom Made wine cabinet. New appliances. Custom made venthood. Custom tile decos.

Slate floors. Cabinet doors are stained with burnt orange accents and perforated tin inserts. Tile countertops with aged steel banding around edges.

Another view of the rustic Longhorn bar with cool wagon wheel lighting fixture. Its amazing how creative we can get!

Vent hood is cedar with Texas Star emblem hand-carved and stained in center. It also has aged steel banding with pot holder hooks around the bottom. The tile deco on the backsplash is outlined with blonde cedar and has a aged steel Longhorn in the center. (Our customer was going to hang it on the wall somewhere, and we told him we had a better idea for it!)

A Longhorn bachelor's dream kitchen!

You tell us your likes and dislikes, and we'll come up with your dream kitchen too! (Or bathroom, living room, bedroom, house, etc)

Help a Teacher Out- The BIG Goal!

2011-06-30T12:09:00.001-07:00

To catch up on what this project is all about, you can visit:

The first post about "Help a Teacher Out"

The second post about "Help a Teacher Out"

We had 14 wonderful teachers nominated!

So, like everything we do around here, we are going to go big and be a little ambitious.

We are honoring ALL 14 teachers that were nominated!!!

How will we do this?

Hopefully, with the help from all of you in this great community!

Our goal?

To give each teacher a bin full of supplies and a $100 gift card.

(We realize that with 14 teachers, this is a big and ambitious goal)

Parker Homes & Renovations has committed to donating $500 worth of supplies and $500 worth of gift cards (along with any extra costs and time needed). We have received 4 bags full of supplies and $50 worth of donations from other people. We are well on our way to making this goal a reality- we believe this great community will not only reach this goal but far exceed it!

What happens if we don't reach the goal?

We will divide what we raise by Friday, August 12th among the 14 teachers equally.

What happens if we exceed the goal?

Depending on how far we exceed the goal, we may just divide the extra among the 14 teachers equally. If we raise a lot more, we will begin to contact administrators at the schools (we will go alphabetically, alternating districts) to see which teachers they feel are in need of some help and create even more packages to hand out- wouldn't that be great!?! Stay tuned for announcements if this happens.

Can you help us meet the goal?

If you would like to help:

Donate supplies- SEE LIST HERE for ideas or buy what you think is needed.
Donate money- either through paypal (you can use a credit card this way), a check sent through the mail (made out to Parker Homes & Renovations- memo: Help a teacher out), or cash in person.

DONATIONS WELCOME UNTIL AUGUST 12th, 2011!

Mailing Address: 224 Chartwell Ave., New Braunfels, TX 78130

Call to arrange an in-person monetary drop off: 830-626-3350

Any Amount helps!

We will send you a receipt to show exactly where your money went.

If you would like to be included in the card that every teacher will receive please donate supplies or money. Anything helps! And if you do donate and would like to include a special message please let us know- our email is parkerrenovations@att.net No matter what, big or small, your name will be included unless you donate anonymously (which is also okay!)
Do you know of a business that can donate items/giftcards/money? Please let them know or let us know!
Can you think of any other way to help out? Please let us know!

Again, our contact info:

Drop off locations: 224 Chartwell Ave., New Braunfels, TX 78130 (if not at home, leave by door or garage)

123 Schumans Beach Rd., New Braunfels, TX 78130 (inside the main office)

Mailing: 224 Chartwell Ave., New Braunfels, TX 78130

Phone: 830-626-3350

Email: parkerrenovations@att.net

Need a little Motivation?

Here are a little bit of each of the nominated teacher's stories- paraphrased from the submissions we received from those that nominated:

(We are keeping some info out to protect the privacy of the parties involved as well as trying to keep it a surprise for the teachers being honored)

