by Andrea Harwood Palmer
Hinman Construction of Saratoga Springs won the Best Overall Remodel category in the 2020 Capital Region Builders & Remodelers Association building awards.
The project is located at 41 Webster St. in Saratoga Springs. The single-family home was built in 1918 and purchased in 2018 by new owners Brynya and Derek Ablamsky.
Kim Hinman said the construction company worked with the new owners for over a year developing renovation plans. Hinman used 3D photorealistic CAD design for the project.
The entire house is black and white, including stair rails, kitchen, bathrooms and interior and exterior paint. The exterior is stucco. Hinman Construction hired a mason to extend the original cobblestone fireplace up through the second floor.
“I challenge anyone to look at the cobblestone fireplace and find where the old one ends and the new addition begins,” said Hinman.
She said the timing of the project was very fortuitous. The Certificate of Occupancy was issued by the city building department the last day they were open before the COVID shutdowns in 2020.
“The property is about two blocks from the racetrack. It was purchased by a wonderful young couple who moved here from Boston. They just knew that’s what they wanted to do with the home. They bought what I would call a four-square home. We basically brought it into the 21st century,” said Hinman.
Hinman Construction removed the existing second floor and rebuilt it, building a master bedroom suite with a loft. The room adjacent to the master bedroom offers a view down to the first floor entryway. The first floor was completely renovated. The kitchen was modernized with a modern farmhouse theme.
“The one pillar under the staircase is about the only thing left on the first floor. We completely gutted the rest,” said Hinman.
“It definitely had its challenges, as everything does,” said Hinman. “We originally thought some of the existing infrastructure could remain, for example the existing baseboard hot water heating system and certain exterior walls. As you get into a project, sometimes you realize it’s more cost effective to replace something than to try and repair or tie into it.”
“The homeowners just love it. We get together now for happy hour. They were a great couple to work with, with clear and open lines of communication,” said Hinman.
Homeowner Brynya Ablamsky said in her Houzz review, “Hinman Construction was the clear cut choice. Kim and Jami saw our vision from the very beginning and became trusted partners as the design and details evolved. It was a true collaboration from design, budget, and schedule, to permitting, zoning variances, and neighborhood dynamics.”
Hinman Construction has won other awards in the past, including the 2019 Master Design GOLD Award for an Entryway and Laundry Redo project they completed in Clifton Park; the Bronze Award for their project in the Outdoor Living Under $100,000 category in the 2015 Professional Remodeler Design Awards; the annual Professional Remodeler Design Awards contest, presented by Professional Remodeler magazine; the Bronze Award in the Kitchen $50,000 – $100,000 category; the 2013 Angie’s List Super Service Award Saratoga County; and the Best of Houzz five years running, from 2014 to 2018.
“The key to the success of any remodeling project is doing your homework upfront. We do two contracts—first, the design and planning. Second, the actual construction. By doing it that way, you have a very clear road map to follow during renovations. It’s more than just blueprints. The visuals make such a difference,” said Hinman.
“We’re small. This was a big project for us. There were some pretty unique things that took place during construction. Because of my husband’s experience in the industry, he knew how to address the situations. That was instrumental in the success of this project,” said Hinman.
“We’re a family business—myself and my husband Jami, our son Jesse and our daughter Caroline. We’ve been doing this for 30 years. Both of our kids got their high-end business degrees before coming home and deciding to work in the family business,” said Hinman.
Hinman Construction is located at 3378 Birchton Road in Ballston Spa. Their phone number is 518-885-1835. They can be reached by email by following the contact link on their website, www.hinmanconstruction.com.