--- title: "Newschool Builders LLC — Home Builders | Houzz" canonical_html_url: https://www.houzz.com/professionals/home-builders/newschool-builders-llc-pfvwus-pf~470004293 markdown_url: https://www.houzz.com/md/professionals/pf~470004293.md entity_type: LocalBusiness business_name: "Newschool Builders LLC" category: ["Home Builders"] image: https://st.hzcdn.com/fimgs/e063990a018f8c0e_8809-w400-h400-b0-p0--.jpg address: "P.O. Box 494, Waitsfield, Vermont 05674, United States" latitude: 44.111 longitude: -72.8609 phone: "(802) 735-4756" website: http://www.newschoolbuilders.com rating: 5 review_count: 30 best_of_houzz_awards: 10 followers: 134 last_updated: 2026-08-15 --- # Newschool Builders LLC Original Houzz profile: [Newschool Builders LLC](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/home-builders/newschool-builders-llc-pfvwus-pf~470004293) ## Professional summary - **Primary category:** Home Builders - **Location:** Waitsfield, VT - **Serves:** Burlington, South Burlington, Colchester, Essex Junction, Barre, Montpelier, Shelburne, Northfield, Waterbury, Stowe, Charlotte, East Montpelier, Calais, Marshfield, Waitsfield, Cabot, Warren, Moretown, South Barre, Plainfield, Roxbury, Worcester, East Barre, Woodbury, Graniteville, Websterville, Waterbury Center, Adamant, East Calais, North Montpelier, Northfield Falls - **Houzz rating:** 5.0 out of 5 (30 reviews) - **Best of Houzz:** 10 awards (2017–2026), for Service, Design. ## About ### Houzz Badges - Star Houzzer - Recommended on Houzz - 10,000 Ideabook Saves Newschool Builders is a residential building company dedicated to providing sustainable, high quality construction services. Innovative design, local and regional knowledge, time-honored building practices, and the newest developments in the field give Newschool Builders a reputation that lives up to their name. Regardless of what we’re building or where we’re building it, we maintain a standard of quality our clients can count on. As a smaller company, the owners are the builders. One of us is always on site, allowing us to deliver a consistent product. Whether it’s putting together a small deck, replacing a roof, installing a bathroom, or constructing a custom home, we take pride in everything we do. Making our clients happy is our absolute number one priority. And it’s how we stay busy. We believe we can build a better community — one project at a time — and we do this by being fair, well educated and professional. ### Services Provided - New Home Construction - Home Remodeling - Home Additions - Home Extensions - Energy-Efficient Homes - Custom Homes ### Areas Served - Burlington - South Burlington - Colchester - Essex Junction - Barre - Montpelier - Shelburne - Northfield - Waterbury - Stowe - Charlotte - East Montpelier - Calais - Marshfield - Waitsfield - Cabot - Warren - Moretown - South Barre - Plainfield - Roxbury - Worcester - East Barre - Woodbury - Graniteville - Websterville - Waterbury Center - Adamant - East Calais - North Montpelier - Northfield Falls ### Typical Job Cost $1 million - 5 million ## Business Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Business Name | Newschool Builders LLC | | Address | P.O. Box 494, Waitsfield, Vermont 05674, United States | | Phone | (802) 735-4756 | | Website | http://www.newschoolbuilders.com | | Followers on Houzz | 134 | **Social profiles:** - Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/pages/Newschool-Builders-LLC/135539429790982 - Blog — https://newschoolbuilders.com/ ## Contact - **Houzz profile:** [Newschool Builders LLC](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/home-builders/newschool-builders-llc-pfvwus-pf~470004293) - **Website:** http://www.newschoolbuilders.com - **Phone:** (802) 735-4756 ## Credentials **Certifications & Awards** - Better Homes Awards 2013 - Best Residential Renovation $251,000 - $400,000 - **Best of Houzz:** 10 awards (2017–2026), for Service, Design. ## Reviews **Overall rating: 5.0 out of 5 — 30 reviews** *Aspect averages:* - Work Quality: 50.0 - Communication: 50.0 - Value: 50.0 ### Reviews **★★★★★ — Steven Hall, Nov. 2025** > New School Builders went above and beyond on our Vermont renovation and garage addition project. From the first meeting to the final walkthrough, their communication, craftsmanship, and professionalism stood out. Every member of their team took pride in their work, and it shows — the finished result is beautiful, solid, and thoughtfully built. We’re so grateful for their expertise and would absolutely hire them again for future projects. **★★★★★ — Ian Rubiano, Oct. 2023** > Worked with Blake and team in 2020-2022 to build a new custom home. We had a unique design concept - wanting a fully functional Accessory Dwelling Unit on the same properly. The ADU needed to be both fully functional and comfortable, with no need for its occupants to ever come to the main house. We also had a unique lot where we were looking to avoid blasting and fit the home(s) into an interesting building pocket. > > The Newschool team did a great job throughout the project, being involved from