David Weekley Homes Offers Intriguing Designs In Union Park

By Anu Varna Panchal

When most people start the process of building a new home, they think of the builder as the man in a hard hat they talk to a few times during the few months of construction. However, at David Weekley Homes (DWH), which currently is building in the Union Park community of Wesley Chapel (south of S.R. 56, off Meadow Pointe Blvd.), the building part is just the beginning of a decade-long relationship.

“We like to talk of it as a relay race,” says Nate Beauregard, president for DWH’s Tampa division. The Houston, TX-based homebuilder also has constructed single-family homes in communities in Arizona, Illinois, Tennessee, Utah and several other states since its inception in 1976. According to its website, DWH is known for “blurring the lines” between custom-built and production homes. The builder takes pride in focusing more on its designs rather than high price points.

Beauregard says that once a lot has been purchased and a home plan has been picked, the baton passes from sales (or the internet advisor) to a personal builder, who will consult with the homebuyer throughout the construction process before handing the baton to the warranty services department, where the relationship will continue between DWH and the homebuyer for the next ten years.

“Building a home is a small part of the life of the relationship,” Beauregard says. “We really believe in an outstanding customer service experience.”

New relationships are now created daily at Union Park, the brand new Pasco County community by Metro Development Group (MDG) that boasts a beautiful clubhouse of more than 4,000-sq.-ft., a resort pool with cabanas, an outdoor kitchen and party areas, playground, splash pad and fire pit, miles of fitness trails and a striking 200-foot wooden bridge over wetlands at the entrance to the community. Although it is close in proximity, Union Park is independent from both the Wiregrass Ranch Development of Regional Impact (DRI) and from Meadow Pointe

Perhaps the most exciting amenity is the “smartness” of these new homes. Beauregard explains that new residents will have the benefit of ULTRAFi — MDG and Bright House Networks’ joint offering of one of the fastest broadband networks in the country. Beauregard says the builder also will be offering up some of the most technologically “smart” homes they have ever rolled out, houses that will be prewired so that homeowners can then control aspects such as light, security and temperatures from their smartphones. 

DWH also has paired up with Environments for Living, a Florida “green” home services company, to ensure the homes are truly “green” and energy-efficient. With the use of software, design and analytics, DWH and Environments for Living are able to come up with an accurate prediction of how much energy the residents will use annually. This prediction is tested at various points in the construction process and finally, homeowners are given a three-year guarantee on their energy consumption. 

Beauregard says that only a “very, very small percentage” of residents have reported significant variations in their energy bills from the predictions they were given.

Technology aside, Beauregard feels that what really sets a DWH property apart from others are the “basics.”

“The biggest thing is design,” he says. “You walk into [one of our] homes and [there are] clear lines of sight. The traffic patterns make sense. Everything flows very well.”

In fact, the company has a trademarked term for their usage of sight lines, traffic patterns, use of windows and room placement: “LifeDesign.” DWH also dedicates generous square footage to common areas and offers “FlexSpace,” another trademarked term that refers to how the builder plans spaces that can grow with families to change their use over the years —s such as from a playroom to an office.

At Union Park, DWH offers seven home plans, ranging from 2,338-3,231 sq. ft. At 2,338 sq. ft., the Goodwin is a one-story home with three bedrooms and three full baths. The Rivergate (2,537 sq. ft.) has up to five bedrooms and four baths, with a three-car garage), the Beardsley (2,713 sq. ft.) features up to five bedrooms, 4.5 baths and a three-car garage) and the Aronwood (2,840–2,858 sq. ft.) offers four bedrooms, 3.5-4.5 baths and a three-car garage) also are one-story offerings.

The Baycrest is a more than 3,000-sq.-ft., two-story option with 4 bedrooms, 3 baths and a three-car garage. The Weatherstone is a two-story home with up to 3,179 sq. ft., and which boasts four bedrooms, three full baths and a three-car garage.

DWH’s largest house at Union Park is the Norchester, which can be up to 3,231 sq. ft., with options of two-four bedrooms, 3.5 baths and a three-car garage. Prices range from $313,990-$352,990.

“We have a plan for everybody,” says Beauregard.

DWH already has built homes in communities located in Apollo Beach, FishHawk Ranch, New Port Richey and St Petersburg. In the New Tampa/Wesley Chapel area, DWH has built in Buckingham at Tampa Palms, Grand Hampton and Meadow Pointe. Union Park — with its proximity to great schools (like Wiregrass Ranch High and Dr. John Long Middle School, or JLMS), shopping and easy access to S.R. 56 and I-75 — was a natural next step for the builder, says Beauregard.

DWH started in Houston in 1976 with a 23-year-old eponymous builder who had his office in a construction trailer in a field. From those humble beginnings, the company has grown into one of the most financially stable, reputable and charitable home builders in the country, one that has been named one of the top 100 companies to work for nine times by Fortune magazine.

Beauregard himself came to DWH with a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Mechanical Engineering from Florida State University in Tallahassee and eight years with the U.S. Army. He worked in several DWH departments, including building, sales and quality control, before rising to division president.

 “Our best reference is a happy homeowner,” Beauregard says.

Those details definitely had an impact on Michael Sullivan, a Long Middle School social studies teacher and the first person to buy a David Weekley home at Union Park. He said he combed through every model home, examining “every little crack,” to be sure that he “picked the right builder.” Sullivan also says he loved the open floor plans and details such as the crown molding and archways that adorn the home. 

“I thought maybe it was just the model, but no, [our house] was the same quality,” Sullivan says. He also appreciated the weekly update calls throughout the process and the friendly service at the design center.

David Weekley Homes sales staffers Lisa Malone and Melanie Bridges will be available for model home tours at Union Park Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. and noon-6 p.m. on Sunday. The sales center is located at 32242 Watoga Loop, Wesley Chapel. You can call 422-6144 for appointments or visit DavidWeekleyHomes.com for more information and virtual tours.