We have a middle school coach who puts in long hours even over the weekends, holidays, and summer. This coach is "inspiring, caring, dedicated, practical, realistic" and probably more importantly, "the kids and parents love this coach!"
We have a high school teacher that works with at-risk students. This teacher treats them like they were the teacher's own children, often times being the only cheerleader these kids will have in their lifetime. At one time, even paying for medical expenses of a child with no health insurance. This teacher is essentially a single parent at home but manages to juggle both "jobs." This teacher would hate recognition because they feel they are doing nothing out of the ordinary- but we are giving it to them anyway. :)
We have a 2nd grade teacher who uses lots of creativity in all their lesson plans. This teacher spends lots of money on supplies throughout the year to supplement these unique lessons but thinks its all worth it to see the children learn and understand. The dedication is very apparent.
We have a 1st grade teacher that has taught over 25 years. With all the out of pocket expenses accumulated throughout those years, it would be nice to give this teacher a little something to honor their time and continued dedication. Not to mention, they are dedicated to giving 1st graders the best start ever in their schooling life.
We have a 5th grade teacher who all the kids LOVE. All the students are eager to learn and are fully engaged in the lessons. This teacher makes science come to life. One student even says, "...Best teacher in the world!"
We have a 2nd grade teacher who was a first year teacher last school year and actually got their job in the middle of the year. This teacher not only adjusted well and did a fantastic job, they kept a positive outlook even during all the job cuts and will be returning next school year. This recognition will help make their classroom even better than last year!
We have a middle school teacher who works with students with learning impairments and physical disabilities. This teacher has unending patience and wants wholeheartedly for her students to understand how very able they are. This teacher is inspirational to not only the students but those that know her as well. A truly dedicated and important teacher.
We have a 5th grade science teacher that teaches beyond the subject and into important things that go on in our world. This teacher is always looking for cool and innovative teaching tools because they are so passionate about science and teaching. This teacher dedicates a lot of time and energy to their students and their future.
We have a 3rd grade teacher who is very innovative, fun and engaging. This is the teacher that all the kids love and want to have as their 3rd grade teacher. This teacher spends long hours creating lesson plans and making sure each class is full of information, yet still engaging enough for ALL students to participate and learn.
We have a 3rd grade teacher who gave up practicing law to become a teacher. This teacher almost lost their job because of the budget cuts, but luckily was able to be transferred to another school in the district. However their spouse, who is also a teacher, was not so lucky and is still looking for a job. This teacher took on a lot, including extracurricular clubs. This family has had to make a lot of sacrifices and deserves a little help.
We have a 4th grade teacher who is passionate about reading. Throughout the year they encourage students to read, read, read and always do their best. This teacher has a calming effect on the students and creates a great learning environment. This teacher has been a great influence to many- a true role model that parents are grateful for.
We have a 4th grade teacher who is not only a dedicated teacher but also a great spouse and parent. This will be their 2nd year teaching and really needs the supplies to jump start the school year ahead. Its always hard to start off a new classroom and each year teachers build upon the last. This teacher needs our help to continue building their great classroom.
We have a high school math teacher who is "one of the hardest working teachers in our department." This teacher has a great relationship with the students, their parents, and also their co-workers. This teacher goes above and beyond what is needed of them. As a single parent, they not only take care of their own child, but also teaches math, teaches summer school, and serves on extracurricular clubs/activities at the school. This teacher is "AMAZING."
We have a Kindergarten teacher (who recently switched to 3rd grade) who has put many parents worries and concerns at ease. This teacher is sweet and loving and has given many children a great introduction to school. Students say, "... had an awesome time!" and parents are hoping their children will get her again in 3rd grade now!

What great submissions we received from all over the community, their friends, their co-workers, parents, students, spouses/children for teachers from so many different schools and grade levels... these are some lucky teachers to have great people like you to submit their names for this project! You are more than likely one of the reasons they are such great teachers- its always good to have such a great support system!

The most amazing thing about all these stories is that they can probably be related to almost every teacher out there. Unfortunately our little project will not be able to honor all the teachers in our great community (unless of course we get an outstanding response :)) But if this project doesn't inspire you to donate here, we hope it at least inspires you to honor a teacher you know, whether with a donation directly to them or even just a simple thank you. Every teacher has a different story, but every teacher has one common thread... they are all here to educate our future and for that, they deserve recognition and assurance knowing we are there to support them.

On that note...

Lets see if we can reach our goal or possibly exceed it.

Please help our teachers out and donate today!

If you nominated someone...

FYI

-If you did not put that you wish to remain anonymous, your name and nomination story will be on the card we give to the teacher. If you do not want this to happen, please let us know.

-Also, if you want to be present for the reveal, please let us know as well, so we can set up a schedule for that.

