As a leading local builder material supplier for over 100 years, National Lumber has had the privilege of getting to form relationships with builders across the Baltimore and DC metro areas. It’s our pleasure to highlight the great work they do. We spoke with Shawn Saffran, a Project Manager for Smithouse Construction, about their company and the latest project they’ve undertaken.
About Smithouse Construction
Founded in 2005, Smithouse focuses on home renovation and large-scale remodeling projects for clients across the Baltimore metro area. Smithouse’s guiding principle is improving the quality of people’s lives by improving the quality of life in their living spaces. They are a full custom remodeler who works on a variety of project sizes. Additionally, Smithouse is a design-build company, meaning they can take a client’s project from concept to completion all in-house. Their designers work hand-in-hand with the building team to ensure each project achieves the vision that was conceptualized with the homeowner.
Product Selection
Product selection is a crucial task for any builder, and Shawn explained Smithouse’s preference for products that bring longevity and quality to each build. Instead of simply letting price guide their product choice decisions, the Smithouse team incorporates products that will stand the test of time. This mindset is applied to product selection throughout the process, down to the framing lumber. Even if the items aren’t part of the visible finishes and facade the client directly interacts with, it’s still important to the Smithouse Construction team that they select products that will bring out the most potential in each project.
Current Project: Timonium Large-Scale Remodel
We spoke with Shawn at the job site of their current project, a large remodel and home extension that touched nearly every room of the house. The project began as a main house kitchen and master suite renovation but soon evolved to include a full addition in the form of a suite for the owner’s mother. Built above the newly added three-car garage, the space was tailored for aging-in-place, and to allow ample space for the whole family to co-exist. Additional elements continued to emerge organically, including a new second-floor deck, a sunroom, full window replacements, a covered porch featuring an outdoor fireplace, and outdoor hardscaping. The added suite features a full kitchen as well. The project is a perfect encapsulation of Smithouse’s ability to handle large-scale renovation projects. It also highlights the flexibility of their design-build process, which is able to meet the challenges of a remodel that evolves over the course of the project.
Work With National Lumber
Smithouse has worked with National Lumber to supply materials for a variety of their jobs over the years. For their current Timonoum project, National Lumber provided framing lumber, trim, and decking materials. Shawn highlighted the service provided by Andy on our sales team, who stepped in to manage their needs after their previous rep departed from the team. Throughout the pandemic, his responsiveness and clear communication helped prep the Smithouse team to predict lead times, and get orders in at the right time during tumultuous price fluctuations. We’re proud to supply a great team like Smithouse Construction, and we’re excited to see the great projects they have in store in the future.
We’d like to thank Shawn Saffran of Smithouse for taking the time to speak with us. If you’re ready to get started on your next project, the team at National Lumber is here to meet your building material needs. Contact us today to get started.
