Everybody knows that real estate is all about “location, location, location.” And the Hamptons have more than its share of beautiful locations.
But when it comes to high-end Hamptons homes, it’s also about “construction, construction, construction.” And James Nicholas Custom Home Builders proves that point, building luxurious homes at prime locations across the Hamptons.
A custom home builder and general contractor based in Westhampton Beach, specializing in the Hamptons, James Aracri is the owner of James Nicholas Builders and also a resident of Westhampton Beach.
“My work with the owner and architect is to take their design and bring it to reality,” says Aracri. “And I work with the architect throughout the project, if there are design changes.”
One of the Hamptons’ best-known builders and general contractors, they are in the midst of building a 5,000-square-foot, oceanfront Westhampton Beach home at 161 Dune Road, designed by architect Bruce Nagel. It includes a three-story spiral staircase, curved glass walls and rooms with views difficult to match.
“The property is special,” says Aracri of the construction designed to match the location. “You get 360-degree panoramic views of both bay and ocean.”
Fresh from finishing building the Three Ducks Hotel, a boutique hotel in Westhampton Beach, James Nicholas Custom Home Builders is also building and recently finished other luxurious homes on the East End, including 51 Tuthill Lane and 18 Cricket Path, both in the hamlet of Remsenburg, and 1223 Ocean Road in Bridgehampton.
Design Build Option
A contemporary and traditional Hamptons home builder, they work with award-winning architects such as the South Fork-based architect Bruce Nagel Architecture and Queens-based Stuart Narofsky Architecture. Aracri also formed a design/build company, BN+G (BN-G.com) with Nagel and Michael Murphy, who has over 30 years of design-build experience throughout the United States.
“Instead of hiring an architect and a builder separately, it’s one-stop design build,” Aracri says. “We design and build your home. You’re working with the builder from day one.”
James Nicholas Custom Homes has already been part of a Hamptons construction boom amid an influx of new homeowners during the COVID-19 pandemic, often tearing down to rebuild or doing major renovations.
“I’ve seen most projects hold steady and the timeline of obtaining products is much better,” Arcari says. “Timeframes on appliances, materials, on anything to do with the project don’t consist of any more COVID delays.”
A Hamptons Life
Few people know the Hamptons as well as Aracri, who has lived on the East End, on and off, most of his life since age 5. “My family has been in construction and built homes on Long Island for years,” he says.
He lived in a house at 49 Dune Road in Quogue, which his family built and MTV used to shoot a show called The Grind in the 1990s. “MTV rented our home that we built,” he remembers. “It was also my childhood summer home.”
He went into home construction and, about 25 years ago, began specializing in high-end luxury Hamptons homes with amenities for secondary homeowners, mostly from New York City, often Manhattan.
Aracri now has over 25 years of experience as a builder and general contractor with operational control of subcontractors for quality craftsmanship. Homes typically range from 5,000 to 20,000 square feet.
Luxury with Transparency
Aracri does Teams or Zoom meetings once every two weeks to update clients and meets monthly with clients at the job site while providing financial transparency.
“When I build your home, I build it on a cost-plus basis,” he explains. “All invoices and costs of the construction project are transparent to the homeowner.”
That plays well with people from the finance industry, who comprise a major portion of his clientele. “They know the value of the dollar and budgeting,” Aracri says. “I work with them on the finances of their project.”
Quality and Technology
In addition to transparency, he builds with quality and innovation, incorporating new technologies and materials that can accomplish the design aesthetic while also offering warranties of up to 50 years.
“It is important that the client’s home is unique but also durable as it is an investment to be enjoyed,” he says.
The homes “include a lot of audio-visual media rooms and smart homes with Lutron systems, so when you go to your house and turn on the light, it’s controlled through your phone,” he notes. “You can walk in and turn on the lights in multiple rooms from one switch.”
Since he does high-end construction, he has relationships with high-end manufacturers and vendors throughout the United States and Europe. They use top-of-the-line windows and siding such as porcelain made by Claddco.
“You have to be aware of the elements,” Aracri explains. “Sometimes being on the water, you’re also dealing with environmental issues, the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and water tables.”
Special Features
While each home is different, there are trends, including special features for pools such as waterfalls, spas and lighting controls. James Nicholas also incorporates landscape architecture and hardscape into construction.
“It’s a different type of lifestyle,” Aracri says of Hamptons homes for New York City residents. “Coming out to the Hamptons and having their space and amenities is important to them.”
Movie theaters, full-sized gyms, big bedrooms with fireplaces and walk-in closets all can be par for the course.
The firm also installs 24-hour cameras with access for homeowners on projects.
“You really want to give access to somebody who’s building a secondary home who won’t be there,” Aracri says.
James Nicholas Builders has a robust staff of construction professionals, including project managers, estimators, superintendents, carpenters and laborers to ensure the quality and timeliness. But Aracri remains hands-on, making sure these high-end homes get high-quality work.
“A Hamptons home is an investment in lifestyle and memories shared with friends and family, possibly for generations. It is highly personal. I have recognized this is most important and is why I take on a personal role delivering their dreams,” he says.
James Nicholas Custom Home Builders is located at 11C Moniebogue Lane, Unit 15, in Westhampton Beach. To contact James Aracri, call him at 631.445.0838, email him at james.aracri@jamesnicholasbuilders.com, or follow him on Instagram @James_Nicholas_Builders.
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