the estimate onward. They helped us deal with all the normal crisis as well as the extra ones coming from building during COVID. Looking forward to working with them again! > > Design by Volansky Studios. **★★★★★ — hilaryelkins, March 2021** > The team at Newschool Builders did an incredible job updating our beloved but shabby 1970s ski condo. We are thrilled with the result- the quality of the workmanship is top notch! The team was friendly, flexible, creative and extremely dedicated to our project from start to finish. We highly recommend them to anyone embarking on a major renovation project. **★★★★★ — Jennifer Ryan, March 2021** > Blake and his team were fantastic to work with from start to finish. We fully renovated a condo in 2020, including reconfiguring the space, installing new HVAC, adding a bathroom, replacing stairs, and raising the roofline and replacing windows. The project was well organized and on-time, billing was transparent, communications were great, and the craftsmanship is top notch. Their subcontractors are very good and responsive, as well. We'd happily work with NSB again. **★★★★★ — KE, Jan. 2021** > New School Builders deserves the highest marks for building our 4000+ sqft home. NSB takes pride in quality craftsmanship and attention to detail, both of which are evident in every single corner of our custom home. Communication with our project manager, Pat, was excellent throughout the project. Even though we threw Pat a couple big curveballs, he handled them with a smile and was able to pivot and keep our project on track. The 2020 pandemic created so many challenges for builders (supply chain, personnel, changing business rules, etc.), but once again, NSB managed these with ease. NSB deserves an A+ for both the building process and for the quality of our finished home. **★★★★★ — paulahannon, Dec. 2020** > It was an absolute pleasure to work with everyone at Newschool. > The project was completed on time and did not have any surprise cost overruns. > They communicated every few days with photos and emails, and phone conversations when necessary. > Blake, Andrew, and Tom, and all the other people who worked on the project were very professional and I would highly recommend them and will definitely use them again. Their workmanship and attention to detail exceeded our expectations. **★★★★★ — Loren and Mark Montgomery, Feb. 2020** > We had a great experience working with Newschool Builders on our home renovation. From our initial estimate to the day we moved back into our house their professionalism, expertise and enthusiasm for the project made the experience of renovating our house stress free and enjoyable. Blake provided a comprehensive estimate and a monthly analysis of how we were doing vs. budget. This allowed us to make informed decisions thru the project and helped us to come in under budget. Our site manager Tanner was always a few steps ahead of the process, anticipating issues and keeping us on schedule. Any problem was quickly communicated, usually with multiple options to solve it and detailed explanations as to the pros and cons. The entire team was hardworking & skilled and were a pleasure to work with. Most importantly, Newschool’s experience and superb craftsmanship resulted in a home that far exceeded our expectations. We can’t say enough good things about them and would highly recommend Newschool Builders. We’d use them again without hesitation! **★★★★★ — Aimee & Micah Greene, Dec. 2019** > We hired Newschool Builders upon recommendation from a family friend. Though we had never seen any of their work in person, we decided to meet with Blake, the principal and owner, to discuss turning our 80's Vermont house into a more updated and efficient full time home for our family of four. We were impressed with Blake's genuine and personable manner and could tell that he truly cares about his craft; we knew that we could trust him immediately. When he presented us with an incredibly detailed estimate, timeline and projection, we knew that we would be kept up to date with the building progress every step of the way. His team of craftsmen and subcontractors that he surrounds himself with were respectful, kind and detail oriented and took great care in everything they did for our family. Our site manager was available for questions and conversation daily and every detail that we asked for was completed on time and on budget. The level of organization and project management was truly unparalleled - after experiencing projects with other builders, we feel this makes Newschool unique within the industry. Blake made it a priority to make sure that our year-long project would be completed so that our family could move in before the holidays as we hoped; he and his crew truly made us feel like we were his only clients. The quality of materials used and level of finish work are simply beautiful. We are extremely happy with the end product and grateful that we entrusted Newschool Builders with our home. We would highly recommend Blake and his crew for any level of project. They will be our only phone