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Design-build in Troy, Michigan
Troy Homes, Opened Up for the Way Families Live Now
Designed, sourced & built under one roof.
Nearly a third of Troy's housing went up in the 1970s, and the median house dates to 1977. These are solid homes with compartmentalized floor plans, and most of our Troy work is the same project: taking down the wall between the kitchen and everything else.
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
Troy was built quickly and built well. The floor plans are what dated.
Troy became a home-rule city in 1955 and grew enormously over the following twenty-five years. Thirty-two percent of its housing stock is from the 1970s alone, with another fifteen percent from the 1960s and fourteen percent from the 1980s. Colonials and ranches dominate, with split-levels, tri-levels and bungalows filling in around them.
That era built generously proportioned houses with closed kitchens, formal dining rooms nobody uses, and a family room walled off from all of it. The bones are good. The plan is fifty years old.
One practical thing that makes Troy easier than most of our market: single-family remodels are exempt from full site plan review, so a well-prepared permit set moves without going to the Planning Commission.
What We Build in Troy
Services
01 - Kitchens
Opening 1970s kitchens into family and dining rooms, with custom cabinetry and structural work.
$75,000 – $200,000+
02 - Bathrooms
Primary suites and hall baths, with waterproofing and a flood-tested pan on every shower.
$18,000 – $130,000+
03 - Additions
Additions on Troy's generous suburban lots, planned against a 40 percent coverage allowance.
$200,000 – $550,000+
04 - Whole-home
Full renovations of 1960s and 70s homes that deserve a modern plan.
$350,000 – $1,000,000+
Ranges shown are typical for Troy. Full tier-by-tier pricing is on each cost guide.
Building in Troy
What Building in Troy Actually Involves
01
Single-family remodels skip site plan review
Troy’s own development guide states that erection, moving, relocation, conversion or structural alteration of a one- or two-family dwelling is exempt from the full site plan review process. Zoning compliance and building permits still apply, but your addition does not go before the Planning Commission. That is a meaningful schedule advantage over several neighbouring communities.
02
There is no private-property tree permit
Troy’s tree chapter regulates trees in public places, not routine removal of a healthy tree on a private single-family lot. Unlike Novi, Farmington Hills, Rochester Hills or Northville, there is no woodland preservation ordinance to work through. It is one of the more permissive communities in the region on this point.
03
The permit set is separate by trade, and entirely paperless
Troy issues building, electrical, plumbing, mechanical and sewer permits separately, all applied for online. The Building Department is fully paperless and accepts electronic plans only. A permit board of at least 24 by 36 inches must be posted at the jobsite. Exterior concrete flatwork such as driveways, patios and service walks does not require a permit.
04
Soil erosion is triggered by proximity to water, not just by size
A soil erosion permit is required when an earth change disturbs more than an acre, or occurs within 500 feet of the water’s edge of a lake or stream regardless of how much is disturbed. On Troy’s lake subdivisions, this catches projects that would otherwise be well under any size threshold. The City Engineer can waive it below 225 square feet by affidavit.
05
Expect an HOA review alongside the city’s
Troy maintains a public registry of more than forty-five neighbourhood and subdivision associations. On most Troy streets, deed restrictions and architectural review run in parallel with the municipal permit, and the association’s timeline is the one more likely to surprise you.
Requirements change and figures vary by zoning district. Confirm current specifics with the Troy Building Department, or Planning before relying on any of the above.
where we work
Where We Work in Troy
We build throughout Troy and the surrounding communities: Birmingham, Bloomfield Township, Rochester Hills and Royal Oak.
Sylvan Glen
Lake Charnwood
Beach Forest
Cherryhurst
Northfield Hills
Emerald Lakes Village
Long Lake Village
Mount Vernon Estates
Oak River
Raintree Village
Woodlands of Troy
Bridgewater Estates
Hidden Forest
Orchard Hills
straight answer
Most Troy projects are the same project
A 1970s colonial with a closed kitchen, a formal dining room nobody eats in, and a family room behind a wall. Opening that up is structural work rather than cosmetic, and it is the single most transformative thing you can do to a house of this era.
It is also where a design-build firm earns its keep, because the beam, the mechanical relocations and the cabinetry all have to be resolved together rather than negotiated between three parties after demolition.We don't reface cabinets and we don't paint them.
We're the right fit when the plan needs to change, not just the finishes.
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
Troy FAQ
Do I need to go to the Planning Commission for an addition?
No. Troy exempts one- and two-family dwellings from full site plan review. You still need zoning compliance and building permits, but the addition itself does not require Planning Commission approval, which keeps the schedule considerably tighter than in some neighbouring communities.
Do I need a permit to remove a tree in my yard?
Not for a healthy tree on a private single-family lot. Troy's tree ordinance covers trees in public places. This is a real difference from Novi, Farmington Hills and Rochester Hills, all of which regulate private removals.
Will my subdivision association need to approve this?
Very likely. Troy has more than forty-five registered neighbourhood associations, and deed restrictions on additions and exterior changes are common. We factor that review into the schedule alongside the city's.
Can the kitchen wall come down?
Usually, but it depends what is in it. In a 1970s colonial that wall is often bearing, and sometimes carries mechanicals. We establish that during design with the structural approach priced in, rather than discovering it after demolition.
Will I need a soil erosion permit?
Only if the work disturbs more than an acre or sits within 500 feet of a lake or stream. That second trigger catches more Troy projects than people expect, particularly in the lake subdivisions.
Are you licensed and insured in Michigan?
Yes, licensed Michigan residential builder, Lic. 2102213502, fully insured, with our office on Old Woodward in Birmingham.
Planning a renovation in Troy?