Mike was extremely helpful throughout the design process and very easy to work with. He was responsive to phone calls and requests for scheduling meetings. His creativity was helpful and practical in nature. He introduced the idea of a bay window and a matching shape on the deck and guided us in positioning the pool in a manner that was pleasing so that we could view the trees while swimming. We're very pleased with the addition and the amount of light and space that was produced by his design.
Elaine Tierney
The Parker Residences
Mike Cavanaugh was phenomenal to work with. First he helped design two major additions to our original house. He was very creative, kept within budget, kept an eye on the building process and was always available to answer our questions during construction. We were so happy with his work that we decided to hire him to design our new custom house. He started with nothing but some ideas that we had and ultimately designed the entire house. We are constantly complimented about the amazing design, from the exterior to the floor plan to the finish work that he conceived. With a project that was as large as our dream home, we counted on Mike to keep an eye on the entire project.
Thankfully, he was always available to oversee the project and he picked up on the builders many mistakes and/or deviations from the plans.
Without Mike, I doubt that our house would have ever been completed in accordance with the plans. Whether you are considering a small addition or a complete house design, you can be assured that Mike will be creative, professional, economically sensitive and perhaps, most important, he will listen to what you say. The Parker Family
The Angstreich Residence
Mike Cavanaugh is a fantastic remodeling designer. We initially worked with Mike Cavanaugh and Mark IV Builders in 2008 on the complete renovation of our house. Mike worked with us to achieve our goal of turning our house of somewhat mismatched parts (the result of an earlier addition by a prior owner) into a single house that flowed throughout. For our recent home renovation project, involving the remodeling of our master bedroom and the replacement of our deck with a covered porch, we asked Mark IV to bring Mike on board as the remodeling designer, as we wanted the covered porch to flow with his design for the rest of the house. Although designing the covered porch proved a little tricky, Mike made the addition look as though it had always been part of his original design, and it blends beautifully with the rest of the house. Mike also re-conceptualized our master bathroom, making excellent use of the available space, and reclaiming space that had been wasted in our existing home.
Mike created a 3D computer model of both the bathroom and the covered porch, which gave us a real ability to visualize the finished product. The 3D model not only let us view the bathroom and porch from all angles, but see how colors and finishes would work together. The final products look remarkably like the 3D models.
On this project, and on our prior one, Mike was always willing to answer our questions and provide additional ideas on how to achieve our goals. He also stayed with us throughout the project, and went with Terri to the tile store to select the right tile for the bathroom and the porch. He also helped work through questions that arose during the construction as Mark IV turned his designs into reality. We believe that Mike’s involvement is a major reason that both of our projects with Mark IV have gone so smoothly.
Terri and Scott Angstreich
MARK IV Builders, Inc.
Our company has been working with Michael Cavanaugh from MC Design Build for the last 5 years on Design/Build projects ranging in price from $100,000 to $600,000. Since we began working with Michael, we found that he has an impressive remodeling design sense that encompasses both function and artistic presence. He is at the forefront of the trends, styles, materials and costs that exist today in the remodeling community. Michael is very organized and astute in listening to the client's needs and producing deliverables based on those requirements. Our experience with Michael has been very fruitful for MARK IV Builders, We have found that Michael's attention to detail and ability to, "work outside of the box", but within the budget, extremely gratifying in our projects. We highly recommend Michael to anyone looking for a designer that is knowledgeable as well as creative. I would be happy to discuss our experiences with Michael with you. I can be contacted at MARK IV Builders at 240-395-0400.
If you are seeking a design that is both functional and visually appealing, and want to work with a designer that will listen to you, and have a personal touch with your project, I would definitely recommend Michael. Andrew Hannan Production Manager MARK IV Builders, Inc.
I first hired Mike Cavanaugh to work with me on some large scale remodeling projects. From that first client, Mike has shown himself to be inventive and open-minded. Since that first award-wining client, we have worked with Mike on a dozen projects per year. Mike has always been sensitive to the clients' needs and wants, while paying attention to the budget and projected scope of work.
