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Bardwell Homes Expands in Covington’s TerraBella Community

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Covington, LA – November 18, 2024: Bardwell Homes is proud to announce the acquisition of seven new lots in the prestigious TerraBella community on Lake Pontchartrain’s Northshore in Covington, LA. The closing took place on November 15, and construction on these new lots is set to begin in early 2025. 

In addition to the new lots, Bardwell Homes is nearing the completion of their new office building in TerraBella, opening in early 2025. These latest achievements demonstrate Bardwell Homes’ commitment to building strong communities and giving families thoughtfully designed homes.

“We are thrilled to expand in TerraBella with these new lots and deepen our presence in Covington with a new office opening in early 2025,” said Director of Sales & Marketing Danny Bracey. “This investment highlights our ongoing commitment to serving Northshore residents with a personalized, high-quality home-building process.”

BARDWELL HOMES is a Louisiana-based residential construction company known for their presence throughout the Greater Baton Rouge area, Denham Springs, and Covington. BARDWELL HOMES is building in several communities, including TerraBella, Harveston, The Village at Willow Grove, Inniswylde, Clark’s Ferry, and Pointe Marie. They are an approved builder in Benton at Magnolia Woods, Highlake, University Club, The Sanctuary, Rouzan, Audubon Square, Stanford Oaks, Village at Magnolia Square, and Highlandia.

Summer Home Maintenance Tips from Bardwell Homes Superintendent Daniel

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As summer settles in, keeping your home well-maintained is critical. While temperatures continue to rise and humidity levels fluctuate, it’s essential to focus on key areas of your home to mitigate any ill effects of the intense summer season in Louisiana. From the exterior surfaces to the roof and landscaping, just a few, simple DIY maintenance practices can make a significant difference in the comfort, efficiency, and longevity of your home. When you stay proactive with regular maintenance, you can protect your home’s value and ensure a comfortable living environment throughout the summer months.

To guide us through some essential summer home maintenance tips and practices, we turn to Daniel Greer, Superintendent at Bardwell Homes, whose expertise will ensure that our homes remain in optimal condition year-round. Check out these 5 simple summer maintenance tips that you can do yourself.

1. Clean Your Exterior Surfaces

During the summer, the excess heat and humidity create ideal conditions for mold and mildew growth on your home’s exterior surfaces. Louisiana residents know that while these can detract from your home’s appearance, they can also lead to structural issues over time. Regularly cleaning your walls and siding with a pressure washer can prevent bacterial buildup. Spend an early morning outside or a late evening outside and tackle this project with your pressure washer. Make sure to pay special attention to shaded areas and spots where moisture tends to accumulate. It’s always satisfying to see what an incredible visual refresh this gives to your home’s exterior appearance. 

2. Inspect Your Roof 

As hurricane season approaches, it’s crucial to inspect your roof for any signs of wear or damage. From the ground level, you can perform a visual inspection to look for missing, ripped, or torn shingles, as well as any debris that may have accumulated. If you’ve got an errant branch or a wet pile of leaves, it’s important to go ahead and remove them now as debris can compromise the roof’s ability to withstand strong winds and heavy rain. But, if you notice anything questionable or if your roof is difficult to access safely, it’s always a good idea to enlist the help of a professional roofer for a thorough inspection and repairs.

3. Water Your Landscaping Properly

Sometimes we put watering the lawn and landscaping on the backburner since Louisiana summers are often full of afternoon rain showers. But, that’s not always the case. And, proper hydration is essential for maintaining healthy landscaping, especially during the summer months. Aim to water your yard and landscaping deeply to ensure they receive a minimum of 1-1.5 inches of water each week. Watering early in the morning or late in the evening minimizes evaporation, allowing the water to penetrate the soil and reach the roots effectively. But, be mindful not to overwater, as this can lead to waterlogging and promote fungal growth, particularly in humid climates like ours.  

4. Reseal Windows and Doors

The summer heat can cause materials around windows and doors to expand and contract, potentially creating small gaps or cracks over time. Not only do these gaps provide easy entry ways for bugs and other pests, but they can also compromise energy efficiency by allowing cool air to escape and hot air to enter your home. To maintain a comfortable indoor temperature and lower energy bills, inspect and reseal windows and doors annually using 100% silicone sealant. This is another easy task that you can DIY on a Saturday afternoon. We recommend that you reseal every year, especially before hurricane season begins.  

