Journal
The MRC Journal
What I look for before we build, the decisions that shape a renovation, and the details that make a home work. Practical guidance from Mike Mroz and the MRC team on significant renovations, additions and custom homes in New Jersey.
20 articles
Planning & InvestmentWhat I'd Ask Before Hiring a Builder for My Own Home
The questions worth asking before you hire — about communication, change orders, references and whether a builder is right for your project.
Project StoriesWhat Actually Changes When Construction, Interiors, and Furnishings Are Coordinated
MRCxEMD Thinking about what goes into a large-scale home renovation or new construction home is overwhelming — from nailing the concept to architectural plans and details and designing built-ins and cabinetry through selecting…
Design & MaterialsWhy Some Additions Look Like They've Always Been There
When it comes to home remodeling, working with a residential remodeler who has a deep understanding of historical proportions and symmetry can make all the difference in the end product.
Custom HomesWhat Ellie and I Learned Planning a Home Gym We Actually Use
For those who know Mike and Ellie Mroz, you know that being active and staying in shape is a treasured part of their daily routine. With busy unpredictable days, they have found that working out at home is best for their…
Planning & InvestmentHow Long Will Your Home Project Take? Start by Defining the Starting Line
Why a build takes as long as it does: design, approvals, construction and selections each have their own clock, and they overlap less than people expect.
Renovations & AdditionsIndoor-Outdoor Living in New Jersey: What Makes It Work Beyond the Photos
What is indoor-outdoor living? Indoor-outdoor living is building and designing to create a bridge between the home and the natural world. This design trend (which we – Ellie Mroz Design and I – think is less of a trend and more…
Custom HomesBringing a Coastal Sensibility to a New Jersey Home
Getting that Coastal Feel All Year Long Why wait for summer to get the feeling of the warmth of the sun and the breeze of the ocean? Modern coastal home design aims to evoke the experience of the coast – without necessarily…
Custom HomesMaterials That Age Well — and What You Need to Know Before Choosing Them
At Michael Robert Construction, we truly appreciate the beauty of natural materials. Although we understand (and love!) the technology and practicality of maintenance free and engineered products for particular uses in the home,…
Planning & InvestmentDesign-Build or Your Architect's Plans: Two Ways to Work with MRC
What changes when design and construction sit with one team, and where working with your own architect is the better fit.
Details
What a well-built house looks like up close
Most of what the Journal is about happens at this scale: a brick arch laid to match the original, cabinetry built by our own carpenters, a ceiling of poles scribed one to the next. The decisions are small and the house is the sum of them.
Built by MRC's own carpenters: white oak doors over a soapstone feeding station, with a pot filler plumbed to it. Mendham whole-home renovation 
A soldier course turned over the window head, laid and painted to match the original brick. Mountainside exterior renovation 
Eucalyptus poles laid tight across the ceiling, each one scribed to its neighbor. Westfield pool cabana