call if we ever need building work done in the future. **★★★★★ — kathy forelli, Nov. 2019** > Newschool Builders are a top shelf organization. Blake is an outstanding project organizer with accurate budget details and monthly reviews. Pat is a very caring, conscientious project manager who always puts the customer's needs first. They are true craftsmen and produce a quality product. They built us a beautiful house and we couldn't imagine working with a better crew. **★★★★★ — Cindy & Bob Maynard, Nov. 2019** > Working with New School Builders was an excellent experience. We have been though many building projects and this was by far the best. Blake and his crew are extremely professional, easy and fun to work with and up to date with the latest building techniques. The quality of their work and attention to detail is excellent. We felt they always had our best interests at heart. Our home was finished on time and came in under budget. We appreciated that the finance piece was tracked digitally and at any given time we could see where we stood within our budget. We would highly recommend New School Builders for any building project. **★★★★★ — Susan Coll, March 2019** > Newschool did a fantastic job. They were very professional and didn't need any oversight. Everyone on the team was lovely and easy to work with. The subs they chose were first-rate. Our place turned out to be more beautiful than we even imagined. **★★★★★ — Ashley Farland, Nov. 2018** > I could not have been more impressed with Newschool Builders. Blake Hackerson has a long-established team that delivers high-quality craftsmanship leading to a spectacular end product. His lead foreman, Everett Norton, oversaw my project. Everett is a master organizer, always thinking several steps ahead, keeping my project on schedule, on budget, and took changes in stride. > > I highly recommend Newschool Builders and will use them again for future projects. ## Selected projects - [Warren, VT Contemporary New Home Construction](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/warren-vt-contemporary-new-home-construction-pj-vj~2148314) - Location: Warren, VT - Photos: 21 - Description: For this project, our client came to us looking for a full-service company to build a custom, high-efficient new home with minimal exterior maintenance. In order to achieve this, we used a different medium of product, including split-faced concrete block to natural cedar siding, both of which require zero maintenance. The design throughout was congruent with the contemporary farmhouse aesthetic and highly-efficient goal of the client and adhering to the energy standards of Efficiency Vermont. A… - [Stowe, VT Spa Renovation](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/stowe-vt-spa-renovation-pj-vj~1761603) - Location: Stowe, VT - Photos: 6 - Description: Our client came to us with an intentionally unfinished basement of their ski home as they had planned to put in a very sleek and useful space to relax and unwind after a long day in the mountains. A few interesting features of this project are as follows. The tub is an elliptical Japanese soaking tub which is lined in cedar and custom-made copper. The wood for the sauna is imported, exotic wood from Scandinavia. The floor is ceramic tile made to look like wood plank. The shower is open shower an… - [Fayston, VT Full Home Renovation](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/fayston-vt-full-home-renovation-pj-vj~2248106) - Location: Fayston, VT - Photos: 17 - Description: The client's purchased this home with a gorgeous lot but needing a total gut renovation and addition. We brought the mechanicals, insulation, and electrical up-to-speed along with renovating the interior and exterior of the home. A few of the interesting features seen here are a reclaimed wood island-top from a local train station, the cabinets custom-made with a local cabinet maker, a copper ceiling above the island in the kitchen, a large farmhouse sink in the kitchen, and a table from reclaim… - [Full time Ski Home Conversion](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/full-time-ski-home-conversion-pj-vj~2578017) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 9 - Description: Our task was converting a old and dated part time ski house into a full time updated home for our clients who decided to move out of the city and into the gorgeous landscape of the mad river valley. We removed all the dark shiplap wood walls and re insulated, re wired and sheet rocked all the walls to brighten everything up. A new kitchen, master bedroom addition,deck, bathrooms, flooring doors and trim to name a few items helped breath new life into this home. - [Warren, VT Complete Renovation & Addition](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/warren-vt-complete-renovation-and-addition-pj-vj~2248091) - Location: Warren, VT - Photos: 10 - Description: This family was growing and needed to make more room. Rather than move to a new location, they decided to do a gut renovation and addition to their existing home. Part of what the client was looking