Mississippi is a wonderful place to visit in the Spring when warm breezes from the Gulf of Mexico blow across the rice fields, and the colorful southern flowers begin to bloom; it’s even better when you realize that all of that is happening while people in Boston, New York, and Chicago are still shoveling snow, figuring out what to do with their kids when school is canceled yet again by the latest blizzard.

And the cultural legacy of Mississippi is far richer than many Americans realize. Mississippi is the birthplace of the Blues. Mississippi knows how to catch, cook, and season a catfish, and they can produce them for much of the South. Mississippi is the cultural hub of Southern hospitality. With the Gulf of Mexico to the South and the Smokey Mountains of Tennessee to the North, Mississippi encompasses a variety of terrains, cultures, and history. Mississippi’s openness and hospitality are evident in their homes, which can be seen as an extension of their generosity.

Friendly living spaces are central to Dixie homes, rivaled only by their busy kitchens where the biscuits, grits, hushpuppies, cornbread, and homegrown okra essential for southern hospitality are prepared. On the list below you’ll find builders who know how to put together a living room that can host parties for large numbers of friends; you’ll find floor plans that encourage families to spend a lot of time in common living spaces, whether on indolent porches or inside spacious air-conditioned family rooms.

Oprah and Elvis called Mississippi home; perhaps you already do too, or perhaps you’re planning on moving to this gorgeous, gracious state. Either way, Mississippi homeowners will find 13 of the best general contractors in the Magnolia State on this list. As you would expect, these Mississippi based firms know how to build warmth and hospitality into their homes.

13) Ambrose Construction

610 Mills Ave, Gulfport, MS  39501

Toby Ambrose has been in construction since 1999; later he started his own company in Gulfport. The firm offers a generous range of general contracting services from remodeling to damage restoration, serving areas primarily located at the Gulfport-Biloxi Metropolitan Statistical Area and its surrounding areas.

Southern living is obviously at the heart of Ambrose Construction: they have a high regard for combining elegance and practicality. True to its Mississippi roots, the company mainly offers traditional and ranch styles of work with heavy woodwork, low-leveled elevation, Doric columns, and a traditional home layout. Splashes of vibrant color are employed to make homes more cozy and welcoming. With the use of storage and countertops, space is rendered more functional, yet the use of select tiles and ornaments ensure a stylish atmosphere.

12) All In One Home Repair & Remodeling

103 Willington Way, Madison, MS 39110

Like the name suggests, All In One Home Repair & Remodeling promises to respond to any household construction, repair, and development concern. Founder Gary Netherland started his own company with the experience he acquired while helping his father in his work in framing. For over 20 years, the company has served Jackson and the communities that surround Jackson.

The company offers work in traditional, contemporary, and colonial styles. They are used to working with the elaborate ornamentation and the thick frames we might associate with the historic south, but they have also learned to fuse and refine those features with more modern touches. They favor a compact, straightforward layout style. The sum of these individual aesthetic choices has reshaped Mississippi neighborhoods with a striking combination of modern elegance and traditional southern sophistication.

11) David Turner Companies

213 Palmers Court, Madison, MS 39110

For 18 years, David Turner has provided mesmerizing homes for Mississippi families. Their portfolio displays traditional, colonial, and French-styled homes often characterized by grand facades, Doric columns, and intimate porches; these homes are clearly made with the Southern experience in mind. Neutral shades of cream, cyan, and rose on the exterior are paired with delicate stonework and brick arrangement; this style evokes the traditional southern home.

Turner has earned accolades from the Home Builders Association of Jackson and Home Builders Association of Mississippi (HBAM), including the Grand Award from each.

10) Roberts Builders

204 West First St, Ripley, MS 38663

Roberts Builders is a multi-generational family business located in Ripley. Mike Roberts started his own general contracting firm in 1983 using his experience as a carpenter and a builder. Years later, he stepped down as a principal to give way to his son, Casey. Later, Casey’s brother joined the company as secretary and treasurer. Now, Casey and Jarrett take a hands on approach to work together managing new commercial construction, historic renovations, and elaborate custom residential work.

The company engages in commercial and residential projects. With the emphasis on cabin, colonial and French styles of work, they have completed multiple projects in Mississippi, Tennessee, and Alabama. Their style is characterized by lodge-like features: thick cuts of wood, overhanging support beams, and an asymmetrical structure. They work for a number of architects, engineers, and construction managing companies. 

9) High Tide Builders

1887 Blue Meadow Rd, Bay St. Louis, MS 39520

High Tide Builders keeps up-to-date with the latest in construction methods and technology. The company offers clients a software portal that organizes the construction process and tracks expenditures and progress. This tech-savvy initiative was introduced by the company’s principal, Jay Kobs. The firm primarily serves the areas of Hancock and Harrison countries, but they are willing to discuss going further afield.

Their projects are on the Midcentury Modern Design spectrum: they use simple, geometric shapes to maximize lighting and space. Quirky designs and idiosyncratic details personalize each home. The exterior of the homes are often elevated and asymmetrical. True to their namesake, the firm responds to the natural conditions around the Gulf of Mexico; they use high elevation to avoid unfavorable conditions at the bay.

8) d+p Design Build

140 McTyere Ave, Jackson, MS 39202

David Dill and Paul Purser established their own company shortly after they graduated with Architecture degrees from Mississippi State University. The firm offers custom furniture, design, and general contracting services. Although the firm is a relative newcomer, it has already been involved in multiple historical renovations, performed commercial and residential remodeling, and provided new design builds. The company has been highlighted in an episode of Made in Mississippi podcast, where David Dill had an in-depth conversation with Casey Combest of Blue Sky Studios about the company’s roots and projects.

