Central’s Contractor of the Year

By Woody Jenkins.

CENTRAL — Central homebuilder Steve Rabalais was named Central 2011 Contractor of the Year at the 2nd Annual Central Business Awards ceremonies.

Rabalais’ company, Rabalais Homes, is a home-based business that is a model of entrepreneurship.  With only one assistant, Rabalais works with a number of subcontractors.  Last year, he built 30 homes, 25 of them in Central.

Rabalais’ homes are custom built, and he has a reputation for quality and customer satisfaction.

He is building or has built homes in Village at Magnolia Square, Bellingrath Lakes, Burlington Lakes, Village Lakes, Wisteria Lakes, and Hampton Village.

Rabalais says most of his customers are Central families who are upgrading to larger, more modern homes.  A few are moving in from out of state or Baton Rouge.

In order to get financing, people who want to build a new home have to have good credit, he said.

Rabalais said he believes the future of Central is bright.  “With good schools and the new Central Thruway coming in, more and more people will recognize the things Central has to offer,” he said.  “Central is doing well now, in relation to surrounding areas, but I expect it to do even better in the future.

The award was presented by Jimmy Nunnally, the developer of Village at Magnolia Square.  “I work with Steve very closely and  know what a great job he does.”  Rabalais received Best of Best Homes Award during the 2010 Parade of Homes.