Better Safe Than Sorry

In 2004, Alexander Betke, president of Betke Homes, Inc., made an important decision. “We are always working to set ourselves apart from what is considered average in the building industry,” says Betke, who is a state certified building contractor, a licensed real estate broker, and a member of many industry organizations, including the Lee Building Industry Association and the National Association of Homebuilders.

To fulfill that goal, Betke introduced a second company called Heartfelt Homes to his company’s offering. "We like to call them our `family-friendly homes’, or workforce housing,” Betke explains. "The prices start at around $160,000 on the client’s lot.” But the Betke difference doesn’t stop there. The company goes an extra mile when it comes to safety.

Regardless of which division of the company a homebuyer chooses, Betke is dedicated to incorporating each and every one of the safety features he considers necessary. “Basically,” says Betke, “the difference in our firm boils down to the fact that we are a smaller company and we have a great desire to be in touch with what is important to our home buyers, as well as with those elements that we feel are important to the community.”

Many of the standard safety features installed by Betke Homes aren’t immediately visible to the home buyer. “One of the extras we automatically incorporate into every home is an interior mold prevention treatment. We begin by treating the interior of each home as soon as the block walls are up and the interior is framed in order to take advantage of the most advanced mold prevention technique on the market today.”

This four-step process addresses mold growth in porous building materials by using an antimicrobial base that stops the mold in its tracks and which also has a high durability factor. The prevention process does not lose its qualities over time or in the presence of sunlight, water or humidity, all of which come into play in our sub-tropical climate.

While mold prevention is the first step in consumer safety, Betke doesn’t stop there. “We’ve gotten away from spraying the ground for termites. While it’s standard in the industry to spray for termites, we’ve found that often once it’s done, heavy equipment such as a backhoe comes onto the job site and disturbs the newly - treated ground, or heavy rains fall and negate the treatment entirely. We choose instead to pre-treat for termites on the inside of the home once the walls are framed out. This provides a higher lever of concentration. It’s a difference that most homeowners will never see or know about, but it’s there and we know they’re protected.”

“We are also one of only builders in Southwest Florida to incorporate a product that redefines the standards of home fire safety.” As Betke explains, “All of our two-story homes are equipped with a permanent escape and rescue ladder on the outside wall under a window. We like to think that it’s forward thinking and that it demonstrates the level of safety we strive to achieve for our home buyers. Not only is it a nice addition to the home, it also provides peace of mind for our clients.”

The peace of mind continues with a ten-year structural warranty on each home and, before the homeowners take possession of their new residence, each and every element of their new home is fully explained. “We outline every feature of the home with our clients from Day One,” says Betke. “When the residence is completed, we basically go over the structure of the home, the appliances, window features, the air conditioning unit and every other system in the house. We also supply our homeowners with a manual containing industry-wide performance standards so that they’ll know what to expect from their home.”

The philosophy behind Betke Homes can be traced directly to the company president. Alex Betke is a people-person as well as a businessman and it’s evident that he is dedicated to each of his clients. As Betke himself says, “From my first meeting with new clients to the completion of their project, I really enjoy the entire process. My goal is to create a partnership that goes beyond closing.”

BETKE HOMES, INC.
8881 Terrene Ct. Suite 102, Bonita Springs, FL 34135
239 948-0008
www.betkehomes.com

Written by Kristine Hughes