A Richmond Homeowner’s Guide to Custom Additions and Renovations
There is something special about Virginia homes. From the classic historic bungalows in The Fan and Westover Hills to the sprawling farmhouses in Goochland and stately residences in Glen Allen, the architecture of Central Virginia has a distinct character and a story to tell.
But as families grow and lifestyles change, even the most beloved homes can begin to feel a bit tight. Maybe your kitchen is too cramped for entertaining, or your floor plan feels disconnected. When you need more room to live and gather, you face a major decision:
Do you pack up and leave the neighborhood you love, or do you expand and reshape your current space?
High-end custom home additions and large-scale residential renovations are our bread and butter. We specialize in helping homeowners add valuable square footage while ensuring the new space ties in so cleanly that it feels like it has always belonged.
We’ve pulled from our over a decade of experience to help you get started on your remodeling journey by gathering some of the most common questions our team hears during initial design-build consultations.
1. What is the difference between a standard addition and a “custom” addition?
A standard addition often prioritizes raw square footage over architectural flow, sometimes resulting in a new room that feels like a box tacked onto the back of your house.
A custom home addition, on the other hand, is an architectural collaboration. It takes into account your existing roofline, natural lighting, exterior materials, and the unique flow of your daily life. Whether we are building a light-filled custom sunroom, a private guest suite, or a premium kitchen extension, our goal is “quiet luxury.” The new construction should seamlessly blend with your home’s original character, both inside and out.
2. How long does a premium home renovation or addition typically take?
A major custom addition or a full-scale home renovation is a complex undertaking with multiple moving parts. Because every custom project we build is entirely unique, timelines are tailored directly to your specific scope of work, local permitting requirements, and structural designs.
A typical premium project follows a structured, transparent process:
- The Design and Planning Phase: We walk through your space, sketch ideas, engineer structural supports, select high-quality materials, and finalize a design that stays grounded in your budget.
- The Permitting Phase: We handle all administrative paperwork and coordination with local county offices (such as Henrico, Chesterfield, or Goochland) to secure all necessary structural, electrical, and plumbing permits before any groundbreaking begins.
- The Construction Phase: Groundbreaking, framing, utility rough-ins, drywall, and finishing the custom trim, paint, and flooring. We use specialized construction project management software to keep you fully informed and keep the timeline moving forward smoothly.
We manage the entire timeline from start to finish, including all paperwork, scheduling, permits, and inspections, so you can enjoy a stress-free build process.
3. Will I need to move out of my house during construction?
In the vast majority of our residential projects, no, you do not need to move out.
We understand that a major construction project can be highly disruptive to your family’s routine. That is why our crews work incredibly clean and stay highly respectful of your day-to-day life. We physically contain the workspace with dust barriers, maintain a safe and organized job site, and coordinate heavy utility work around your schedule whenever possible.
Our goal is to keep things as comfortable as possible for you from groundbreaking to the final walkthrough.
4. What are the most popular additions that bring the highest return on enjoyment?
While adding space increases your home’s long-term market value, the true return on investment is the way it enhances your daily lifestyle. Some popular projects we build for Richmond area families include:
- Kitchen Extensions and Open-Concept Resets: Removing load-bearing walls and extending the footprint of the home to create a spacious, flow-through kitchen and living area, the ultimate setup for hosting and family gatherings. For example, we did a renovation on Brewington Road in Richmond’s West End and a farmhouse project on River Road in Henrico that both centered on this kind of kitchen transformation.
- Patios, Porches, and Outdoor Additions: Extending living space beyond the walls of the house with covered porches and patios built for everyday use, not just show. Our Mooreland Farms addition in Henrico and our Raintree patio and porch renovation are two great examples of turning underused outdoor space into a true extension of the home.
- Whole-Home Renovations for Character Homes: For older homes with history, our Westover Hills and Wythe Avenue projects show what’s possible when opening up the layout while preserving the character that made the home special in the first place.
5. What is the first step in planning a custom addition?
The best projects don’t start with hammers, they start with a conversation over a cup of coffee. You don’t need to have a fully engineered blueprint ready to get started.
We love sitting down with local families, walking their property, and listening to their “what-ifs” and dreams. Our team can help you translate those early ideas into a solid design that makes sense for your property, stays grounded in your realistic budget, and respects the natural beauty of your neighborhood.
These are probably just the tip of the iceberg for questions you have if you’re starting to consider a home renovation.
CB Chandler is a family business born, raised, and rooted in Richmond, Virginia. Whether it’s a kitchen extension, a porch addition, or a full home renovation, we’ve spent years learning what it takes to build spaces that families actually live in and love in this area. If you’re weighing your options we’re happy to talk through what’s possible.