Jean Mauze, 3rd in a series

The really good, professional General Contractors who are successful and gain the respect of their community are a designer’s best friend. Jean Mauze was that person who came into my world some 20 years ago during a new home project where I was just honing my skills at the design/build teamwork.

I knew of Jean by his reputation as “the” builder to be associated with, and I was nervous to meet him that first day on the Bloom/Swartzman site.  I expected a tough, abrupt macho guy because I had been told he was one of the few builders who was able to command the City’s best subs in a timely manner.  Instead,I was warmly  greeted by a strikingly handsome gentleman with a soft voice and a smile that said,”welcome, glad to have you working with us”.  We could all let our guards down with Jean, and to this day, I know he is one of those entrepreneurs who have been successful in the real world by being kind to all people and exhibiting ultimate trust in all who work with him.

Sometime in the spring of 1990, Jean offered to show one of his new home projects to my client.  She and her husband were in the process of hiring a builder for their extravagant new home.  We met Jean at the designated spot; in his white Ford pickup truck he instructed us to follow him.  We all entered the highway together, and I never saw that pick up again that afternoon. Jean had a reputation for driving fast, and I was witness to it!  This happened the year’s pre-cell phone, so that appointment had to be rescheduled for another day.

Jean always enjoyed the creation of these beautiful homes we worked on together.  When we wanted to make changes or look for a better way to do some detail during construction, he was patient with us, and only offered a calm advisory about the budget or cost.

There have been countless projects that Jean and I have worked on together, and to this day, when BDG is hired for any home that Mauze Construction works on, I have a peace of mind that I do not experience so easily otherwise. Jean assures the architect and designer that all the preliminary planning and designing will be brought into reality just as they intended.  And, best of all, if there are questions about design intent or details that require further refinement in the field, Jean will always ask them and never assume.

Jean knows the roles each of us play in the design/build profession, and he honors them all.  I am so lucky to have been a part of a few of the multitude of Mauze built homes that grace our San Antonio neighborhoods!