5. Clear Gutters and Weep Holes

Gutters and weep holes in brickwork are crucial in directing rainwater away from your home’s foundation and exterior walls. During the summer, debris such as leaves, twigs, and dirt can accumulate in gutters and block these drainage systems. If you regularly clear out your gutters and weep holes, you can ensure proper water flow and reduce the risk of water backup, moisture infiltration, and potential damage to your home’s structural integrity and your landscaping. This simple maintenance task can prevent costly repairs and extend the lifespan of your home’s exterior.

Experience the Bardwell Difference

At Bardwell Homes, we are proud of our expert craftsmanship and meticulous attention to detail. However, a home is a living thing that requires care and maintenance long after we walk you through the front door on final inspection day. 

With Bardwell Homes, you’re not just buying a house; you’re investing in peace of mind and the assurance that your home is built and maintained to the highest standards. Whether you want to do it yourself or hire a professional, we are committed to helping you keep a high standard of living by sharing and promoting proactive maintenance practices for every season of life. 

Discover the Bardwell difference and experience what it means to invest in your ideal home.

Stay Warm and Safe: Tips for Preparing Your Home for Cold Weather

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Cold weather is on the way! Stay warm and safe with these tips for prepping your home:

Before Freezing Weather

  • – Wrap all exposed pipes located outside or in unheated areas of the home.
  • – Remove garden hoses from outside faucets. Insulate outside faucets with Styrofoam cover, rags or paper.
  • – Cover vents around the foundation of your home.
  • – Know where your property owner’s cut-off valve is located and how to use it. Apply oil such as WD-40 to the cut-off valve before operating to prevent the valve from breaking. The valve is located adjacent to the water meter box under a 6″ metal lid.

In Sub-Freezing Weather

  • – Drip outside faucets 24 hours a day (5 drops per minute). This is not necessary unless temperatures are expected to be 28 degrees or below for at least 4 hours. (Be sure to turn off the faucets after the threat of freezing weather.)
  • – Open cabinet doors under sinks adjacent to outside walls.
  • – In unheated garages, shut off water to washing machines. Water softeners should be drained and protected from freezing temperatures.
  • – In sustained sub-freezing weather, let water drip slowly from inside faucets.
  • – Take extra precautions to protect pipes that have frozen in the past.

If You Are Not Going To Be Home

  • – Shut water off at the property owner’s cut-off valve.
  • – Drain all outside water faucets if your house will be unoccupied for several days (leave outside faucets open).
  • – Leave home heating system on at a low setting.
  • – Open cabinet doors under sinks adjacent to outside walls.

Bardwell Homes Announces New Lots in TerraBella

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Bardwell Homes announces the purchase of 8 more lots in the prestigious TerraBella community located on Highway 1085 in Covington, LA. The closing was recorded on August 30, 2022. Bardwell Homes is currently offering a mix of speculative and pre-sold floor plans for these 8 lots. Construction will commence in October and will be ready for new residents in the Spring of next year.

“We are very excited about the opportunity to continue building in TerraBella. We have already sold 8 of our 9 lots that we originally purchased in the Spring of 2021. The Covington community has welcomed Bardwell Homes and we are proud to be a part of it” stated Scott Bardwell, owner of Bardwell Homes.

Bardwell Homes is a Louisiana based residential construction company with the proven ability to build homes where classic luxury features meet the needs of today’s homeowner. Known for construction in communities throughout the Greater Baton Rouge area, Bardwell Homes is currently building in several locations across Louisiana, including Rouzan, Inniswylde, Clarks Ferry in Baton Rouge, and Magnolia Square in Central.

For more information visit TerraBella.

Bardwell Homes Announces Lot Acquisition in Watson, LA

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Bardwell Homes announces the bulk purchase of 57 lots in Livingston Parish located in Watson off Cane Market Rd in the Live Oak School District. The closing was recorded on August 31, 2022, for a total sales price of $3.4MM resulting in an average lot price of $60,000. Bardwell Homes is the exclusive builder and is offering a mix of speculative and pre-sold floor plans priced from the $300’s. Construction on the first homes will commence in October with the first residents moving in Spring of next year.

