As a builder of custom homes primarily on the Northshore of Chicago, Raugstad has been building custom homes, and homes on speculation for three generations. Our commitment is always to the client. From commencement of the project all the way through to completion and the finishing touches, we are right there with you – one hundred percent. As your go-to Northshore Chicago custom home builder, we are proud to put our name on every completed Raugstad home.

It’s officially Spring, so let the cleaning & organizing commence!? Our best Spring cleaning advice is to start at the source & choose cabinets that make organizing easy. Our designers can help identify the right inserts for you and if they don’t exist, we can make them! These inserts are on display in our Naperville, IL showroom, so schedule a time to swing by & see them for yourself!

View of 19th Century farmhouse before work commenced.
Small farmhouse exterior home idea in San Francisco

DESIGN BY Robert M. Gurney, FAIA. This four-time award-winning St. Michael’s property is a contemporary gem on the water. The owners of the property originally intended to renovate an existing ’80s structure, but soon realized it was beyond repair. Our team commenced a full tear down and rebuild on the existing footprint to keep with county regulations for waterfront structures. The result is a modern take on the lake house, a light-filled sanctuary built with integrity to stand the tests of time and the elements. Excellence in Custom Building Winner in Annapolis Home Magazine 2017.

The redesign of the existing hall bathroom commenced with the strategic removal of a non-structural wall, aimed at optimizing space and enhancing accessibility. By eliminating this barrier, we seamlessly integrated the bathroom into a larger, more functional area, accommodating the evolving needs of the clients as they age in place. This expansion not only facilitates easier movement within the space but also sets the stage for the integration of essential accessibility features.

Barry McCall Photography. This young successful professional decided to completely transform his home. The work commenced with a total gutting of the property and a sustainable renovation followed. The home was heated by underfloor heating and equipped for all the latest technology. Great consideration was given to his active lifestyle and constant entertaining. His future plans to marry his wonderful fiancee and start a family all contributed to the outcome and great success of the project.

Cottage Construction Complete. Garage Addition to be commenced in Spring 2017. This large open-concept custom cottage overlooking the lake is what every getaway is looking for. Boasting high cathedral ceiling in the Great room with a gas fireplace, 5 bedrooms, 3 baths, Screened-In Porch, Large Gourmet Kitchen with Adjacent Dining Room and Office on 2nd Floor overlooking the lake. This place was everything the owner needed (and then some), but was lacking an attached Garage which was something they desired when looking to move to cottage country full time. Adding the Garage adjacent to the Kitchen and adding a transition room with a stairwell with access to the loft above the Garage, makes this addition function perfectly. The 3-Car Garage adds plenty of storage for the owner and adds a Gift Wrapping Area, Home Gym and Additional Storage Room.

DESIGN BY Robert M. Gurney, FAIA. This four-time award-winning St. Michael’s property is a contemporary gem on the water. The owners of the property originally intended to renovate an existing ’80s structure, but soon realized it was beyond repair. Our team commenced a full tear down and rebuild on the existing footprint to keep with county regulations for waterfront structures. The result is a modern take on the lake house, a light-filled sanctuary built with integrity to stand the tests of time and the elements. Excellence in Custom Building Winner in Annapolis Home Magazine 2017.

This newly-built project on Highland Ave. is a valuable yet unassuming addition to the Fort Hill neighborhood. What was once a vacant corner lot has now been transformed into the site of 4 beautiful rental townhouses. The exterior was designed to blend in seamlessly with the surrounding architecture. It’s unique and pragmatic interior design is optimized for community living! Construction commenced in April 2019 and reached completion in September 2020.

DESIGN BY Robert M. Gurney, FAIA. This four-time award-winning St. Michael’s property is a contemporary gem on the water. The owners of the property originally intended to renovate an existing ’80s structure, but soon realized it was beyond repair. Our team commenced a full tear down and rebuild on the existing footprint to keep with county regulations for waterfront structures. The result is a modern take on the lake house, a light-filled sanctuary built with integrity to stand the tests of time and the elements. Excellence in Custom Building Winner in Annapolis Home Magazine 2017.

