Newsletter:  October 2004 a Renaissance at Stonetree Golf Course, built by Davidon Homes, offers custom "preferences" to homeowners in the design elements and amenities they may choose within their custom home floor plan – and golf. Cary & Associates Builders, Inc. is the general contractor and Corey Cleland is the project manager for Moshin Family Winery. It's a design/build project and Cleland has assembled his design/build team, which includes LeDuc & Dexter, Inc. Scott Kincaid, of Kincaid Plumbing Co. in Thousand Palms, Ca. was impressed with the PowerPoint presentation and especially the business card size CD, which contained the slide show and was given to each attendee at the CCA meeting.

Customized Preferences at Renaissance	RESIDENTIAL

An old adage states that "variety is the spice of life" and you still hear this time honored phrase from time to time. What we seem to hear more often in the new century of thought and commerce is, "What is your preference?" The computer age has built a business model by asking the "user" or customer for preferences that shape a product and customize it for the individual's needs and desires.

The Stonetree Golf Course clubhouse greets homeowners and visitors near the entrance of the Renaissance community. (click image to enlarge)

The Normandie floor plan at Renaissance built by Davidon Homes. (click image to enlarge)

This style of providing products and services has spread throughout the business world to include even essential goods such as automobiles, clothing and homes. Instead of offering the x, y and z options or models, progressive businesses are now offering option x in styles 1 thru 6, colors 1 thru 10, materials 1 thru 8 and so on.

Renaissance at Stonetree Golf Course, built by Davidon Homes, offers custom "preferences" to homeowners in the design elements and amenities they may choose within their custom home floor plan. "Homeowners choose things like tiles, hardwood, lighting and plumbing fixtures to create their design," says Jim Kempers, Residential Manager for LeDuc & Dexter, "We work with Dan Wingate and John Garry, who work with the homeowners in choosing their plumbing fixtures, most of which are quite elegant."

This pedestal bathroom sink fits well with the décor and style chosen in this model home. (click image to enlarge)

New construction of Renaissance luxury homes above and around the 7th hole of Stonetree Golf Course at Black Point. (click image to enlarge)

Renaissance is an exclusive gated community with wonderful views of Mt. Tamalpais and San Pablo Bay. Stonetree Golf Course adjoins the homes, winding its way through the community below the homes, which are built on hilltops to take advantages of the sweeping views.

Renaissance homes range from 3,900 to 4,800 square feet with four to six bedrooms and three to four baths. The homes are priced from approximately 1.5 million to just under 2 million dollars. LeDuc & Dexter is also installing fire sprinkler systems in the homes along with the plumbing and fixtures that vary in style from one luxury custom home to the next.

Elegance and distinction in plumbing fixtures are the norm at Renaissance. (click image to enlarge)

Moshin Family Winery In Motion	WINERIES

When it is completed in time for the crush of 2005 the Moshin Family Winery will include a 3-tier production facility and tasting room. The winery is now under construction. Cary & Associates Builders, Inc. is the general contractor and Corey Cleland is the project manager. Moshin Family Winery is a design/build project and Cleland has assembled his design/build team, which includes LeDuc & Dexter, Inc.

LeDuc & Dexter is part of the design/build team working with Cary & Associates Builders, Inc. at Moshin Family Winery. (click image to enlarge)

Project Manager Corey Cleland (l) and LeDuc & Dexter's Jeff Shank go over the layout of the winery. (click image to enlarge)

With the project just underway before the possibility of rain in the forecast, Cleland is hopeful to have the footings and retaining walls poured soon, "This soil has no rock in it so it doesn't drain well. I'll feel a lot better about it if we can pour the concrete before it rains." With luck the concrete pour should beat the down pour and there will be a lot of concrete to form the three-tier structure that will consist of large floor slabs and retaining walls.

After the retaining walls are built they will be back-filled with 1,200 cubic yards of soil that was originally excavated out to form the tiered hillside. Cleland also moved 6,000 cubic yards to an adjacent hillside, which will eventually be a vineyard for the winery. "That was a project in itself," says Cleland, "the hill had to be approved by both the soils engineer and the county grading inspector with drainage and straw wattles in place for erosion."