STAY TUNED...

We will post another update in a couple weeks to let you know where we stand with donations, etc. For more frequent updates, follow us on facebook- Parker Distinguished Homes.

Also, after we have given all nominated teachers their special packages for the school year, we will be posting pictures/stories of the big reveals as well!

Thank you for all the love and support of our teachers!!!

New Home: Champions Village- Getting Close!

2011-06-28T17:21:00.000-07:00

Here are some progress pictures of the Champions Village custom home.

830-626-3350

parkerrenovations@att.net

Front of house with entry stairs complete:

The grand entry:

Adding a niche cabinet in the master bedroom:

Going into the Master Bathroom:

Right entry into master shower:

View of master shower:

Master bathroom floor and tub surround:

Master Ceiling:

View into the kitchen:

Living Room Ceiling:

Guest Shower Deco:

Guest Shower:

2nd Guest Shower:

Fireplace and Bookshelves:

Cooktop Area:

Back Porch Water Feature:

Bathroom Renovation

2011-06-27T16:06:00.000-07:00

Here are some before and after pictures of a bathroom renovation we completed. We have also included our customer's testimonial of the job. Enjoy!

830-626-3350

parkerrenovations@att.net

"This is a testimonial to the wonderful job that Ryan Parker of “Parker Renovations” did for us.

We had our hall bath shower and counter top renovated with new sink and tile and are 100% happy with Ryan’s work. Ryan and his crew are very dependable and professional and at the same time very personable and friendly. We enjoyed them in our home. They were very clean and presentable and kept the job-site orderly as they worked. They finished the job as promised on time and were very eager to please.

We will have them back when we decide to redo our countertops in our kitchen." -H.H.

BEFORE:

AFTER:

Recommendation: McQueeney Addition/Remodel

2011-06-18T22:26:00.000-07:00

Here is a recommendation letter written by our customers at this job (McQueeney Addition/Remodel):

We hired Ryan to help us add on to our home. We live on a narrow lot on the river which is partially in the flood zone. It was a very tricky situation but Ryan took on the task with no hesitation. He helped us configure a plan that worked with all our particular needs and addressed ones we weren’t even aware of. Every detail was well thought out.

I was amazed at how much work Ryan actually did. He was on the job almost everyday and most of the time he was either doing the work himself or helping out his workers. Ryan made himself available to us all the time. These days, its hard to find customer service like that. If I called him I was almost guaranteed he would pick up the phone and if not he would return my calls that day, even if it were bad news.

Building or remodeling is challenging enough, and we were actually still living at our house during all of this construction. Ryan made the process easier and moved the project along at a very timely manner. He made sure we were happy at every stage of the project. He is truly a one of a kind business man. In fact, its hard not to consider him a friend looking out for our best interests during it all instead of a contractor.

He came up with so many great ideas, trying to find a useful or unique things to do in every room. He didn’t like wasted space and we liked how he was trying to maximize every dollar we spent. This guy is seriously creative as well! His tile designs are one of a kind. He helped us with paint colors, tile colors, and cabinet styles… so many decisions but Ryan has such great taste and vision, we trusted his opinions. He even took a damaged dresser and refurbished it into a beautiful vanity for our bathroom. I get so many compliments on all the unique details Ryan put into the addition. My only complaint is that he didn’t redo my whole house!

I would recommend Ryan (Parker Homes & Renovations) to anyone! He is honest, hard-working and creative. You can tell he loves doing what he does and it shows in his finished product. He is truly a nice guy and easy to work with. He handled everything we threw at him with professionalism and ease. I can’t wait to start another project with him!

-L.H. & B.H.

McQueeney

Thank you for your kind words!

New Home: Hill Country- Slab and Framing

2011-06-18T14:24:00.000-07:00

Our customer got a great deal on a lot in the hill country because the previous owner didn't consider it to be "buildable." After meeting with us, we discussed ideas and came up with a great floorplan for this lot that has amazing views of the beautiful hill country. This is the 2nd home we've built for these customers, so we know they trust us fully with this project.

If you or someone you know has a lot that you would like to build on, please contact us!

