Owings Brothers Contracting
That’s where talented homebuilders and remodelers become essential. Working from homes that fall short of the owner’s visions, these craftsmen possess the skills needed to grant homeowners (or soon-to-be owners) their ideal space. From the smallest additions to complete renovations to brand new homes, builders and remodelers can bring about dramatic changes in a house. But with the yellow pages full of remodelers in your area, how do you go about narrowing the field to a handful of hard-working, top-quality, creative, budget-conscious, reliable professionals? One great way is to consider only the best.
But how do you find the best? Fortunately, each year, building and remodeling associations across the country recognize top members for exceptional projects. This past fall, the Home Builders Association of Maryland presented the Awards of Excellence and the Maryland Improvement Contractors Association presented the Remodeler of the Year Awards (ROYALs). These awards honored companies deserving recognition among their peers, the industry, and the public for top-notch home building and remodeling projects.
The awards are not, however, simply praise for the companies being honored—they are a resource for homeowners seeking to hire professional builders and remodelers. What better way to hone in on the best and most capable than to start with a list of award-winning companies? To help introduce builders and remodelers in the Mid-Atlantic area, we have provided a sampling of award-winning projects and some of the stories behind them (See pages 42 and 44 for a full list of winners). And knowing the ins and outs of the HBAM and MICA contests can help homeowners better understand the industry in which they are shopping and become more alert and astute clients.
Jim Molinelli of ARDO Contracting illustrates the usefulness of these awards to the public: “A woman contacted me concerning a remodeling project and informed me that she planned to speak to four companies, ARDO included, and choose her contractor after interviewing all of them. When I asked how she narrowed her list down to four, the woman explained that she had no prior knowledge of the remodeling industry, so she referred to the MICA Awards and picked the award winners from her area.”
So if homeowners are planning to pick from the winners, how can they be sure that the awards are being given to the best and the brightest in the industry? To ensure winners’ credibility, associations like HBAM and MICA set strict criteria for judging the contest entrants. John Kortecamp, Executive Vice President of HBAM, stresses impartiality—“We look at multiple elements, not just ‘does it look pretty?’ ” Yes, aesthetics are involved, as no homeowner will be pleased with an unattractive addition or renovation, but entrants must show the judges that something deeper exists within the project.
Craftsmanship plays an important role in deciding upon the winners. Judges for HBAM’s awards study both the materials and the manner in which they were used. Every seam and cut needs to be perfect, and by using high quality products, builders and remodelers ensure a level of value and dependability for their clients. And the quality of construction will directly affect the finished look of a job—if the work is shoddy, you will know to look at it. If the job has been done skillfully and well, that too, will show.
Welsh Construction took one Kingsville kitchen from an awkward layout with an oddly angled and burdensome sink to an attractive space featuring plenty of wall cabinets for storage, glass corner cabinets, whatnot shelves, and decorative crown molding, all seamlessly incorporated. The result earned Welsh one of MICA’s ROYAL Awards in the Residential Kitchen under $40,000 category and provided the homeowner with a stunning and highly functional kitchen.
When working within existing spaces, remodelers must be sensitive to the structure that’s already there by creating a design that transitions into the established vocabulary of the house. Winning the Residential Remodeling $75,000 and Under Award of Excellence from HBAM was the Baywood Design Group. The homeowners desired an addition that would harmonize a new and unique design element with their existing home. To achieve this end, Baywood created a sunroom with staggered, modular windows and a new roofline. The stacked window design easily juxtaposed a contemporary element with a more traditional exterior. The windows look as though they were always a part of the house.
In addition to craftsmanship and structural sensitivity, judges examine the budget for each job. They look to see if the money spent matches the end result—that the homeowners got what they paid for. Judges want to know the price paid was reasonable. They ask themselves, “Did the builder work hard at getting the budget to satisfy the homeowners?”
Sometimes staying within a budget can prove to be a difficult task, as builders and remodelers often encounter obstacles to completing their work. These obstacles should not, however, impede their ability to complete a project satisfactorily—with top quality workmanship and a reasonable amount of time and money. Judges pay attention to problems arising during any stage of the job and then look at how the contestant dealt with the problem. Winners have handled dilemmas in a professional and expert manner. Mike Baldwin of Baldwin Homes, winner of a 2003 HBAM Award of Excellence for Historic Restoration, admits that building homes is a difficult trade—builders have to work out all of the kinks as they go along. But the most talented in the industry can transition through these problem areas smoothly and effectively.
Take ARDO Contracting, for example. Crafting a new home office addition at the front of a home meant an exciting change in the exterior, for which ARDO received MICA’s Residential Exterior over $50,000 ROYAL Award. But before winning the award, ARDO had to figure their way around a tall tray ceiling. Once they had settled on the location, above the existing dining room, the contractor and homeowner discovered an unexpected obstacle. The tray ceiling in the dining room limited space for the new room and the second floor structural members. To solve the problem, ARDO married steel and wood floor framing—the arrangement made the new floor strong enough to carry office loads while allowing the tray ceiling below to stay intact.
As in most home service industries, creative and distinctive elements will take a good project one step further, making it interesting, artistic, and beautiful. Falling into a catchall “specialty” category, these elements can focus on almost any area that showcases the builders’ creative potential. Both the MICA and HBAM contests include specialty categories that highlight the unique details of larger projects deserving specific attention. Snagging James Contracting two Awards of Excellence—one for Specialty Details $30,000 and Under and the other for Residential Remodeling $150,000-$200,000—a home library project contains a smooth union of hardwood floors and paneled bookcases, careful detailing and artful molding.
