“Building with Gale Builders was the best thing we ever did. The Gale Builder’s team made the process fun and stress-free. They communicated every step of the way and paid extra attention to details that we had requested and then worked to meet our expectations to the fullest. Throughout the process, Gale Builders kept our budget as a main focus and kept the detail to the highest standard. We could not be happier!”
 
Ben& Amy Robbins
Grand Haven, MI

 

  


The Robbins' home can be considered a farmhouse and cottage style. It offers a wrap around porch, Hardy Plank siding, and beautiful backyard views.




Ben and Amy Robbins met with Gale Builders in the fall of 2002. Without a house plan, but with lots of ideas, the Robbins met with a local draftsman to complete the blueprints. Once completed, Gale Builders and the Robbins spent considerable time outlining the specific requirements of flooring, trimwork, and plumbing and kitchen budgets. "By spending ample time on the details of the home from the beginning, made the process so much easier and kept us much more in budget," says Amylyn Robbins.

The home is found on a sloping lot offering the ability for the home to have a walk out basement. The exterior of the home presents a wrap around porch with a dark green metal roof and trim painted in off white. The siding of the house is completed in Hardy Plank, a wood composite that requires painting. "I wanted a home that really looked like an old farmhouse", says Benjamin Robbins, "I hoped that the Hardy Plank siding would offer this look and be resilient to the weather conditions of Michigan.

In entering the home, you are immediately introduced the music room that contains custom built bookshelves. The music room is open to the dining room that looks out into the back yard and contains a coffered ceiling and wainscoting walls with a plate shelf.

The floors throughout the first floor are in warm stained hickory. "We couldn't be happier with our floor selection," says Ben Robbins, "the floors are hard enough to handle the wear and tear of our dog and yet look like cherry."

The kitchen uses off white painted cabinets in shaker style, an island in cherry, and warm brown granite counters. Many of the cabinets have frosted glass doors giving it a old world feel. A special feature of the kitchen is the custom built cabinetry above the stove. The cabinetry offers small cubbies for seasonings and a perfect match to the connecting cabinets.

Another special feature of the home can be found in the mudroom. The Gale Builder team custom made 5 tall cubbies that hold shoes, coats, and books. "I was so impressed the entire Gale Builder team, they truly treated our house as their own and went over a beyond my expectations for detail," says Amylyn Robbins.