Testimonials
January 27, 2021
We’re very thankful to have found Clay to help us build our beautiful retirement home. He was always so patient, honest, and thorough, helping us to understand the costs so we could stay within our desired budget. His integrity and communication are excellent. We love our home and would recommend this builder to anyone! Thank you BigFish!
October 21, 2020
– outstanding experience with Big Fish Construction. We have been in the construction industry for over 30 years and inherently have a scrutinizing viewpoint. We inspected the project unannounced nearly every week throughout the construction and can attest that all of their workmanship and quality was above par from the foundation and structural components all the way to the finished product. Clay’s ability to deal with our indecisiveness and modifications all while working closely with us to remain within our budget was exceptional. Big Fish will always be highly recommended by our family! –
October 12, 2020
Thank you for being in your office when I called two years ago (no one else answered their phones or emails). Thanks for leading me through the process and referring me to decent people. Thank you for being a stand up guy and true to your word. Thank you for building me a solid little house.
October 12, 2020
My wife and I had been planning our retirement home on St George for many years and believe we were very lucky to find Big Fish and specifically Clay Williams to help build our final home. Big Fish handled the entire process professionally from quote to build to final delivery. Clay communicated regularly on the progress and supplied suggestions and advice when we didn’t even know we needed it. Even though the last 5 months of our build took place during the CoVid 19 pandemic, Clay manage to keep our home on schedule and on budget. We will always be grateful to Big Fish and Clay for giving us a home that is more beautiful than we ever could of expected.
May 20, 2020
We want to let you know how very pleased we are with the home BigFish Construction has just completed for us in Mexico Beach. Working with Clay Williams has been an extraordinary experience for us. His kindness, patience, and understanding of just what we wanted has been outstanding. Ladonna in the office was always so helpful with communication when questions came up. The quality of workmanship in the house is superior. We would highly recommend BigFish to anyone interested in building a home in the area. Thank You for a job well done!
May 4, 2020
We bought our property in December of 2017 on St George Island. We received quotes from a few builders in the local area. We found that Bigfish was the most detailed quote and seemed to understand what we were looking for. Our project manager Clay, made us feel more like family rather than just a customer. He walked us through every portion of the construction and even sent us pictures since we were out of town. We changed a few things during construction and they never complained or told us no, they advised and accomplished what we requested. The home is beautiful and exactly what we thought it would be. If we call about anything after the build they come and take care of it right away. We are going to build more homes in the near future and they will be with BIG FISH
May 4, 2020
On October 10th, 2018, Hurricane Michael blew thru Mexico Beach and, like so many others, destroyed our home. Amidst the devastation, all I could think about was how and when we could get back to our slice of heaven on earth. On November 28th, 2018, I sent emails to every local builder I could find in the area. I knew they all had to be dealing with similar losses and emotions in their own lives, but I reached out anyway as part of my own therapy. The first to respond was Steve Newman. Not only did he respond to my email, he sent me sample house plans to review that Big Fish could build for our family—Steve gave me renewed hope for our future in MB. From November 1st, 2018 through mid-January 2019, I spent my free time drawing house plans to keep my mind busy—my family decided I was losing my mind. We had our first meeting with Steve January 17th, 2019 and I showed him one of my plans. Not only did he not laugh, he made a copy and offered to have someone make it a workable plan! We had scheduled several meetings with different builders, but after we left the Big Fish office January 17th, I told Rick that I was comfortable with Steve and just had a good feeling that he was the one to guide us through this process. We cancelled the other meetings and signed a contract with Big Fish. What a great decision that turned out to be! Our previous real estate purchases had been existing homes, so this was new territory for us. I am a little OCD and need to have a sense of control and the building process intimidated me quite a bit. I probably asked some of the dumbest questions Steve had ever been asked, but never did he let on that I should not have asked. He was patient and simply answered my crazy questions. We received the contract and the cost seemed so fair that I worried as we went through the build that the hurricane would drastically increase costs and we would end up way over budget. I am pleased to say that never happened—Steve kept us on budget and kept us informed how the finances stood the whole way through. Due to the hurricane, MB rewrote the Land Development Regulations and implemented the changes February 5th, 2019. This added a new wrinkle to the rebuilding process as everyone had to come up to speed with the new rules. Steve worked through these changes and ensured we were moving forward in accordance with the new LDR. At a time when there was so much uncertainty about the recovery of MB, Steve and Big Fish stepped up and made our dreams come true. We are proud to say we have started moving in our home and could not be more pleased with the finished product. Our family will forever be grateful for our beautiful new home. Thanks Steve and Big Fish!