“We are very excited for the opportunity to expand our style and brand outside Baton Rouge into the Watson market. We love to build communities that connect people and create a sense of place for homeowners and look forward to bringing the Bardwell experience to Livingston Parish.” stated Scott Bardwell, owner of Bardwell Homes.  

Bardwell Homes is a Louisiana based residential construction company with the proven ability to build homes where classic luxury features meet the needs of today’s homeowner. Known for construction in communities throughout the Greater Baton Rouge area, Bardwell Homes is currently building in several locations across Louisiana, including Rouzan and Inniswylde in Baton Rouge, Magnolia Square in Central and TerraBella in Covington. 

For more information visit www.bardwellhomes.com/community/highlandia/ 

Client Perspective: The Rouzan Ladies

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When you’re considering where to buy a home, there are many factors and logistics at play. We recently got together with one of our Bardwell clients who is a part of a community affectionately referred to as “The Rouzan Ladies” by our team. She helped put words to the impact that your community can have on your lifestyle and daily joys! So, we’ll let her do the talking.

When asked how she chose Rouzan as her community when searching for a home, she said “I liked the location and the concept of the neighborhood. I wanted to be able to go up to the club house and the farm, which are just lovely. And the library is going to be here soon. I could tell it was going to be lovely and well kept- that’s how I picked it originally. But then when I moved in, people were walking and riding bicycles out and about- and they were just so friendly. We’ve got a great mix of people, which is important to me too- there’s 5 babies just within a block of me, but lots of younger people, older people, single people and families.”

This sweet client decided to go with the pre-sold process, a unique semi-custom approach to new construction offered by Bardwell. “I picked my lot and floorplan, and I got to make some changes and selections to be exactly what I wanted it to be. Once we decided on Bardwell as the builder, they could not have been more wonderful to work with. It was so easy, because most of the things you pick out are with the help of a decorator if I wanted it. They are just as easy once you’ve moved in to work with also.”

We wanted to sit down with this client because a really beautiful part of her story is the community that she has cultivated with her neighbors. After moving to Rouzan, she loved it so much that she began recruiting others! “When I moved, I was telling other friends about the neighborhood, and they decided to move here too. I’ve got a daughter that lives in Houston and friends in other parts of the country, and it makes you feel good about it when they come visit and say that there’s nothing like this community where they are. You know it’s really something special.”

This client brought along some old friends and made some new ones too. The key to forming these new relationships? She says “Sit on your front porch and visit with people as they walk by. People are really friendly here!”

When we asked her what kinds of things they do together, the list was long. The Rouzan Ladies have a regular routine of time together. They enjoy gathering with their spouses and other residents on Friday evenings for cocktail hour by the pool or in the gardens. “We sit and visit for about 2 hours and then walk on home.” They also share a book club, and many residents across the community join in. They get together about every 6 weeks and discuss a book together. “You don’t even have to have read the book to come! You can just come and visit if you want to. We do discuss the book though. We’ll send an email out a couple months in advance, so you have a chance to get the book at the library- that’s what I like to do.” 

But they aren’t the only ones getting together. She knows of many other community gatherings such as a group of young families that grab dinner and walk to the Farm to visit while their kids play together. There are also some organized events like a 4th of July party (including a parade led by the children and pets of Rouzan with live music), blueberry picking days at the farm, a bonfire with s’mores, a Christmas performance by the symphony, and a big crowd for trick or treating. Plus, some impromptu festivities like cute painted sidewalks by the pool for Memorial Day. 

This kind of culture of communal living and gathering is key to what we try to create in our Bardwell communities. It’s a joy to see it come to life in Rouzan, and it is obvious that it is integral in the lives of residents. We asked this client what it means to her to have this kind of community in her back yard. “The community has been so special because I’m not lonely here. It was God’s way of getting us to move here so that I could be in this community. I can walk to a friend’s house for dinner and walk back home. I see people from my porch or on theirs. We text each other to visit. It means a lot to me.”

This is what we strive to create in our Bardwell communities. A Bardwell home is set apart because it is surrounded by a thoughtful and purposeful environment. We believe coming home should be the best part of your day. A sanctuary and holding place for the good in your life. Space to build relationships, engage with things you enjoy, experience meaningful moments, and be restored for the days ahead. It’s the Bardwell difference.