Masonry Magazine May 1979 Page. 17
ON THE WEST COAST
California Developers Credit
Masonry for Their Business Success
On the West Coast, in the booming residential market of Orange County, business is also booming right along for Lutman Masonry, Inc. of Orange, Calif. As the mason contractor for such well-known developers as Pacific Coast Builders of Santa Ana, Irvine Pacific Corp. of Newport Beach, and "Homes by John Little" of Tustin, Lutman Masonry has completed numerous large tracts of homes priced at anywhere from $120,000 to $300,000. They all feature extensive use of masonry.
"The developers have enjoyed their experience with masonry," points out Darrell Lutman, president of the firm. "Brick has made their homes so much more marketable in the highly competitive area of Southern California."
For example, at least two or three fireplaces along with extensive use of brick interior accent walls and abundant exterior veneer have gone into the John Little developments in Lemon Heights, near Tustin, and Orange Hills, in the foothills southeast of and overlooking Santa Ana and Anaheim.
"A great deal of the residential construction in Southern California over the last ten years has been on hillside sites," explains Lutman. "Many builders are using masonry retaining walls to assist them in taking advantage of difficult terrain."
He adds that John Little has been building homes in Orange County for 25 years and presently has $22 million worth under construction. All of the homes, ranging from $150,000 to $200,000 in price, have been presold prior to completion.
Pacific Coast Builders has been in residential development for four years, and to date has completed and sold approximately 300 homes. Situated in the Tustin and Anaheim Hills area, the homes are in the $120,000 to $200,000 price bracket.
The principals of the corporation say they have plans for four new projects with a total of 350 homes, with work slated for this year. The individual price tags for these homes will vary from $50,000 to $250,000.
Mason contractor Darrell Lutman stands in the entranceway of a home he has just completed in Lemon Heights for developer John Little.
These impressive homes are typical of the work done by Lutman in the Lemon Heights and Orange Hills developments of Southern California. Each of the homes has two or three fireplaces.