December 21, 2018
We built our home in 2013 in the Windmark Development area overlooking the St. Joe Bay and Cape San Blas across the bay to be able to enjoy the beautiful view and the wonderful sunsets that come about daily. Our beach is beautiful in so many ways.
Our house is a two story, four bedrooms, 3 ½ bath house with approximately 3,000 square feet. It is up on pylons with an enclosed parking garage down below the main floor. We built a storage room down below as well. We have porches and decks all around the house.
The house was built to stand up to hurricanes and storms that come occasionally when one lives on the coast. Our house is about 100 feet from the water.
We have 19 windows on the back side to enhance the view of the Bay and Cape San Blas. The home has been wonderful and allows us to appreciate our beautiful area. There is an additional balcony upstairs for the guest bedroom and sitting area.
We withstood Hurricane Michael which hit all of us hard on October 10, 2018. Our doors and windows were tough with absolutely no damage or leaks of any kind. The roof held up fine and had no damage. The area below the main floor in the garage was hit hard and there was damage to the storage room on the ground floor garage area. However, there was absolutely no damage to the main floor in any way.
Our builder was Big Fish Construction. Steve Newman and Bo Spring were both wonderful and easy to work with on the design and construction phases. After the hurricane they were there immediately to help replace stairs and other areas down below in the garage area. All aspects of the building process were done well and adhered to the highest standards that we demanded from them. Everything was handled professionally-they were on time, pleasant, and easily available for conversations about changes or adjustments to the original design. We would highly recommend them for any construction of a home in this area. Our house is beautiful, yet strong enough to handle this massive hurricane that devastated major parts of Port St. Joe and Mexico Beach. Please call or visit us anytime to find out more. You can reach us at 850 819 2333 or e-mail us at [email protected].
July 24, 2018
We can’t brag enough on the Big Fish team and their exceptional performance during our home building process. My wife and I spent a few years designing and planning the build for the home. There were a lot visions had to come to life during the designing and building process. Big Fish helped us along every step of the way. From drafting process recommendations and other design elements their feedback was key to our building and planning process.
Construction moved along at a very steady pace. All contractors chosen were very knowledgeable and exhibited quality workmanship. Very easy to deal with all parties and work through any issues that came up during construction. Clay Williams was extremely patient with us through the process and offered fantastic options and recommendations during construction. This is what a good builder does…
The Finished product of the home far exceeded our expectations. We are more than happy with our beautiful home and can’t say enough about our positive experience working with the Big Fish team!
July 24, 2018
We decided to convert our garage to a bunk room and build a new garage. The only builder who gave us a prompt bid was Big Fish. They were concerned about quality and details. If they scheduled something it was done in a timely, efficient way. We found Clay Williams to be consistently responsible and responsive to our inquiries and concerns. The subcontractors who came on the job were competent and polite. We were so pleased with the outcome of the project that we would not hesitate to use Big Fish again for any building or remodeling needs.
June 29, 2018
My wife and I have been home owners on the Cape for over 12 years. We have been planning a new beach home for some time, and spoke with most residential contractors in the Gulf County area. Since we live 6 hours away from our new property, it was of paramount importance we could find someone we could trust, and have effective communication. After meeting with Steve and Big Fish Construction, we were convinced they were the builder for us. Throughout the process, from plans to certificate of occupancy, they took a vested interest in our investment. Clay Williams; project manager was great to work with, and promptly informed us of code changes, building permit process, and work flow progress. We highly recommend Big Fish Construction to any perspective home builder for quality construction and building professionals you can trust.
January 24, 2018
We decided that Windmark was the place we wanted to retire and purchased a lot. We were not from the area and knew nothing about the local builders but having built three other houses, my wife and I knew that the selection of a builder was key to getting the home that we desired. Rather than listen to word of mouth or ads, we actually drove around the area looking at new houses under construction. We learned that a finished façade hides a lot of sins.
We stopped at one house because it stood out. The quality of the materials, the robustness of the construction were better than anything we had seen and right there we decided that the person building this house is the person we wanted building our house. We stopped and asked if the construction manager was on-site and met Bo Spring and BigFish Construction.
We worked with Bo from the interior design thru completion. We were a little apprehensive because this is the first time we would have built a house but not be in State. We know that building a house requires a lot of decisions and requires a real partnership between the builder and the client. Bo actually acquired the same design package I was using so we could exchange ideas more easily.
Bo and his crew were easy to work with and everyone was focused on getting it right. The end result is that we feel that we have a retirement home that has all the features we requested and we are more than satisfied with the end results. We don’t have another house left in us but if we did it would be BigFish that we would ask to build it. I would strongly recommend that anyone considering building in this area consider talking to Bo or his partner Steve at BigFish construction.
