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From Dark, Unfinished Basement to a Welcoming In-Law Suite

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Melanie Merz
September 8, 2026

An unfinished basement can be easy to overlook, but when a home needs more room for family, that unused square footage can offer a lot of opportunity. For this renovation, our clients transformed an existing dark, unfinished basement into approximately 700 square feet of comfortable, functional living space. The goal was to create an in-law suite for Mom when she
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Creating a Private Primary Suite Above the Garage

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Melanie Merz
September 8, 2026

In a busy summer home, having enough bedrooms isn’t always the problem, it’s having the right bedrooms in the right places. For these homeowners, the existing first-floor primary bedroom was located directly in the middle of the home’s main gathering spaces, adjacent to the kitchen and living room. As adult children, family, and guests filled the house during the summer
Ogunquit cottage

Historic Character, Modern Performance: Giving an Ogunquit Cottage Another 100 Years

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Great Northern Builders
August 25, 2026

When a coastal home has been in your family for generations, deciding to remodel is never just about adding square footage or taking the easiest construction route. Memories live in the proportions of the rooms, the morning light over the ocean, the original fir floors, and the architectural quirks of a house that has evolved over a century. Keeping an
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Project Spotlight: Making Room for the Whole Family

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Melanie Merz
July 30, 2026

When you have five children, “home for the summer” takes on a whole new meaning. For this family, the house had always been full of life, but as the kids grew up and began returning home from college, it became clear that their favorite gathering place simply wasn’t large enough. Family dinners spilled into multiple rooms, conversations competed with one
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Project Spotlight: Preserving a Family Camp for Future Generations

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Melanie Merz
July 30, 2026

Some projects begin with a wish list. This one began with a roof. Our clients knew their beloved seasonal camp needed a new roof and structural improvements to ensure it could continue serving as their family’s summer retreat for years to come. But as we worked through the planning process, it became clear that this was an opportunity to do
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Project Spotlight: A Beach House Ready for the Next Generation

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Melanie Merz
July 30, 2026

What started as a broken dishwasher quickly revealed a much bigger truth: a beloved family beach home had quietly outgrown its layout. For more than two decades, this seasonal home on the Maine coast has served as the anchor for sun-drenched summers, sandy feet, and multi-generational memories. What originally began as a coastal getaway for two parents and four young