The company often integrates their exceptional woodwork and custom furniture in their designs. This method has proven useful in responding to the demands of Magnolia State residents; the company marries the sensibility and structure of the traditional past to youthful, contemporary details. Their woodwork often includes finishing projects with sharp lines and clever shapes and forms.

7) Starnes Construction & Renovation

1609 Carsley Rd, Jackson, MS 39209-9134

Spouses Wes and Summer Starnes have operated this family business for 20 years. Wes takes care of the construction and carpentry; Summer handles the design. The company offers general contracting, remodeling, and new construction work in the Jackson Metropolitan Area, Rankin Country, and Madison Country. The firm was also recently voted as a finalist in the Best of 2018 Clarion Ledger Best Home Builder people’s choice awards

The firm primarily offers traditional and bungalow design styles. Low elevations and wide porches are central to their work; light-colored finishes and woodwork evoke a Craftsman-style interior design. The open floor plans are designed for large family gatherings and easy interactions with visitors. Southern hospitality is thus repeatedly underlined: the living spaces are meant to be shared by large numbers and are almost always at the core of the house layout.

6) Gulf South Builders

10620 Oak Crest Dr, S Biloxi, MS 39532

Dawayne and Jennifer Butler have been in the construction industry for over 30 years. The company extends its reach across the Gulf Coast area, offering residential construction, renovation, and remodeling services in a broad budget range, from everyday projects to luxury construction.

As featured in Dwell, the company offers traditional, contemporary, and cabin works paired with impeccable woodwork. They often combine bricks and rough stones with highly-detailed furnished wood furnishing. In a featured project, the company installed a vaulted ceiling in a home in Diamondhead. The ceiling’s sturdy foundational wood beams and ledges intersect and collide with the wooden ceiling. The wooden finishing compliments the brickwork and large French-type windows. In another project, the company uses off-white cabinets and black appliances to create a monochromatic look. The result: an atmosphere of contemporary modesty and modern elegance.

5) Shane McLendon Builder

2084 Dunbarton Drive, Suite A, Jackson, MS  39216

Shane McLendon Builder has received the Best in Mississippi award granted by HBAM for four consecutive years. And they brought home the National Association of Home Builders Remodeler of the Month in May 2016. McLendon has also been hailed as the Entrepreneur of the Year award by the Ranking Country Chamber in 2013; they also snagged a Top 50 Under 40 award by the Mississippi Business Journal in 2015. Shane McLendon is also the current president of the Home Builders Association of Jackson.

Shane McLendon Builder favors modern and Southwestern styles of remodeling and renovation. Neutral accents and Earth tones go hand-in-hand with this minimalist approach. The company tries to extract the most use of small spaces through uncommon design on accouterments. Hip chandeliers and bar stools breathe new life into their hyper-efficient spaces.   

4) Shepard Homes

1101 Robinson St, Ocean Springs, MS 39564

Shepard Homes is the HBAM 2018 Best in Mississippi winner, and the Grand Winner of the year prior. The company, founded by Joey Shepard, has been in the industry for 15 years. Shepard completed his education at the University of Southern Mississippi with a degree in Architectural Engineering.

The firm specializes in traditional, colonial, and French styles projects. Asymmetrical facades and pyramid style roofs are fundamental to their work. In response to the demands of the Deep South, porches are a big part of the company’s design arsenal. The company often uses large French windows to frame those southern porches. Their portfolio of interior design often displays Colonial, Contemporary, and Craftsman design. A broad sense of style embodies different ornamentation patterns; in some designs gold accents pair with monochromatic finishing;  in others, woodwork and darker lighting prevail.

3) Estes Building & Remodeling

146 County Road 1119 Saltillo, MS 38866-9686

Kenneth Estes and his company have been serving the Tupelo Micropolitan Area and surrounding regions for more than 24 years. Estes Building & Remodeling was named the Builder of the Year by HBAM in 2016. Estes is the current President of HBAM, a position he has held for five years and counting.

The firm does traditional residences and bungalow homes. Open and accessible floor plans are central in these designs; Earth tones and wooden strokes complete the minimalist effect. Estes Building & Remodeling loves to use stonework and woodwork, which they combine with a color palette to create feelings of warmth and affection. Their Southwestern interiors emphasize the Southern living experience.

2) 3S Homes

157 Tisdale Rd, Madison, MS 39110

HBAM 2018 Builder Member of the Year and Best of Mississippi awardee 3S Homes has been in the business for a mere decade, yet it is one of the most decorated firms on this list. Carl Sandberg – who also served as the President of the Home Builders Association of Jackson in 2017 – founded the company in 2009 as a personal project while serving as the Vice President of Trustmark National Bank.

Projects done by 3S Homes are done in traditional and bungalow styles. Warm shades of brown are ubiquitous in their award-winning homes. They like low elevations, asymmetrical orientation, and irregular roofing. They create texture through brick patterns which provide a seamless flow through the exteriors of the homes. Large French windows are embedded on window panes with deep shades of brown.

1) Samuels Construction

116 County Rd 213, Oxford, MS 38655

HBAM 2018 Best Single Family Mid-Size Remodel and Best Single Family Kitchen Renovation winner Samuels Construction may only be nine years in the business but the company has already completed dozens of projects. Founder and Principal Josh Samuels graduated Civil Engineering at Ole Miss. Shortly after graduating, he started working construction in two of the Southeast’s largest firms.

Take a look at their award-winning remodels of a traditional Crawford home. Samuels Construction maintained the essence and historical sensibility of the home while still adding modern details; the heart and soul of the project remain true to Mississippi. Other homes in the list share the same luxurious sentimentality; shades of white are paired with black accents, and thus the exterior maintains a traditional southern outlook.

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