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DESIGN-BUILD IN NORTHVILLE, MICHIGAN
NORTHVILLE HOMES, RENOVATED WITHOUT LOSING THE ORIGINAL.
Designed, sourced & built under one roof.
Northville has one of the most substantial historic districts in the region, roughly 119 acres and several hundred contributing buildings, with a preservation ordinance dating to 1974. Renovating here means designing for the Historic District Commission from the first sketch, not submitting and hoping.
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2014
Founded, and building here since
100%
In-house design, source & build
Local design-build
These houses were built between 1830 and 1968. The good ones still show it.
The historic district holds vernacular gable-front and upright-and-wing houses, Greek Revival, Gothic Revival, Italianate, Queen Anne, Foursquare, Bungalow, period revivals and Modernist work, a genuine cross-section rather than one era. Northville was designated a Michigan State Historic Site in 1970 and listed on the National Register in 1972, with boundary increases in 2003 and 2007.
Outside the core, the housing runs from mid-century homes on tree-lined streets to postwar ranches toward the township line, plus new townhomes at The Downs on the former racetrack site.
The older houses share a set of problems: thick walls, boxed-in floor plans, tall ceilings, small kitchens and very small bathrooms. Solving those without erasing the architecture is most of the work.
WHAT WE BUILD IN NORTHVILLE
Services
01 - Kitchens
Opening up small original kitchens without stripping the detail that makes these houses worth owning.
$85,000 – $300,000+
02 - Bathrooms
Working within tight original footprints, with waterproofing and a flood-tested pan on every shower.
$25,000 – $200,000+
03 - Additions
Additions designed to Commission standards: subordinate in scale, clearly differentiated from the original.
$250,000 – $900,000+
04 - Whole-home
Full renovations of 19th and early 20th century houses.
$600,000 – $2,000,000+
Ranges shown are typical for Northville. Full tier-by-tier pricing is on each cost guide.
BUILDING IN NORTHVILLE
Remodeling a Northville Home: What to Expect
01
Two kinds of homes, two kinds of plans
Northville ranges from older homes near the historic downtown to larger subdivision homes across the township. An older home may have plaster, old wiring and framing that has moved over the years. A newer one usually needs a layout that fits how the family lives today. We plan for both during design so nothing turns into a surprise halfway through the job.
02
City or township, the rules differ
The City of Northville and Northville Township each run their own building department, and the city's older neighborhoods include a historic district. Historic district review applies to exterior changes, so most kitchen, bath and basement work goes through normal permits. We confirm which rules apply to your address at the start of design.
03
Interior work still needs permits
Moving plumbing, adding a bath, rewiring a kitchen or finishing a basement means building and trade permits. We pull every permit and schedule every inspection for you.
04
Design comes first, and your home stays livable
Every project starts with one to three months of design development, so layout, cabinetry, finishes and pricing are settled before demolition. During construction we protect your floors, seal the work area for dust, run negative air, clean up every day and send you a written update every week.
05
One team from start to finish
Every trade except plumbing, electrical and HVAC is Maxwell's own crew, and our licensed partners handle those three. Your designer and project manager stay with you from the first sketch to the final walkthrough, and the work is backed by a five year workmanship warranty.
Requirements change. Confirm current specifics with Northville Community Development before relying on any of the above. Note also that the City's Historic District design guidelines were being updated as of 2024. This page covers the City of Northville; Northville Township is a separate jurisdiction with a different building department.
where we work
WHERE WE WORK IN NORTHVILLE
We build throughout the City of Northville and the surrounding communities. Northville Township is a separate jurisdiction, we confirm which applies at the first visit.
THE HISTORIC DISTRICT
ORCHARD HEIGHTS
CABBAGETOWN
BEALTOWN
YERKES AND HORTONS ADDITION
DOWNTOWN NORTHVILLE
MILL RACE VILLAGE
THE DOWNS
CADY STREET
RANDOLPH STREET
straight answer
Design for the Commission, or redraw for it.
In Northville's historic district the review is not a formality. Paint colors, windows, doors, roofing, porches, fencing and tree removal all come before the Commission, and the meeting calendar means a rejected submission costs a month.
So we design to the standards from the outset, and use the Conceptual Review process where a project has anything unusual in it. That is slower at the front end and considerably faster overall.
We don't reface cabinets and we don't paint them. We're the right fit when an old house deserves to be brought forward properly rather than modernized into anonymity.
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2014
Founded in Metro Detroit
Old Woodward
Our office, in Birmingham
100%
In-house design, source & build
Good to know
NORTHVILLE faq
How long does a kitchen or bathroom remodel take in Northville?
Most projects take 14 to 16 weeks of construction after one to three months of design. A single bathroom often takes less time. A kitchen with a new layout takes longer.
Do I need a permit to remodel in Northville?
Yes, if the work touches plumbing, electrical, mechanical or structure. The city and the township each issue their own permits, and we handle every permit and inspection as part of the project.
My home is near downtown. Does the historic district affect my remodel?
Interior remodeling generally doesn't go through historic district review. If the project changes the exterior, like a new window over the sink or a different door, we prepare what the commission needs and build the review into the schedule.
Can we live in the house while you remodel?
Usually, yes. We seal off the work area, control dust and clean up daily. For a kitchen remodel we help you set up a temporary kitchen so daily life keeps going.
What does it take to finish a basement in Northville?
Any basement bedroom needs a legal exit, called egress. You also need moisture control and permitted electrical, plumbing and mechanical work. Many township basements are good candidates for a family room, gym or guest suite, and we check walls, floors and ceiling height during design.
Do you provide interior design and cabinetry?
Yes. Our design team handles layout, finishes, lighting and fixtures, and we build with Dura Supreme cabinetry in the framed Crestwood and frameless Bria lines. You work with one team from design through installation.
Planning a renovation
in NORTHVILLE?