December 12, 2017
We have been fortunate to call the “Forgotten Coast” home for the last 5 years. We purchased an existing home which we remodeled inside and out. As the former owner of a contracting business in Birmingham, Alabama, it did not take me long to understand the unique challenges facing anyone building or remodeling a home here on the coast. After making the decision to build a new home and meeting with Clay, Steve and Bo, we knew Big Fish was the right choice. Every subcontractor on the job went above and beyond to ensure that we were left with a custom home we will enjoy for years to come. The entire process from start to finish went better than we could have imagined. Sara and I can’t thank Big Fish enough for their hard work and professionalism. We love our new home!
November 17, 2017
We love our new home. Steve Newman was easy to work with, answered all our questions and went above and beyond to ensure our house was all we had hoped for. Everyone involved- Bigfish personnel, the electricians, heating/AC, plumbing, flooring and tile- were professional and competent. Thanks to Bigfish for an outstanding job building our dream house!
September 25, 2017
We finally decided to take the plunge and build our dream beach house on St. George Island after many years of visiting our vacant property.
Living in South Carolina while building, we knew it would be important to have a builder we could trust, who would communicate with us and who would be responsive to our needs. After talking with several contractors, we knew Clay Williams and Big Fish construction was our team.
I can’t thank Clay and his team enough for the quality work that they did in building our home and for working cooperatively with us throughout the project.
May 31, 2017
We undertook the challenge to build a house on St George Island while living in Colorado knowing it would be a risk and a potential logistical nightmare. It turned out to be anything but. Clay was patient and thorough. The house turned out beautiful! While we wouldn’t recommend building a house via e-mail and photos, it worked out well for us thanks to Steve and Clay from Big Fish Construction.
May 5, 2017
My wife and I had purchased our lot on St George Island over five years ago with dreams of building a house and retiring there. Circumstances changed and we were able to rent a house on the island much earlier than anticipated. While in the rental house we were able to see first hand the difficulties associated with building in the area. Difficulties such as getting anyone to work and modest sized houses literally taking years to construct. After sitting down with multiple contractors we finally had the pleasure of meeting the gentlemen at Bigfish Construction. Two days later we had a reasonable and accurate quote/contract that did not waiver from beginning till completion. Fortunately for us our rental house was located on the same block as our new house was to be constructed, this allowed us to be on site nearly every day. The attention to the detail was obvious from very early on. Clay was at the job and insuring every step of the building process was as planned and correct. The entire Bigfish team went above and beyond directing us where to shop for counter-tops, appliances, flooring, and everything needed to complete the house exactly as we had envisioned. This not only allowed us to get high end quality products, but saved us a tremendous amount of money along the way. We were and still are extremely pleased with the house and everything in it. From the initial meeting throughout the building process, and still we feel that the entire BigFish Construction crew did a fantastic job. They uphold to the highest amount of honesty and integrity which made for a very pleasurable building experience. We have had multiple houses constructed and renovations done, this is by far has been the best yet!
March 6, 2017
We purchased our house on Cape San Blas May of 2016 from Big Fish Construction as both an investment property and a future retirement home. We could not be happier. The quality of construction and attention to details made purchasing this home an easy decision. Steve and his team know what really makes a beach home ready to move in with virtually nothing to add to make it ready for vacation rental or owner visits. Return on investment has been more than we expected with the rental income the first year exceeding the mortgage and operating cost. Thanks Big Fish, we are looking forward to many happy seasons at our dream beach home!
December 27, 2016
We have been coming to this area for many years, and decided to retire here because we love to bike, fish, hunt, scuba dive, and spend time on the beach. The warm weather is just another plus. We go and visit the big cities, but we love living here on a daily basis. This retirement would also entail building our final house for retirement and be available to our children, grandchildren, and our own brothers and sisters. We looked for a lot and finally found one in Windmark Beach in Port St. Joe that gave us a breath taking view of the water, the bay, and Cape San Blas. This lot would allow the back of our house to have a gorgeous sunset every evening for us to enjoy at dinner and with guests on the back decking. So, we needed a builder to make our dream come true. First and foremost, and most importantly, the most critical person in this house building process is your builder, and his/her character is the most important variable of all. We have built other houses and done remodeling in numerous rental houses so we speak from experience. The builder needs to be totally honest, trustworthy, conscientious, and an expert in all components of house construction. The builder must also have vast knowledge about subcontractors and their abilities since there are so many components that must come together like the framing, the insulation, the sheet rocking, the painting, the cabinet making, the counter tops, the roofing, the siding, the plumbing, the finishing carpentry, the flooring, the landscaping, bricking the driveway, and the appliances. We did our homework and talked to many people and settled on Big Fish Construction. They met all of our requirements as builders. Others did not, and in fact, many people we talked to have had very bad experiences in the construction of their houses. Honesty and truthfulness were at the heart of all of the disputes we heard about. Some individuals we talked to are in serious legal disputes over problems in the construction design and cost.
