Virginia, known as the “Old Dominion”, was the first English colony in America, and this legacy can be seen through the area’s traditional and country-style architecture. Because of the proximity to Washington, D.C., and its lower cost of living, many government officials and employees have opted to move their families into Virginia. This has led to a sudden surge of modern and contemporary architecture in the area.
The neighborhoods in Virginia’s cities and towns are very diverse. Young professionals flock to the Mosaic District in Merrifield to be closer to the shopping areas and recreational centers like the Angelika Film Center, and the Dunn Loring-Merrifield Metro station. For a more cultural scene, the family-friendly town of Herndon is known for ArtSpace and its weekly Friday Night Live Concerts.
These diverse neighborhoods have paved the way for local contractors and architects to develop new styles and improve on classic building techniques. This list has narrowed down all of the best general contractors in the state- award-winning remodelers who serve Virginia and the D.C.-Maryland Metroplex.
15) Jerry Harris Remodeling
1327 Poindexter Street Chesapeake, Virginia 23324
Jerry Harris Remodeling has been serving Tidewater residents since 1985, completing 10,000 projects in that area alone. Jerry Harris Remodeling is known for its quality customer service, maintaining an A+ BBB rating. The company’s homes are built in polished and current styles, mixing classic designs with bold patterns, and utilizing space and light with sun tunnels and skylights.
Jerry Harris Remodeling has received more awards from Virginian Pilot magazine than any other firm, with a record-breaking 300 “Best of” awards and 15 “Best of Best” awards. In addition, it is the only firm to receive Virginian Pilot magazine’s prestigious 10-Year Gold Winner award. Nationally, the company has been featured on Remodeler Magazine’s Top 500 Remodelers List since 1998.
14) FoxCraft Design Group, Inc.
110 Great Falls Street Falls Church, VA 22046
Certified Kitchen and Bath Designer G. Chandler Fox and Certified Green Builder Michael S. Blood established FoxCraft Design Group, Inc. in 1989, and have been serving the Virginia and DC-Maryland region for the past 28 years.
FoxCraft offers residential buildings, penthouse units, and luxury custom home builds, always ensuring that creative solutions are within budget.
The firm has established itself not just locally, but nationally as well, consistently being featured on Remodeling Magazine’s Top 550 Biggest Home Improvement Companies of the Nation. In 2013, FoxCraft was ranked in the #2 spot on the list and has also been featured in such publications as Northern Virginia Magazine and Builder Magazine.
The firm stays true to the traditional architecture of Virginia and Maryland while emphasizing details that make its designs more contemporary. The company’s wine cellar additions feature simple wood cabinets that are elevated by marble and stone flooring.
13) Berriz Design Build Group
10327-B Democracy Lane Fairfax, VA 22030
Berriz Design Build Group is a Fairfax-based firm specializing in luxury interior remodeling and landscape design since 1994. The company’s two specialties greatly complement each other, transforming homes from the inside-out. For these elegant remodels, Berriz Design Build Group has received two 2016 Chrysalis Awards, Contractor of the Year awards in 2016 and 2015 from the National Association from the Remodeling Industry (NARI), and placed 87th on Remodeling magazine’s 2015 Top 550 Builders of the Nation.
Founder Bob Berriz migrated with his family to the U.S. in the 1920’s, knowing neither how to read nor write. His long years of hard work and eventual success were featured in a 2006 issue of BusinessWeek magazine. This publicity helped put Berriz Design Build Group’s name on the map and led to features in Luxe Interior and Design Magazine and Home and Design magazine.
12) Schroeder Design/Build
3918 Prosperity Ave., Suite 100, Fairfax, VA 22031
Family owned and operated Schroeder Design/Build has been providing services to Northern Virginia for 30 years. Founder, technical specialist, and structural reviewer Tom Schroeder is a Certified Remodeler by the National Association of the Remodeling Industry, and a Civil Engineer degree holder. Schroeder makes sure that every building material used is not only of the best quality but also attractive and functional.
