Dixon, Kazek & Morrison Excel in the Art of Custom Home Building

Partners Steve Dixon, Jon Kazek, and Chris Morrison (DKM) have truly mastered the art of custom home building. Together, they oversee and manage every aspect of the process.

“We are all Florida-certified general contractors and our talents blend to make it all happen,” explains Steve. “We are on-site, every day, making sure our attention to detail is carried out by our subs.”

Although most of the DKM custom homes are in the high-end, multi-million- dollar range, their custom homes or rebuilds start at about $500,000 and all are built by the same tried and true subs.

“We do a lot of waterfront,” continues Steve.  “About 80 percent of our homes are custom-built on the water…with our territory stretching from Inlet Beach to Shalimar, our typical custom-home client will do all they can to have their dream home built on or near the water (bay or gulf).”
The “dream team” has been building custom homes since 2001 and the partners have managed to stick to the same business model: “We work on just a hand-full of custom houses…we do it all from start to finish and have no superintendents. We do design-builds, remodels, renovations, ALL custom-built with the client’s expectations being met on every level. We are not ‘production builders.”

With so many folks moving to the SoWal/Florida Panhandle area, DKM is finding that this area is a little isolated from the rest of the country.

“This area is really unique, and we are in for a strong, even-keeled rise.  Our biggest weak link here is that we are about to run out of land,” says Steve. “Waterfront lots are almost non-existent now with people in bidding wars for purchases. We are going to start seeing high-end houses being knocked down, those built in the 80’s will be going down and replaced by newer, more modern custom homes.”

Which brought us to the subject of home construction relative to newer building codes.

“The big difference in the recent Mexico Beach and Panama City Hurricane Michael storm destruction was the use of current building codes for the newer construction there. The newer homes are STILL standing. Some feel that the building code (the same as Miami/Dade) is overkill, but our homes are built to withstand 150 mph winds, so they will weather really good in any storm.”

With the current economy trucking along nicely, there doesn’t seem to be any indication of a potential home-building slowdown. DKM’s phones keep on ringing due to their stellar reputation. Word-of-mouth referrals have fared well for them and they all seem almost giddy at the prospect of their next custom home challenge.

Walking through the construction of an upper-end project recently, the three contractors were equal parts proud and adventurous as they surveyed the work in progress. Meandering through the construction-in-progress, the faces of the DKM partners seemed to light up with every turn…. they were obviously IN THEIR ELEMENT…relishing the fruit of their labor.

This waterfront home was HUGE, sporting a 3,000 square foot garage and a 40X90 foot outdoor pool overlooking the bay. This home takes “CUSTOM” to a new level with unique features (quarter inch Italian glass panels throughout, a 22-foot fireplace, solid mahogany doors) …. with many components built in place. The DKM team revels in doing things that haven’t been done before. The use of the latest technology and highest quality materials is a hallmark of the DKM process.

“This entire complex is built geothermal (thermal energy generated and stored in the ground), so we have 14 wells to run the heating and cooling system, says Jon. “The driveway for the home is comprised of 42X42X4 inch pavers that are so heavy each had to be set by machine.”
Steve, Jon and Chris all have different styles and viewpoints, but in the end, their projects are strengthened by their collaboration. Their differences of opinion just seem to gel into a more-better outcome.

“We enjoy what we do, love where we live and work, and are truly blessed to have had such great clients. There are going to be issues in any business, but it is how you handle them that counts…we’re on it and will continue to be,” says Steve.

Discerning custom home buyers need look no further than DKM Custom Home Designs…the three amigos have been and will continue to be the premier custom home builder in these parts. They will take your dream home fantasy to happy home reality and enjoy every minute of it.

For more Dixon, Kazek & Morrison information, please call 850-650-7539. Location: 12273 Emerald Coast Parkway (Holiday Plaza, Mirimar Beach) - www.dkmcustomhomes.com.