Custom Homes, NetBuilt Homes, Historic Renovations, Kitchen & Bath Remodeling, Additions & More — Serving Stone Ridge, Marbletown, and Central Ulster County
Custom Home Builder in Stone Ridge, NY
Stone Ridge sits on top of a limestone rise in the geographic center of Marbletown, roughly 400 feet above the valley floor, between the Rondout Creek watershed to the north and the Esopus Creek watershed to the south. The limestone bedrock that forms this ridge is the same material the town's earliest settlers quarried to build their homes — the 18th-century stone houses that line Main Street and give Stone Ridge one of the most architecturally cohesive historic streetscapes in the Hudson Valley. The Main Street Historic District has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1988. Marbletown has four nationally registered historic districts in total.
This history is not incidental to building or renovation work here — it shapes it. Properties within the historic district or designated as local landmarks are subject to review by the Town of Marbletown Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) before exterior work can begin. The HPC evaluates compatibility with the town's historic character: building form, roofline, materials, windows, and proportion all factor into the review. For most renovation projects in Stone Ridge, this is the first step — not the building permit.
P.A.S. Design Build is a family-run design-build studio based in Ulster County. We serve Stone Ridge homeowners across the full range of residential projects: whole-home renovations on 18th-century stone houses and antique farmhouses, new custom homes and NetBuilt high-performance builds on Marbletown parcels, kitchen and bathroom remodels, additions, and ADUs. We know the HPC process from the inside — what it requires, how to prepare a submission that moves efficiently, and how to design within the historic character standards without sacrificing what modern living demands.
The Most Historically Complex Renovation Market in Ulster County — and the Most Rewarding
Stone Ridge’s Main Street Historic District includes many gray limestone homes built between roughly 1700 and 1830, with most properties contributing to the district’s historic character. For exterior renovations, additions, window replacement, roofing, or siding changes, homeowners may need review from the Town of Marbletown Historic Preservation Commission before permits are issued.
The HPC reviews exterior changes visible from the public way for compatibility with the surrounding historic streetscape, including form, roofline, materials, window and door proportions, setbacks, and architectural details. Interior work does not require HPC review.
Much of Stone Ridge’s Main Street corridor also falls within the SR zoning district, which is designed to preserve the hamlet’s historic residential character while allowing limited commercial use in existing buildings. P.A.S. Design Build approaches this process as part of the design work — planning additions and exterior changes that respect the historic setting while supporting modern use.
Beyond the historic district, Stone Ridge and Marbletown include rural parcels, farmhouses, creek-adjacent sites, agricultural land, and hillside properties with their own zoning, drainage, septic, access, and buildability considerations.
Main Street Historic District · National Register of Historic Places · Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) · Certificate of Appropriateness · Gray Limestone Stone Houses · 18th-Century Dutch Colonial Architecture · Esopus Creek · Rondout Creek · Shawangunk Ridge · Catskill Foothills · Four National Historic Districts · NetBuilt Homes · High Performance
What Construction Services We Provide in Stone Ridge…
P.A.S. Design Build serves Stone Ridge and the broader Marbletown area with the full range of residential design-build services — from new construction on rural parcels to historically informed renovations of limestone farmhouses, kitchen and bath remodels, high-performance builds, and additions that must pass HPC review.
NetBuilt™ Homes
NetBuilt is our semi-custom, high-performance home line — pre-designed 2, 3, and 4-bedroom models built to net-zero performance frameworks and adapted to your site, materials, and preferences. For Marbletown homeowners with land outside the historic district, NetBuilt provides a clear, efficient path to a high-performance new home without starting design from scratch. Stone Ridge and Marbletown attract buyers who care deeply about the quality and performance of what they're building. NetBuilt delivers that performance with the same regional material sensibility that belongs in the Hudson Valley. We conduct a full site assessment before recommending any model — soil, drainage, setbacks, utility access, and flood zone status on properties near the Esopus or Rondout watersheds.
Additions & ADUs
Adding to a historic stone house in Stone Ridge requires a clear-eyed view of the HPC process from the start. An addition that is visible from the public way — on a landmark property or in the historic district — must receive a Certificate of Appropriateness before the building permit is issued. The review considers how the addition relates to the historic structure in terms of mass, roofline, materials, and setback. Getting this right at the design stage — rather than after an HPC denial — is what separates a contractor with historic district experience from one without it. For ADUs on rural Marbletown parcels outside the historic district, the path is more straightforward: Town Building Department, standard zoning setbacks, and health department sign-off for any on-site septic component.
Custom New Construction
New construction in Marbletown ranges from rural farmhouse sites on the Catskill-facing slopes to ridge parcels with views toward the Shawangunks. For new builds outside the historic district, the permitting path runs through the Town of Marbletown Building Department — single jurisdiction, no Village split. For sites near the Esopus Creek or Rondout Creek, FEMA flood zone status and DEC freshwater wetland designations factor into siting and foundation design. We begin every new construction project in Marbletown with a full site assessment that covers zoning, flood zone, soil, and utility constraints before any design work begins.
