Frankel Building Group is a custom home builder that operates in the Houston, Texas region. The company is known for constructing homes that meet the standards set by the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program. Frankel homes are generally priced between $800,000 and $2 million.
The company specializes in two areas: design-build and green building. Design-build is a construction approach where the design and construction teams work together from the outset to create a cohesive and efficient project. The company's focus on green building allows them to construct homes that are environmentally sustainable and energy-efficient.
Company history
Houston native Jim Frankel founded Frankel Building Group as Jim Frankel Custom Homes in 1988. He started building roughly three homes a year, and within the next few years, Frankel doubled and tripled the number of houses built until he could no longer manage the volume. Jim’s sons, Scott and Kevin Frankel, joined the company in 2005 and the family-run business became Frankel Building Group. Jim Frankel is the company’s President and his sons serve as vice presidents.
Company principals
Jim Frankel
Jim Frankel developed his business acumen while serving as a corporate office executive for Foley’s department stores in Houston during the 1970s. While building his business, Jim served as president of the Greater Houston Builders Association (GHBA) in 2001, and is a Life Director. He also served as a National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and Texas Association of Builders (TAB) director. He achieved NAHB Graduate Master Builder (GMB) designation. Jim Frankel served as the first chairman of the Development Council of Texas Children's Hospital.
Kevin Frankel
Kevin Frankel, a licensed real estate broker with an MBA from the University of Houston, is the VP of sales and business development for Frankel Building Group. In 2014 he became vice president of the GHBA and a TAB director. He previously served as a GHBA board member and was the association’s Custom Builders Council chair in 2010. Kevin Frankel is a Certified Green Professional (CGP), and won the 2012 GHBA Green Building Advocate Individual award.
Scott Frankel
Scott Frankel is VP of operations and construction for Frankel Building Group. Like his father, he earned the GMB designation. In 2011, Scott Frankel became Texas’ first Master Certified Green Professional (Master CGP) and one of only two in the nation. He is also a Certified Graduate Builder (CGB), Certified Green Professional (CGP), and a member of the Houston Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 Class of 2012. In 2014, he served as a director of the TAB.
Green building smart homes
Under the direction of Kevin and Scott Frankel, the family-owned company started building all custom homes to LEED standards in 2009. The homes built included green features such as spray foam insulation, tank-less water heaters and dual-speed air conditioning. Within two years, Frankel Building Group had registered 25 homes for LEED certification. The company also became one of the first homebuilders to adopt the GHBA’s Green Built Gulf Coast (GBGC) program introduced in 2010 that utilized green building practices appropriate for the Texas Gulf Coast.
In addition to standardizing green building, Frankel Building Group in 2010 made smart home technology standard in its custom homes. The basic Crestron home automation system included an in-wall docked iPad to control the system and security, providing control of lighting, HVAC, entertainment systems, garage, gates, fountains and pool.
Design-build firm
Frankel Building Group is a custom design-build firm, meaning they design the homes they build in-house. The company uses architectural design software for a 3-D look at the home’s design. In 2013, Frankel invested over $50,000 to create a design studio in Ladco Washington Park Design Studio for free client use. Together with a trade partner, the company also designed a computer program for use in the design studio. Using a hand-held scanner similar to gift registry and an iPad, homebuyers browse through the design studio selecting texture and materials for walls, flooring, countertops, roofs and exterior finishes. Frankel puts the selections together to show the buyers what their custom home will look like.