Custom Home Builder in Gardiner, NY

We offer the full range of residential design-build services in Gardiner and the Shawangunk foothills, including custom new home construction, NetBuilt semi-custom high-performance homes, whole-home renovations of Huguenot-era and historic stone farmhouses, kitchen and bathroom remodeling, home additions and ADUs, high-performance and net-zero construction, general contracting, and complete pre-construction and permitting support. For Shawangunk Ridge Protection District sites, we determine the applicable SP subdistrict and manage the Planning Board and Special Use Permit process. For Wallkill River valley properties, we assess FEMA floodplain status upfront. All permits for projects in Gardiner go through the Town of Gardiner Building Department at 2340 State Route 44/55, Gardiner, NY 12525.

The Shawangunk Ridge Protection District (SP) is a zoning overlay established by the Town of Gardiner to protect the scenic, ecological, and viewshed resources of the Shawangunk Ridge and its foothills. It is divided into three graduated subdistricts. SP-1 covers the lower slopes and foothills: single-family residential construction is permitted as-of-right, subject to standard zoning and Building Department requirements. SP-2 covers the mid-slope: single-family construction requires a Special Use Permit from the Town of Gardiner Planning Board, environmental review under the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA), and design standards that minimize the project's impact on the Ridge viewshed and ecological resources; a minimum of 80% of the parcel's total land area must be preserved by conservation easement as open space. SP-3 covers the upper ridgeline: the most restrictive tier, with the same Special Use Permit and conservation easement requirements as SP-2 and the most stringent development standards. The permit path for your project depends entirely on which SP subdistrict your parcel falls within. We determine this before any other planning conversation takes place.

Yes, and this is the type of work we find most rewarding in Gardiner. The town has a remarkable collection of 17th and 18th century stone farmhouses built by Huguenot settlers and their Dutch neighbors — the Hasbrouck, DuBois, LeFevre, and Bevier family properties that are still standing across the Gardiner landscape represent some of the oldest residential architecture in the Hudson Valley. Renovating these buildings correctly means understanding how they were built. Stone walls in buildings from this era used lime mortar — a material that is slightly flexible and allows moisture to migrate through the wall assembly in a controlled way. Repointing with modern Portland cement is a common mistake that causes long-term damage: the harder cement traps moisture, which deteriorates the softer stone over time. We use the right materials, understand how mass masonry walls manage heat and moisture, and assess every stone renovation property before writing any scope.

The Wallkill River flows from south to north through the center of Gardiner, and low-lying properties adjacent to the river corridor sit within FEMA-designated Special Flood Hazard Areas. If your property is in a Special Flood Hazard Area, any new construction or addition must meet floodplain development standards — which may include elevating the finished floor above the base flood elevation. For renovation projects, FEMA's 'substantial improvement' rule applies: if the cost of the renovation exceeds 50% of the structure's pre-improvement market value, the entire structure must be brought into compliance with current floodplain construction standards, which can significantly change what the renovation entails and what it costs. DEC freshwater wetlands jurisdiction may also apply for work near the river or its tributary streambanks. We identify flood zone status and substantial improvement implications before any design work begins on Wallkill valley properties.