From the ground up! 🚜
We’ve been focusing on quick updates requiring limited construction. Now It’s time to pull out the hard hats and show you some of our new construction projects.
Perfect location, tricky house? We adore them, but sometimes the beloved bungalows have just seen better days, and the expense to renovate outweighs the expense of just starting over. Based on your needs and your wish list, we can help you through the process of making that decision.
We know that New Construction seems like a monumental task, however once the demo is done, starting fresh with no inherited issues is liberating — (for you and the crew). It is an opportunity to get a truly custom, made to measure, home.
Our design-build team has lots of experience with this process and we guide you through each step, from architectural drawings, codes & variances, site prep, product and material selections, construction, all the way to that exciting move-in day!
Have a look.
PRO: A lovely growing family. Amazing neighborhood. Gorgeous wooded lot.
CON: The house is small, in need of a lot of work, and has poor drainage conditions. Hmmmm. 🤔
The plan? Keep the one structure worth saving, the garage, and build the dream house while maintaining the historic charm of the neighborhood. Treading carefully, we rolled up our sleeves and did just that.
After demolition, on site meetings on our custom conference tables, are essential to keep the progress moving. This is the place where many important decisions are hammered out along the way. —Don’t forget the coffee. ☕️
The project is framing up perfectly within the original landscape.
Circa 2018. This house became a home with a front porch created for story telling and many memories in years to come. The garage got a face lift, the driveway is sustainable and the yard is graced with fresh plantings. Indeed a lovely home for the lovely family.
PRO: Another amazing neighborhood and the familiar story about a tiny house on a sizable lot.
CON: This small cottage in dire need of updating had some charm, but was not in great shape on the inside. What to do??
Build phase. And so the decision was made to build a new (slightly bigger, but not huge) house with the same neighborly sensibility and filled with modern day amenities.
Fast forward. Circa 2020. An ever-more-charming exterior. We echoed the arched doorway as a hint of the past but we added so-much-more!
As much as we love to paint exterior brick, we intentionally kept the natural brick as a nod to the original homes in the neighborhood when it was developed back in the 30’s. Seriously, would you be able to tell this is a brand new home boasting 5 bedrooms and a gourmet kitchen as you drive down the tree-lined street?
The screen porch is designed for many days of relaxing and enjoying the garden. A pomegranate tree holds court among many shrubs and plants from the past. The old tree and the new house will nurture generations to come.
Under construction now.
PRO: This sweet little number sat on the perfect flat lot within a few yards of coffee shops, restaurants, and family fun. WHO could pass it up?
CON: Years of neglect and serious roof leak problems that led to a house full of critters…yikes!
After a much-awaited day of demo, the site prep is a vital step to re-building.
Progress. Form-work, grading, slab rough-ins, you name it! This will be an exciting new home.
Stay tuned, but get ready. The new house will have a master on the main and vaulted, light-filled living spaces that take advantage of the sun orientation. Check our instagram for updates on the construction progress.
If you are on the fence about renovating vs new construction, call us and we will help you weigh the options. Meanwhile here’s a few things to consider about new construction:
Allow 3 to 4 months for a well developed set of plans, selection of all interior finishes and materials, and a detailed fixed construction price. Permitting varies as well, but a good rule of thumb is 4 to 6 weeks. Historic districts should allow longer for compliance and approval of the design. Once construction begins, approximately 8 to 12 months should be expected.
It’s a lengthy process, but good things are worth waiting for. Let’s build.
Thanks to Jeff Herr for the very beautiful “after” pics!!!