for was to open up the house quite a bit more, which can be seen below in the flow from the kitchen into the living areas. We really like using timber framing when completing structural updates and we were able to implement that in this project for both practical and aesthetic purposes. In the kitche… - [Waitsfield, VT Home Renovation](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/waitsfield-vt-home-renovation-pj-vj~2248082) - Location: Waitsfield, VT - Photos: 5 - Description: Our clients had a couple young kids and wanted to renovate their house. We used timber framing to extend and add-on to the existing home and significantly increase the square footage of the house. This provided both structural and aesthetic benefits for the project. The kitchen has numerous local and handmade features, including a soapstone countertop and built-in sink. - [Warren, VT Master Bedroom & Bathroom Addition](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/warren-vt-master-bedroom-and-bathroom-addition-pj-vj~2248110) - Location: Warren, VT - Photos: 3 - Description: An older couple asked us to add-on to their winter home so they had more space when their children and grandchildren came to visit. This included a large master bedroom and bathroom addition, including walk-in closets. We site-built the bookshelves, the custom window seat, the platform bed, as well as the paneling and beam-work. - [Sugarbush Condo Renovation](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/sugarbush-condo-renovation-pj-vj~2384383) - Location: Warren, VT - Photos: 12 - Description: Our clients on this project were looking to spend more time in their condo in Warren and hired us to expand it out and up three stories to allow for more useful room and functional space. We completely gutted the existing property with new kitchens, bathrooms, heating systems, electrical, lighting, masonry chimney, and more. The end result is we completely updated the 70's era ski condo to a modern, hip condo fitting for the amount of time they will be spending there now. - [Waitsfield Mountain Retreat](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/waitsfield-mountain-retreat-pj-vj~2264190) - Location: Waitsfield, VT - Photos: 5 - Description: Our clients had a beautiful but dated family ski home that was in desperate need of a face lift. We did just that. By moving walls, redoing the kitchen, bathrooms, bedrooms and dining area as well as the living room we were able to bring a fresh modern rustic feel to this residence. Designer credit: Geyer Interiors, LLC - [Valley Modern Retrofit](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/valley-modern-retrofit-pj-vj~2248087) - Location: Waitsfield, VT - Photos: 5 - Description: This was a really fun project to work on where the owners provided a lot of design and inspiration and we were able to work hand-in-hand with them to renovate their dream home to reality. This is truly is a project where the before and after photos (see below) tell almost the full story. We provided a significant renovation as well as provided the inclusion of a new deck which extended the footprint of the home. All the exterior beam-work and overhangs were milled by a local sawmill right down t… - [Bridge Street Kitchen Renovation](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/bridge-street-kitchen-renovation-pj-vj~2276480) - Location: Waitsfield, VT - Photos: 3 - Description: Our clients purchased this beautiful 1800's farmhouse and needed some help with a kitchen overhaul. They worked with a local cabinet maker to design and build a custom sheer kitchen to fit into the space. It was a challenge getting everything to look straight and true when the floors and ceilings were several inches out of leveling opposite directions. In the end we were able seamlessly blend the old into the new the create this picturesque farmhouse kitchen. - [Burlington, VT Pascolo Restaurant](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/burlington-vt-pascolo-restaurant-pj-vj~2248116) - Location: Burlington, VT - Photos: 14 - Description: A popular restaurant group purchased this dated restaurant and hired us to assist with the renovations for the property. These renovations included structural openings, tearing down existing walls, installing wood panels on several walls, new custom wood tables, and bar area. - [Fuller Hill](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/fuller-hill-pj-vj~1515729) - Location: Warren, VT - Photos: 7 - Description: Complete remodel of family vacation home in Vermont. The home had a very awkward kitchen layout including an atrium "window" at the dining space where there is now a railing. The kitchen was completely remodeled including eliminating some oddly designed closets to create more space and an open living concept. We renovated 2 baths and converted a powder bath into a 3/4 bath. The furniture was replaced in all rooms. w - [Mt. Mansfield Ski Home](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/mt-mansfield-ski-home-pj-vj~6565288) - Location: Stowe, VT - Photos: 42 - [Mad River