As the design contract came to its completion, the client preferred Valerius for the execution of the project. Valerius commenced working on the project, demonstrating its architectural and construction prowess by executing and delivering, ahead of schedule, a spectacular swimming pool for an upmarket luxury project in South Mumbai, during the pandemic. Valerius acknowledges and appreciates the efforts taken by the client for taking all the necessary precautionary measures and creating a secured work environment for the site team to prevent the risk of COVID-19.

This custom design and built home in Yolo County commenced with a bubble diagram of the spaces the client wished to incorporate into their forever home. The home includes architectural features such as aging in place design, 28 ft tall north facing solarium, an elevator shaft for future build out (if necessary), durable cement fiber board siding, standing seam cool metal roof, optimal window shading with overhangs, a front second level deck overlooking a park, a custom designed and built front cable railing system, polished concrete floors on the first level, and passive heating and cooling elements throughout for maximum comfort. Design, Build, and Enjoy!

As a builder of custom homes primarily on the Northshore of Chicago, Raugstad has been building custom homes, and homes on speculation for three generations. Our commitment is always to the client. From commencement of the project all the way through to completion and the finishing touches, we are right there with you – one hundred percent. As your go-to Northshore Chicago custom home builder, we are proud to put our name on every completed Raugstad home.

I was called out to clean a Porcelain tiled floor at a newly built property in Winwick near Huntingdon. The tiles were heavily marked with grout and dirt and were impossible to get clean. To make things worse the tiles were pale, almost white, in colour which made the staining more obvious. It was clear to me that the builder had not managed to polish off all the grout after tiling and this had now set hard on the surface. This is a very common problem known as Grout Haze and fortunately there is a solution, in that it can be removed by giving the tiles a rinse with an acidic tile cleaner called Tile Doctor Grout Clean-up. To prove the point, I carried out a quick demonstration so the new owners could appreciate the difference. I always like to test porcelain tiles for a reaction to acid prior to commencing work as acidic cleaners can have a negative effect on some types of polished porcelain however this one had a textured feel to it so there was no issue. The test went well so having got the go head I began by first cleaning the tiles with a medium dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean, this was left for about ten minutes before being worked into the tile with a black scrubbing pad fitted to a rotary machine. I also used a stiff brush along the grout lines to make sure the grout was as clean as the tile. This process generates a lot of soiling which was then extracted using a truck mount machine. By Truck Mount I’m referring to a powerful cleaning machine that’s fitted into my van, it blasts the floor with hot water and then immediately extracts it using an equally powerful vacuum to grey tank in the vehicle, it’s incredibly effective and leaves very little water on the floor afterwards. The next step was to tackle the grout haze and this is done as before by Acid Washing the floor using a dilution of Tile Doctor Grout Clean-up and scrubbing into the tile as before. Again, the resultant soils were extracted as before using the truck mount. The floor was then speed dried using Dripods which are small horizontal fans designed to blow air downwards and ideal for drying carpets and hard floors. Once dry, a coat of Tile Doctor Ultra-Seal was applied, left to dry and any excess buffed away with a White pad. The work was completed in one day and completely transformed the floor much to the delight of my customer who left the following message in a subsequent email: “Thank you very much indeed, we are delighted with the floor.” I’m pleased to say I have since returned to the neighbourhood and completed another identical grout removal job at a neighbour’s property who had the same issue with builder. Tom Conlon Cambridge Tile Doctor

Custom, southeastern-facing 2 bedroom, 2 bath with panoramic NYC, Hudson River & downtown Jersey City views and parking in Observer Plaza, a steel & concrete elevator building. Expansive, open floorplan with custom built-ins and walls of windows that lead to a large private terrace. Chef’s kitchen with corian counters and stainless steel appliances. Oversized en-suite master bedroom. Other features include; hardwood floors, recessed lighting, automated blinds, tons of custom built-ins with massive amounts of storage. Building has a new, state-of-the-art gym and a great downtown location only minutes to PATH, ferry, waterfront, restaurants, and nightlife. Lobby renovation expected to commence late fall 2017.

