The Belhaven Plan
January 13th, 2012
Wilmington new home builder Mark Johnson Custom Homes has recently completed construction on a custom home in Wilmington. Click “The Belhaven” below to take a virtual tour of the beautiful 3,248sf home.
Client Testimonial
October 6th, 2011
Wilmington home builder Mark Johnson Custom Homes prides ourselves in providing excellent service to our clients. We would like to share a testimonial from our most recent clients.
“Our experience with MJCH was first rate from start to finish. MJCH was hands-on with great attention to detail and costs from the initial planning stage through completion. They worked within our budget to provide us with everything we wanted in our new home and more. We experienced none of the horror stories you sometimes hear about constructing a home, and in fact, could not have asked for a better experience in constructing our new home. My wife and I have built three other new homes prior to working with MJCH, and I have personally been involved in construction and the legal representation of contractors since 1993. We absolutely would recommend MJCH, without hesitation. MJCH worked closely with us to develop the plans and a reasonable budget to construct our dream home, and then proceeded to construct the home on time and on budget. Having worked in construction for many years, I recognize that this is not always the case and is dependent on having a general contractor that’s primary focus is pleasing its clients. That’s the case with MJCH, and why they are a first rate builder that we highly recommend to anyone looking to build a home.”
Michael and Jeana Gandee
New Custom Home in Wilmington, NC
October 5th, 2011
Wilmington new home builder Mark Johnson Custom Homes is excited to announce that we have completed construction of The Angelique, a custom home in the Landfall community. We invite you to take a tour via the two minute video below to experience the home’s New England colonial style and old world charm. Simply click “The Angelique” below to view the video.
Custom Home Built in the Birkdale Community of Landfall
September 15th, 2011
Wilmington, NC home builder Mark Johnson Custom Homes would like to share a video of a custom home we recently built for a client in the Birkdale Community of Landfall.
Simply click “Birkdale at Landfall” below to view the video,
The Angelique
July 11th, 2011
Wilmington builder Mark Johnson Custom Homes would like to introduce our readers to The Angelique, a custom home we are currently building in the Landfall community.
This client, currently residing in California, brought The Angelique plan to us from Southern Living House Plans. We purchased the plan and had a designer redraw it locally with changes.
The 3800 sf home has a washed and aged tumbled brick exterior that offers a feeling of old world European charm. The dark brown windows will match the gutters to contrast the soft and creamy white color tone of the home’s exterior. Soft arches on a courtyard wall will be lit by large carriage lights and softened by natural green landscaping, leading overnight guests to their own entrance and private suite. Walnut colored operable composite raised panel shutters will complement the pallet nicely.
The interior of the home will be a study of clean lines, layers of soft white with gray tones. The chef’s kitchen will be set with Thermador stainless appliances that will contrast white cabinets and a subway tile backsplash. For a little flair, there will be black granite counter tops with a complementing carrara marble island. Mini crystal and nickel chandeliers will punctuate the setting with a perfect amount of accent lighting.
We invite you to visit The Angelique on our Flickr page to view the construction progress.
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MJCH Client Testimonial
May 10th, 2011
Wilmington, NC home builder Mark Johnson Custom Homes values our clients’ feedback in an effort to grow and improve our business. Below is a testimonial from one of our recent clients.
“I would indeed recommend Mark Johnson Custom Homes, I already have. My design, worked out with the architect, required some imagination and attention to detail, especially in regards to building codes. The job was completed exactly as I wished and required considerable ingenuity.”
Virginia Baker
Testimonial
March 10th, 2011
Wilmington builder Mark Johnson Custom Homes would like to share with our readers the following testimonial from our most recent homeowners.
“Mark Johnson Custom Homes did a beautiful job building our dream home. Mark is an enthusiastic builder who is professional and accessible. He has a wonderful roster of sub-contractors that value his business and do a great job for his customers. Most importantly, Mark will do whatever it takes to make sure his customers are happy with their new home.”
Steve and Susan Crumrine, Landfall
Energy Star Certification
March 10th, 2011
 Wilmington, NC home builder Mark Johnson Custom Homes recently completed an Energy Star certified home in Landfall. The home received a 61 on the HERS (Home Energy Rating System) index, meaning it is 39% more efficient than a code minimum home.
The estimated ANNUAL energy cost for the 3100 sf home is $1,897. After the final calculation, the homeowner stated, “Wow, we would have spent that amount in 4 months at our last home.” Basically, being 39% more efficient than code for this home equals $700+ savings PER YEAR. MJCH’s standard framing techniques, insulation package and HVAC system not only accommodate, but exceed Energy Star requirements. The return on investment is less than 15 months. If the homeowner stays in the home for 15 years, that’s $10,500 in savings and as our energy costs rise (and they will), the savings will be even greater. This also results in a more marketable home when it comes time to sell. At the end of construction, our Energy Rater, Above and Beyond Energy, removed the front door, added pressure to the house and calculated the air leakage. This test, along with various field visits, ensured a 5 STARS PLUS rating which is the highest level attainable. |
Spring Forward
March 10th, 2011
Landfall home builder Mark Johnson Custom Homes would like to remind our readers to change their clocks this weekend…it’s time to “spring forward”.
At 2 a.m. on March 13, 2011, groggy Americans will turn their clocks forward one hour, marking the 
beginning of Daylight Saving Time!
Informative Fact:
Arizona (with the exception of the Navajo Nation) and Hawaii and the territories of Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, Guam, and American Samoa are the only places in the U.S. that do not observe DST but instead stay on “standard time” all year long. And if you’ve spent any time in the sweltering summer sun in those regions you can understand why residents don’t need another hour of sunlight.
Exposed Aggregate Driveways
February 3rd, 2011
Wilmington, NC home builder Mark Johnson Custom Homes recently installed a grey exposed aggregate driveway using recycled sea shells at a home being built in Landfall. Exposed aggregate with broadcast sea shells gives concrete the elegance and beauty of the old south.
The process includes broadcasting and pressing recycled sea shells into concrete when wet, then removing the top surface when the concrete flashes (water evaporates) allowing the beautiful shells to appear.
Adding the Aggregate to the Concrete:
The most commonly used method is to seed the decorative aggregate onto the slab surface immediately after the concrete has been placed, struck off, and bull floated. This involves sprinkling the aggregate by hand or shovel uniformly onto the surface and then embedding it with a bull float until it’s completely covered by a thin layer of cement paste.
Exposing the Aggregate:
There are several exposure methods contractors can choose from, depending on the look desired and size of the project. Only the top of the stone is exposed while the rest remains permanently embedded in the concrete. The general rule of thumb is to remove the surface concrete to a depth no more than one-third the diameter of the aggregate particle. Brushing and washing is the oldest method and the simplest because it doesn’t require chemical retarders or special tools. You just wash away the thin layer of surface concrete covering the aggregate by spraying with water and scrubbing with a broom until the aggregate is exposed to the desired depth. The timing of the operation is critical, however, so this method is often better suited for small jobs. The work should begin as soon as the surface concrete can be removed without overexposing or dislodging the aggregate. You can test this by lightly brushing away the surface mortar in a small area with a stiff nylon-bristle broom.
Choosing Decorative Aggregate:
The color palette of an exposed aggregate surface is largely determined by the type of decorative stone that’s used. Aggregate selection can also have a big impact on the total cost of the project. Expensive aggregates are not always needed to achieve impressive results. You can also use manufactured materials such as recycled colored glass.