Schroeder’s trustworthy team is led by project managers who have been the recipients of the Blair Anderson Image Award for six quarters since 2017. Schroeder Design/Build has won 13 Contractor of the Year Awards from the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI), a 2015 regional Chrysalis award, and was named by Inc. Magazine as one of the 500 fastest growing companies in America. The firm is a certified green builder, receiving a Green Home Certificate from Falls Church City Council in 2015.
11) Moss Building & Design
4125 Lafayette Center Drive, Suite 100, Chantilly, VA 20151
Trust, transparency, and character are a few words that come to mind when you think of Moss Building and Design. Honoring his late father ‘Moss’, Pete Hampel and his son, Jason, founded the company in 2001. Since inception, Moss has grown tremendously and has received many accolades including the Angie’s List Super Service Award for eight consecutive years. Moss offers a wide variety of remodeling & design services in Northern Virginia, including, additions, bathroom remodeling, kitchen remodeling, basement remodeling, and home maintenance services.
Moss is no stranger to innovation. As a Moss customer you can take advantage of their virtual reality design capability, Moss 360 and experience your remodel in a virtual environment. This innovation caught the attention of Washington’s local news station, WUSA9, as well as the Washington Post.
10) Harry Braswell, Inc.
312 Calvert Ave., Suite 300, Alexandria, VA 22301
Harry Braswell is a Virginia native who was inspired by his architectural background to become an advocate for historic preservation and land conservation. In 1982, he founded Harry Braswell, Inc., a residential and commercial remodeler that practices sustainable building, and is one of the greenest builders in the Virginia and D.C. metropolitan areas. The firm is recognized by the U.S. Green Building Council and is a LEED-certified firm. Harry Braswell received the Contractor of the Year Grand Award for Green Remodeling of an Entire House from the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI). In total, the firm has won 12 NARI awards, been named the Best of Virginia by Virginia Living magazine, and has been featured in Home & Design Magazine.
The firm is proud to display its historic preservation projects and conducts tours of some of their sites in Old Alexandria. Despite the company’s mastery of traditional designs, Harry Braswell’s renovations are never outdated. The company’s projects are luxury remodels that are polished down to the last detail.
In addition to the company’s remodeling services, Harry Braswell also has his own handyman service firm, The Gentleman Plumber, that services the Virginia area.
9) TriVista USA
P.O. Box 101148, Arlington, VA 22210;
TriVista USA is a boutique design-build firm established by award-winning builder Michael Sauri. Sauri has won 32 awards since founding the firm in 2005, and his company has received the distinction of being featured on Remodeling Magazine’s list of top 50 remodeling companies. TriVista has also consistently received National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) awards since 2007. The firm has been featured on HGTV’s show “Curb Appeal”, and in Remodelers Advantage Weekly.
TriVista’s continued success can be attributed to its very unique and distinctive style, developed from Sauri’s creative background as a musician and performer. The use of geometric shapes and color is significant in its designs, giving simple remodels a great deal of character. A client once requested a powder room that resembled a Victorian ship from the 1800’s. For this project, the firm custom-made a sink that looks like handlebars of a ship, and accented the room with three portholes that serve as mirrors.
8) Daniels Design and Remodeling
3930 University Dr, Fl 1st Fairfax, Virginia
Ted Daniels established Daniels Design and Remodeling in 1997 as a small boutique firm, so he could provide 100% of his focus to each of his clients. Despite being smaller than other firms on this list, Daniels Design and Remodeling has a wide range of services that extend to green building and aging-in-place specialty projects. The company’s loyal clientele has spread the word about the firm, which has been featured on Fox News, and in Home & Design Magazine and Northern Virginia Magazine. In 2016, they were included in the Remodeling Magazine’s Top 550 national firms, and have won a Contractor of the Year Award from the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) every year since 2007.
Daniels Design and Remodeling designs homes that are ideal for families because it maximizes the space and utility of its sites. The company’s style is traditional and Southwestern, as these styles are welcoming and familiar to most of its clients. The firm likes to make use of creative storage solutions, such as integrating cabinets into a kitchen island and using a roundtable and bar stools for the dining area to maximize space.