830-626-3350

parkerrenovations@att.net

Back of House:

Deck Footings:

Driveway:

Framing Garage Wall:

Garage Wall:

Right of House:

View From Master:

Stay tuned for more progress pictures of this great hill country home!

Help a Teacher Out Update

2011-06-17T06:49:00.000-07:00

To see the original post on this community service project, please click here

Wow! What a great response we have gotten. We have some really great teacher nominations- we are up to 10! And we have had a couple donations of supplies and money as well. We have started to do a "little" shopping of our own. Check out the stock we have so far:

So what do we do now?

Well, we will stop taking teacher nominations at the end of June so we can figure out exactly how many teachers we will be able to help out and exactly what kind of supplies/gift cards to get.

So keep the nominations coming up until Thursday, June 30th at 11:59 pm.

Then the nomination form will come down and we can get to work on putting together the teacher packages!

To Nominate: http://www.parkerrenovations.com/nominate-a-teacher

Also, we need to keep the donations coming as well. These teachers are amazing, and like we said before we are already up to 10 and probably growing. Ideally we want to help each one and make a big enough impact to actually help them out during the school year. We are doing everything we can as far as time and money to make that happen, but there's only so much we can do. Without a doubt these teachers will feel the love and support from what we have already collected, but it would be so great to be able to give them more and help them not have to come out of pocket for the year! We have included a shopping list of ideas (or you can come up with your own!).

Drop off locations:

224 Chartwell Ave.

New Braunfels, TX 78130

(This is our personal home, if we are not home, you can leave anywhere by our door or garage)

StoreMore Warehouses

123 Schumans Beach Rd.

New Braunfels, TX 78130

(Weekdays only- This is the main office, just tell the receptionist that its for Ryan Parker/Help a teacher out)

Shopping List:

Post-it notes
Pencils
Pens (assorted colors)
Index cards
Highlighters
Paper clips
Erasers
White out
Scissors
Calculators
Folders
Copy paper (white or colored)
Lined notebook paper
Crayons
Mints
Stapler/Staples
Tape
Organizational items for desk/classroom
Clipboards
Small dry erase boards
Dry erase markers/erasers
Inspirational posters
Calendars
Informational Charts to hang in classroom
Classroom decorations
Antibacterial soap
Hand sanitizer
Kleenex
Disinfecting wipes
Air freshener spray
Air freshener plug-ins
Windex
Paper towels
Ziploc bags
Glue Sticks
Regular glue
Buttons
Treasure Box Toys
Books
Play-doh
White lunch bags
Brown lunch bags
Menus/maps
Magnetic tape
Velcro
Plastic spoons/forks
Large yellow envelopes
Water colors
Colored pencils
Cotton balls
Popsicle sticks
Glitter glue/glitter
Markers
Construction paper
Yarn
Sand paper
Stickers/Rewards/ Small prizes
Poster board
Magnetic Letters
Stamps/ink pads
Pipe cleaners
Composition books
Gift cards so they can continue to purchase items they need

Of course money donations are welcome as well because we do intend to give each teacher a gift card as well. When making a money donation please include whether you want the money to go towards supplies or a gift card (we will send you a receipt for your records to show where your money went) and whether or not you want to remain anonymous or have your name included.

You can donate through:

Paypal (by clicking on the link below)

Check in the mail: PO BOX 312438, New Braunfels, TX 78131

Check/Cash in person: call 830-626-3350 to set up a meeting

If you or someone you know owns a business that would like to take part in the drop off location or to donate as well, please let us know!

To contact us:

parkerrenovations@att.net

830-626-3350

We will post another update at the beginning of July, when we know exactly how many teachers and what supplies we are lacking. We will also post some of the stories/nominations as well so you can see exactly who we are helping out and why.

Thank you for your continued support of these teachers!

New Home: Champions Village- Progress

2011-06-12T14:23:00.000-07:00

Here are some progress pictures of the Champions Village custom home. Sorry it has taken so long to get them on here. We should be closing this house around the beginning of July, so stay tuned for final pictures!