General Contracting
For Stone Ridge and Marbletown homeowners with plans already in hand or a clearly defined scope, we offer general contracting services throughout the area. Same standards, same on-site oversight. For projects on historic district properties, we review the HPC status of the property before committing to any scope — because knowing whether a Certificate of Appropriateness is required is the first step of planning, not an afterthought.
Renovations & Retrofits
Renovating a home in Stone Ridge is unlike renovating anywhere else in the Hudson Valley. An 18th-century gray limestone house on Main Street is not a conventional wood-frame structure. Stone walls require masonry expertise — mortar composition must match the original lime-based mortar to avoid trapping moisture; repointing with modern Portland cement mortar on historic lime mortar walls causes long-term spalling and damage. Thermal performance of stone walls is different from stud-frame walls and requires a different approach to insulation. And before exterior work begins on a designated landmark or historic district property, the HPC must sign off. We understand all of this — structurally, technically, and historically — and we bring that expertise to every Stone Ridge renovation.
Kitchen & Bathroom Remodeling
Kitchen and bathroom remodeling in Stone Ridge spans a wide range — from focused updates in well-maintained historic homes to full gut renovations where the kitchen sits in a room that was built in 1780 and last renovated in 1962. Interior remodeling does not require HPC approval, but it frequently uncovers what's behind the original plaster walls: hand-hewn timber framing, rubble stone fill, original hardware, and mechanical systems that haven't been touched in decades. We scope every kitchen and bath project honestly before a price is committed — so what's behind the plaster is part of the plan from the start. One team handles design through construction.
What It Takes to Build and Renovate Well Here…
What Sets Our Work Apart in Stone Ridge?
We know how the HPC process works — and how to design within it.
Marbletown's Historic Preservation Commission is a Certified Local Government body with real authority. Exterior changes on designated landmark properties and historic district properties require a Certificate of Appropriateness before the building permit can be issued. The criteria are specific: building form, roofline, detailing, window proportion, materials, and relationship to neighboring structures all factor in. Contractors who don't understand this framework encounter the HPC as a surprise delay; we encounter it as a design parameter we already built into the project timeline and submission package.
We understand limestone and historic masonry — not just stick-frame.
The 18th-century gray limestone houses on Main Street are built from a material with very different performance characteristics than modern wood framing. Lime-based mortar, rubble stone fill, and original timber framing require masonry skills and material knowledge that most residential contractors don't have. Repointing with the wrong mortar type causes long-term moisture damage and spalling. Insulating a stone wall without understanding vapor management creates conditions for mold and accelerated deterioration. We approach historic masonry renovation with the material knowledge these buildings deserve.
Single-jurisdiction permitting — but the HPC adds a layer that must be planned for.
All building permits in Marbletown run through a single authority — the Town of Marbletown Building Department at 1925 Lucas Ave, Cottekill (PO Box 217, Stone Ridge). There's no Town/Village split. But on historic district and designated landmark properties, the HPC Certificate of Appropriateness must come first — and HPC meetings are typically held on a scheduled monthly cycle. Projects that don't account for HPC review timeline from the start are projects that discover mid-planning that they need to add 4–8 weeks to get on the HPC calendar and through the review. We build this into every historic district project from day one.
Design-build is the right approach for a market that expects design quality.
The Stone Ridge buyer is among the most design-conscious in the Hudson Valley. They bought a historic limestone farmhouse or a stone colonial because they care about architecture — and they want a contractor who shares that sensibility. Design-build keeps design intent intact from first conversation through final construction. There's no handoff from designer to contractor where the carefully considered proportions and material choices get value-engineered away. What's designed is what gets built.
How We Work:
The same five-step process applies to every project — with HPC review status identified in discovery and built into the planning timeline for every Stone Ridge historic district engagement.
Discovery
We define your goals, site conditions, budget, and overall scope.
Design & Development
We align layouts, materials, and systems with construction reality before anything is committed to.
Pre-Construction
We coordinate permitting, engineering, and all technical planning with local authorities.
Construction
We manage the build directly with consistent communication and hands-on execution.
Completion
We close out with final walkthroughs, documentation, and full project handoff.
Common Questions from Stone Ridge and Marbletown Homeowners
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We offer the full range of residential design-build services in Stone Ridge and the Town of Marbletown, including custom new home construction, NetBuilt semi-custom high-performance homes, whole-home renovations of historic limestone houses and antique farmhouses, kitchen and bathroom remodeling, home additions and ADUs, high-performance and net-zero construction, general contracting, and complete pre-construction and permitting support — including the Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) Certificate of Appropriateness process for exterior work on designated landmark and historic district properties.
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No — all building permits in Marbletown are issued through a single authority: the Town of Marbletown Building Department, physically located at 1925 Lucas Ave, Cottekill, NY (mailing address PO Box 217, Stone Ridge, NY 12484), reachable at 845-687-7500 ext. 3. There is no separate incorporated village with its own building jurisdiction. However, exterior work on properties within the Main Street Historic District or on individually designated Town landmarks requires a Certificate of Appropriateness from the Historic Preservation Commission before the Building Department can issue a permit. This is a separate, preceding step that must be planned for in the project timeline.
