Dining area.
When partners Ben Esh and Daniel Glick founded B&D Builders in 2000, their goal was to create a hassle-free experience for their clients. “We interact with clients from start to finish, offering one-on-one service,” says Glick. “From the beginning, we’ve never had any desire to be a big building with lots of jobs going on at once. We like a more hands-on approach.”
B&D Builders emphasizes the importance of high-quality materials, relying on timber-frame construction characterized by trusses, joinery, and pegs. “Special sidings are our preference,” Glick observes. “We use cedar rather than materials like vinyl, for example.”
In 2011, the firm spawned a sister company, Mid-Atlantic Timberframes, that supplies its beams and mortise-and-tenon structures. Early this year, a steel division was launched that provides hardware and custom steel components. An on-site millworking shop does all the woodwork except kitchen cabinetry. Thus, B&D Builders is able to keep almost all aspects of the building process in-house, “to control quality and scheduling,” says Glick.
Providing a streamlined process is also a priority. “We make it more visual by doing all the designs in 3-D so the client can see what the house will look like,” Glick says. “We try to help people avoid painful surprises.”
B&D Builders completes about three homes a year, and a typical project lasts about nine months. The beginning and the end are Glick’s favorite parts. “I like going into a big empty field at the start and figuring out how we can make it work,” he says. “And handing the keys to the clients and seeing them smile is pretty good too!”
FACTS & STATS
B&D Builders has a staff of 25, including four draftsmen, but also works with outside architects.
Specialties B&D Builders specializes in timber-frame barns and custom homes with an average size of 6,000 square feet; most of their work is in Maryland, Virginia, and Pennsylvania.
Inquiries B&D Builders, 14 North Ronks Road, Ronks, Pennsylvania 17572; 717-687-0292; custombarnbuilding.com; Email: [email protected]; [email protected]