Anderson and Roane counties
Oak Ridge was built quickly in the 1940s as part of the Manhattan Project, and many of the houses from that time are still lived in today. Renovating them well takes some understanding of how they were built.
Thousands of homes were put up in a short time when the city was founded, many of them built to a small number of standard plans, including the well-known cemesto houses made with prefabricated wall panels. They were designed to be built fast, not to last eighty years, and most have been modified by several owners since.
These houses are usually small, with compact kitchens and baths, few closets and systems that have been updated piecemeal. Renovation often means opening up the interior, rebuilding kitchens and bathrooms, replacing old wiring and plumbing, and adding space. Because the construction can differ from a typical stick-built house, we look closely at walls, floors and foundations during the estimate before we commit to a plan.
The city sits among ridges and valleys, so many lots slope. That can make room for a lower-level addition, a garage below the main floor or a finished basement where one exists. An addition on a smaller original house needs to match the roofline and exterior so it looks like it belongs, and we plan it that way.
Oak Ridge lies in both Anderson and Roane counties, but properties inside the city are permitted and inspected through the City of Oak Ridge. We confirm the requirements for your address, include the permit work in the plan for the job and discuss it with you in the estimate. Some newer neighborhoods also have HOAs, so check your covenants if you have one.
Yes. These homes are a large share of the city's older housing. We walk the house carefully first, since the original construction methods vary, and we explain in the written estimate what the structure and systems need before any finish work is planned.
For properties inside city limits, the City of Oak Ridge handles permits and inspections whether the address is in Anderson or Roane County. We confirm your property's requirements and build the permit work into the plan for the job.
A whole-home renovation takes a house down to what is worth keeping and rebuilds the rest to a plan and a budget. One team carries it from the first walk-through to the last punch list item.
Learn more →An addition gives you more house without leaving the neighborhood you chose. We build new rooms, second stories and extended footprints that match the house they join.
Learn more →A kitchen remodel brings together more trades than almost any other room. We coordinate the layout, cabinetry, counters, tile, plumbing and electrical with one team rather than four.
Learn more →Primary suites, hall baths and powder rooms, taken down to the studs when they need it. A bathroom is small, but it holds a lot of plumbing, tile and waterproofing that has to be done right.
Learn more →Tell us the property and what you want done. We will come back with next steps.