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The Town of Marbletown's Historic Preservation Commission is a Certified Local Government body that reviews exterior changes on designated local landmarks and properties within the Town's historic districts. Before the Code Enforcement Officer can issue a building permit for exterior work on a covered property, the property owner must apply to the HPC, which reviews the plans and issues a Certificate of Appropriateness if the work is compatible with the historic character of the property and the district. The review criteria include building form, roofline, architectural detailing, material choices, window and door proportion and materials, and compatibility with the scale and character of neighboring historic structures. Interior changes do not require HPC review. HPC meetings are typically scheduled monthly, so the review timeline should be built into the overall project schedule from the start. P.A.S. Design Build manages this process completely — application preparation, plans and materials specifications, and HPC submission — so the review proceeds efficiently.
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Stone Ridge is the highest-value residential market in this region of Ulster County. Median home sale prices have ranged from $799,000 to $922,000 depending on timing and data source — driven by a concentration of well-preserved historic stone houses and antique farmhouses, a design-conscious buyer pool, and very limited inventory. Renovation costs vary significantly depending on the home's age, condition, and the complexity of scope: kitchen renovations typically range $50,000–$110,000+ in homes of this character; bathroom remodels $25,000–$65,000+. Historic limestone house renovations requiring masonry expertise and HPC coordination will cost more than equivalent work in a conventional wood-frame house — but the material and process deserve the investment. Custom new construction runs $300–$500+ per square foot depending on site conditions and specifications. We provide detailed, itemized estimates after a site walk — never ballpark figures.
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Several — and they matter a lot. First: if the property is within the Main Street Historic District or designated as a local landmark, exterior changes require HPC review and a Certificate of Appropriateness before the building permit is issued. Second, and equally important: the building material itself requires specific expertise. The original mortar in 18th and 19th-century stone houses is lime-based, not Portland cement. Repointing with modern Portland cement mortar — which is much harder than the historic lime mortar — traps moisture in the joints, accelerates spalling, and causes long-term structural damage to the stone. Proper repointing uses a mortar mix matched to the original composition. Third: thermal performance of solid stone walls is very different from stud-frame walls, and insulation approaches must account for vapor movement to avoid creating moisture problems within the wall assembly. We understand all of these considerations and address them explicitly in the project scope.
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Yes. The Esopus Creek runs through the southern portion of the Town of Marbletown — the Town park has a beach on the Esopus — and FEMA designates active Special Flood Hazard Areas along the creek's floodplain. Properties near the Esopus in low-lying areas may be subject to floodplain construction requirements, and work within or near the creek corridor may require DEC freshwater wetlands permits and stream disturbance review. Marbletown is also a signatory to the Lower Rondout Creek intermunicipal watershed management agreement, and properties in the northern portion of the town near the Rondout watershed may have similar floodplain and wetland considerations. We identify flood zone status in the first site visit — before any design begins.
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NetBuilt is our semi-custom, high-performance home line — pre-designed 2, 3, and 4-bedroom models built to net-zero performance frameworks and adapted to your site, preferences, and materials. NetBuilt homes are available on suitable parcels in the broader Marbletown area — typically rural lots outside the historic district. The high-performance and energy-efficient character of NetBuilt homes aligns naturally with what Stone Ridge and Marbletown buyers tend to value. Site assessment — soil, drainage, setbacks, utility access, and flood zone status near the Esopus or Rondout watersheds — is part of every NetBuilt engagement here.
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Yes. We handle kitchen and bathroom remodeling throughout Stone Ridge, High Falls, Accord, Cottekill, Kerhonkson, and the broader Marbletown area. Interior remodeling in Stone Ridge does not require HPC review — only exterior changes are subject to historic district oversight. What interior remodeling in older Stone Ridge homes reliably does require is honesty about what's likely behind original plaster walls: hand-hewn timber framing, rubble stone fill, original plumbing and electrical systems. We scope every project honestly upfront — so what's behind the walls is part of the budget from the start, not a change order after demo begins.
Custom Homes & Renovations Throughout the Hudson Valley…
WHERE WE BUILD
P.A.S. Design Build serves homeowners across the broader Hudson Valley. Whether you're building in Kingston, on a mountain lot in Woodstock, or along the river in Rhinebeck — we know this land, these codes, and this climate.
Planning a Project in Stone Ridge or Marbletown?
Start with a conversation — before the HPC application, before the building permit, before the first plan is drawn.
Stone Ridge projects deserve a contractor who understands not just how to build, but what this town is made of — literally and architecturally. Whether you own a historic limestone house on Main Street and want to renovate it thoughtfully, are looking to build new on a rural Marbletown parcel, or need a kitchen and bath remodel in an antique farmhouse that was last touched forty years ago, the right starting point is the same: a site walk and an honest conversation about what the property, the regulations, and the budget actually allow. We take on a limited number of projects each year to make sure every client works directly with our principals from start to finish.
TRUST CHECKLIST
HPC Certificate of Appropriateness process managed completely
Historic masonry expertise — lime mortar, stone wall renovation, material matching
Site walk before any scope or pricing commitment
Honest, itemized estimates — including what older homes typically reveal behind the walls
Direct access to Patrick and Aiden from first conversation to final walkthrough