DESIGN BY Robert M. Gurney, FAIA. This four-time award-winning St. Michael’s property is a contemporary gem on the water. The owners of the property originally intended to renovate an existing ’80s structure, but soon realized it was beyond repair. Our team commenced a full tear down and rebuild on the existing footprint to keep with county regulations for waterfront structures. The result is a modern take on the lake house, a light-filled sanctuary built with integrity to stand the tests of time and the elements. Excellence in Custom Building Winner in Annapolis Home Magazine 2017.

As the design contract came to its completion, the client preferred Valerius for the execution of the project. Valerius commenced working on the project, demonstrating its architectural and construction prowess by executing and delivering, ahead of schedule, a spectacular swimming pool for an upmarket luxury project in South Mumbai, during the pandemic. Valerius acknowledges and appreciates the efforts taken by the client for taking all the necessary precautionary measures and creating a secured work environment for the site team to prevent the risk of COVID-19.

In this photo, you can see the preparation work that needs to be undertaken before painting commences. The siding is dirty, particularly at the top. Surfaces need a thorough cleaning before painting, otherwise, the new coat of paint won’t adhere properly, and the dirt will show through. You can see how the bottom of the door is also chipped and scuffed and needs carpentry work.

Elegant Oasis: Maximizing Entertaining Space In reimagining this 14,233 sqft lot, the goal was to create a high-impact, space-efficient outdoor environment, where space meets sophistication for unrivaled outdoor entertaining. This presentation outlines the thoughtfully designed elements which were meticulously integrated to maximize entertaining space within the constraints of the property. The project commenced with relocating the pool to the furthest reaches of the property, respecting property line setbacks to amplify the area available for entertainment. Adjacent to the back door, a covered built-in kitchen and intimate seating area offer protection from both bugs and the scorching afternoon sun, thanks to a convenient drop-down screen. The 18'x36' pool serves as the focal point, backed by an 18" masonry wall adorned with LED lighting accents. Behind this backdrop, a hedge of long-blooming hydrangeas and espalier-shaped European hornbeams complements the formal design, infusing the space with timeless elegance. The pool deck features a sturdy 5" rebar-reinforced concrete overlay with Valders Dove White and gray stone laid in a herringbone pattern (5'x18" pieces). To address stormwater retention, a large drywell behind the pool was repurposed as the base for a putting green, encircled by permeable gravel and stone coping. Landscape lighting makes it perfect for endless fun, day and night. To minimize the “fence feeling” and to distinguish the detached garage driveway, a grand outdoor fireplace and wall were constructed. This space also includes an outdoor TV and speaker system. A pergola, built from large steel I-beams and cedar, provides respite from the summer sun. For continuity and aesthetic impact, the hydrangea hedge extends the entire length of the property, maximizing the use of the narrow 36" side. The front of the property is equally striking. A heated concrete driveway, saw-cut into 5'x5' squares, provides a grand entrance. The front porch and walkway feature heated, randomly patterned bluestone, expertly set on a concrete sub-base. Two sets of garden walls enclose the front yard, with the closest to the front door boasting three water scuppers and a pondless waterfall system, creating a captivating ambiance for arriving guests. The property's front and rear areas are adorned with various planting beds and containers, which are seasonally adapted to ensure a vibrant landscape year-round. Formal, columnar trees, such as slender silhouette sweetgum, columnar tulip trees, sheared European hornbeams, and shaped tricolor beech, were chosen to harmonize with the property's architecture. Crushed blue granite gravel was used to cover all planting beds, maintaining a clean and low-maintenance appearance. In conclusion, our project has not only met but exceeded our client's expectations by delivering a low-maintenance, high-impact, and space-efficient outdoor haven.