830-626-3350

parkerrenovations@att.net

parkerhomes94@att.net

(new email for the "new homes" side of business- both email addresses reach my inbox though)

Front view before stucco color:

Stucco and Rock on Front:

dry-stacked rock on front:

Back wall of living room:

Bedroom:

Cooktop Area:

Cooktop area:

Fireplace:

Grid Ceiling:

Hall to Guest Bedroom:

Dining room with hall to another guest bed/bath, laundry, garage and stairs to media room:

View into Kitchen/Dining area from Living room:

Master Shower:

Media room to stairs/ closets:

Texture:

Stairs to media room- view of platform:

Texture:

Grid Ceiling:

Trayed Ceiling in Master:

One of the Guest tubs:

Most Recent photos:

Exterior view, driveway/stairs about to be poured:

View of living room:

Fireplace:

View into kitchen- arches accented in coolstone (not complete yet):

Another View of Kitchen- coolstone guys are still working on the accents:

Dining room with big picture window:

Media equipment closet:

Media room looking at closets/ stairway:

Hall to Master:

Master Bedroom Ceiling:

Master Shower:

Master Closet:

Master Bedroom:

View to backyard- will eventually have a water feature:

Garage with Media room upstairs & Backyard:

Backyard exterior View:

Hallway to front guest bedroom:

Front Guest Bathroom:

Back Guest Bathroom:

Some of the tile laid but not yet grouted:

View of the Entry:

Help a Teacher Out

2011-06-09T10:33:00.001-07:00

With all the budget cuts and strain on our education system recently, we thought we would try to do a little something to help out some of our local teachers. We will be putting together a special "Back-To-School Package" for some deserving teachers in our area. Hopefully the package will help alleviate some of the "extra" costs for the teacher's school year and help him/her know that we as a community are here supporting what they do for our children. Do you feel the need to help out as well? Here's how:

Nominate a teacher that you believe deserves it. Please include the teacher's name, school and grade they teach, and why you believe they deserve it. (Although we know every teacher deserves recognition, we can only do so much) Click on the link to go to nomination form: http://www.parkerrenovations.com/nominate-a-teacher
Help donate to the package. We will be collecting items that teachers need for their students, their classroom or just for themselves. If you can't think of anything, contact us and we can give you some ideas or if you would like, you can just donate money and we will do the shopping (we can even show you the receipt so you will know exactly what your money bought). The more donations we receive, the more teachers we will be able to recognize with a package (and the more items we will be able to give in the package as well)

Contact Info:

Nomination Form: http://www.parkerrenovations.com/nominate-a-teacher

parkerrenovations@att.net

830-626-3350

224 Chartwell Ave, New Braunfels, TX 78130

We will not take full recognition for this project. We are just trying to organize it since we have somewhat of a public means to do so. Our goal is not to promote ourselves but to show teachers in our area that this community supports them. We will give the teacher a card with everyone's name who donated or nominated them.

We will collect nominations and donations throughout the summer and surprise the selected teachers with their gifts during their first work week (before school starts) as they prepare their classrooms and selves for the upcoming school year.

Unfortunately, we can not extend this project very far so the teachers need to be from the Comal ISD or New Braunfels ISD. But if you have the means to do it yourself, get out there and help our teachers out, wherever they may be! Now, more than ever, our teachers need to know that despite what cuts they receive to the already dwindling budget, we are there to support and help any way we can.

Thank you and please pass on to any of your friends/family!

To Nominate/donate please contact us:

http://www.parkerrenovations.com/nominate-a-teacher

parkerrenovations@att.net

830-626-3350

224 Chartwell Ave., New Braunfels, TX 78130

To make an Online donation:

A Customer's Thank You

2011-06-08T14:14:00.000-07:00

We recently received this thank you letter from a niece of one of our customers. Its always good to know that you are appreciated, especially when it comes unexpectedly! We appreciate all our customers just the same!

[To protect the privacy of our customers and their niece, names have been replaced with generic titles.]

Build in Beautiful Vintage Oaks

2011-06-08T12:42:00.000-07:00

Looking for the perfect place to build your Parker home?

This lot in the beautiful Vintage Oaks neighborhood is now available!

Vintage Oaks is located off of HWY 46 West, across from Dry Comal Creek Winery.

With a great location and lots of amenities, this neighborhood is hard to resist.

This unique lot is a corner lot in the middle of a cul-de-sac street with near panoramic hill country views.

Beautiful trees but not too many to clear for a great building site.

