SPECIAL TO OCALA STYLE
As a homeowner, Todd Scudder prides himself on having a unique home that’s filled with personality. As a contractor, he prides himself on being able to offer that same sense of satisfaction and pleasure to his clients.
“I’ve been in the construction industry as long as I can remember,” Todd says. “Even as a kid in school, I worked in construction in some capacity during the summers.”
After working closely with his grandfather, a general contractor in Augusta, Georgia, Todd made the decision to return home to Ocala in 1980 to begin building his own company. Scudder & Company got its start doing construction for local horse farms.
Over the years, Todd’s business reputation grew and he ventured into commercial construction, heading up such projects as the Panera Bread shopping plaza, the University Center at CFCC, Merill Lynch, six of the SunTrust Bank locations, and countless other buildings residents drive by on a daily basis.
However, building homes has always been Todd’s passion. Recently, he made the decision to concentrate more on residential construction and development.
“While I enjoy commercial construction, it doesn’t give me the ability to use my creative side as much,” Todd says. “Residential construction allows for more of a creative atmosphere between the homeowner and the builder.”
From the beginning, Scudder & Company has offered all its clients the reassurance of turnkey contracts.
“I feel it’s very important for everyone to be on the same page when it comes to costs. We like to be part of the team from the very beginning. Typically, our clients select us for their construction needs because of our attention to detail, costs, and our image of difference. After several meetings with our clients to determine a program of their needs, we then talk about a reasonable budget.”
Todd definitely takes a personal approach when building a home for a client. Todd believes a home is more than just a house — that it’s a reflection of the family who lives there.
“Sometimes the smallest details in a space make the biggest impact,” he says.
This summer, Todd hopes to begin construction on a unique community unlike any of its kind in our area.
“Scudder & Company is in the process of a bringing a wonderful new idea to the people of Ocala. We plan on bringing a new type of gated community to the southeast,” Todd says. “I envision a wonderful neighborhood of homes that are built on a more vertical than horizontal scale.”
The themed neighborhood will feature two- and three-story homes starting at 2,500 square feet. Each home will even come equipped with an elevator shaft, a feature that will easily accommodate any client’s special needs — now or in the future.
Scudder and Company will be the exclusive builder for this project, thereby controlling the architecture and providing a level of quality and design that today’s clientele expects.
“I almost want to call the subdivision a village,” Todd explains. “It will have that feel to it. I envision a cobblestone-paved entrance with gas lanterns lighting the streets.”
The first phase — consisting of only 21 homes — will face a central park, and the owners will access their own garage through a personal drive around the back. The neighborhood will also feature an active homeowners’ association and a full-time groundskeeper.
“This is something you would normally find in larger cities,” Todd says. “The homes will have plenty of character and curb appeal, with a sense of continuity around every winding street.”
Whether Todd is exploring ideas for his new development or putting the finishing touches on a client’s home, his business philosophy remains the same. Scudder & Company has been earning its impeccable reputation in the local construction industry for the past decade. Todd firmly believes in treating his customers the way he would want to be treated.
“We’ve worked hard to earn our reputation,” he says, “and I am confident that Scudder & Company will continue to perform to these same high standards. I assure our customers that we will always strive for the highest possible degree of excellence.”
Scudder & Company
(352) 401-9069
www.scudderandcompany.com
