--- title: "Responsible House — General Contractors | Houzz" canonical_html_url: https://www.houzz.com/professionals/general-contractors/responsible-house-pfvwus-pf~1352181731 markdown_url: https://www.houzz.com/md/professionals/pf~1352181731.md entity_type: LocalBusiness business_name: "Responsible House" category: ["General Contractors"] image: https://st.hzcdn.com/fimgs/3933e40d05e05f6d_6605-w400-h400-b0-p0--.jpg address: "150 Race Avenue, Waynesboro, Virginia 22980, United States" latitude: 38.0774 longitude: -78.9035 phone: "(540) 942-2061" website: http://www.ResponsibleHouse.com rating: 5 review_count: 11 best_of_houzz_awards: 1 followers: 62 last_updated: 2026-09-09 --- # Responsible House Original Houzz profile: [Responsible House](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/general-contractors/responsible-house-pfvwus-pf~1352181731) ## Professional summary - **Primary category:** General Contractors - **Location:** Waynesboro, VA - **Serves:** Harrisonburg, Charlottesville, Staunton, Waynesboro, Stuarts Draft, Fishersville, Lexington, Verona, Crimora, Lyndhurst, Dooms, Harriston, Jolivue, New Hope, Afton, Sherando, Albemarle County, Batesville, Fort Defiance, Greenwood, Nelson County, Rockbridge County - **Houzz rating:** 5.0 out of 5 (11 reviews) - **Best of Houzz:** 1 award (2017), for Service. ## About ### Houzz Badges - Star Houzzer - Recommended on Houzz - 500 Ideabook Saves Over 20 years of general contracting experience coupled with our expertise in energy efficient building uniquely suites us for energy efficient custom building and renovation. Projects with more challenging elements, that other builders might shy away from, are attractive to us as we enjoy thinking through problems and finding the best solution. We are accustomed to working with architects or home owners who just have an "idea." The size of the job doesn't matter to us, we bring our same work ethic to everything we do. As Energy Efficiency Experts, our specialties are energy efficient new construction, remodels and additions, energy retrofits, and energy audits. We pride ourselves in building and remodeling in the most air-tight and earth-friendly ways to make your house a Responsible House. Our customers see a 30-50% cut in the air leakage in their homes, which results in more comfort, higher air quality and lower energy bills. We can build a new home or addition to the highest environmental standards while also bringing you added comfort, savings and peace of mind. Responsible House is a local, family owned business. William, our president grew up in the valley, attended JMU for his undergraduate studies, and obtained his graduate degree from the University of Illinois. William ultimately chose to do what he loves, build. Melissa is from Richmond and joined the company when she married William in 2011. If you are ready to schedule a meeting with William or if you have any questions, she is the one to contact. ### Services Provided - Home Remodeling - General Contracting - New Home Construction - Basement Remodeling - Energy-Efficient Homes - Green Building - Attic Restoration - Insulation Installation - Spray Foam Insulation ### Areas Served - Harrisonburg - Charlottesville - Staunton - Waynesboro - Stuarts Draft - Fishersville - Lexington - Verona - Crimora - Lyndhurst - Dooms - Harriston - Jolivue - New Hope - Afton - Sherando - Albemarle County - Batesville - Fort Defiance - Greenwood - Nelson County - Rockbridge County ## Business Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Business Name | Responsible House | | Address | 150 Race Avenue, Waynesboro, Virginia 22980, United States | | Phone | (540) 942-2061 | | Website | http://www.ResponsibleHouse.com | | License Number | VA 2705153546 | | Followers on Houzz | 62 | **Social profiles:** - Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/ResponsibleHouse-144245465652679/ - Blog — http://responsiblehouse.com/ ## Contact - **Houzz profile:** [Responsible House](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/general-contractors/responsible-house-pfvwus-pf~1352181731) - **Website:** http://www.ResponsibleHouse.com - **Phone:** (540) 942-2061 ## Credentials **Certifications & Awards** - BPI Building Analyst, BPI Multi-fan testing, HERS RATER - RESNET, Residential Building Energy Analyst License, Residential Building Energy Analyst Firm License - **Best of Houzz:** 1 award (2017), for Service. **Affiliations** - [National Association of Home Builders](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/schools-and-organizations/national-association-of-home-builders-pfvwus-pf~562065019) ## Reviews **Overall rating: 5.0 out of 5 — 11 reviews** ### All 11 reviews **★★★★★ — Janey Terry, Jan. 2018** > I have worked with Responsible House on several projects. I am an architectural designer, and my clients have been delighted with their schedule and professional manner. As a designer, I appreciate that if there is ever any doubt, they request clarification on a particular detail before beginning that part of the construction. My client told me that they miss having William and Warren around - their kindness goes a long way! **★★★★★ — Kay Burnett, Jan. 2018** > Our project consisted of a kitchen/bath/bedroom remodel - a roughly 5 month project. William and his team were the consummate professionals throughout--skilled, knowledgeable, straightforward and direct. They provided advice and recommendations when needed and dealt promptly with any problems that arose. While the scope of the project expanded beyond the original plan, the cost was still well below the estimate we received from another contractor. We are delighted with the results of their work and have no hesitation in recommending Responsible House to other homeowners. And not least, William and Warren are just fun to have around--we miss them! **★★★★★ — Dahlia