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Front of a white clapboard home after a full exterior renovation in Summit, NJ, with black shutters, dormers and a wood front door, by Michael Robert Construction

Summit NJ Design Build

Luxury Design-Build and Home Building in Summit, NJ

Michael Robert Construction coordinates architectural planning and construction for custom homes, major renovations and additions in Summit. Thoughtful design, early budgeting and careful craftsmanship guide the work from first ideas to completion.

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Architectural drawings are prepared by the licensed architect of record. We also build in collaboration with your existing architect.

Where to start

Architectural Planning and Construction for Your Summit Home

Summit's older homes reward meticulous architectural planning — incorporating period detail that adds charm and character while optimizing floor planning to match how modern families live.

  • Cream kitchen cabinetry with long brass pulls beneath a marble counter in a luxury Summit, NJ home renovation by Michael Robert Construction
  • Curved staircase with slim iron balusters, an oak handrail and a patterned runner in a luxury Summit, NJ home renovation by Michael Robert Construction
  • Brass picture light on pale blue-green panelled millwork above framed art in a luxury Summit, NJ home renovation
  • Brass-framed hanging bar shelving with cut glassware above a dark stone counter and an antique mirror wall in a luxury Summit, NJ home
  • Brass widespread tap on a marble counter against emerald ribbed tile in a luxury Summit, NJ powder room renovation
  • Mitred marble shower bench above a mosaic tile floor in a luxury Summit, NJ bathroom renovation by Michael Robert Construction
  • Green enamel sconce on a marble bar wall above a walnut shelf in a luxury Summit, NJ home renovation

Every project begins the same way: with the existing home or property, the changes you need and the design goals behind them. Scope, construction considerations and anticipated investment are evaluated together, before key decisions are fixed.

The most successful home transformations begin long before construction. They begin with an understanding of how you live, what your existing home can accommodate, and how design decisions affect scope, cost, and execution.

At MRC, we bring architectural planning, preconstruction, estimating, engineering coordination, and construction management into one carefully managed process. Architectural drawings are prepared by the licensed architect of record we work with under a standing arrangement, so you do not need to find and engage an architect before you start — and if you already have one, we collaborate with your design team instead. We work seamlessly with our architect of record so that clients have one point of contact: MRC.

Two pathways

Two Ways to Begin Your Summit Project

  • Coordinated design-build

    Begin with MRC while your ideas are taking shape. We coordinate architectural planning, estimating and construction, with architectural drawings prepared by the licensed architect of record.

    Explore MRC Design-Build

  • Build with your architect

    Bring your architect and plans to MRC for scope review, construction input, budgeting and execution. We collaborate with your design team throughout the work.

    Build from your architect's plans

With either pathway, Ellie Mroz Design can provide optional Construction Consulting and Furnishings. We also welcome your existing interior designer.

Our work

Summit Projects & Related Renovations

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Architectural planning

Storybook Summit: Drawn First, Then Built

A full exterior renovation that started with the existing conditions, the client's goals and the aesthetic they were after — then the architectural details and a rendering, drawn to bring the home new life.

  • The Summit, NJ home before renovation: white clapboard over painted brick, black shutters and a small flat-hooded entry, with no dormers across the front roof
    As we found it: no dormers, no portico, and an entry the facade gave nothing to.
  • Front elevation drawing for a Summit, NJ exterior renovation, annotating 2.5-inch window trim, 4.5-inch corner trim, an 8-inch frieze and three new roof dormers
    The front elevation, with three dormers added and every trim profile called out by size.
  • Entry elevation drawing for a Summit, NJ renovation, dimensioning the portico columns, the X-pattern balustrade above and the panelled door with sidelights
    The entry, dimensioned: column spacing, the balcony balustrade, the door and its sidelights.
  • Architectural rendering of a classic Summit, NJ home from the front walk, with an oval window in the gable, a columned portico and shuttered windows
    The rendering that settled it, before a single material was ordered.
  • Front elevation of a Summit, NJ exterior remodel, with a pedimented portico over a wood door and sidelights, dormers above and clipped boxwood either side
    Built. The dormers, portico and balustrade as drawn.
  • Custom louvered shutters and a lantern beside the door of a Summit, NJ exterior renovation, seen at an angle along the painted brick
    The detail the drawings were for: shutters, lantern and trim against painted brick.

See the whole Storybook Summit project

Inside Summit Home Projects

Architectural Planning, Selections, Finishes and the Furnishings that Bring a Home to Life

Every space below is the same Summit home — the whole-home renovation that began with its kitchen and went on to touch nearly all of it. See the project in full

The Kitchen

A closed kitchen with heavy cabinetry at the center of the house — replanned, drawn in elevation, then furnished as the room the whole renovation grew out of.