When you are spending hundreds of thousands of dollars and dealing with 50 to 100 people who will work on your house, you have to have a builder who can and will monitor each step of the process for you. Some subcontractors are more concerned with how much money they can make as opposed to the quality of the construction. Big Fish Construction used excellent subcontractors and were diligent in monitoring each step of the building process. Their honesty and integrity were above reproach.
We used Bo Spring who was immensely helpful in helping us design the house around that view of the bay with 28 glass doors and windows on the backside with a lovely bay window centering the design. The four bedrooms and 3 ½ baths had to fit perfectly to allow maximum view of the bay. The roofing and tall columns on the back side had to be perfect. They were. We are picky and perfectionists, but Bo is super competent and experienced. He was up to the task. It all came together perfectly. You would have to see it to believe it. Guests have a lounging area upstairs with a view of the bay from their bedroom. They can walk out on their private deck as well. Our master bedroom, kitchen, and eating area are downstairs and they have perfect views as well. We tucked a nice little half bath under the staircase leading up to the second floor.
The finish carpentry is outstanding, and with crown molding and the old Florida look with paneling in the main room around a fireplace framed in marble-it is beautiful. Our electricity bills run low. Our November bill was $88 and August was $129.00. Our insulation was well done. In fact, everything was well done, and the final product is truly amazing. A salt water environment demands and requires unique building standards and designs. Bo was well informed and up to date on all standards for building on the coast of Florida. Steve Newman is a partner with Bo Spring in Big Fish Construction, and he was always dropping by to check on things and was always available to help and answer any questions that we had about the construction. They worked perfectly as a team. We would give them our whole hearted recommendation as a builder. We would welcome any calls or visits at any time to answer any questions about our home.
December 27, 2016
Big Fish built us a great house!
Building our dream house long distance was a daunting endeavor for us, but it all turned out better than we had expected when using Big Fish.
From our initial contact with Bo Spring when we were provided information on the local area to Big Fish’s demonstrated expertise, attention to detail, professionalism, and high construction standards, we are living in an incredibly well built and beautifully finished home.
Based on our experience, we highly recommend Big Fish.
December 24, 2016
After talking with four well recommended contractors we hired Big Fish Construction to build a second home for us on St. George Island, Florida. From our first contact with them, Big Fish responded with their full attention. They responded to all of our questions with complete and honest answers. They gave us tours of four of their projects in various phases of construction so we could see the quality of their work from start to finish. They gave us accurate cost estimates for the quality of construction we desired. Contract negotiations were both fair and timely. Our project manager, Clay Williams, did an outstanding job of communicating all facets of construction during the build-out, of co-ordinating all decisions with us while we were away, and of watching costs as if the money being spent was his own. Our house was completed eight months to the day after ground breaking without cutting any corners, a very rare performance on this island, which means they are experts in their trade and they have the command and respect of subcontractors and regulatory bodies. For peace of mind and value, we could not have done better than partnership up with Steve Newman’s company, Big Fish Construction.
December 22, 2016
To date Bo Spring has completed four projects for us. That alone should provide volumes of accolades for Bigfish Construction.
The first two projects were homes when we were not located in Port St Joe. The projects went as scheduled and Bo made us feel extremely comfortable not being there to watch progress.
The last two projects were a permanent home for us in Port St Joe and then a carriage house on the same property. We have been extremely satisfied with the construction and scheduling.
From the very first day of negotiations, we have found Steve, Bo and Clay to be very honorable, pleasant and knowledgeable people whom we would recommend to anyone interested in having a pleasant experience during their building project.
October 11, 2016
My wife Judi and I realized a lifelong dream of owning a beach home this year. After years of hard work and good fortune, we were finally able to turn this dream into a reality by building our own beach home, “Rip’s Reef.”
We started this process by looking extensively at existing homes for several years and through this tiring process we discovered that we could possibly purchase the right piece of land and build our own. Neither of us had ever built a home from the ground up, must less one four states away.Our early discussions and job site visits with Steve Newman helped us to build confidence in starting the process. The decision to use Steve and Big Fish was a no brainer at that stage. They were willing to spend the time to discuss the ins and outs of the project and show us what we could accomplish. We moved from discussions to construction. The process moved along at a very good pace. We promised to make quick decisions and Steve promised to get it built on time. It all worked out the way we planned.