Neiss, Jan. 2018** > The most amazing contractors I have ever worked with - William saved us! You will not find anyone as professional and competent - not only in the valley but honestly anywhere. > I have had so many bad experiences - Responsible House can and will get any job you need done! And go the extra mile. > While my project started in 2016 I continue to work with Responsible House on other projects. **★★★★★ — steveriley, Jan. 2018** > If you have a leaky house call them. They can cut your energy cost if you allow them to come and take a look at why your energy cost are so high. It pays for itself. Very professional also. Worth the call **★★★★★ — Dahlia Dahlia, Dec. 2017** > The most amazing contractirs i have evee workee with- william saved us! Yiu wikk nkt find anyone as professional and competent - not only kn the valley but honestley anywhwre > I have had so many bad experiences - responsivle hoise can and will get any job yoh need done! And go the extra mile > While my project started in 2016 i continue to work with responsibke house on other projects **★★★★★ — hredenberrytoys, Aug. 2016** > They were on time and always quick to respond to questions. They always cleaned up after themselves and we're very respectful of my property. They were a great company to work with if you have children. (Respectful of naptime, and in regards to safety on a construction site, etc.) I always felt at ease with them and I trust this company. I highly recommend them and have been happy with the work! **★★★★★ — psc64, July 2016** > We hired Responsible House to hang a custom cedar mantle on our stone fireplace in Wintergreen. Frankly, we were having a hard time finding someone to do it and I ran into RH here on Houzz. Their page said they liked a challenge so we gave them one. Describing it as simply hanging a mantle doesn't do it justice. We wanted a floating mantle (no corbels) given the style (see photos). RH was a pleasure to work with from start to finish. They responded right away, set an appointment, arrived timely, came up with an ingenious plan and did a beautiful job. I was coincidentially there when they arrived to hang it and am glad I was or I could not have fully appreciated the challenge they had accepted. We look forward to our next project with Responsible House. **★★★★★ — Annie Mathot, Feb. 2016** > I have worked with William and Responsible House both as an architect on custom home projects and as a client when they built our home in 2012. In a professional capacity, I am always impressed with their quality of work and with how easy they are to work with. They are communicative and open to questions and discussion on construction methods and details – I found them to be great team members. They are always helpful to the clients and the architect and have a positive attitude. When we were looking to build a small, energy efficient home on our farm, they were looking to build just such a house and had worked with friend and architect Chris Jenkins to design a prototype. It was ultimately their dedication to quality of construction that led us to embark on the project with William, and we love the product. William’s team was attentive to every detail. His subcontractors were professional and neat and committed to the same level of quality. We would recommend Responsible House to clients and friends. **★★★★★ — chrisjenkins72, Feb. 2016** > As an architect, I worked with William at Responsible House on several projects in the Shenandoah Valley. He and his staff have a great way of asking the right questions, and getting to the heart of the intent of a set of drawings. They have a very thorough attention to detail, and always rendered results that were exactly what the clients and I were after.Their interest in scale and efficiency also dovetailed in with my thought process. And finally, they are very likable, articulate and professional builders. I highly recommend them. **★★★★★ — dreidva, Dec. 2015** > William and his crew and subcontractors built our custom house, working with our architect's plans to create a beautiful house filled with features like custom woodwork and trim, and exterior stone work. The design was traditional but had elements not normally seen in today's home construction. William had a great attitude about figuring out how to implement our vision, and was able to coordinate closely with our architect along the way. He knew how things should be done and was able to find first rate subcontractors and oversee their efforts. The result is a dream home we expect to enjoy for many years. And despite the traditional design the house is very energy efficient. We were not on a rigid timeline, so deadlines were less of a priority for our project. And the large number of custom elements in the house made it a challenge to keep to our original budget, but William kept a running estimate in spreadsheet form and we discussed the cost impacts of proposed choices along the way. We highly recommend him and his team, and especially for a custom plan containing elements which are not standard construction. William is a pleasure to work with, and is a valuable resource for any future work to be done after the project is complete. We have already had him install an additional custom bookcase in our study. **★★★★★ — Michael C. Brown / Architect, Dec. 2015** > I have worked with William Drumeller and Responsible House on more than 10 projects in the last 15 years. I continue to work with them because not only do they provide high quality services, they also are extremely easy to work with and they have a strong sense of design. I value input from the contractor as well as the client on my projects. There have been times on every project where the people at Responsible House made good suggestions that I agreed with that provided benefit to both the design and the