  • The kitchen of a luxury Summit, NJ home before renovation, with raised-panel oak and cream cabinetry, a tiled backsplash and a travertine floor
    BeforeAs we found it: a closed plan, heavy raised-panel cabinetry and a travertine floor.
  • Architectural floor plan for a luxury Summit, NJ kitchen renovation, dimensioning the island, the range wall and the run of perimeter cabinetry at a 107-inch ceiling heightEnlarge the Kitchen floor plan
    Architectural planningThe plan: the island set against the range wall, every run dimensioned, at a 107-inch ceiling.
  • Millwork elevation line drawings for a luxury Summit, NJ kitchen, dimensioning the cabinetry runs, the hood surround and the window wall to the inch
    Line drawingsThen drawn in elevation — cabinetry, hood surround and window wall resolved to the inch.
  • Counter stool options presented for a luxury Summit, NJ kitchen renovation, twelve upholstered, cane and wood stools compared side by sideEnlarge the Kitchen furnishings options
    FurnishingsOpting to use Ellie Mroz Design means furnishing options are integrated with designs to ensure proper scale, cohesive integration with tile, stone, hardware and plumbing fixtures — and that the client has one stop for home completion, start to finish.
  • Integrated design concept for a luxury Summit, NJ kitchen, pairing two renderings of the room with the cabinetry color, counter, brass fittings and stool chosen for itEnlarge the Kitchen selections board
    Integrated conceptThe MRCxEMD result: cohesive, full home design under one roof.
  • CompletionBuilt. The island, the pendants and the slab exactly where the drawings put them.

The Bar, Lounge & Theater

Creating a bar and lounge for a full family and guest entertaining experience.

  • The lower level of a luxury Summit, NJ home before renovation, a closed-off theater with tiered tan leather recliners and no bar or lounge
    BeforeAs we found it: a closed theater with tiered recliners, and nowhere to gather.
  • Architectural floor plan for the lower level of a luxury Summit, NJ renovation, setting the bar area against the theater with the laundry and mechanical storage beyondEnlarge the Bar, Lounge & Theater floor plan
    Architectural planningThe plan: a bar area carved out beside the theater, with the laundry and plant kept behind it.
  • Elevation line drawings for the theater windows in a luxury Summit, NJ lower level, dimensioning the openings and their casing to the inch
    Line drawingsThe theater windows drawn in elevation, openings and casing dimensioned before framing.
  • Pendant lighting options presented for a luxury Summit, NJ theater room and bar, ten globe and dome fixtures in brass, smoked glass and opal compared side by sideEnlarge the Bar, Lounge & Theater furnishings options
    FurnishingsTen pendants shortlisted for the bar and theater, each presented in place so the choice is made against the finished room rather than from a catalog.
  • Integrated bar concept for a luxury Summit, NJ lower level, with the room rendered above its millwork elevation beside the antique mirror, quartzite and brass chosen for itEnlarge the Bar, Lounge & Theater selections board
    Integrated conceptDishwasher, wine cooler, ice maker and beverage fridge each given their width, the mirror seam centered, even the outlet covers specified — with the quartzite, antique mirror and brass selected to finish it.
  • CompletionBuilt. The brass hanging shelving against the antique mirror, lit from inside.
  • CompletionAnd the theater beside it, finished — the other half of the lower level the plan set out.

The Library & Music Room

A formal living room nobody used, replanned as a library and music room — drawn around how it would be lived in, modeled to test its proportions, then furnished to match.

  • The formal living room of a luxury Summit, NJ home before renovation, with gray sofas, blue drapery and a plain painted fireplace wall
    BeforeAs we found it: a formal room with nothing built in and nothing to draw anyone into it.
  • Architectural floor plan for a library and music room in a luxury Summit, NJ renovation, with a curved sofa, game table, window seats and shelving with cabinets on three wallsEnlarge the Library & Music Room floor plan
    Architectural planningFurniture sized on the plan rather than fitted around it later: a curved sofa, a game table, window seats.
  • Three-dimensional model of a luxury Summit, NJ library, showing the fireplace wall between built-in bookcases, the window seats and the curved sofaEnlarge the Library & Music Room 3D model
    3D modelModeled, so the fireplace wall and the bookcases either side could be judged before they were built.
  • Shelving elevation for a luxury Summit, NJ library, dimensioning display shelves, roll-outs and integrated lighting beside the bronze hardware and brass gallery rail chosen for it
    Integrated conceptThe shelving drawn to the inch — display shelves, roll-outs, lighting integrated into the uprights — beside the bronze hardware and brass gallery rail chosen for it.
  • Furnishings options presented for a luxury Summit, NJ library, with a curved sectional, a round leather ottoman, a wood pedestal table, an armchair and an upholstered stoolEnlarge the Library & Music Room furnishings options
    FurnishingsThe curved sectional, the ottoman and the pedestal table, chosen against the plan that made room for them.
  • CompletionBuilt. Books and records on the shelves, the window seat occupied, the game table in use.

