One of our most notable projects, was the major renovation of the Sarasota Opera House at 61 N. Pineapple Ave in downtown Sarasota. This was a complex $20 million overhaul of the historical 1926 building completed in 2007.
Operating as Elegant Finishes Masonry & Concrete, as a trade partner with Willis A Smith Construction, we provided the structural concrete services, for all new foundations, vertical columns and walls for the new orchestra pit, elevated concrete stage floor, multiple radius stairs and new theater and balcony floor slabs.
Similar projects included several new waterfront homes and a new commercial building in downtown Sarasota for luxury home builder Steve Murray. Our scope of work consisted of foundations, vertical concrete frame construction, natural stone & brick, and architectural precast finishes.
In 2019, after successfully completing major renovations and expansions at Jacaranda Plaza in Venice, two Sarasota County school additions & renovations, and lastly, the completion of the new stone entrance signs at the Sarasota- Bradenton Airport, the owners decided to take their business in a different direction.
The owners created Built Solid Homes, LLC, weaving Co-owner, Jeanine Woods’ real estate business into a new company that would focus on renovations and site redevelopment. So, with a well-rounded portfolio of world-class construction projects under their belt, and significant experience in renovation work, they reintroduced themselves as a General Contractor, providing a variety of services for coastal properties.
Gary is a Florida State Certified General Contractor.
Gary’s training and expertise has been in vertical concrete frame construction. As a specialty structural contractor for more than twenty years, he has performed the “heavy lifting” tasks of bringing large buildings and coastal homes out of the ground providing critical layout work, complex foundations through finish masonry cladding. Additionally, Gary has extensive experience in concrete repair and spalling restoration work.
Using a team approach to each project, he leads a group of professionals, including architects, engineers, environmental specialists, and a medley of well vetted sub-contractors achieving impressive outcomes.
For more than twenty years Jeanine has been in the contracting business with her husband Gary. She is co-owner of Built Solid Homes, LLC, and manages the companies administrative and accounting systems. Complimenting this endeavor, Jeanine also sells real estate in Englewood and Manasota Key.
Mrs. Wood is an active realtor with Allison James Estates and Homes. Her skills in the real estate market combined with residential construction compliance issues are immeasurable in pre-purchase evaluations. She is a member of the Realtors Association of Sarasota-Manatee County, NAR – Accredited Buyers Representative, Certified Waterfront Specialist and earned the realtors Green designation.