After 50 or more projects together, I am comfortable working with Mike and frequently recommend Mike and MC Design Build to friends and other remodeling contractors.
Mark Scott President MARK IV Builders, Inc.
The Malech Residence
We hired Mike through Mark IV Builders. His task was to re-design the first floor of our house to expand, relocate and re-design the kitchen, extend and re-design the mud room into a family-friendly and more efficient space, as well as relocate rooms and re-design the remainder of the first floor of the house. We met with Mike and gave him our thoughts on the function of each room and what we hoped to accomplish.
I remember him telling me that he views our first floor as a space without walls and he would re-design location and function from the ground-up so to speak. When we met with Mike a second time to look at his preliminary drawings I was stunned to realize that they were right on point. I believe we made a few suggestions and made minor changes here and there throughout the construction, but what we have today is materially the same as Mike's original design. He was directly on target. I often came home from work to find Mike studying an aspect of the progress of construction with our contractor and trouble-shooting.
He was available when and as needed throughout the project. I function best by Email, and we bounced many ideas around electronically over the several month construction process. Mike is a pleasure to work with and has the right attitude and temperament for the job. He even showed up on moving day and helped lay out the kid's play room!
The Malech Family
Vogan Associates, Inc. Design · Build
Dealing with Mike is always a pleasure. He's very knowledgeable, professional and a great design-build team player. His design team has repeatedly created for us designs that can actually be built!
Kelly Vogan President Vogan Associates, Inc. Design - Build
structura
Mr. Cavanaugh is well versed in residential remodeling design services. With all of his projects I have collaborated on, he has demonstrated a thorough understanding of all of a building's components and relationships. Unlike many people I have worked with, Mr. Cavanaugh consistently shows the ability to understand and visualize buildings in three dimensions. His construction documents are well prepared and easy to follow, and, in my experience, fully comply with all local building codes at their first issuance. According to the builders I have interacted with, Mr. Cavanaugh's projects are very "buildable", and his clients always seem very pleased with the final products.
Matthew Rudy Engineer structura
Ellie's Interior Design Company, Inc.
I am an interior designer with more than thirty-five years of experience creating beautiful interiors for upper-bracket clients who have homes in many areas of the country. I have worked with Mike on over thirty projects in the last seven years! We have created and documented interiors for several penthouse condos in Palm Beach, Florida and in Bethany Beach, Delaware, as well as homes in Maryland, Virginia and Washington, DC.
My first project with Mike involved a garage addition for my clients' estate home in Potomac, Maryland. Mike easily handled that project and my client, and I, were very pleased. This first project exposed me to Mike's passion and knowledge for residential design and construction, and his skills as an AutoCAD drafting technician. Mike designs and drafts all of his projects himself on the computer and this intrigued me because I have been drafting by hand for many years and I wanted to outsource that portion of my services. Mike and I tried working and drafting together sitting in front of his dual computer screens and it worked very well. Now I work with Mike or his staff designer Ivana on almost every project I produce. Together we have created intricate marble floor patterns; designed custom furniture, rugs, and built-in cabinetry; as well as complex lighting schemes. Mike's approach toward residential design actually allows the interior spaces we create to accommodate my clients' needs. The floor plans work. The furniture layouts work. My clients are happy and can enjoy the interior of their homes and that is my ultimate goal. It's always a pleasure to work with Mike and Ivana and I plan to continue working with them for many more years to come.
Ellie Morgan
Interior Designer
KohlMark Group
Mike has worked as a consultant for us for over the last five years. Mike has a great design eye and excellent computer and CAD knowledge. He has worked with us to design and produce construction drawings that have been among the best that I have worked with. He has also provided 3D modeling services for us to help convey a design to our clients. Mike always brings a competent, professional, can-do attitude to any work that he does for us. Thomas Flach Vice President KohlMark Group
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