The Primary Bathroom

A dated bath with a drop-in tub and a checkerboard floor, replanned as a marble bathing suite with its own closets and a steam shower.

  • The primary bathroom of a luxury Summit, NJ home before renovation, with a white vanity, a drop-in tub under the window and a checkerboard tile floor
    BeforeAs we found it: a drop-in tub under the window and a checkerboard floor.
  • Architectural floor plan for a luxury Summit, NJ primary bathroom, setting his and hers closets, the linen store and the water closet around the bathing suiteEnlarge the Primary Bathroom floor plan
    Architectural planningThe plan: his and hers closets, a linen store and a separate water closet around the bathing suite.
  • Selections sheet for a luxury Summit, NJ primary bathroom, with a gray vanity, polished nickel fittings, Calacatta Gold floor and shower wall, framed Carrara surround and steam shower controlsEnlarge the Primary Bathroom selections board
    Integrated conceptVanity, fittings, stone and the steam controls settled together, before final selections and installation.
  • Bookmatched marble shower with a recessed niche and matte black fittings in a luxury Summit, NJ primary bathroom renovation
    FinishesBookmatched marble carried through the shower, with the niche cut into the slab rather than tiled around.
  • CompletionBuilt. The marble, the nickel and the glass exactly as specified.
  • Fluted glass sconce in polished nickel beside the mirror of a luxury Summit, NJ primary bathroom renovation
    DetailThe fluted sconce from the selections sheet, in place.

The Home Office

Creating a functional home office that also impresses Zoom viewers — planned around how the client uses it, down to the bay the printer lives in.

  • Architectural floor plan for a home office in a luxury Summit, NJ renovation, setting the desk against custom millwork with a seating area and an office bath beyondEnlarge the Home Office floor plan
    Architectural planningThe plan: a working end against the millwork, a seating end beyond it, and its own bath.
  • Elevation line drawing for home office built-ins in a luxury Summit, NJ renovation, dimensioning sixteen feet of cabinetry with lockable filing, a printer bay and picture lights over framed art
    Line drawingsSixteen feet of it in elevation: lockable filing, a bay sized for the printer, open oak shelves, and picture lights set over the art.
  • Integrated home office concept for a luxury Summit, NJ renovation, pairing the millwork elevation with the painted finish, oak counter, honey bronze hardware and sconces chosen for itEnlarge the Home Office selections board
    Integrated conceptThe millwork and its finishes on one sheet — the paint, the oak counter, the bronze and the sconces.
  • Furnishings options presented for a luxury Summit, NJ home office, with a leather lounge chair and ottoman, a velvet sofa, an upholstered bench, a side table and a wool rugEnlarge the Home Office furnishings options
    FurnishingsAnd the seating end furnished: a lounge chair, a sofa, a bench and the rug under them.
  • The completed home office in a luxury Summit, NJ renovation, with pale blue-green built-ins framing a mounted map above a dark wood desk under a sloped ceiling
    CompletionBuilt. The built-ins, the art and the picture lights exactly as drawn.
  • The completed seating area of a luxury Summit, NJ home office, under a sloped ceiling with a skylight, with a leather lounge chair, a green sofa and a bench on a pale rug
    CompletionAnd the seating end as built, under the skylight the plan kept the ceiling open for.
MRC renovated the majority of our house and we love living in it. Their construction process was well managed from weekly walk throughs to having a point of contact that would directly answer any questions or concerns we had throughout the process. The in-house cabinetry is beautiful (office and living room pictures) and their custom kitchens and bathrooms are stunning as well. We partnered with Ellie Mroz Design (EMD) which made for a wonderfully integrated design and construction process.
Sheila, Summit, NJ

What we build

Home Building and Renovation Services in Summit

Whole-Home Renovations

Reconsider layout, circulation, architectural details and the connections among the spaces a family actually uses every day.

Whole-home renovations

Additions

Create new space with attention to scale, proportion and how the addition joins the original home — so it reads as part of the house, not an appendage.