6,000 cubic feet of dirt were moved in the excavation for the winery to this future hillside vineyard at the winery. (click image to enlarge)

Rebar is being set and footings are ready to pour foundation. (click image to enlarge)

Bill Zeeb, LeDuc & Dexter's Commercial Manager sees this as an interesting and challenging project, "With the tiered structure, retaining walls and foundation crossings the drainage and water lines will have to go through, over, under and around – whatever the case may be – it's going to be tricky." LeDuc & Dexter will also install a boiler system, propane lines and plumbing for the lab, office and tasting room.

Moshin Family Winery has produced premium wines since 1989. Their wines include Pinot Noir from the Russian River Valley, Merlot from Dry Creek, Cabernet from Paso Robles, Syrah from the Central Coast and Zinfandel from the Shenandoah Valley in the Sierra Foothills of Amador County. Moshin Family Winery is located at 10295 Westside Road in Healdsburg. We will follow the construction of the winery as it progresses towards its completion.

View from the top tier, where crush pad will be built, shows second tier for tank area with barrel room, lab, office and tasting area at ground level at the front of the winery. (click image to enlarge)

LeDuc & Dexter Give Company Presentation to CCA	THE INDUSTRY

Tom LeDuc and Art Dexter, principal owners and partners of LeDuc & Dexter Inc., made a company presentation to the CCA (Construction Contractors Alliance) in Denver on September 17th. The "Contractor Spotlight" presentation is an event that is part of the 3-day CCA meeting, which takes place twice a year. At each meeting one of CCA members, from the group of large plumbing contractors from across the United States, makes a presentation to the group highlighting their company and how they conduct their business.

Art Dexter (seated, center left) and Tom LeDuc (standing, center right) giving their "Contractors Spotlight" presentation to CCA member in Denver on Sept. 17th. (click image to enlarge)

The "Contractor Spotlight" is part of the strategy and spirit of sharing successful ideas and business models within the membership of the CCA. There were approximately 40 attendees present for the meeting. Tom LeDuc and Art Dexter gave an hour-long presentation using a PowerPoint slide show to demonstrate how they got started 22 years ago and eventually evolved into a 10 million dollar company with 70 employees.

The PowerPoint presentation showed the evolution of the company. (click image to enlarge)

The presentation was open to questions and Scott Kincaid, of Kincaid Plumbing Co. in Thousand Palms, Ca., asked about LeDuc & Dexter's prefabrication process, which is used for sinks and lavies, gas lines, tubs and showers and fire sprinkler risers, "I've been thinking about adding prefabrication for fire sprinkler risers to make installation easier and here's a company, which is the same size as mine, telling me how they do it," said Kincaid, who has attending his first CCA meeting.

Each attending member at the CCA meeting in Denver received a business card size CD-Rom of the PowerPoint presentation given by LeDuc & Dexter. (click image to enlarge)

Kincaid was also impressed with the PowerPoint presentation and especially the business card size CD, which contained the slide show and was given to each attendee along with printed examples of LeDuc & Dexter's quarterly employee newsletter and monthly online newsletter. "I can see us putting together a package like this for commercial customers in our market because we are expanding into that area. A CD business card could be a way of making a cold call to people we'd like to work with," said Kincaid.

Dickie McCurdy, Chairman of the CCA Board of Trustees of which Art Dexter is a member, said, "I liked the PowerPoint because it gave lead-ins for Tom and Ardy to tell about the history of the company." McCurdy, who owns MMM Plumbing, Heating and Air Conditioning in Amarillo, Texas, like LeDuc & Dexter, is a charter member of the CCA, which was formed six years ago. McCurdy gave an example about how members help and support each other, "A few years ago I was thinking about adding fire protection to our residential services but wasn't confident about doing it. Tom and Ardy said, 'Look Dickie – pipe is pipe, you can do it.' They gave me the guidance and confidence I needed and it has worked out well for us. I always like to remind people that things are always bigger in Texas, but these guys have got it goin' out in California."

The presentation revealed the fabric of the company including employee programs and awards, and a cross section or the work LeDuc & Dexter does. (click image to enlarge)