Our favorite part of the Big Fish experience was being able to make construction decisions on the fly while maintaining our budget and schedule. Steve worked out the very personal portions of the home, the paint colors, cabinets, flooring, windows and landscaping into allowances. This gave us great control over cost and the finished product. Through the entire process Steve was there to coach us and offer very good opinions on what worked well and not so well. He was a great asset to the project. Well, the project is complete. It is gorgeous! We are enjoying our home and also enjoying a growing rental business. We are very pleased and grateful for the great job that Steve Newman and Big Fish provided for us and highly recommend them for your dream home.
See you at the Beach!!
September 9, 2016
Jack & I would like to extend our deep appreciation to you and everyone at Big Fish Construction. You did a beautiful job building our home on Mexico Beach. As you know, we are in the construction industry in Georgia and having someone else build our home seemed pretty ridiculous, albeit necessary. After interviewing several contractors in the area, we placed our confidence in you.
We had our own design and lot, a strict budget and high expectations. You hit the mark on every count and the result of your talent, patience and calm demeanor made for an excellent building experience. We have a new friend in you and a gorgeous new beach house. We encourage anyone considering a new build to use Steve Newman, Big Fish Construction. We could not be happier!
Salute to Big Fish!
June 20, 2016
Steve Newman of Big Fish Construction recently completed the construction of our home at Mexico Beach, FL. We had built two previous homes and recall those as somewhat traumatic/stressful events, but with Steve at the helm we were able to say, “This one was a piece of cake”.
Prior to starting the job, we went over our choices for most the big decisions on the home’s quality of construction (roofing, siding, granite, flooring, trim, etc.). This straightforward process enabled Steve to quickly come up with a contract price that turned out to be remarkably accurate. If my wife and I hadn’t made several changes and add-ons along the way, he would have actually come in below his contracted amount. And by the way, he never seemed stressed or annoyed by our changes and/or add-ons…he’s a professional who is always a “can do” guy.
The quality of workmanship was top shelf. Big Fish hires quick, perfectionistic subcontractors who do the impossible by giving ALL THREE of the sought after builder traits: Quality, Speed, AND a reasonable Price… (The general rule I’ve encountered before is: two out of three ain’t bad). And, If Speed, Quality AND a good Price isn’t enough, his subs also happen to be very friendly/nice/intelligent and share the same helpful/can-do attitude of their employer…just an excellent group of guys to work with.
We have nothing but good things to say about the building project completed by Steve, Bo and Clay. I cannot imagine anyone finding a better/faster/ friendlier/more helpful/more fairly priced home construction company than Big Fish Construction.
No surprises here, these guys didn’t get to be the biggest without also being the best.
June 10, 2016
Big Fish Construction, Steve Newman, built a house for us, and we loved it so much we had him build a second one! Both homes are extremely well designed and built. We couldn’t be happier!! We are from out of state and we were not able to be on site on a regular basis as construction was completed. We needed someone we could trust completely, and Steve Newman was that person.
Steve guided us through the entire process, from finding the right lots at the right price, through the complex permitting, through the well thought out designs, and the outstanding construction of both of our homes. They are built and finished right! Throughout the process we had numerous questions, which Steve Newman always answered promptly and completely. We had no surprises anywhere in the process, and our houses were completed on budget and on time at the price promised. We have recommended Steve Newman – Big Fish Construction – to many people without any reservations!
February 22, 2016
We love our new BigFish built home. It’s a high quality home at an affordable price. This is our first custom-built home. We were on the job site everyday watching the process so, of course, we had questions. Daily, Steve Newman and Clay Williams answered them via email or phone calls. BigFish only works with the best local contractors, which means their work was excellent. They went out of their way to satisfy our every need. A special thanks to Gary, owner of Emerald Coast Plumbing, Allen Cronan, owner of Coastal Cabinets, Crystal of Carpet Country and Frank and Billy from Scott’s Quality Electric. We can’t leave out Joe and Paul from BigFish. Their finishing touches on the detail work made the home POP!
Clay Williams supervised the building of our home and we worked well together. He’s articulate, very organized, cost effective and had fabulous ideas for soon to-be-homeowners. We “clicked” immediately because Clay listened to our ideas and turned them into a finished product. We have a beautiful home because BigFish built it and Clay Williams made it happen.
December 24, 2015
We chose Big Fish Construction to build our home in the Seagrass development on Cape San Blas in 2014 – 15. Big Fish was very helpful in the planning phase to arrive at a house plan to meet our desires within a clearly defined budget. Management was easy to work with, attentive to our needs and maintained excellent communication throughout the process. The excellent communication, frequent pictures of the work-site, was key as we were living in the Midwest during construction and spent minimal time on-site. The lengthy building experience and knowledge of Big Fish management in this area was a real plus with respect to permitting, sub-contractor access, interaction with local building regulators, etc. We were very satisfied with the process and the end product from Big Fish Construction. Would recommend that anyone building in the area consider Big Fish Construction for their project.