Additions

Custom Luxury Homes in Summit

Plan a home around your property and the way your family lives. MRC coordinates construction planning, budgeting and building, either through our design-build pathway or in collaboration with your architect.

Explore custom new homes

Kitchens & Connected Living Spaces

Sometimes a kitchen conversation reveals a larger opportunity. We consider the flow between cooking, dining, gathering and the adjacent rooms, so the result is cohesive rather than a series of isolated improvements.

A Summit kitchen that became a whole-home renovation

How it goes

Design Ambition, Grounded in Practical Planning

  1. 01

    Understand the home and the vision

    We begin with your priorities, the home's existing conditions, and the opportunities and constraints that may shape the project.

  2. 02

    Study feasibility and align the budget

    Depending on scope, we coordinate relevant zoning research, existing-condition documentation, structural input, preliminary design direction and early estimating, so important decisions are informed by both design and cost.

  3. 03

    Coordinate the design team

    Whether we help organize the architectural process or join a project with an outside architect already engaged, we establish clear communication between design, engineering, interiors and construction.

  4. 04

    Build with accountability

    Our team manages scheduling, trade coordination, quality, decisions and communication through construction, with attention to the details that make the finished home feel cohesive.

Learn about our process

Alongside either path

Optional EMD Construction Consulting & Furnishings

Michael Robert Construction and Ellie Mroz Design work together as MRCxEMD. EMD Construction Consulting and Furnishings are optional services available with either MRC Design-Build or construction from your architect’s plans. We also welcome collaboration with your existing architect and interior designer.

Construction, interiors & furnishings

Before you apply

What Shapes Feasibility on Your Summit Property

Approvals and requirements depend on the property and the proposed work, not on the town alone. Two houses on the same street can face different constraints once setbacks, lot coverage, grading, flood mapping or an existing non-conforming condition come into it.

The practical point is sequencing: the municipal review and the professional documentation it needs are coordinated with the project team as the design develops, rather than discovered after drawings are final. That is a large part of what preconstruction is for.

Questions

What Drives Your Construction Investment

What a project costs is driven by scope, the architecture, the finishes and the complexity of building it — not by a figure that can be quoted before anyone has seen the house. Design fees, furnishings and other project costs sit outside the construction number and are worth planning for separately.

We would rather tell you early and plainly whether we are the right firm for what you are planning than discover it late. Read the questions homeowners ask us most.

Questions

Summit Homeowners Ask Us

Do I need to hire an architect before contacting MRC?

No, and you do not need to find one separately. MRC works with a licensed architect of record under a standing arrangement, so the architectural drawings your project needs are prepared as part of the process. We help clarify goals, review existing conditions and feasibility, discuss preliminary budgets, and coordinate the architectural and engineering professionals involved. If you already have an architect, we welcome the collaboration.

Can MRC help with Summit zoning and addition feasibility?

Yes. Early project planning can include review of existing conditions and coordination of zoning analysis, survey information and structural engineering as appropriate. Final requirements and approvals depend on the property and the municipality.

Is design-build different from hiring an architect and builder separately?

Design-build emphasizes earlier collaboration between design and construction, helping align design direction with project cost and practical execution. An independent architect-led process can also work extremely well, and MRC supports both paths.

Can MRC manage architectural design and construction together?

Yes. MRC coordinates the architectural planning process and the construction, with a licensed architect of record engaged under a standing arrangement and licensed engineers brought in where a project requires them. We work seamlessly with our architect of record so that clients have one point of contact: MRC. The exact team and responsibilities are established per project, and MRC is a construction and design-build firm rather than a licensed architectural practice — the architect of record carries that responsibility.

Can Ellie Mroz Design be involved?

Yes. EMD can support construction-related interior selections and, for qualifying engagements, full-service interiors and furnishings. The teams can coordinate decisions across construction and interiors from the outset.

What types of Summit projects are a fit for MRC?

We focus on custom homes, substantial renovations, thoughtfully designed additions, kitchens within broader renovation plans, and projects where quality, organization and design coordination matter.

When should we reach out?

Ideally, while ideas are still taking shape. Early involvement allows time to assess feasibility, establish a realistic planning framework and identify the right design and construction team.

Does MRC build custom luxury homes in Summit?

MRC offers custom-home construction in Summit, alongside substantial renovations and additions. We can coordinate the planning and construction process or collaborate with your architect. Contact us to discuss the property, scope and anticipated construction investment.

More questions homeowners ask

Discuss Your Summit Home

Tell us about your Summit property, the changes you are considering, whether you already have an architect, and your anticipated construction investment.

start a project

Or call 908 232 0134. Our office is at 400 West Broad Street, Westfield, NJ 07090.