OUR Blog
In the foothills of North Georgia, where wooded views and winding roads set the scene, this custom home in Dawsonville reflects everything we value at Benjamin Andrew Construction: thoughtful design, timeless materials, and spaces made for real life.
From the first sketch to the final walkthrough, this home was shaped by purpose. Every detail—inside and out—was chosen with care to feel both grounded in its natural surroundings and tailored to the family who lives there.
Decisions that Impact
When embarking upon any project, remodel or design & build, it is easy to be overwhelmed by the sheer number of decisions to be made. The list of decisions marches through the homeowner's mind. What kind of windows should I choose? What kind of handles do I want on this sink? What kind of shutter dogs should I choose? How about the style of siding?
Inspiration House
A drive in the mountains often takes us through interesting twists and turns. A long view over the valley and the next range, a hole-in-the-wall barbecue joint, or an explosion of autumn reds and oranges are all just around the bend. But these surprises are hoped for, expected. Sometimes a drive through the mountains brings something unlooked for -- inspiration. In our story, a house around the bend in a North Carolina road is the instigator, a first step in journey for our homeowners. This isn't just anyone's story, it's Ben and his family's, and it's not just another remodel.
Congratulations
Congratulations are in order for our project manager, Ian Hastings. He recently completed his path to citizenship and took his oath this week. Well done, Ian!
A Better Backyard
In the Atlanta-area this week, summer paid a visit. The warm air brought visions of poolside siestas, lake breezes, and ice cold margaritas on the deck. Or maybe you got a whiff of baking concrete, the feeling you need another shower by the time you arrive at work, or the listless feeling of laying on your couch waiting for your struggling A/C to keep up with the Georgia heat. A common theme emerges.
Farmhouse Kitchen: Demo
A swift perusal through the latest home remodeling magazines will give a taste of the very diverse ideas trending in kitchen design right now. However, it seems that no matter the style, in design there is something that unites the current trend in kitchen remodels -- the open floor plan. What have we learned from the past? Walls are confining; they separate. Upper cabinets aren't really necessary for storage. The work of the kitchen doesn't have to be separated from relaxation or talk or togetherness. The result? Kitchens that are more connected to the rest of the home. Moms & dads rejoice! We can work AND play, talk AND cook, wash AND help with homework.
Custom Solutions
One of our promises to clients is to come up with solutions that fit their particular needs, not using mass-produced "solutions" that cannot anticipate each home's idiosyncrasies. Remember the customized barn doors, the doors carefully re-sized to fit the newly redone interiors, or the ultimate custom man-cave?
1950's Remodel
Long before HGTV or Discovery channel became interested in the drama of renovation, the remodeling profession has been painting, adding, sanding, refinishing, and removing. At the heart of a remodel is the desire to preserve and renew. It also requires a vision -- the ability to see past the outdated, dark, or too small. Thom saw such a vision when he walked into the 1950's ranch home in Atlanta and thought, this is it! It wasn't everything that he wanted, though the home had been renovated since the 50's. He wanted to make the house into his home. In his own words,
A Firm Foundation
A firm foundation is absolutely necessary when building secure & stable structures meant to house our families, those we love and cherish. Even the Sunday School dittie picks up on this theme, "The wise man built his house upon the ROCK!" with emphasis of fists pounding each like a hammer driving nails.
A strong foundation is no less important when adding on to a house. A proper foundation for a remodeling project may consist of additional footers or concrete being poured. It may consist of proper architectural renderings for your project. It might consist of an efficient and experienced contractor making detailed plans to get your project done in the least amount of time with the fewest number of days on the job all the while caring for your property as though it were his own. Or, it might mean all of those things.
Uncovering Remodeling Gold
For anyone in the business or even someone who has watched television shows about the remodeling business, the words, "We ripped up the carpet and found. . ." is a dramatic sentence opener. And found mold? And found rotten subfloor? All of those hidden costs for repair can be a homeowner's nightmare. But the answer everyone DOES want to hear is this. . . we found original hardwoods.
The Big Reveal
Remember our time capsule from the 1980's? The whole home remodel that promised to bring a home back to, if not the future, at least the present? We can't wait to show you the finished look.
Breaking Ground
Somehow, demolition seems to be everyone's favorite part of renovations. Who doesn't love a sledge hammer or sawzall making the sheetrock fly? For our newest project, we had some outside demolition to do, which can be tricky without planning and forethought.