Pathway to Success
J.A. Pavers LLC’s future rests on a rock-solid foundation
In the early 1990s, Jody Adametz, who had worked in the construction business as a general contractor for a decade, moved from New York to Florida and began to explore a new specialty. He became interested in brick pavers and their emerging popularity and added them to the list of services. It didn’t take him long until he realized that pavers held wide appeal, and he turned his focus to pavers, making them his specialty.
“Now, everybody’s has them, from retail to subdivisions with single-family homes or apartments. So it’s been a good business for me,” says Adamtez, who established his business in 1992.
Today, pavers are everywhere—walkways, patios, driveways, poolside and beyond. And so are Adametz and his Florida paving business, J.A. Pavers LLC.
Adametz has established relationships with paver manufacturers in Florida and beyond, which has helped position his company to create custom looks for homebuilders, pool builders, general contractors and homeowners through the state.
J.A. Pavers, which has two locations, handles all areas of installations for both commercial and residential projects.
Adametz and his team of eight office and administrative staff continue to grow their business as they work to meet the demand of Florida’s building boom. Their main projects involve pool decks, patios, sidewalks, parking lots and driveways. J.A. Pavers contracts with about a dozen installation professionals. Adamtez makes sure to hire consultants who can prove they will provide standout service and top-notch execution.
The market has been good for 30 years, he says, and even during the recession and downturn, J.A. Pavers kept busy with projects.
“There’s just so much growth in Orlando. There’s always new hotels, new subdivisions, new work for us,” Adametz says. “The market here has always been favorable.”
The market’s been favorable beyond Orlando, and J.A. Pavers has capitalized on that demand in just about every part of the state, with the exception of the Panhandle and the Keys.
Though headquartered in Orlando, the company has also established a branch that operates from Lady Lake to serve the more northern portion of Central Florida. Sue Johnson runs that satellite office, using her 20 years of paver experience to help commercial and residential customers alike.
Johnson is involved in all aspects of the jobs that originate from that branch, many of which are in the booming retirement community The Villages. “I’m on every job,” says Johnson, who has been with J.A. Pavers for 18 years. “I don’t just hand off to an installer.”
Better than a Slab
The popularity of pavers has soared because, in addition to the aesthetic quality and shape and color options they offer, they are easier and more economical to fix than a concrete slab. They’re not exactly easy to install—every project presents unique challenges and obstacles, Adametz says. But the way pavers are placed and repaired is one reason why he was drawn to them.
“Pavers don’t require a jackhammer; they’re laid in sand, they’re easily interchangeable and color can be restored and brought back to life,” he says, noting that it’s easy to remove, re-level and replace elements within an existing paver project.
The fundamentals may be basic and straightforward, but that doesn’t mean that every project is. Deadline pressures and unforeseen obstacles are just part of the industry, Adametz admits.
“It’s construction; it’s never consistent. Things pop up that aren’t supposed to, projects change; we adjust.”
That variety keeps Adametz and his team on their toes. “There’s never a dull moment, never a boring day,” says Office Manager Shannon Scott. “It’s always something new.”
A willingness to embrace challenges is one main reason Josh Morton, a Project Manager with Lamm & Company Partners, has been turning to J.A. Pavers for half a decade.
“They just have a get-it-done mentality when it comes to pavers,” Morton says. “No matter what the issue is, Jody will come up with a solution. He goes above and beyond.”
Morton says that hands-on approach helps keep projects running smoothly and is why he seeks out the company for any project he’s involved with that requires brick pavers.
“From bidding to quality control, Jody is involved in every aspect,” Morton says. “With larger companies there’s often a handoff, and you don’t have the same continuity and efficiency that Jody offers.”
J.A. Pavers has become especially adept at keeping up with demands and timelines—even when builders, contractors and others on the job don’t. “We offer high quality, experience and creative solutions to meet deadlines,” Adametz says.
And whatever pattern, shape or style a customer is after, J.A. Pavers looks forward to making it happen.
“Manufacturers offer more plank sizes, shapes, styles and colors today, so whether a customer seeks a herringbone or classic installation—or anything in between—J.A. Pavers is ready. Anything that a client or architect can dream up, we can achieve,” Adametz says.
‘Personal Touch’
J.A. Pavers works closely with commercial builders and pool companies, and Adametz calls on his experience as a plumber, homebuilder and paver to deliver a quality result that he can be proud of. “I put my personal touch on every job,” he says. “I have a lot of in-depth experience in construction, building houses, building pools, laying pavers. I’ve encountered just about everything and utilize my experience to find solutions.”
Adametz called on that expertise when working on the Maitland City Centre complex in Maitland, Florida. The apartment complex features retail on the ground floor. The high-profile project utilized pedestal pavers on the rooftop pool deck and dog park. J.A. Pavers was also responsible for a large, lower-level courtyard and paver sidewalks throughout the project.
Other work that stands out to Adametz includes the Residences at the Green in Bradenton, Florida, which features a large pool, recreation center, courtyard and paver streetscapes. The installation of the pool deck and courtyard for downtown Orlando’s Camden Thornton Park apartments presented a challenge because all of the materials had to be hoisted by crane due to the project’s fourth-floor location.
Recently, J.A. Pavers has been busy installing classic 4-by-8-inch bricks to create entry features at two dozen Publix grocery stores. All of the stores feature the same overall look, but appear different because of the color variation in the bricks.
Many of its installations are at residential complexes and retail centers, but Adametz and his team are forever seeking to stretch to the next level.
“We would like to do larger commercial jobs, retail projects, apartment complexes,” he says. “The larger jobs offer challenges and opportunities for innovative, creative planning. I do enjoy the small projects as well, as I enjoy the positive interactions with satisfied homeowners who are always excited to show off their completed projects.”
One residential project that Adametz is particularly proud of is the work he and his team completed as community service outreach. J.A. Pavers installed a self-stacking retaining wall to level out a backyard and installed a paver patio at the home of a wheelchair-bound child whose time outside had been limited to a 4-by-8-foot patio.
“We’ve built our reputation through personal relationships with homebuilders, pool companies and hundreds of satisfied homeowners and look forward to helping hundreds more explore the endless possibilities for future paving projects,” Adametz says.