It is 1.17 acres and the lot dimensions are 194 x 300 x 336 x 114

We have many ideas for floorplans for this lot as well, that we can customize together!

830-626-3350

parkerrenovations@att.net

These pictures don't do it justice, let us know if you would like to set up a time to walk the lot

Vintage Oaks Entry:

Vintage Oaks Amenity Center:

New Home: Rockwall- Complete!

2011-05-01T16:54:00.001-07:00

We have been so busy lately, both with work and personal life, that I haven't had a chance to update this blog recently. I should be posting a lot more updates soon. I will start with this one: the completion of the Rockwall custom home! It is such a great floorplan and turned into such a beautiful home! Its always a great sense of pride and excitement for me as a builder for a home to come to completion. I love seeing the homeowner get excited as well. I literally get to see people's dreams come to life- nothing like it.

These pictures were the last I took of this house. Since then we had a final walk through, they landscaped, and then the homeowners moved in. Even though they may not be the actual final pictures of the home, they are still great and will give you a vivid idea of how this house turned out. Enjoy!

830-626-3350

parkerrenovations@att.net

Entry:

Custom tile deco in entry- hand made by us- doesn't come on a mat from store:

Walkway:

Hall Half Bath and Wall Niche:

Dining Room:

Custom Made Iron work- Hand rail for stairway

Game Room/ Media Room:

Equipment closet with DVD Shelving Unit in Media Room:

Laundry:

Kitchen:

Another Custom Tile Deco:

Custom Cabinetry throughout including this wine cabinet:

Pantry:

More Kitchen Space:

Tiled Bar Toekick Area:

Another View of Kitchen:

Beautiful windows looking out to their incredible lot in Rockwall Ranch:

Ceiling in Living Room:

Custom made Entertainment Unit with Fireplace:

Hall:

Hall Closet:

Pool Bath:

Kid's Room:

Walk-in Closets for guest rooms:

Kid's Bathroom:

Office:

Master Bedroom:

Master Bathroom:

Beautiful Windows in Entry:

Entry:

Entry Sidewalk:

Backyard:

Front:

Garage:

Nice Winding Driveway:

Thank you to our wonderful customers for trusting us to build their dream home. It means so much to us and we greatly appreciate the opportunity to work with you in creating this masterpiece. THANK YOU!

Condo Remodel in McQueeney

2011-03-28T11:33:00.000-07:00

These customers actually live in Houston and wanted to renovate their condo in McQueeney. We are very flexible when it comes to how we get a job done; we try to accommodate our customers needs as best we can. In this particular situation, our customers wanted to buy all materials themselves and just pay us labor. So when they were able to (usually on the weekends) they would come down, drop off all the materials for that week and check on the progress. Throughout the week as we completed projects, we would send pictures, and get the okay to move forward or answer any questions they may have had. This particular setup worked great for our customers and though may not work for everyone, it shows we are capable of working around your needs for your next construction project.

Contact us today if you are in need of a contractor willing to work around your schedule instead of the other way around!

830-626-3350

parkerrenovations@att.net

BEFORE:

CONSTRUCTION:

AFTER:

New Home: Champions Village- Framing

2011-03-23T17:57:00.000-07:00

With the birth of my 2nd son just two weeks ago, my blog has unfortunately fallen behind. We are making great progress on this job, but I am playing catch up when it comes to posting the pics for it- I'm enjoying my new little blessing way too much! He's going to make a great construction supervisor one day! But I've managed to tear myself away for a few minutes to post some pictures of the framing stage at the Champions Village home. I'm hoping to get back in the swing of things now, so stay tuned for more pictures to come next week!

830-626-3350

parkerrenovations@att.net

Stairs to Media Room:

Rafters Up:

Master Shower:

Living to Kitchen:

Living to Fireplace:

Living to Back Porch:

Framing:

Entry:

Driveway Side:

Beginning of Framing:

Back Porch to Media Room:

New Back Porch Cover

2011-03-22T08:03:00.000-07:00

This customer had a back porch cover that needed updating. We tore down the old one and built one complete with a ceiling fan and seamless connection to the existing house. We were happy to create a beautiful, safer, more relaxing back porch for these customers to enjoy!