November 2, 2015
Working with Big Fish on the design and construction of our beach home was a dream come true. From our initial discussions, it was evident Steve Newman knew the local market well and we could trust his insight in making a selection on a lot and building our home. We felt comfortable with Steve and the engineering team from the beginning. They worked with us to customize a plan that fit our needs and gave input along the way. Our initial budget included basic finishes, each upgrade we selected was priced fairly and the team was very accommodating in allowing us to find just what we wanted as well as providing local vendor options. Clay Williams managed our construction and coordinated all the pieces so well. His attention to detail is priceless for a homeowner that is not local. As the kitchen cabinets were installed he noticed that the sink cabinet was slightly off center with the window and was able to get this corrected prior to our next visit. We felt confident his quality standards were as high as ours and he held every sub-contractor to that expectation. Clay kept us informed with pictures throughout the construction process. He always notified us in advance when a finish selection was needed so we had time to respond. His communication was much appreciated. Our entire experience with Big Fish was excellent and I would highly recommend them to other homeowners considering building in the area.
August 28, 2015
We wanted you and Big Fish to know that we have never had a house built as easily as we have this one and all at the same time become friends with everyone in the company. We wanted to say thank you for building the best quality house that we have ever owned and that has exceeded our expectations in so many ways especially in energy efficiency. We can not say enough good things about you, Clay and Big Fish we love our home and are very proud of it.
August 18, 2015
We could not be more proud to have Big Fish build our home on Cape San Blas. Steve and Clay are top notch in the very competitive field of construction. Big Fish was timely as promised. The jobs came in at the quoted price, other than additional work we added. The jobs were always done with a degree of professionalism beyond compare. Their service and workmanship are impeccable. Thank you for the respect and professional work attitudes that your subcontractors exhibited while building our home.
April 10, 2015
Choosing the right general contractor is probably the most important part of the home building process. This is especially true if you live 900 miles from the building site. Steve Newman of Big fish Construction has been our general contractor on 2 homes and soon to be a third. His homes are well engineered, fairly priced, beautifully finished and constructed in a timely manner. Steve is very easy to work with: he responds quickly to questions or concerns, has a great group of subcontractors and is an integral part of the community. We frequently recommend Big Fish Construction to others looking for a enjoyable home building experience.
October 24, 2014
When we retired and bought our gulf front lot, we set out to find a local builder that was reliable, fair, and built a great home. Most importantly, we wanted someone we could trust. Big Fish Construction and Steve Newman checked all of the boxes. Steve not only helped us fulfill our vision for our perfect home, he offered ideas to make it even better. Shortly after completing construction on our first home, we decided to build an investment property on an adjacent lot. We looked no further than Big Fish Construction to take on house number two. Thanks Steve and team for turning our construction project into our home.
July 12, 2014
Steve & Bo – As a couple that had never built a home before, we found working with the Big Fish team to be an excellent experience. Upon our first meeting with Steve, we truly believed we could trust in him and felt as though we had made a friend. A friend that would ensure our dream home became a reality. We encountered numerous hurdles along the way, and Steve was always there to navigate the difficult times and help us get to the right result. A word I think about when working through the build process with Big Fish would be patience. Patience particularly when we were pretty clueless as to what we should be doing. Big Fish always helped us stay the course. And even when Steve finally took a much needed week off, Bo Spring stepped up and kept the process moving. Our house turned out so much better than we could ever have expected and receive regular compliments on it. We couldn’t be happier. We finished the project on time and highly recommend working with Big Fish Construction.
June 12, 2014
My husband and I have built several homes. A few were outside the country. Big Fish Construction should be proud of the homes they have built. We own two homes on Cape San Blas; both were built by Steve Newman. Our primary residence is in Jubilation. Our “big red home” is the greatest beach home for us. After owning several ocean front homes, our decision that our retirement home be located near the water but not “on it” was a good one. This home was finished beautifully inside. Steve had completed the building as a “spec house” when we discovered and feel in love with it. Our plans are never to leave here.
The second home is a rental cottage. Located right on the Gulf of Mexico, we enjoy spending an occasional night there. Steve built this per our instructions. He made the process pretty painless. Phone calls and emails were returned almost immediately. Frequently, he met with us as needed. Always pleasant and understanding even when we decided on changes. The outcome is beautiful.
If we ever build another home, it will be with Big Fish Construction. Bo and Clay are great additions to the staff. Thank you guys for being so easy and doing a terrific job!
