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Hillsborough NC Builder, Collins Design-Build Voted 1st Place in Peoples Choice at The Annual HBADOC ROC Awards Banquet.

The Remodelers Outstanding Construction Awards (ROC) celebrates the amazing remodeling projects the Home Builders Association Of Durham, Orange & Chatham members completed in Durham, Orange and Chatham Counties. The competition is open to all projects completed within the past year in categories such as Kitchen, Bath, Addition, Outdoor Living, and Whole House.

Hillsborough NC Builder, Collins Design-Build Voted 1st Place Peoples Choice for their Screen Porch Addition in Hillsborough NC.

To stay put or to move on?

Hillsborough NC – After your home ages twenty years it needs a little love. The shingles are usually at the end of their respective life cycle, the clapboard siding is well overdue for a fresh coat paint and you reach the crossroads of do you make the investment and stay or sell and move on.

Our Hillsborough NC clients reached this exact crossroad. They loved their home and their location. They struggled with what would be best for their growing family’s needs. Then “Grandma” moved in down the street and installed a pool in her backyard. Having a Mother/Mother-In-Law down the street with a pool is a game changer. Let’s stay put!

We knew we needed new shingles, fresh paint, odds and ends like landscape pruning and normal maintenance repairs but we wanted more outdoor living space as well. A screened in porch large enough to eat and lounge with a fireplace that actually emits warmth; something cozy that’s inviting to relax.

Got to have a separate grilling deck area but we need to repurpose an existing window into a fully accessible door. The hot tub would be create less of a challenge if we had installed voltage lighting to border our barefooted evening run back into the home on brisk nights.

No outdoor living space is complete without a stamped concrete patio bordered by a fire pit.

State of the art speakers, LED lighting, ENERGY STAR ceiling fans, Natural Gas fireplace, low voltage stair lighting, COX pressure treated lumber, stain grade tongue & Groove ceilings, Skylights, name brand Deckorator Balusters and Collins Design-Build signature TechShield radiant barrier roof sheathing this screen porch is the flagship of the neighborhood.

Stay put!

To see more, please visit: our remodeling photo gallery

Hillsborough NC Builder, Collins Design-Build offers remodeling services and consultation In Hillsborough NC and surrounding Counties.

When you think of making home improvements, the interior and exterior of your home may get the most focus. But there is also a lot of potentially great living space just outside your door. Hillsborough NC Home Builder Collins Design-Build offers a few ways to make your back (or front) yard a seamless extension of your home for entertaining and enjoying the days and evenings of summer, fall and beyond.

Outdoor Living and Dining Rooms, Kitchens

It’s becoming more common to see cushioned chairs, benches and tables arranged on a separated patio or adjoining the home, often under an awning or roof but still very much in the open air of your backyard. Start off on the right foot with a properly installed and graded patio of stone or concrete and you can enjoy meals or just have a comfortable place to relax with friends and family. Some go further and create an outdoor kitchen complete with a grill, sink, refrigerator, and countertop and storage space, often built right into a patio’s stonework. Be sure to buy furniture, rugs and accessories that have been designed for outdoor or outdoor/indoor use.

Fire Pits and Fireplaces

Another more recent trend is having a skilled professional install a freestanding brick or stone fireplace near a seating or entertaining area in your backyard. It can create a sense of privacy while still leaving you out in nature, as well as provide a welcome glow and warmth into the fall months. Likewise, fire pits can be permanently installed to provide a safe, appealing glow to your outdoor gathering.

Patios and Walkways

Is your backyard patio a square or rectangular slab of concrete? Think outside the box, as the saying goes, and expand or replace that drab slab with a rounded or flowing contoured patio. There are many options to choose from, and even the least expensive materials like concrete have come a long way with varied textures, visual appeal and durability. Add a meandering walkway through a garden space and beyond to draw your backyard, landscaping and patio area together into an inviting, cohesive living space.

Stone Gardens

Rocks may be an unwelcome site when you are installing fence posts or digging a patio or a hole to place a plant, but don’t toss them away just yet. Stones can add color and texture to a garden, and larger rocks can create their own unique focal point. Add new dimension to your backyard with stones large or small. Think of it this way — you’ll never have to water them!

Pergolas and Outdoor Lighting

Break up, instead of block out, the daylight sun with wooden structures like pergolas to bring some welcome shade without creating a barrier between you and the outdoors you are enjoying. At night, these same structures can feature lighting elements designed specifically for outdoor use to add a subtle but helpful glow in the evening. Lighting can also be put to great use along your patio and walkways, providing a lit space for safety and appeal without taking away from the night-time ambiance.

Installing elements like these into your home’s outdoor space is a great way to expand the enjoyment of your home. But don’t be shy to contact Hillsborough NC Home Builder Collins Design-Build. We have the necessary expertise to help you with your project. When it comes to permanent and more costly fixtures such as fireplaces, patios and walkways, and even outdoor kitchens, they will work better, be safer and last longer when properly installed.

About the Builder:

Chad & Emilee Collins

Chad Collins is an Unlimited Licensed General Contractor, Licensed Home Inspector, and award-winning custom home builder based in Hillsborough, North Carolina. As the founder of Collins Design-Build, Chad has earned a reputation for creating luxury, timeless custom homes throughout Orange County, Chapel Hill, Hillsborough, and the surrounding Triangle region. His projects are known for exceptional craftsmanship, high-performance construction, universal design, and premium client experience.

Recognized as one of the Triangle Business Journal’s top custom home builders, Chad blends extensive construction expertise with thoughtful design to build homes that are beautiful, durable, healthy, and highly energy efficient. His credentials include Accredited Master Builder, Master Certified Green Professional, and Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist—distinctions held by only a select group of builders statewide.

Chad’s 30 plus year career began in building materials, retail, and field operations, quickly earning him leadership roles with local, regional, and national home builders. His ability to streamline operations, lead high-performing teams, and deliver luxury homes with exceptional quality helped him close more than $6 million in custom home projects in a single year and win the 2001 Builder of the Year award.

As the founder of Collins Design-Build, Chad has earned numerous industry honors, including National Certified Green Professional Builder of the Year, Home Builder of the Year for Durham, Orange & Chatham Counties, MAME Building Company of the Year, multiple STARS Awards, Parade of Homes Gold Awards, and multiple Best Green Built Home recognitions. His firm also builds certified green homes and ENERGY STAR homes as a standard—not an upgrade.

Chad is widely respected as a leader in North Carolina’s building community. He has served as President of the Home Builders Association of Durham, Orange & Chatham Counties, Regional Vice President for the North Carolina Home Builders Association, and President of the Hillsborough/Orange County Chamber of Commerce. In 2018, he was appointed by the Governor to the North Carolina Home Inspectors Licensing Board.

In addition to building award-winning custom homes, Chad is a residential construction expert witness, assisting attorneys, homeowners, and insurers in cases involving construction defects, building standards, and accessibility issues. His professional background and extensive field experience make him a trusted authority in courtroom, arbitration, and litigation support.

Chad is also an approved Continuing Education Instructor for the NC Licensing Board for General Contractors and a recognized speaker for the National Association of Home Builders. He has written and taught courses on green building, construction management, and aging-in-place for contractors and university programs, including Duke University’s OLLI Continuing Education Program.

Categorized in: Awards, Collins Design Build News

This post was written by Collins Design Build