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‘Yard Crashers’-Tampa, Day 2: Ch-ch-ch-changes

Posted Mar 11, 2010 by Loren Omoto

Updated Mar 12, 2010 at 10:14 AM

I don’t know whether to be more wowed by the water feature with the waterfall sheet, arcing fountains and fire; the remote-controlled synchronized LED lighting system, or the fact that all the work at “the Yard Crasher house” is being done by local, independent companies. Some of them owned and run by very young, very talented businessmen.

Heavy-duty rain bypassed the little house on Ballast Point Boulevard this morning so there was a lot of progress evident by lunchtime today, when I stopped by.

The raised patio (home of the wow-water) will have lounge furniture when all is done by sometime late this afternoon or early evening. The fountain was created by 2-year-old BelAqua, a local company owned and operated by 27-year-old Justin Stabler.

When it’s finished, it’ll have underwater pipes carrying propane gas. Hit the remote, and flames will dance on the water, says Justin.

It will be lit by LED lights connected to a system that runs throughout the landscaping and up into the big camphor tree. The system can be switched to suit whatever mood homeowners Brooke and Tom Iarossi are in, from subdued and romantic to flashing party time. All they have to do is turn this dial.

Without fire and lights, the fountain would cost about $5,000. With all the disco attributes, it would sell for almost twice that, Justin says.

All the cool lights, by the way, are the work of Morningstar Electric, a family-owned company powered by Ken and Tammy Morningstar of Brandon.

In the corner opposite the pergola, an outdoor kitchen is quickly taking shape.The cabinets are made of high density polyethylene, a material impervious to rain, wind, sun and mud, says Matt Boettger, 36-year-old owner of WerEver, a Tampa company that’s been pioneering ways to work with the material for 10 years. (

“It’ll last indefinitely,” Matt says of the cabinets, which look amazingly like wood. “We offer a lifetime warranty. ... Back at the office, we’ve had a piece soaking in water for five years.” So far, no change.

When it’s done,the unit will have a built-in gas grill, side burner and under-the-counter beverage center. (I have no idea how the latter will work, but I’m all for easy dispensal of beverages.) There’s even a pull-out trash can hiding in one of the cabinets.

Without the appliances, this set-up, which has a travertine tile countertop, sells for about $6,000.

A lot of landscaping is also in. Beneath the big old camphor tree (where the foot-long earthworm was unearthed yesterday) there’s now a ring of big, healthy bromeliads. The landscaper is TropicScapes in Bloomingdale. (This photo doesn’t do the bromeliads justice, but I liked the rocks. There are a bunch of different bright-colored plants.)

Below are Hawaiian tis (red), Florida cypress (the green bushes—I need to doublecheck that’s what they are—there are a lot of them and they look really good as a perimeter buffer). Kim thinks the palm is queen palm, and to the left are birds of paradise, which should be striking when they get bigger. The small tufts of grass look like liriope. All very Florida.

Some of these companies work mostly through dealers, but those who’ve been working together at the Iarossis seem to have long-standing relationships. They all do a lot of work through Outdoor Impressions —also local, also independently owned by 25-year-old Jason Smith. That may be the place to start if you’re inspired to replace that rusty old garden swing with a fire-breathing fountain. (I have a 30-year-old fence to deal with first. Sigh.)

I hope when this “Yard Crashers” episode airs in July, all of these companies get a good plug. The owners are a bunch of good-natured, hard-working guys with a lot of talent. They all do custom work, and their youth belies their experience. But what’s really nice? Between the heckling (and there’s a lot of that), each sings the other’s praises.

(OK, Jason, you better say this is a really great post! The good thing is, it’s all true.)