Our Story

In 1955, Houston was just a small country town on the edge of development. Taking advantage in a prosperous time, a man by the name of Charles “Bob” Bell started a construction company called C. Bob Bell & Sons. It was a time when Houston had no airports and many of Houston’s landmarks were just being built.

Twenty years after Bob Bell started his Houston construction company, he met a man who promised to step with him to the future. This man—Arun Kothari—joined him. Together, they seized the opportunity to expand C. Bob Bell & Sons. They first renamed the company Bell Custom Builders. Today it is known as B. Bell Builders LP.

Building is a passion for Kothari. He had a talent for securing work and a real grasp of maximizing profitability. Soon after accepting C. Bell’s invitation to partner in the company, he discovered the business was in debt. Kothari remained steadfast and focused. Within a few years he paid off the debt, saved thousands of dollars, and brought the company into positive cash flow.

In the 80’s, times didn’t get any easier. With the decline of the real estate and oil industries, Kothari had no choice but to work through major obstacles that caused many businesses during those times to fail. After unrelenting effort and dedication, B. Bell Builders got its first big opportunity. Bell was awarded a million-and-a-half-dollar commercial contract with METRO. At last, stable times were on the horizon.

As the years progressed, B. Bell Builders remained sustainable through steady growth. In the 90’s, Bell continued to earn contracts from some of the most prestigious firms in Houston. Bell’s client list today includes Texas Medical Center, AT&T, Shell Oil USA, ExxonMobil, METRO, Maximus Coffee Group, and many others.

B. Bell Builders—now known as b3— is on track, supported by the strong belief system which served them well for more than half a decade. In the commercial contracting industry, they continue to create presence by building beyond expectations.

Management Team

Arun D. Kothari, PE, President
Graduated 1962, M.S. University of Baroda, Baroda, India, BS, Civil Engineering
Experience: Structural Design Engineer, Design Engineer, Construction Project Manager, Chief Engineer of Construction, President of B. Bell Builders
Strengths: Planning Development and Project Analysis

Harry D. Kothari, Vice-President
Graduated 1977, M.S. University of Baroda, Baroda, India, BS, Civil Engineering
Experience: Estimator, Planning and Scheduling Engineer, Project Manager and Vice President of B. Bell Builders
Strengths: Estimating and Project Management

Nick Kothari, EIT, Senior Project Manager
Graduated 1997, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, BS, Civil and Environmental Engineering
Experience: Senior Project Manager, Estimator
Strengths: Construction Management and Contract Administration

Our Philosophy

Mission.
Our mission is to exceed expectations by leading our staff, our businesses, and our communities in a safe and inspiring environment.

Vision.
Our vision for the future is to build better quality buildings, better quality businesses, and better quality lives by leveraging our knowledge and our years of project experience.

Building Better Buildings.
We build better buildings by focusing on competitive bidding, safety, cutting-edge technology, and ideas to create sustainable and profitable structures. Our initiative to implement Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) demonstrates our progressive philosophy on being environmentally responsible.

Building Better Businesses.
We focus on building better businesses by helping other minority businesses and small contractors set up their firms to achieve and sustain growth.

Building Better Lives.
We focus on building better lives by offering internships to talented individuals so they may apprentice, learning skills they need as they develop their careers. As we move to the future, our passion for community support continues and we concentrate on finding new innovative ways to offer our expertise.

Brand Promise.
We promise to embrace the power to build beyond expectations in every area of our business and at every opportunity.

Core values.
Integrity
Quality
Competiveness
Safety
Social Responsibility
Environmental Responsibility
Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) Outreach
Education (Internal and External)