About us

Restoration Builders of Virginia is a fully licensed Class-A contractor that has been in the business of breathing life into old and dilapidated buildings for 30 years. We have become specialists in the field of restoration because of our conscientious attention to detail and history. We believe that the history of older structures must be preserved and respected as an integral element in the fabric of our heritage. As such, our carpenters work closely with designers, conservators and preservationists to accommodate modern desires and utility without sacrificing the architectural elements that make old buildings unique. Our mission is to preserve the integrity of the building and the work of the carpenters that came before us while improving the fit and function of the structure as it is used today.

At RBVa, we boast that "no one can do a better job." Our experience includes the precise installation and/or restoration of molding, panels, wainscot, built-in bookcases, cabinetry, stair railings, windows and doors. We design and produce wood elements from pictures or fragments when the original pieces are missing as a part of our dedication to authenticity. Many of our carpenters have a history in art which informs their work and their ability to hone their craft.

Praise for Restoration Builders

We pride ourselves on a job well done, and our former clients will attest to that. Below are a few words from happy customers, taken from our Google places page. If you are a former client and would like to review our work, please do!

P ‎ - May 11, 2011

In January 2009, when the high temperature was 15, RBVa jacked up the 15 tons of 23” diameter solid columns on my back porch with roof and penthouses above, to allow joists and flooring to be replaced, then refloored with endgrain fir tongue and groove, supported the columns and built new bases. Everything backprimed. Excellent job, started and finished on schedule, clearcut contract, reasonably priced, and extremely pleasant people.

Click here to see how RBVa is saving bits of history on the Vintage Richmond website.

May 6, 2011

Via E-mail

Dear David,

As you know, Restoration Builders has executed several projects at our home in recent years. Every project was completed very professionally, all questions were addressed timely in a straight-forward manner, and what few problems surfaced received prompt, constant attention until they were satisfactorily resolved. The work was well-planned, completed on-time with an emphasis on excellence and quality materials, performed with sensitivity to the existing structure, and the costs were commensurate with the quality of the workmanship and materials involved.

Restoration Builders provided the added benefit of extensive experience, knowledge, attention to details, and architectural sensitivity on the basis of which you were able to help us select the most effective way to achieve our objectives. We continue to be completely satisfied with the results and heartily recommend Restoration Builders to those who wish to achieve the highest quality professional results at costs that are fully justified by the quality of the workmanship and materials involved.

Thank you for your excellence and professionalism. We look forward to taking advantage of Restoration Builders’ expertise in the future as needs arise.

Sincerely,

Bob

Robert B. Moffett, Jr.

Click here to see how the community responds to our work.

Ellen & Ken ‎ - Jun 15, 2011

We first used RBVa's skilled services in the 80's, when we lived in an 1889 townhouse on Church Hill. Their reputation for skilled and sensitive treatment of old homes was already solid. When we moved to our architect-designed mid-century modern in 1998, we saw no need to look for anyone else. First, in 2001, they rebuilt our cantilevered balcony, a tricky proposition that involved inserting beams well into the center of the house. A few years later, when Hurricane Isabelle took a corner off the house, they restored it, and worked with the insurance company to do it within their budget and to our standards. And most recently, they rebuilt an arbor attached to the house after another contractor had botched it. Their meticulous reconstruction, built to the original architect's plans, is beautiful - far superior to that made by the previous owners during their renovation. All three of these jobs required not only skilled carpentry, but creative engineering solutions to unique problems. RBVa is not just for Victorian-era homes - their craftmanship is for any period. It doesn't hurt that RBVa is also dependable, courteous, and in every way professional - icing on the cake.

Click here to see one of our older restorations on the Vintage Richmond website.