7) Foster Remodeling Solutions
7211-H Telegraph Square Drive, Lorton, VA 22079
With only a laptop and passion by his side, David P. Foster started Foster Home Improvement in his mother’s dining room in April of 1983. 35 years later, Foster Remodeling Solutions is one of Remodeling Magazine’s top 550 companies in the country and was the first company to receive the NARI/Guild Quality Service Excellence Award. The firm has received numerous other awards throughout its years in service, including a NARI Contractor of the Year award and a Master Design award, but it believes that the best recognition it can receive is a client recommendation.
Foster always wanted to be on top of technological trends in the industry, and so, realizing there was no software that specialized in remodeling, decided to make his own software in 2001. His innovation was a first in the remodeling industry, and it was sold to many remodeling companies across the country.
Foster Remodeling Solutions is one of the longest-running firms in the state, but its style and process is never outdated. The company remodels are all contemporary and elegant, with modern furnishing that is both functional and aesthetically pleasing.
6) Sun Design Remodeling Specialists, Inc.
6862 Elm St., Suite 330, McLean, VA 22101
Sun Design Remodeling Specialists, Inc. refers to itself as an architectural-design build firm, because its remodeling services reinvent living spaces both inside and outside of the home. Established by Craig Durosko and Bob Gallagher in 1988, the firm makes sure that its remodels are cohesive with the whole house, often advising its clients to also update their home exteriors. As aging-in-place specialists, the firm knows that this will increase the value and longevity of the home. The firm’s building process has won it a National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) Contractor of the Year award each year from 1996 to 2017, and Chrysalis awards from 1998 to 2013.
The company transforms spaces by utilizing the natural elements of the home. One such technique includes installing overlooking windows or glass doors to living rooms to make space look bigger without modifying its floor plans. This play of light and space is complemented with bohemian furnishing and modern southwestern style design. The firm’s founder, Craig Durosko, doesn’t limit the firm to a certain style, because “When you walk into anyone’s home and get a better understanding of why they want to do a project, the design can take a different direction than what the homeowners were originally anticipating”.
5) Glickman Design Build
1750 Tysons Blvd Suite 1500 Mclean, VA 22102
One of the most experienced builders in the state, Glickman Design Build was established by Russ Glickman and has been serving Virginia and the D.C.-Maryland metroplex since 1975. When Glickman became the father of a son diagnosed with cerebral palsy, his business became more personal to him. His experience of living with someone who has physical disabilities inspired him to advocate for homes that are more accessible for people like his son. In 2012, he received five awards for creative accessible modifications for families with special needs or disabilities. He was featured on WUSA 9 News for his accessible home improvements, as well as on the cover of Kitchen and Bath Design News magazine. In addition, the company is regularly contacted by John Eric Home magazine and Potomac Almanac as a design expert.
Glickman Design Build is known for making remodels with bold finishes that make a room stand out. The company’s kitchen remodels feature islands and countertops topped with edgy granite finishes, while its bedroom and living room remodel include stone wall accents that make a rustic room more elegant. The company’s accessible remodels are not just functional, they are also aesthetically pleasing. One such remodel included a tiled roll-in shower that had elevated wall-mounted cabinets which made the room look taller as well as become more accessible.
4) WINN Design + Build
100 W. Jefferson St., Falls Church, VA 22046
WINN Design + Build is a family-owned and operated firm of architects, carpenters, and designers, all of whom work under one roof to provide a cohesive, customer-centered, and focused service. The firm’s founder, Michael Winn, is known as one of the most accomplished builders in Virginia. Winn has been featured on HGTV, and in The Washington Post, Forbes Magazine, Entrepreneur Magazine, and the Washington Business Journal. The firm has received countless awards over the years, including 20 awards from the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) Metro D.C. chapter. WINN has also been featured in publications including The Arlington Connection magazine, Arlington Magazine, Connection Newspaper, The Washington Post, and Home & Design Magazine.
