Porchfront Homes LLC Information

BOULDER - As founders and principals of Porchfront Homes LLC, Tim and Mary Coonce are proving to the building industry that being green means being market savvy. By meeting the public's increasing demands for environmentally friendly buildings, as well as offering a customized approach to the needs of their clients, the couple has succeeded in growing the revenues of their small business at an astounding rate in the last two years. Between 2004 and 2006, Porchfront's revenues have grown 525 percent - from $1.6 million to $10 million. It is the No. 4 ranked fastest-growing private company withrevenues more than $2 million on the Boulder County Business Report's Mercury 100 list. The Coonces started their Boulder company in 2002 after working independently for two decades in the home-remodeling business. Within the past four years, Porchfront has created subdivisions and custom homes in North Boulder, Brighton, Longmont, Fort Collins and Vail Valley. According to Mary Coonce, the company's focus on the North Boulder area has recently provided its biggest revenue boost. "It's all about finding the right project in the right area. When we started to focus on Boulder that helped quite a bit," she said. "People in Boulder really appreciate quality work." Another boost was Porchfront's 2006 construction of a showcase solar thermal home in its North Boulder subdivision. The 3,300-square-foot residence uses a geothermal heating and cooling system powered by grid-tied photovoltaic, or PV, panels - a system designed and installed by locally owned Namaste Solar Electric Inc. The geothermal home helped put Porchfront's subdivision on the map in the eyes of those seeking the environmental amenities of solar construction within an urban environment. "People didn't know we were here," Mary said. "Now they do, and that's making a difference." Constructing the solar home also helped move the company's focus toward increasing its construction of green-built homes. It also brought green construction to a different level of sophistication. While many Porchfront homes already were constructed with recycled products and energy-efficient furnaces and cooling systems, the company recently has begun building geothermal homes. Three homes in its North Boulder subdivision are already solar, while several vacant existing homes are undergoing a complete architectural redesign in order to incorporate and utilize solar energy as well. From their small three-staff office in North Boulder, the Coonces work personally with every prospective homeowner in their subdivisions. They pride themselves on close working relationships with their clients and subcontractors. As a small business with a limited marketing budget, the company relies primarily on customer referrels to provide word-of-mouth marketing. Porchfront typically constructs anywhere from 10 to 30 new homes a year, with 24 homes being constructed in 2006, Coonce said. Prices are contingent upon location. Homes in the Sugar Creek subdivision in Brighton average between $250,000 and $300,000, while homes in North Boulder average between $600,000 and $700,000. Several of Porchfront's custom-built homes in Boulder have topped out at $1.5 million. Mary said sales for first quarter 2007 have been strong. The company projects that it will equal last year's revenues and potentially surpass them. For the coming year, Porchfront has plans to develop a project of townhouses built to incorporate solar and geothermal energy. Located in North Boulder, these townhouses should be ready for the market in 2008. While being green will continue to be a focus, Mary said Porchfront's main mission will continue to be giving customers the features they want, incorporated into long-lasting, well-built homes. "Our clients push us to expand with new trends and products, and we're willing to work with them," she said. "After being in the building business for so long, with our roots in remodeling, building quality homes will continue to be our primary goal." About Porchfront:Porchfront Homes LLC1871 Yarmouth Ave.,Boulder, CO 80304