May 20, 2014
Hello Bo and Steve: Judy and I wish to say Thanks For Our New House!! Both of you worked very hard to make sure our first experience with building a custom home was a great experience.
We did our homework before selecting Big Fish and we very soon confirmed that we had made the best decision. From getting a set of plans to fit a demanding lot and neighborhood requirements (Ovation at Cape San Blas), to taking us by the hand and guiding us through the permitting and variance maze, to the actual construction phase was a pleasure all the way. It quickly became obvious us that both of you are highly regarded by the local agencies. Your extraordinary efforts at getting the house ready for a family gathering at Spring Break was greatly appreciated. I believe that anyone going through this process will encounter several “issues” during the process. We never had a single issue that was not quickly and fairly resolved to our complete satisfaction. We were able to stay closely involved with the process, and we came to know most of the sub-contractors. Every single sub, as well as the county inspector, assured us that we were working with a quality builder that does things the right way. We learned as we progressed that we were fortunate to be working with two men of high character and high personal integrity. You have earned the fine reputation that you have in the region. Judy and I appreciate you.
February 12, 2014
Super thanks and kudos to Steve Newman, Big Fish Construction, and his crew on building our dream gulf front home in Port St Joe, FL. We thought this would be very challenging from Colorado; however, Steve used virtual technology to make the process easy. He took pictures, at regular intervals during the entire building cycle; he sent us websites to select material, and used email to make changes to the actual building design in the beginning. Steve and company helped do everything (really everything) virtually. Having not seen the “real” house from day 1 until closing, we couldn’t have done better and at a fair price to boot. Very few surprises and as anyone who has ever built before knows, that’s hard to do – especially from 1500 miles away. Steve made several recommendations that made the house so much more perfect such as the elevator, and using his professional cabinet maker for a top product. Thanks for the positive experience and fine home. We’ve had rave reviews from all of our friends.
August 21, 2012
Dear Steve and Bo,
Gene and I would like to personally thank you for building our new beach home, what an exciting journey for us. Once we met and began the project, everything we desired in our new home was made a reality. Bo Spring and Steve Newman and the rest of the Big Fish Construction Organization treated us with respect, class and dignity, and took the time to personally meet our construction needs. The quality of construction and the attention to detail from the beginning to the end of our project was outstanding. The workmanship is detailed and high quality. We are now the proud owners of a beach home our family will enjoy for years to come. Thanks again to Big Fish Construction, we have a beach home we love.
January 1, 2012
Thanks for the professional manner that Big Fish Construction completed our home in Surfside Estates on beautiful Cape San Blas. Being here throughout the construction process, we observed the proficient manner in which your subcontractors performed their tasks. The subs for foundation, framing, plumbing, painting, electrical and siding were all very skilled and cordial. With the excellent line of communication that was established with you, we encountered very few problems throughout the construction process. The true illustration of proficiency in the building process is the fact that we moved into the new house six (6) weeks ahead of the original quoted completion date. We highly recommend Big Fish to anyone planning to build a home in this area.
July 25, 2011
This letter is intended to express my appreciation for the work Big Fish did in constructing our house this past winter. Through the construction process I have gotten to know and understand how Big Fish approaches a project and I am hopeful that this letter can assist prospective customers in making a decision on selecting Big Fish as their contractor.
In the fall of 2010 we decided to build on a lot that had recently been purchased at WindMark. I operate an engineering business and we interact with many contractors so I understand the importance of selecting a contractor who has a proven record of good character and good quality work. I was also looking for a contractor that was willing to approach the project as a team effort and not a traditional design, bid, build approach. I can say that Big Fish meets these qualifications very well.
Bo Spring was the Project Manager. From the initial estimating process thru completion of final punch list items he was actively engaged and treated us like we were his only client. Our goal was to build a small beach house and budget was very important. I had already shopped pricing for the project before approaching Big Fish and knew getting into our discussions that I was over my initial budget. I can say Big Fish was very competitive in its initial estimate. However, what I was also looking for was a contractor that would work with me to figure out ways to be more creative in construction and bring suggestions to the table to further reduce costs and reach my budget. Bo took the time to prepare and review an itemized estimate, noting where the discretionary money was and where he felt we may be able to make some modifications to improve in the budget. At the end of this process we signed a contract for an amount that met my initial budget. Now that construction is complete, I can say that there were no hidden costs or areas where saving money compromised quality and in fact they were able to upgrade some things like using granite counters and custom cabinets by shopping allowance items harder and working with subcontractors to make sure they understood the scope.
