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DESIGN-BUILD IN PLEASANT RIDGE, MICHIGAN
PLEASANT RIDGE HOMES, INSIDE A CITY THAT IS ALMOST ENTIRELY HISTORIC.
Designed, sourced & built under one roof.
Nearly the whole of Pleasant Ridge is a federally designated historic district a half square mile of 1910s and 20s houses on 6,500 square foot lots. The city enforces exterior design standards on new construction and substantial additions, and the front setback is set by your neighbors rather than by a number.
4.9★
Over 100 reviews
5 year
Warranty on our workmanship
2014
Founded, and building here since
100%
In-house design, source & build
Local design-build
A whole city built in twenty years, and it still shows.
Pleasant Ridge is 0.57 square miles with about 1,150 homes. Burt Taylor subdivided the Mayday farm in 1913, most of the housing went up between 1910 and 1930, and the median house dates to 1928 on a lot of roughly 6,500 square feet.
The architecture is Colonial Revival, English Tudor, Dutch Colonial, English Cottage, French Eclectic, Spanish Colonial, Craftsman and Prairie School. A remarkably intact collection for its size. Two National Register listings, west and east of Woodward, cover essentially the entire city.
The distinction worth understanding is that National Register listing is not the same as design review. What actually governs your project here are the city's exterior design standards, which apply to new construction and substantial additions.
What we build in PLEASANT RIDGE
Services
01 - Kitchens
Reworking small 1920s kitchens with custom cabinetry suited to the age of the house.
$55,000 – $300,000+
02 - Bathrooms
Working in tight original footprints, with waterproofing and a flood-tested pan on every shower.
$18,000 – $200,000+
03 - Additions
Additions designed to the city's exterior design standards, on lots with almost no spare room.
$250,000 – $900,000+
04 - Whole-home
Full renovations of 1910s and 20s houses with their detailing intact.
$600,000 – $2,000,000+
Ranges shown are typical for Pleasant Ridge. Full tier-by-tier pricing is on each cost guide.
building in PLEASANT RIDGE
Remodeling a Pleasant Ridge Home: What to Expect
01
Historic homes deserve a careful hand
Most Pleasant Ridge homes date from the early part of the last century, with Tudor, Colonial Revival and Craftsman styles on tree lined streets. When we open walls we often find plaster and lath, old wiring, galvanized or cast iron pipe and framing that has moved over the years. We plan for this during design and protect the original millwork, doors and details that make these homes special.
02
Much of the city is a historic district
Large parts of Pleasant Ridge are recognized historic districts. Interior kitchen, bath and basement work generally goes through normal permits. If your project touches windows, doors or anything visible from outside, we'll check what the city requires early and plan it into the schedule.
03
Interior work still needs permits
Moving plumbing, adding a bath, rewiring a kitchen or finishing a basement means building and trade permits through the City of Pleasant Ridge. 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 the Pleasant Ridge Building Department before relying on any of the above. Note the department is closed on Fridays.
where we work
WHERE WE WORK IN PLEASANT RIDGE
Pleasant Ridge is small enough that residents identify by street. We also build throughout Huntington Woods, Royal Oak, Ferndale and Berkley.
RIDGE ROAD
CAMBRIDGE BOULEVARD
DEVONSHIRE ROAD
KENSINGTON BOULEVARD
OXFORD BOULEVARD
OAKLAND BOULEVARD
FAIRWOOD BOULEVARD
SYLVAN AVENUE
WOODSIDE BOULEVARD
MAPLEFIELD ROAD
AMHERST ROAD
HANOVER ROAD
straight answer
Small lots, historic fabric, and a block that sets your setback.
There is very little spare room in Pleasant Ridge. On a 6,500 square foot lot with a 1920s house already on it, an addition is a careful exercise rather than an open one, and the front setback is dictated by the average of the houses around you rather than by a figure in the code.
The exterior design standards do not mandate a style — both traditional and contemporary approaches are permitted — but they do require compatibility with the historic character of a city that is almost entirely National Register listed. That is a design problem worth taking seriously.
We don't reface cabinets and we don't paint them. We're the right fit when a house from the 1920s deserves to be brought forward without losing what makes it worth living in.
4.8 stars
Average customer review
2014
Founded in Metro Detroit
Old Woodward
Our office, in Birmingham
100%
In-house design, source & build
Good to know
PLEASANT RIDGE faq
How long does a kitchen or bathroom remodel take in Pleasant Ridge?
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 where we open walls or change the layout takes longer.
Do I need a permit to remodel in Pleasant Ridge?
Yes, if the work touches plumbing, electrical, mechanical or structure. Cosmetic updates may not need one. We handle every permit and inspection as part of the project.
Can you update my kitchen without losing the character of an older home?
Yes. We design new kitchens and baths around the home's original trim, proportions and details. Our own millwork carpenters can match or rebuild trim, and period appropriate cabinetry and tile help the new space look like it belongs.
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 Pleasant Ridge?
Any basement bedroom needs a legal exit, called egress. You also need moisture control and permitted electrical, plumbing and mechanical work. Older basements here often have low ceilings, old plumbing or walls that need work before finishing, and we check all of this 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 PLEASANT RIDGE?