Allen ‎ - May 9, 2011

RBVa - David Cooley is a long time resident of our Church Hill community and has a real appreciation for its historic nature and value. Recently our condo association had a difficult restoration project and RBVa was asked to help. They tackled the project quickly and stayed on it until it was done. No deer season interruptions of work with this crew. There were a couple problems that RBVa had not encountered before so David brought in the expertise to resolve the issues which was impressive. RBVa is the kind of contractor that you only see on HGTV typically located in Canada. But you can get an HGTV type contractor right here in River City if you call RBVa.

Our President

David Cooley has been in the construction industry since 1979. A graduate of William & Mary, he began his appreciation of historic neighborhoods in Williamsburg. His introduction to new-home construction quickly developed into a love of old houses when be became a resident of Church Hill. Since then, he has restored over forty-five old houses completely, as well as numerous improvements from porch restorations to complementary additions.

A carpenter by trade, he has done commercial trim carpentry in large historic buildings such as the Federal Courthouse and the Executive Mansion. His attention to detail has enabled him to build additions that blend with the historic character of fine homes in Church Hill, the Fan and the West End.

Our Chief Financial Officer

Jessica Jordan has been involved in RBVa from the very beginning. She was the original payroll clerk, when RBVa boasted hiring its first carpenter's apprentice. She also ran her own painting crew for several years, creating and producing the the four-color paint scheme which is now a hallmark of many RBVa-restored houses. She still selects the color scheme on many interiors and exteriors, using lively, imaginative colors to highlight the architectural details of historic buildings. As the head of "bean-counting", her job is to remind the President, David Cooley, of the dollars and sense reality of saving old houses from the wrecking ball.

Our Operations Manager and Lead Carpenter

Raised in Church Hill, Sydney Jordan Cooley was surrounded by the buildings that her father, David Cooley, had restored. She even distinctly remembers a punishment for misbehavior in high school involved shoveling gravel behind a newly restored 3002 East Broad. It’s no wonder that she developed the same love and respect for old buildings – as well as for those who shovel gravel- that her father has.

Sydney started working for RBVa in high school before she attended the City College of New York. While in New York, she supported herself working for architecture firms and doing minimalist carpentry for the same. Her love for the ornate and the basic- as long as it was a physical puzzle to be solved- brought her back to carpentry after bookkeeping, teaching art, Civics and English, studying and obtaining her major in printmaking and Spanish, managing the English department at a private school in Guatemala, and being a bike messenger in New York City. Back to carpentry now for a few years, Sydney hasn’t lost her other interests: she designs and makes the company shirts, produces advertisements, teaches carpentry and good manners, and rides her bike to work as much as possible.

Warehouse Manager

Gina Adler has been working with Restoration Builders for over two years. Also raised in Church Hill, she didn't set out to help restore old buildings, but she had the foundation down. With a masters in sports education, Gina has an uncanny knack of giving 'pep talks' without even trying. She's currently on leave giving pep talks for the Lincoln movie project. We can't wait to get her back.

Carpenter's Apprentice and Materials Manager

Thomas Flanagan started with us in the bitter cold of March, working in a house that had three walls and not much else. Originally hired for his degree in architectural history and his obvious height advantages, Thomas is proving himself to be excellent at the little details that RBVa prides herself in.

Carpenter's Apprentice and Equipment Manager

Jeff Sahm comes to us with a background in Architecture, cabinet-making, and timberframing. He earned his Bachelors of Architecture from Virginia Tech while studying part time in Switzerland and Tanzania. While studying Architecture in the towns of Western Europe and Africa, he became sensitive to the historic fabric of the communities and cultures. He has great interest in the revitalization of historic neighborhoods and their relationship to the continuity of our culture. These ideals, combined with a skilled hand and experience in project management makes him a welcome addition to the team at RBVa.

Our Team

Our carpenters on staff are a part of our team because of their dedication to detail and their application of the best techniques and practices known in the industry. RBVa has developed working relationships that are decades long with many of the various tradesmen that we contract. The goal is always to ensure a product that will outlast the builder. We have long taken safety and professionalism very seriously. Our field manager and carpenters are EPA certified in lead safety and all of our employees are provided with the necessary safety equipment.