The Remodelors Council of the Home Builders Association of Maryland announced the winners of its 17th annual Remodeling Award of Excellence competition Nov. 15.
The awards recognize outstanding remodeling design and craftsmanship by area contractors, carpenters, designers, architects and others. An evaluation team consisting of remodeling contractors from outside the Baltimore metropolitan area rated all entries. The criteria used to judge the entries included: quality of construction, degree of difficulty, value and cost effectiveness, unique and creative design approach and sensitivity to existing structure.
Awards are given in nearly a dozen categories, including kitchens, baths, additions and whole house renovations. Some of the winners are listed below. A complete list of winners can be found at homebuilders.org.
Kitchen Alteration
$50,000 to $100,000 AWARD OF EXCELLENCE -- Starcom Design Build / Contractor: Starcom Design Build Description: The owners of this Woodbine home requested a kitchen with modernized features and additional space. The finished project doubled the size of their kitchen area and included two islands with brown granite countertops and dark wood for a rich look.
Bathrooms
Under $50,000 AWARD OF EXCELLENCE -- Starcom Design Build / Contractor: Starcom Design Build / Interior designer: Sue Welsh Description: The new design of this 1970s master bathroom is more spacious and appealing. Additional space was provided by bumping out a wall in the closet so the washer and dryer could be moved from the basement to their new location upstairs.
Decks
$50,000 to $100,000 AWARD OF EXCELLENCE -- Owings Home Services / Contractor: Owings Homes Services, Joe Smith / Architect: Mike Ryan Description: Using the existing waterfront landscape around the pool area required careful selection of materials so that the new and old blended aesthetically. The various levels of decking and patio installed because of significant elevation changes provide not only additional space, but also a direct path to the pool area.
Additions
$125,000 to $175,000 AWARD OF EXCELLENCE -- GBL Custom Home Design / Contractor: Robin Ford Building / Architect: GBL Custom Home Design Description: The finished product of this addition allowed for additional office, storage and garage space for a growing family without taking away the charming look of this existing home in Finksburg. SILVER MERIT -- McCloskey Group / Contractor: McCloskey Group / Architect: Brian McCloskey Group Description: A new facelift and additional square footage that flows into the home's existing rooms created an area to accomplish all the needs of this Belair homeowner. SILVER MERIT -- Van Deusen Construction / Contractor: Van Deusen Construction / Building designer: Jay Van Deusen / Lead carpenter: Buck Chestnut Description: The homeowners of this project in Belair wanted a design allowing for more natural light and additional space to their existing home . This addition has also allowed for the existing living room to be turned into a more formal setting. $250,000 to $300,000 AWARD OF EXCELLENCE -- Robert Kutner Associates / Contractor: Robert Kutner Associates / Architect: Robert E. Kutner / Interior designer: Kay Bond / Landscape designer: Steve Wilson / Lead carpenter: Art Bergman Description: The new space in this White Hall house was designed to include a master bedroom with sitting area, his-and-hers walk-in closets, a luxurious master bath, new laundry room, powder room and a hallway from the existing structure to the new addition adding lots of natural light and creating a courtyard effect.
Whole House Alteration
$250,000 to $300,000 (with Addition) AWARD OF EXCELLENCE -- Lynch Construction / Contractor: Lynch Construction / Building Designer: Donald F. Lynch Jr. / Lead Carpenter: Donald Lynch III Description: A new bedroom for the homeowner's teenage son was added to this Belair home. The kitchen was redesigned and new space was added by bumping out the front of the house and adding a bay window in the dining room. SILVER MERIT -- Wall to Wall Construction / Contractor: Wall to Wall Construction / Architect: Henry R. Wollard Jr. / Building designer: Wall to Wall Construction / Lead carpenter: John Welsner Description: The transformation of this Catonsville home was created to allow for more open space for a new kitchen, dining area and a luxurious master bedroom suite.
Whole House Renovation
$750,000 to $900,000 AWARD OF EXCELLENCE -- Taylor-Reed Builders Inc. / Contractor: Taylor-Reed Builders Inc. / Building designer: Bellefield Design Inc. / Landscape designer: Natural Concerns / Lead carpenter: Chris Thompson Description: Updating this Cockeysville rancher included adding dormers to allow light to pour into the family room, kitchen and living room areas. A new glass entry system covered by a timber-framed portico was added to the front of the house and a second staircase was created to improve the flow through the house. SILVER MERIT -- Owings Brothers Contracting / Contractor: Owings Brothers Contracting, Tim Owings / Architect: Peter Ratcliffe / Interior designer: Tina Wojtal / Lead carpenter: Jerry Wilson Description: A new three-car garage, reorienting with driveway, a bonus space above the garage for an in-home office, and an expanded and enlarged kitchen and family room, master bedroom, bath and lower level provided an elegant Owings Mills home for entertaining, as well as quiet family time. $375,000 to $525,000 AWARD OF EXCELLENCE -- James Contracting Inc. / Contractor: James Contracting Inc. / Architect: GBL Custom Home Design, Greg Little / Lead carpenter: Robert Pratt Description: A new master bedroom suite with a luxury bathroom, a finished basement with bath and entertainment center, a redesigned kitchen, new attached garage and two new fireplaces have transformed this Sykesville home into a place where the owners can entertain. $525,000 - $600,000 AWARD OF EXCELLENCE -- Baldwin Homes, Inc. / Contractor: Baldwin Homes, Inc. / Architect: Purple Cherry Wilson Architects / Interior designer: Powersmith / Landscape designer: Jams / Lead carpenter: Russell Daywalt Description: It was time to bring this 1928 Crownsville home up to the 21st century. Adding a new 2 car garage and breezeway, removing an existing porch, expanding and enclosing a living room, relocating the foyer, kitchen and dining room, expanding the master suite, and adding a modern master bath was part of the transformation to give this 1920s home a modern feel.