A Third Generation Builder
Since 1945, three generations of Singleton men have built high quality homes that are not only sturdy and stunning, but also stand the test of time. Those homes, new and old, can be seen along the South Strand in Litchfield Beach, Pawleys Island and other locations.
Today, Singleton Construction specializes in building custom oceanfront or ocean-view homes in DeBordieu, and those homes speak for themselves.
Bill Singleton, President and General Manager of Singleton Construction, says "DeBordieu Colony opened in about 1972. In 1973, my grandfather finished his first house here in DeBordieu, and the bulk of our business has been here since."
Bill, who earned a degree in civil engineering from Horry-Georgetown Technical College, recalls being a little boy and riding with grandfather,
W. J. Singleton, while he supervised projects. At that time his father, Jack Singleton, also worked with his grandfather. Bill says "My grandfather has some heart attacks, so I was his legs. I would run noted to workers, run checks and bills to subcontractors and save some footsteps for him."
In 1945, as World War II was ending and the country was again at peace, W. J .Singleton founded Singleton Construction. At that time, the number of new homes increased and the average cost of a home was about $5,000.. A new car was about $1,000,gas was 15 cents per gallon, and the average annual wage was below $3,000.
After building in Myrtle Beach for a while. W .J. Singleton moved his office to Litchfield, where he and his son, Jack, built many oceanfront homes.
Building in a coastal area is different and local building codes reflect that difference. But someone who has never seen or dosen't know what storms that blow in from the ocean can do to houses may not feel the intense need to make a home as safe as possible.
That knowledge has been with Singleton Construction since 1954, nine years after W. J. Singleton started the company, when Hurricane Hazel roared inland and devastated beaches up and down the East Coast. Bill says "We're very acute to what works well on the coast, what lasts and what doesn't last."
Bill learned a lot from his grandfather and recalls him saying,"If it's not right, fix it."
Bill adds, "He took a lot of pride in his work. He also wanted to make the customer happy and satisfied with what they got."
After W. J. Singleton died in 1985, Jack Singleton continued the buisnes. By then the cost of a new home had risen to about $90,000.although some were much less and some more. The average cost of new truck was about $9,500, gas was $1.09 per gallon and the average annual income was about $22,000.
At around age 15, Bill started working with his father durning the summers. He learned the construction business from the ground up, beginning as a laborer and learning all aspects of the building process.
He say, " I felt like that was what my father wanted me to do, and that's why I spent all the years I did working my way up." Bill learned many things from his father and from others working on their projects. That experience has proven to be an advantage for Bill ." I have a better idea of how things come together. It definitely helps me solve problems, since I can fix most problems myself."
Singleton Construction builds only four to seven homes each year.and that's the way Bill wants it. "We can't control the quality if we get much bigger than that."
After almost seven decades of building homes, Singleton Construction enjoys the sterling reputation the company earned in the 1940s and continues into the years to come.
Building constantly on the kinowledge he acquired after so many years, around or working in construction, BiIll strives to give his customers the best homes possible. To do so, he works only with top-quality subcontractors. He say, "I always give the customers any options that i can.....so we have preferred subs that we use. You get what you pay for in subcontractors."
Bill adds, " We strive to give our customers what they want, and I'm not satisfied unless the customer is."
Like his father and his grandfather, Bill is an on-site builder.
He says, " I'm not an 'in the office' builder. I like to be there to put my eyes on it. I spend one day a month in the office and the rest of the time, I'm in the field.
Today, Singleton Construction specializes in building custom oceanfront or ocean-view homes in DeBordieu, and those homes speak for themselves.
Bill Singleton, President and General Manager of Singleton Construction, says "DeBordieu Colony opened in about 1972. In 1973, my grandfather finished his first house here in DeBordieu, and the bulk of our business has been here since."
Bill, who earned a degree in civil engineering from Horry-Georgetown Technical College, recalls being a little boy and riding with grandfather,
W. J. Singleton, while he supervised projects. At that time his father, Jack Singleton, also worked with his grandfather. Bill says "My grandfather has some heart attacks, so I was his legs. I would run noted to workers, run checks and bills to subcontractors and save some footsteps for him."
In 1945, as World War II was ending and the country was again at peace, W. J .Singleton founded Singleton Construction. At that time, the number of new homes increased and the average cost of a home was about $5,000.. A new car was about $1,000,gas was 15 cents per gallon, and the average annual wage was below $3,000.
After building in Myrtle Beach for a while. W .J. Singleton moved his office to Litchfield, where he and his son, Jack, built many oceanfront homes.
Building in a coastal area is different and local building codes reflect that difference. But someone who has never seen or dosen't know what storms that blow in from the ocean can do to houses may not feel the intense need to make a home as safe as possible.
That knowledge has been with Singleton Construction since 1954, nine years after W. J. Singleton started the company, when Hurricane Hazel roared inland and devastated beaches up and down the East Coast. Bill says "We're very acute to what works well on the coast, what lasts and what doesn't last."
Bill learned a lot from his grandfather and recalls him saying,"If it's not right, fix it."
Bill adds, "He took a lot of pride in his work. He also wanted to make the customer happy and satisfied with what they got."
After W. J. Singleton died in 1985, Jack Singleton continued the buisnes. By then the cost of a new home had risen to about $90,000.although some were much less and some more. The average cost of new truck was about $9,500, gas was $1.09 per gallon and the average annual income was about $22,000.
At around age 15, Bill started working with his father durning the summers. He learned the construction business from the ground up, beginning as a laborer and learning all aspects of the building process.
He say, " I felt like that was what my father wanted me to do, and that's why I spent all the years I did working my way up." Bill learned many things from his father and from others working on their projects. That experience has proven to be an advantage for Bill ." I have a better idea of how things come together. It definitely helps me solve problems, since I can fix most problems myself."
Singleton Construction builds only four to seven homes each year.and that's the way Bill wants it. "We can't control the quality if we get much bigger than that."
After almost seven decades of building homes, Singleton Construction enjoys the sterling reputation the company earned in the 1940s and continues into the years to come.
Building constantly on the kinowledge he acquired after so many years, around or working in construction, BiIll strives to give his customers the best homes possible. To do so, he works only with top-quality subcontractors. He say, "I always give the customers any options that i can.....so we have preferred subs that we use. You get what you pay for in subcontractors."
Bill adds, " We strive to give our customers what they want, and I'm not satisfied unless the customer is."
Like his father and his grandfather, Bill is an on-site builder.
He says, " I'm not an 'in the office' builder. I like to be there to put my eyes on it. I spend one day a month in the office and the rest of the time, I'm in the field.