Home](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/mad-river-home-pj-vj~6476176) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 45 - Description: This custom home is nestled between Sugarbush and Mad River Glen. The project consisted of knocking down a large part of the original structure and building a new 3000sf wing and then joining the two together. A durable hand split Cedar shingle exterior combined with many architectural trim details made for a stunning and durable envelope. The noteworthy interior details included reclaimed barn board on the walls, custom cabinetry and builtins, a locally fabricated metal staircase railing, with… - [Lonesome Trail Transformation](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/lonesome-trail-transformation-pj-vj~6476169) - Location: Waterbury Village Historic District, VT - Photos: 55 - Description: The cobblers kids have no shoes rang true as this builder worked on his own home for many years. Originally a 1980’s split level, this project slowly transformed from a once outdated and run down building into a beautiful contemporary home. Mixing natural wood and stone created a classic, yet contemporary feel throughout the interior and exterior. A full gut down to the studs allowed the structure to be up fitted with new mechanicals, electrical, insulation, windows and doors. We moved the kitch… - [Worcester Range Renovation](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/worcester-range-renovation-pj-vj~6476165) - Location: Waterbury Village Historic District, VT - Photos: 37 - Description: Nestled against the backdrop of the Worcester Mountain Range lies this timeless Modern Farmhouse. This project consisted of a full gut to most of the interior as well as new windows, doors, siding, decks, and trim. Part of the project involved building an addition to join the detached garage to the main house as well as redefining the entry with a beautiful and functional mudroom and powder room. We also built out a new dining room with a ton of glass which helped to connect the interior with th… - [Modern Farmhouse](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/modern-farmhouse-pj-vj~5976522) - Location: Waterbury Village Historic District, VT - Photos: 24 - Description: Set within a postcard backdrop, on a local farm, this beautiful single floor home was a delight to build. Its personality brings a sense of modern architecture, combined with natural materials, to achieve a well balanced modern design that fits within Vermont’s natural beauty. Our clients were downsizing from a much larger home, and wanted to invest in a smaller footprint, with a focus on efficiency and details, rather than volume. The shell is a highly insulated and air sealed package that come… - [Mountain Modern Ski ome](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/mountain-modern-ski-ome-pj-vj~5970863) - Location: Warren, VT - Photos: 33 - ['Brutalist' Inspired Mountain Condo](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/brutalist-inspired-mountain-condo-pj-vj~5901691) - Location: Stowe, VT - Photos: 17 - Description: Embracing the natural elements of this circa 1960’s Condo development in Stowe Vermont was a priority for our clients. We worked closely with a great design team and our clients to create this simple, but beautiful minimalist retreat. Our clients, both authors, wanted a place to withdraw from the endless distractions and fast pace rhythms of the city. Custom made cabinets, bookshelves and built ins helped off set the sandblasted CMU block walls and ground concrete floors. A beautiful handcrafted… [See all 26 projects](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/home-builders/newschool-builders-llc-pfvwus-pf~470004293) ## Ideabooks - [Wish List](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/98363919/list/wish-list) — 3 ideas - [Guest bath](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/45989594/list/guest-bath) — 1 idea - [tables](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/23531790/list/tables) — 1 idea - [Bars](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/11286441/list/bars) — 9 ideas [See all 4 ideabooks](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/users/newschoolbuilders) ## Community Q&A **Q: would love to know the name/brand of the paint color!** *(in Photo Questions)* Thanks A: Im sorry we dont have that information any longer **Q: House measurement** *(in Photo Questions)* What is the height of the building walls The porch is it a 3/12 pitch A: Thanks for asking. It has been awhile since we completed that project. But as I recall it was a 8' ceiling height on the first floor and the a 6' knee wall on the second floor. I believe the porch roof was a 4/12. Hope this helps **Q: Where did you source the dutch door? Is it wood or fiberglass?** *(in Photo Questions)* A: Hey there. Sorry about the long delay in reposting. Haven't used this feature yet. he door is wood and i believe was a stock door form either Brosco or Simpson --- *Source: Houzz professional profile. Reflects the profile as of 2026-08-15.*