Garrison Homes: Custom dwellings, fine craftsmanship

Garrison Homes’ goal is to exceed its customers’ expectations one home at a time. The company started building custom homes in 2000, after opening an office in Dover. Since then, Garrison Homes has built more than 75 homes from Broadkill Beach to Bethany Beach.

This summer the company moved its office from Dover to the Lewes area, opening in July.

“We’re very big on quality and workmanship. Our clients are going to get a nice, finished product that’s going to perform and hold up well into the future,” said Charles Garrison, company vice president.

Garrison Homes is family-owned and reflects three generations of building experience. Charles Garrison is in charge of the company’s fieldwork. Jeff, his son, handles the administrative side of the business.

The company builds six to eight homes a year Kent and Sussex County.

“We don’t work with all base-grade products. We’re not a tract builder. Many of our standard products are other builder’s upgrades,” Jeff Garrison said.

He said whenever needed, customers can have daily contact with company owners. “You’re working with the owners, not a foreman or a company that has 80 employees. And we’re available to our clients seven days a week,” Jeff said.

On Saturdays and Sundays, the Garrisons walk through homes under construction and hold progress meetings with clients.

They also take new clients to see of homes the company has built. After touring a home, Jeff said some prospective clients have said they don’t think they can afford a Garrison home.

But after they do a price comparison, customers find out the home is affordable. Garrison said that’s because of the company’s competitive pricing.

He said prospective custom homebuyers should remember that when getting multiple bids, they have to compare apples to apples.

“There are a lot of builders using inferior products and different products of different levels. They might be able to build a home for $225,000, but you’re going to get what you pay for,” Jeff said.

The company builds homes at prices ranging from $250,000 to more than $1 million. “We build houses starting around $125 a square foot to well over $200 a square foot. If you can afford it, we can build it,” Jeff said. It takes about four to eight months to complete a home, depending on size and special features, he said.

Garrison Homes offers in-house design and has a product selection center in the office.

He said the company’s subcontractors are skilled craftsmen who include Amish masons from West Dover who do framing and finish carpentry.

The company also builds for clients seeking eco-friendly and energy-efficient structures.

“We do a lot of optional, high-efficiency insulation packages. We’ve done several geothermal heating and air systems; we’ve done solar; we install Rinnai tankless water heaters; and we’ve done conditioned crawl spaces, basements and attics,” Garrison said.

The company has also built numerous man caves featuring over-the-top in-home theater systems. “We just did a 109- inch projection screen system in a finished basement,” Jeff said.

Garrison said the company has numerous testimonials from customers endorsing its homes.

“We have longstanding relationships with all our previous clients. Our deal isn’t over when the house is done. We go above and beyond. We do repairs for folks two, three or four years after the house is finished just out of courtesy,” Garrison said.

Garrison Homes office is on Route 1, just south of the Nassau Bridge at 19413 Jingle Shell Way, Unit 5, Lewes.

For more information, phone 302-226-4663, or go to www.mygarrisonhomes.com.