As you get into a project and see it under construction you always get ideas on how to improve things. Big Fish takes the approach of being proactive and very willing to accommodate these changes. I am still amazed at the way Big Fish would accommodate my requests on changing walls that had been framed or moving stairs around, or adding wall switches/outlets or changing the exterior trim and just “fit it into the budget”. Early in the framing process Bo called me and said he saw an opportunity to add a second floor porch with an outstanding view and how he thought it could be done with no extra cost. It was efforts like this that have lead me to write this letter even though it has been almost 5 months since construction was completed.
In residential construction it is often the case that the project moves along well at first but then as the next house gets started, work on your house slips and schedule slides. That was not the experience I had. Big Fish stuck with this project and kept pushing subcontractors and met the schedule we initially agreed to. In fact at one point I wanted to use the house about a month before it was to be done. Big Fish adjusted subcontractors schedules to make it “habitable” for me.
If you are looking for a contractor that has competitive pricing, outstanding character, is flexible and willing to work with you as changes come up, does good quality work and sticks to schedule, I would look no further than Big Fish Construction.
I would be pleased to discuss my experiences with any prospective customers and thank you again for the great job.
February 1, 2011
Dear Steve,
Thank you so much for making my construction project so easy to do. I was very happy with all of the work done. My new covered deck is just lovely and everyone who sees it just loves it and thinks it’s a great improvement to the house.
The men on your crews were polite and diligent and worked hard to get this project done in the short amount of time we had. Also I was very impressed at your presence almost every day on the job to assure that it was on track and going well. Thank you for being so responsive to all of my questions and concerns, and for your real concern for my satisfaction with the project. Before this experience, I would have been hesitant to go into a building project, but now I can imagine building a new house on the cape with you and Big Fish.
January 25, 2011
I am writing to thank you for all your hard work while building my home. As you are aware, this home was the first for Krystal and me. We are so pleased with your professionalism and knowledge of products, materials, and local building guidelines. You guided us from the design, to small detail items, which make our home unique.
Krystal was enthused about moving in before the beginning of the school year. I was very surprised the home was completed before the anticipated finished date. I was not surprised by your customer service and time spent going over even the smallest details. We appreciate everything you did to make our first home a special one. I will most certainly use Big Fish Construction for future projects and refer your great product to all my friends and colleagues. Thank you for everything.
January 3, 2011
Steve Newman of Big Fish Construction finished my beach house in April of 2007. It was built to our exact specifications, on budget and on time. We would highly recommend Big Fish to anyone who is considering building in Gulf County.
December 3, 2010
To anyone thinking of building a new home: Big Fish built our new home and it was done in a very timely and professional manor. Everything is great and the relationship between contractor and owners could not have been better. Good job Big Fish.
May 8, 2010
Phil and I would just like to say what a pleasure it has been building our beach house in San Dunes on Cape San Blas with Steve Newman of Big Fish Construction. Living in the Atlanta area we relied on Steve for companies locally that would provide building material choices for the house and in all cases the companies were great to work with and had a wide variety of materials from which we could choose. Steve also took an active part in helping us find the best prices for those materials which was a godsend!
The subs for electrical, plumbing, framing, painting, etc. were also very accommodating and bent over backward to please us because Steve puts a great deal of importance on owner satisfaction and has developed a group of subs that he has worked with for a very long time that share that ideology. I made multiple trips down to the Cape during the building process to watch the progress, but Steve also kept us informed via email and phone calls on a regular basis which made for a very effortless partnership.
Please feel free to contact us about Big Fish Construction and Steve, or better yet, schedule a visit to see our beautiful beach house and meet us in person when you are in the area. Steve has our numbers! Since the construction process is now complete on our first tier home, we have purchased the gulf front lot in front of our house and wouldn’t think of using anyone but Steve to build it for us,since he has become a trusted friend!
April 17, 2009
My lot created many challenges to building. Steve Newman and Big Fish were on top of it from the beginning. He helped develop the plans to ensure that my house would be just what I wanted and to maximize my budget, space and lot. I had many discussions about how the house would be utilized and with each discussion Steve was able to ensure the features of the home I built would match my desired utilization. Big Fish just finished the home in March of 2009 and I have placed the home in a rental program. The house has been rented from the day it was finished due to many unique features I put into the home at Big Fishes suggestion, from the elevator for handicap access, to the location of the pool which is beach side and unusual for an ocean front home. The home was built with high end finishes like Hardwood floors in the main living space, and granite counters in the baths and kitchen. Steve also knew that I needed carpet in the bedrooms. It was nice to build with someone who could guide the project, since I was in Atlanta. Big Fish finished the Home on time and on budget. I would recommend Big Fish to anyone looking to build in Gulf County.