If you are in need of a new porch cover, contact us today:

830-626-3350

parkerrenovations@att.net

BEFORE:

AFTER:

Custom Home- Champions Village: Slab

2011-03-07T14:33:00.000-08:00

The slab is poured and we are ready for framing this week. Can't wait to see the walls go up!

830-626-3350

parkerrenovations@att.net

Slab toward back of house/garage:

Slab towards back of house/master:

Garage to House Slab:

Entry Slab:

Back of House looking toward street:

Custom Home- Rockwall: Stained Cabinets/Tile

2011-03-06T14:22:00.000-08:00

The stain is now on all the cabinet bases, cabinet doors/drawers, and shelves. The tile is also complete in two of the showers (tile layed and grouted). This week we should start to see paint go up on the walls! Stay tuned!

830-626-3350

parkerrenovations@att.net

Master Vanity Stained:

Fridge Cabinet Area Stained:

Wine Cabinet Stained:

Entertainment Unit Stained and Installed:

Pool Shower Tiled/Grouted:

Guest Bath Tiled/Grouted:

Guest Bath Deco Band:

Street View:

Another Exterior View (Trees cleared and cleaned up):

Front of House:

Custom Home- Champions Village: Slab

2011-03-01T14:00:00.000-08:00

Its been about 2 weeks since the last post on this home, and that's because we unfortunately hit a minor bump in the road to completion. The building process isn't always easy, but we do our best to make sure things run quickly and smoothly. But above all else, making sure the quality of the project is the most important thing we do. Our engineer took a little more time than anticipated, but we are back on track and ready to pour a slab soon! Stay tuned for more progress!

830-626-3350

parkerrenovations@att.net

Slab Formed, Bagged and Plumbed:

Custom Home- Rockwall: Cabinets and Some Tile

2011-02-27T14:14:00.000-08:00

Well we've completed another week out at Rockwall Ranch, and we have some cabinets installed and tile layed. We love installing things like this because a home's true personality really starts to show. The cabinets are beautiful and custom made (but not yet stained/sealed) and of course our tile work is like none other. We take great pride in all the details of the homes we build and it shows. We also cleared some trees on the property to the homeowners liking and it looks great. Take a look at this weeks pictures:

830-626-3350

parkerrenovations@att.net

KITCHEN CABINETS:

Sink Bar Cabinets:

Fridge Cabinets:

Cooktop and Microwave Cabinets:

Wine Cabinet:

Pantry:

More Kitchen Cabinets:

Master Vanity:

Master Closet Shelves:

Another Shot of Master Closet Shelves:

More Master Closet Shelves:

And Another Shot of Master Closet:

Window in Master Closet:

Guest Tub Surround:

Tub Surround Band:

Pool Shower:

Pool Shower Inset Soap Dish:

EXTERIOR:

Street View:

Front of House With Trees Cleared:

Another Shot of the Front of House:

Back of House:

Another Angle of Back of House:

Custom Home- Rockwall: Trim

2011-02-20T14:19:00.000-08:00

We began to trim out the house in Rockwall Ranch and the septic is also in the process of being installed. Can't wait for another week full of progress!

830-626-3350

parkerrenovations@att.net

Front with Trees and Dirt Moved:

Another View of Front:

Large Base in Main Areas:

*Note: The trim or walls have not been painted yet*

Trimmed Window Sills:

More Trim:

Another View of the Large Base Trim:

Trimmed Double Door to Master and Glass Door to Office:

Trimmed Doors:

Crown in Master

Rope Light installed in Top Tray:

Crown in Living Room Trayed Ceiling:

Entertainment Center Stained:

Digging Sewer Line:

Septic:

Custom Home- Champions Village: Setting Forms

2011-02-14T11:46:00.000-08:00

We broke ground on the new custom home out in Champions Village. The forms are set and soon we should have a slab! This is another unique floorplan that we can't wait to see finished.

Let us know if you would like to set up a meeting to talk about building a custom home!

And just a reminder, we do pay realtor commissions and referral rewards as well!

830-626-3350

parkerrenovations@att.net

Forms are Set:

Living Room to Front Hall and Bathroom:

Living Room to Master Bath:

Living Room to Master Bedroom:

Living Room to Garage:

Living Room to Entry and Kitchen:

Forms From Backyard: