BUILDERS PROFILE

LEFT An iconic architectural contemporary in the exclusive enclave of Newport Beach. This home was completed in July 2022 with unobstructed panoramic ocean, bay, beach views from two levels with 180-degree view-oriented frontage. An incredible build design team with Christina Moore MID interior and Brian Liberto.

BELOW Recently completed in May 2022 the 11,800 sq-ft. estate underwent a $3,500,000 renovation that calls to mind the grandeur of classic Beverly Hills and European mansions from a bygone era. Originally constructed over seven years, Burkhart Bros retained its sophisticated style while incorporating on-trend appointments and top-tier finishes to make this one of the most grandeur homes in Orange County real estate.

INSPIRED BY TRAVELS

Burkhart Bros. Owner Sees Little Difference Between Art & Construction

BY KAVITA DASWANI | PHOTOS COURTESY OF BURKHART BROS

WHILE OTHER KIDS THEIR AGE WERE OUT skateboarding and going to the movies, Bryan Burkhart was digging ditches and painting walls.

“Our dad didn’t believe in having people do work around the house,” he said. “Anything that had to be done - remodels, room additions - we did it ourselves. We got used to using our hands.”

That early experience served Burkhart, and his brother Mark, in good stead; they are the founders of Burkhart Brothers Construction, one of the most prominent home builders in Orange County, where they have constructed some of the more spectacular homes in the region.

However, despite that early and pronounced exposure to building, Bryan Burkhart’s path to running his own construction company was a circuitous one; he spent time in the military, studied international finance, economics and investment banking at USC, and spent a few years in the wine business, traveling the world to work with master sommeliers.

Then the Burkharts decided to get into the custom home development market, building properties on spec for luxury buyers. But that’s when they discovered one of the ugly truths around the construction business.

“A lot of the contractors I brought on didn’t know what they were doing,” he said. “They were unprofessional and overpriced.”

They were heading into the economic slowdown of 2008, and wanted to keep their employees while

still juggling the inevitably hassles of dealing with multiple contractors on their projects.

“That’s when we morphed into a construction company,” he said. “Because we had been playing with our own money, we found a way to do the best construction at the best price. We learned from our mistakes and got better at the business.”

The brothers work almost exclusively in Newport, Laguna, Corona Del Mar, and Monarch Beach, communities that they have close personal ties with, where they live, dine, socialize, and where their kids go to school. Their company has evolved over the last 15 years from small remodels to jaw-dropping new builds and massive renovations in the $6 - $10 million price range. Their work has become ever more adventurous, from homes nestled into the iconic cliffs of Laguna, sprawling manors with custom wine cellars to modern trilevel masterpieces in tricky spaces within the coveted streets of Corona Del Mar. “But we always lean towards contemporary homes, clean lines, with a lot of cutting edge features,” he said. “We’ve rebuilt homes from the 1920s into large modern farmhouses, have done museumstyle contemporary houses to properties that are warm and traditional.”

Much of Burkhart’s approach to creating homes was shaped by his time in Europe when he worked in the wine business for many years. He and his family visit Italy every year. “Everything about wine is about history and art,” he said. “And the key to food and wine is comfort, layers, textures, dimensions. What a building is about is how you feel in it. I find few differences between construction and art,” he said.

He continues to be inspired by his travels.”

I saw a house in Burgundy that was built in 1000 AD that had a modern wing built onto it, made out of steel. That juxtaposition was so cool to me. A lot of that is going on today, and we like to find a way to integrate the old and the new. Even when it comes to something like building a house, I like to reinvent the wheel.” CH burkhartbros.com

Located in Newport Beach’s highly desirable community of Newport Heights this soft contemporary home boasts pacific ocean, Newport Harbor and Catalina Island views from both levels. Soaring ceilings, a private courtyard, custom wine cellar and an impressive spec level that encompasses top-of-the-line finishes, fixtures and craftsmanship. Teale Architecture and Drew D’Angelo were an integral part of this serendipitous design build team.