Specialty categories cover a broad range of projects, including some not-so-standard projects, like that receiving this year’s HBAM Award of Excellence in the Specialty Details $100,000 and Over category. Transforming what was once a maze of underground rooms, Ilex created a state-of-the-art home theater and entertainment center. Hardwood floors, granite, and curved iron railings accent the rooms. The homeowners’ trust in Ilex’s creativity allowed them the freedom to generate an astonishing renovation.
Matt Azola of Azola and Associates, a judge for the 2003 HBAM Awards of Excellence, says homeowners can be confident in hiring contestants for their own projects. “You can know that every entry is more than satisfactory—anybody entering these contests knows they are going up against some of the best work from the top builders and remodelers. Entering is like saying we have pride and stand behind our work enough to participate in this contest.” So if contest entrants represent some of the best homebuilders and remodelers around, the winners can be said to represent the best of the best in the loop.
Setting high standards within the HBAM Awards of Excellence and the MICA Remodeler of the Year Awards also serves to advance the industry in several ways, the results of which ultimately benefit consumers. “If you build a program where companies seek recognition for excellence, they have to provide a service of excellence,” claims Tom Shaner, Executive Director of MICA and one of this year’s judges. “We hold companies up to a higher standard and we see an improvement of builder services.” Mike Owings of Owings Brothers Contracting, a 2003 Award of Excellence winner, also states that contests such as these raise the bar for the building industry. Companies must continue to progress in their skills, expertise, and creativity in order to keep pace with the competition surrounding these awards.
Jim Rafferty of Welsh Construction notes that the industry has been known to include some unsavory characters, and for homeowners unfamiliar with remodelers in their area, selecting a professional that can deliver quality workmanship is a daunting task. That is, if they don’t know where to turn. With programs like the ROYALs and the Awards of Excellence, the public benefits from a sort of screening process. Jim Molinelli declares, “The awards get intelligent people information about the right companies.”
Baldwin Homes
Baywood Design Build
ILEX Construction & Development
Baywood Design Build
Award of Excellence, Residential Remodeling $75,000 and under.
To achieve a contemporary look that would still flow with the
original design in this sunroom addition, Baywood introduced staggered, modular windows and a new roofline.
ARDO Contracting
ROYAL Award Winner
Residential Exterior over $50,000.
Crafting a new home office addition meant an exciting change in the exterior, but ARDO needed to achieve additional space for the structural members of the office while maintaining the tall tray ceiling of the floor below.
Touse Remodeling,
ROYAL Award Winner
Entire House Award.
Touse increased the size and curb appeal of this gambrel-roofed home by adding a portico.
Welsh Construction Remodeling,
ROYAL Award Winner
Residential Bath Under $40,000.
Welsh mirrored the hexagonal tile pattern from the floor and shower base in the tile treatments on the walls in this tradiitonal master bath. An archway opening was added to the shower enclosure for a touch of elegance.
Owings Brothers Contracting
Award of Excellence Winner
Residential Remodeling $750,000 and Over.
Special care was taken to maintain the owner’s memory of country living as Owings Brothers
recreated his boyhood home.
Gilday Remodeling
ROYAL Award Winner — Residential Bath Over $40,000.
The homeowners of this 1960s era house desired additional space and modern amenities in their master bath, but its second floor location lacked the ceiling height and floor space necessary. Gilday raised the roof in the rear of the house to get the needed height and bumped out a dormer to gain square footage without having to build an addition.
Welsh Construction Remodeling
ROYAL Award Winner — Residential Kitchen Under $40,000.
The homeowner wanted to enlarge and modernize this dark and oddly shaped kitchen, while gaining extra storage space. Welsh converted an existing twin double-hung window unit into casements to allow more light and installed 42-inch wall cabinets for storage.
James Contracting
Award of Excellence Winner
Residential Remodeling $150,000-$200,000, Specialty Details $30,000 and Under.
This library now features distinctive built-ins and elegant paneled walls.
Ilex Construction & Development
Award of Excellence Winner — Specialty Details $100,000 and Over.
Formerly a maze of underground rooms, this space has been transformed into a home theater and entertainment center. Hardwood floors, granite, and curved iron railings complete the elegant surroundings.
Ilex Construction & Development
Zwingelberg Enterprises
Award of Excellence Winner — Addition $45,000 and Under.
After the existing kitchen was demolished, Zwingelberg installed new appliances, cabinets, and countertops, and handled plumbing and electrical work where needed.
Sun Spots
ROYAL Merit Award Winner — Residential Specialty.
Sun Spots was called in after last winter’s snowstorm to assess a pool cover that had collapsed under the weight of the snow. Customizing the Four Seasons System 8 glass roof system allowed the overhead structure to fit with existing conditions and the homeowners the opportunity to enclose the walls in the future for true four-season capabilities.
Baldwin Homes historic renovation of Twin Oaks Mansion.
Baywood Design/Build Group
Lauren Brooks is an Editorial Assistant for ChesapeakeHome magazine.
Contacts:
Home Builders Association of Maryland: homebuilders.org or (410) 265-7400
Maryland Improvement Contractors Association: marylandremodelers.com or (410) 576-1127
ARDO Contracting Inc.: ARDOinc.com or (410) 290-9899
Azola & Associates: (410) 528-1546
Baywood Design/Build Group: baywooddesignbuild.com or (410) 995-6363
Baldwin Homes: baldwinhomes.net or (410) 544-2200
Gilday Design & Remodeling: (301) 565-4600
James Contracting: (410) 833-1912
Ilex Construction & Development: ilexconstruction.com or (410) 243-6796
Owings Brothers Contracting: owingsbrothers.com or (410) 781-7022
Sun Spots, Inc.: SunSpotsInc.com or (800) 464-0058
Touse Remodeling: (410) 290-9062
Welsh Construction Remodeling Co.: welsh49.com or (410) 732-1360
Zwingelberg Enterprises: (410) 455-6466
