Building for Human Beings
At Jake & Me, we believe the way we create a space matters as much as what we create. Our work is rooted in a simple conviction: truly beautiful architecture comes from the human heart.
Our Philosophy & Approach
Design Begins With Attention
What makes your living room feel so delightfully restful at the end of the day, as the family all put their responsibilities away and everyone settles in to watch a movie together, or read or play? What is it about that neglected corner of the garage that seems to be begging to be turned into an office, or a workshop?
These answers emerge first and foremost from paying attention to the motions of our lives. If we can understand how we move, where we gather, when and where we seek solitude, and what draws us together, we can create wonderful designs for spaces that will work how you need them to work and feel how you need them to feel. Our job is not to simply turn your initial idea into a finished structure as efficiently as possible (though our process is more efficient in the long run) -- it is to ask questions, examine possibilities, and discover what your project is truly asking for.
We rarely work with “throw away” designs. Before drawing anything, we walk the site multiple times, asking questions, thinking deeply and openly, and making solid decisions before committing anything to the paper.
From there, estimates and even the building itself emerge naturally.
Apart from being a beautiful experience, this process can also save time and money in the following ways:
Firstly, by working on your project yourself, carrying lumber, nailing lumber together, we can give you a kickback for your labor.
Secondly, by spending more time on the front end of the design, we can avoid costly iterations and change orders that stem from a surface-level understanding of the problems of the project.
Thirdly, because you, a human being, designed it yourself, it will speak to its inhabitants, even after you’re gone, encouraging those future owners to maintain it. This is true sustainability.
Beauty, then, is not something we apply at the end when we add our finishes. It infuses every thought, step, and swing of the hammer along the way.
What Guides Us
The Foundations of Our Work
Our work is grounded in three complementary foundations:
Principles
Look Beyond the Obvious
A space can satisfy its immediate purpose and still fall short of what is needed of it. We draw from our own experience and the experience of other designers and building experts in order to question our assumptions, recognize overlooked possibilities, and make choices that serve more than appearances.
Guidance
Make Decisions With Understanding
We consider all aspects of the project: size, cost, materials, methods, to ensure that they are properly fitted into the ultimate aim: a beautiful space, fitted perfectly for the needs of those using it. We draw on our experience of the construction industry to help you understand your options and make decisions with intention.
Tools
Do the Work!
You’ve made your plan; it works, and it’s within your budget. Let’s build it together! We offer you our tools and our hands, and the opportunity to build your vision together.
Our Founder
Meet Jacob Marsnik
I started Jake & Me Construction when I realized that many of my customers and prospects were quite interested in the work I was doing for them, even to go so far as to offer to help with construction!
Furthermore, I found that working with clients who care about what they are creating and want to be involved in the process actually created a better outcome at the end.
Through my time as a carpenter doing residential remodels and decks in Greenville, SC, to the design and architecture coursework I’ve been involved in, to watching my friends in Sierra Leone build their own homes without even being able to read or write, I’ve always found myself fascinated in how buildings function the way they do – how does space give us what we need from it?
For me, building is not simply about delivering a structure for an agreed-upon price. It is an opportunity to infuse our spirit into our material reality, to work toward beauty alongside another person, and to ultimately offer our work back to God in a place that will truly and deeply be a part of people’s lives for years, hopefully even decades or centuries to come.
Every good project begins somewhere.
You don’t need all the answers to begin. Bring your imaginings, or your half-finished project, or anything else, really! Let’s discover what we can make of it, together.
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