General contractor in Clarkston, MI.
The Village of Clarkston is one of Michigan’s best-preserved 19th-century historic districts. Independence Township surrounding it has larger wooded lots, lake-adjacent properties, and estate homes. The renovation work here is as varied as the landscape: historic village buildings that demand careful, period-appropriate work, lake cottages being converted to year-round estates, and modern custom builds on private wooded parcels.
What we do here
Most common scopes
- Historic village building renovation
- Lake home renovations & additions
- Year-round cottage conversions
- Estate additions on wooded lots
Historic village work
- Plaster repair & preservation
- Period millwork & trim
- Tuckpointing & masonry
- HDC submission & approval process
The building department
- Village of Clarkston Historic District Commission
- Independence Township Building Department
- Waterfront setback review where applicable
- We pull every permit & meet inspectors on site
What’s different here
- Dual authority: village vs. township
- HDC review for exterior changes in the village
- Wooded lots require site-access planning
- Lake setbacks vary by body of water
Pick a service.
Clarkston renovation questions.
Does the Village of Clarkston's historic district affect my renovation?
If your home is within the village historic district, exterior changes require Historic District Commission review before Independence Township will issue a permit. This covers roofline changes, additions visible from the street, window replacement styles, and siding. Interior work is generally unrestricted. Clarkston has one of the more active Historic District Commissions in Oakland County, and we've prepared HDC submissions for projects in the village before.
Can you renovate a lakefront or lake-adjacent home in Independence Township?
Yes. We work on lake properties around the Clarkston area — older cottages being converted to year-round homes, additions, kitchen and bath upgrades. Waterfront setback rules vary by the specific lake and the township ordinance, so we pull the plat and ordinance records before the estimate. When a traditional addition isn't possible because of setbacks, there are often creative alternatives — building up instead of out, or reconfiguring the interior footprint.
I have a pre-1920 home in Clarkston village. What should I expect?
These homes are among the most rewarding to work on and also the most unpredictable. Plaster walls, original hardwood, knob-and-tube wiring that may or may not have already been remediated, galvanized supply lines, and structural framing that doesn't follow modern conventions. Our estimates on homes this old carry a realistic contingency from the start — typically 15% — and we document what we find during rough-in so you're never surprised mid-project.
Do you build or renovate on wooded lots in Independence Township?
Yes. We do estate renovations, additions, and some custom home work on the larger wooded lots in the township outside the village. The main considerations are driveway access for material delivery and whether the septic system is adequate for an addition. We review both before the estimate. The township's building department handles permits for all work outside the village limits.