WINN Design + Build is known for being a trendsetter in the Virginia-area remodeling industry and was featured on Create magazine’s cover for its custom modular additions. These prefabricated houses are constructed off-site, and then brought to the customer’s home site once completed. Winn decided to offer this service to provide additions to ancestral homes without damaging the original exterior. He emphasizes that these modular additions are a wise investment because they are made in climate-controlled environments and are subjected to over 80 internal quality control checks.
3) Criner Remodeling
11836 Fishing Point Dr #100, Newport News, VA 23606
When Robert T. Criner, the first person in the nation to receive the Graduate Master Remodeler certification, established Criner Remodeling in 1977, it started as a one-man operation. Today, Criner Remodeling has become an award-winning team of craftsman. Robert Criner’s son Paul has recently been included in Professional Remodeler magazine’s “40 under 40” list. Criner Remodeling has received well over 100 local and national awards from various publications and organizations. Robert Criner has been the Chair of the Peninsula Remodelers Council (PRC) of the Peninsula Housing and Builders Association as well as Chairman of the National Association of Home Builders Remodelers (NAHBR).
Recently, Criner went through a personal tragedy that involved his residence being destroyed by a fire. This traumatizing experience made him realize how emotionally exhausting home remodeling can be. It has also urged him to educate every homeowner on how they can design for all stages of life. He has been featured on the cover of Professional Remodeler magazine whose article details how he remodeled his house, and tips on how to navigate a drastic renovation.
2) Michael Nash Design Build and Homes
8630A Lee Highway Fairfax, VA 22031
Michael Nash Design Build and Homes is one of the most decorated firms in Northern Virginia. Founded 30 years ago by CEO/President, Sonny Nazemian. Michael Nash Design Build & Homes is one of the most decorated companies in Northern Virginia. This year Chrysalis made Michael Nash Design Build & Homes the only recipient in the east to receive the Chrysalis Decade of Excellence Award. This is the highest award the Chrysalis can present for the remodeling excellence that has been provided for 10 years. With over 300 awards from Chrysalis, the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI), Qualified Remodeler magazine, National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), Pulse of the City, National Kitchen and Bathroom Association (NKBA), Professional Remodeler Magazine, and the Sun-Gazette. For the past 30 years, the firm has specialized in all types of remodeling and offer one-of-a-kind custom additions.
The company was featured in Elan magazine for an Irish Pub-meets-Ritz Carlton addition. The project’s hints of the Ritz-Carlton with the classy stonewall accents and the leather furnishes make the bar reminiscent of an Irish Pub. This remodel earned the company eleven Contractor of the Year awards from NARI.
Another of Michael Nash’s memorable designs is a classy master bath that won a 2018 Contractor of the Year award. The existing bathroom and adjacent area were combined so that the master bath would have its own personal spa area. The master bath was made more elegant with dark wood cabinets that had black marble finishing and separate vanities for his and hers.
1) BOWA
7900 Westpark Dr. Suite A180 McLean, VA 22102
Larry Weinberg and Josh Baker established BOWA in 1988 with only a $5K investment from them each. By the end of the year, they had earned $300,000 and hired four employees for their team. This fruitful first year urged the founders to make their services more customer-centered, and now they report that 80-90% of their clients are either referrals or repeat customers. After 30 years, the firm has built a solid reputation for providing heroic customer service and superior construction quality on luxury home remodels and condominium renovations throughout Northern Virginia and the Greater Washington area.
BOWA is seen as one of the most successful firms in its service area, having earned more than 230 awards for business, design and construction excellence. With an average tenure of over 12 years, the BOWA team includes trained and registered architects, the area’s leading green building expert, the former chapter president of NARI, VPs of Production with more than 35 years of experience, Project Supervisors who have been with BOWA for more than 30 years, and 78 service-minded employees.
As a design-build firm, BOWA’s team offers a full range of architectural and project planning services. The diverse design team delivers projects in virtually any style from traditional or transitional to contemporary or industrial. The elegant layout of this BOWA remodel is made more casual with bohemian and industrial elements and rustic furnishings.
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