Article originally written by Shannon Spake, Haslet Style Magazine, Home & Garden 2011 (Click here to download the PDF file)
Whether your current home was pre-owned or built from an assortment of available lots and blueprints, what are the chances your builder lives in your community? If your home was built by D.R. Moss Quality Custom Homes, the chances are pretty good!
Owner Danny Moss enjoys the benefits of providing a quality product to his neighbors, and his dedication to offering only the best has earned him the title of a genuine, ethical, hardworking businessman. “Business is good, and I love what I do every day,” Danny said. “Some of my best advertising comes from my clients. They enjoy the process of creating a truly distinctive home. Each home is as unique as a fingerprint, just as it should be. Everyone’s home should be different, and I like to offer a home that will grow or change with the needs of the owners.”
D.R. Moss Quality Custom Homes started with a $20,000 investment for land on the west side of Haslet, where he built a home for his family. He later sold that home and built another, and so on. While the stakes have gotten much higher today, the area still remains one of the most affordable custom home markets in the Metroplex. In 1983, Danny Ray Moss was incorporated as D.R. Moss Quality Custom Homes.
“We started building out the property in Haslet. We’ve always been of the belief that you give people the best they can afford, with the money they want to spend, to be honest and establish a friendship with them. We are friends with all of our clients.”
Recently honored with the distinguished Greater Fort Worth Builders Association Builder of the Year award, it is clear that the rest of the area has taken notice of the local builder as well. “I have always loved Haslet and promoted it for years. Haslet is quickly being recognized as a fast-growing community with a lot to offer,” Danny explained.
The community is central to D.R. Moss Quality Custom Homes. Danny does all he can to be involved and make Haslet a better place to live. Recently, he assisted with the construction and excavation needed to build the new Fellowship of the Parks church on Avondale Haslet Road.
When designing a home, Danny makes a point to get to know his clients and what their future might bring. For instance, an existing office may be used to accommodate an elderly parent in the future, so the plans are drawn with that in mind. When the time comes for the office to change, the flex space is already there. It may be as simple as knocking out a wall to reach another wall behind it, already plumbed for a small kitchenette. The changes can be made simply and with very little cost because of the pre-planning.
A Haslet resident since birth, Danny was raised with his five siblings on a 1,200-acre ranch his father managed in Haslet. Being the son of a rancher, hard work was very much a part of Danny’s life.
“At a very young age, my dad instilled a strong work ethic in me. I was driving hay trucks in the field by the time I was eight years old and a tractor by the time I was 12. I grew up in the Haslet 4-H group and was in FFA in high school, raising and showing cattle,” said Danny. He and his father remain in the cattle business today, and still have some of the same bloodlines of the cattle he raised when he was young.
“Looking back now, we weren’t rich by any means. We were actually pretty poor, but we had everything we needed on that ranch. We had a cow we milked; we had chickens and beef we ate. We sort of lived like we were rich, and it was a very good life,” said Danny.
His career in building began at Northwest High School, from which Danny graduated in 1975. “Back in the ‘70s, they established a program for the building and trades class to build a home for a local teacher. The teacher would pay for the materials, and the students built the home. Since I did that type of work growing up, it came naturally to me. That’s how I became interested in building homes. I really took pride in the finished product.”
After school, Danny took a job with a general contractor in Arlington and quickly worked his way up the ranks. Within six months, he was in charge of his own crew framing houses. In 1976, he met his future wife, Kelly. Their first home was on Second Street in downtown Haslet, and quickly became Danny’s first building project for his family.
“It was a little fixer-upper. We practically leveled the thing and built it up from there,” Danny recalled.
From that point on, the Moss family—complete with Danny and Kelly’s daughters, Brandi Allison and Brittany Robbins—bought, built and sold their home every two to three years. Now grown up, Brandi is the owner of and realtor for Alliance Properties and Brittany is a teacher at Wayside Middle School in the Eagle Mountain-Saginaw school district.
Over the years, Danny has received numerous awards and has been appointed to various committees. In fact, his expertise has led him to serve as president of the Greater Fort Worth Builders Association and president of the Building Officials Association of Texas. He was named by then-Governor George W. Bush and re-appointed by Governor Rick Perry to serve on the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission’s State of Texas On-Site Waste Water Research Council, which is charged with regulating private septic systems. In total, he represented Texas builders for five years in Austin. Danny currently serves as Area II vice president of the Texas Association of Builders.
Locally, Danny is credited with helping create the Building Professional Institute in 1992, a continuing education program offered through the University of Texas at Arlington’s Construction Research Center. More than 1,000 building inspectors, homebuilders, architects and engineers attend annual training programs to update their knowledge on code changes and building science. Danny has served many years on this committee, including as chairman in 1996.
Danny’s experience has led him to be one of the best in his profession. He launched his own framing business in 1977, but took a hit in 1980 with the rest of the construction industry when Texas encountered a rough winter. Later that year, Danny went to work as a building inspector for the city of Bedford and found he truly enjoyed what he did for the city. And so, Danny began building homes in Haslet as a hobby to his 25-year career as chief building inspector for Bedford.
A family-owned and -operated business, D.R. Moss Quality Custom Homes took on its first employee just four years ago, and she and Kelly have quickly become a talented team with a keen eye for interior design. “Lisa Moore, our administrative assistant, is a wonderful addition to our business. She is dedicated, hardworking and quickly became part of the family.”
Having worked, studied and excelled in all facets of building—from owning his own framing business to working as a building inspector—Danny has gained vast experience in all aspects of construction. He prides himself on being a certified green builder by staying abreast of new technologies and money-saving materials available to clients.
“Some of the new homes we are building are up to 7,000 square feet but use the same amount of energy as some 1,500-squarefoot homes. The technology available is amazing; I make sure our clients are aware of their options to keep their homes running efficiently for years to come.”
From an efficient, circulating water heating system that provides hot water at any tap instantly and at a low cost, to smart homes with the ability to tie into smartphones so that the lights and appliances can be operated remotely, some of the new technology is truly amazing. Danny recently attended the National Association of Homebuilders Conference in Florida, where he serves on the board of directors. “This is where much of the latest in design trends and new technology is displayed for builders. This industry is always growing and adapting to new technology. I love being a part of that process, and incorporating it into our homes. It really is exciting,” Danny said.
When they’re not working on the next home, the Moss family spends their free time riding around in their collection of vintage Corvettes. They are proud to participate in the Lone Star Corvette Club at Texas Motor Speedway and other area car shows. Danny and Kelly have even incorporated their passion for vintage Corvettes into the interior of their home with beautiful murals in the game room and family media room. Since moving in, they have also added a pool, a beautiful outdoor kitchen and, recently, an outdoor fireplace. Danny and Kelly also enjoy spending time with their three grandchildren, and often travel with their extended family.
“We are now in our forever home. As an Air Force kid, I moved around a great deal, and being married to Danny, we moved our fair share. But this home we are in is 12 years old now, and I am perfectly content to stay,” Kelly explained.
“We love to sit on our balcony and look over our property. This is our home,” said Danny.
This is one good neighbor that doesn’t seem eager to move on. In fact, the Moss family is living their dream.
“We get to design and build dream homes for others. What could be better than that?”
For more information about D.R. Moss Quality Custom Homes, visit http://drmosshomes.com. Danny’s latest land development project is a 180-acre zone south of Willow Springs Golf Course, named Willow Springs Ranch.
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