client. I would not hesitate to recommend them again for my next residential project. ## Selected projects - [Annie](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/annie-pj-vj~1432601) - Location: Weyers Cave, VA - Photos: 5 - Description: Responsible House has a series of small house designs, the first of which is "Annie." Just over 900 square feet, we think you'll be impressed with the capacity and beauty of this small, efficient home. Design Concept: William Drumeller Architect: Chris Jenkins - [Bungalow](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/bungalow-pj-vj~1463346) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 9 - [Nellysford Cottage](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/nellysford-cottage-pj-vj~1433571) - Location: Nellysford, VA - Photos: 29 - Description: Architect: Frazier Associates - [Creekside Cabin](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/creekside-cabin-pj-vj~1523640) - Location: Charlottesville, VA - Photos: 4 - Description: Architects: Frazier Associates - [Modern](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/modern-pj-vj~1523641) - Location: Staunton, VA - Photos: 5 - Description: Architect: Mike Brown - [Modern Interior](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/modern-interior-pj-vj~1523642) - Location: Batesville, VA - Photos: 3 - [Middlebrook Renovation](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/middlebrook-renovation-pj-vj~3193806) - Location: Middlebrook, VA - Photos: 8 [See all 7 projects](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/general-contractors/responsible-house-pfvwus-pf~1352181731) ## Ideabooks - [Outdoor Living](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/61831580/list/outdoor-living) — 3 ideas - [Bathrooms](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/61831340/list/bathrooms) — 5 ideas - [Kitchens](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/61830925/list/kitchens) — 2 ideas - [Outdoor building](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/59525266/list/outdoor-building) — 5 ideas [See all 4 ideabooks](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/users/responsiblehouse) ## Community Q&A **Q: bungalow addition** *(in Before & After)* we need to add a master suite to our 1925 bungalow and like the idea of keeping it on one floor rather than going up. A: Sounds like a great idea! You should reach out to a local architect and maybe one that can offer you some different options with a 3D rendering so that you can see what it will look like. Best of luck to you! **Q: Source to buy vanity with vessel sink** *(in Building a Home)* We want to do something fun in the powder room. Thinking of furniture looking vanity with a vessel sink or a cool under mount sink. Ideas for sources? Overstock seems to have thousands. Any other ideas? --Russ A: They might have some! **Q: kitchens** *(in Before & After)* backsplash ideas for ivory cabinets with black granite counters and black hardware A: Stainless steel backsplash might go well. Maybe go to a local hardware store and buy a few samples and see what they look like around the cabinets and countertops. 3 choices are good! **Q: Alternatives for Building a Sun Room?** *(in Building a Home)* I am interested in building a high quality sun room, to replace an existing concrete patio area. I am finding that the firms that specialize in these rooms charge quite a lot for them, typically $30K to $60K for rooms that are often under 300 squore feet. That seems high for what you get to me, given what looks like low costs for the materials. One contractor told me that the material costs for the sunroom are typically only about 25% of the project cost, and most of the cost is in the labor. Can someone familiar with these products let me know: 1\) Who are the highest quality companies making prefabricated rooms? The one that quoted me was "Four Seasons". 2\) Are there vendor who will sell you just the materials and let you use your own contractors for assembly? 3\) Are these products really tricky to install and is there a reason to avoid do-it-yourself projects? 4\) Are there any tricks to help get costs down? A: I'm not sure what area you are from, but you should get at least 3 estimates. One thing you're paying a contractor to do is manage all aspects of the job. . if you try to take that on yourself you will be overwhelmed. Go with more local and maybe smaller contractors that have references and are fully licensed and insured (including workers comp). Buying just the materials from them wouldn't do you a lot of good either. Some contractors get a discount and can upcharge you for materials, but that's only b/c they are usually buying them at a discount and then charging you what you would have paid buying the materials yourself anyways. Good luck!! **Q: Suggestions for Rustic Siding Options** *(in Building a Home)* Want easy maintenance like hardiplank but with more character. Have looked at Better than Barnwood (absolutely LOVE but cost prohibitive), and Woodtone Rustics. Thinking that a fibercement siding similar to hardiplank is probably most cost effective, but are there ANY alternatives out there? They are about to start framing and we need to make decisions ASAP. A: I see that you like the Rustic look. . .and understand why. . but be careful, what's "in today" may not be "in" for the long haul. You could always still do hardiplank, which you can paint later on down the road and offers easy upkeep. That said, by adding a rustic door and/or rustic shutters (or no shutters at all), rustic porch with old barn wood. . you can really make something fresh and new, look old and rustic. Use the "details" to get the rustic look you want and the character you desire. Just a thought! Good luck! --- *Source: Houzz professional profile. Reflects the profile as of 2026-09-09.*