By Chrysa Smith
1 of 6

2 of 6

3 of 6

4 of 6

5 of 6

6 of 6

Chris Corey jokes that his friends call him a Renaissance Man because he’s as comfortable on one of his Harleys as he is with a blank canvas and paintbrush in hand or managing a crew at a job site. But on most days, you can find him on the phone or with a client going over details for one of his custom renovation, remodeling or building projects right here in Bucks County. Originally from New England, Corey, founder of Corey-Built, Inc. Custom Building and Improvements comes by construction naturally. Up on the Cape, he worked with his father doing roofing and siding. And of course, that gave him a good understanding of how the construction business works. But Corey’s creative side drove him further—into carpentry and visualizing what a home could be. So he packed up his materials and hit the road. At first, he landed down south in Charleston, SC after Hurricane Hugo, doing some custom renovation work. It was while on a vacation, Corey wound up in Bucks County where he laughs, “I was sold a bill of goods, coming here in fall, seeing the covered bridges. It sealed the deal and he laid down roots working as a Senior Project Manager for a construction company on the Main Line. It was there he worked on multi-million dollar mansions and estates as well as a 30,000 square foot home with some of the nation’s best architects. And it also happened to be where a fundraising event for Rik Santorum was held, complete with George W. Bush and secret service in attendance. “But it all goes back to creativity”, says Corey. “I love doing custom homes; solving problems by blending what’s needed with existing architecture. People want that flat screen over the fireplace, without it looking out of place.” He certainly has fallen right into place here. Presently, he’s working on a two-story addition, and new custom kitchen in a 1700s stone farmhouse in Bedminster. The family purchased the home earlier this year and is currently residing in a previously restored barn on the property, while the project is being done. Corey says, “I immediately began working to design a home where the family could raise their five children. Some of the problems included a small kitchen, failing infrastructure and low ceilings. This led to a new plan giving the owners a large kitchen and cathedral ceilings in the bedrooms.” Projects aren’t always straight-forward. At a home up in Perkasie, Corey found the upstairs ceilings to be 6 feet, 4 inches. Not being nearly enough clearance for even the shortest among us, it required raising the ceilings. So space was taken out of the attic, removing hand-hewn beams and winding up with a 10-foot cathedral ceiling. And what happened to some of the wood removed from the attic? Well, that’s where some carpentry and his creative skills came into place. They wound up as part of a long farmhouse, dining room table. In addition to working with his dad, Corey says he learned construction early; and built two houses from the ground up. A little over a decade ago, Corey’s first build was a 12000-square-foot Craftsman style house in Jenkintown, with slate roof and stone walls. He says the stained wood details made it warm and inviting. This was followed by a 1690’s stone farmhouse in Chester County, where he repointed the stone, added Spanish Mahogany trim and a cedar clapboard exterior. In all, Corey has about 35 years of experience in his trade. How exactly does his process work? It begins with a conversation. What is it that the client is trying to accomplish? According to Corey, many of his clients are living in historic homes. “That’s why they like living here. The goal is in getting modern function out of a historic structure.” he says. They might be putting on an addition for expanding family needs, opening up an interior. For anyone who watches home renovation shows, they’ll know that open concept is the trend of the day—taking down walls, making the kitchen the centerpiece and focal piece of the home, so everyone can see each other and as Corey says, “... can interact since everyone is on their phones these days.” Hanging out together, cooking and entertaining makes this kind of renovation popular. And increasingly, people are also making the space functional for what Corey refers to as ‘aging in place.’ This is building with the intention that owners plan to stay in their homes as they get older. It requires an eye toward wide hallways, doorways that allow easy access for wheel chairs and perhaps additional space should live-in help be required. Once the goals of a project are agreed upon and a site visit has been made to make sure the project is possible, Corey provides a plan and a budget. One of the skills he employs is 3D modeling (CAD: Computer-Assisted Modeling). On computer, Corey can take his clients through a home, letting them see how it would feel to move from room-to-room, even what the lighting might feel like. 3D modeling is commonly used in things like video games, virtual reality, movies, scientific imaging, It uses a variety of geometric shapes and curves to simulate a solid object, and it is certainly more realistic to the eye than a blueprint drawing. Through it, he can build the project completely in a model, looking to make sure there are no potential problems that could cost them time and money. It also offers up what is called a constructability review; letting a builder see potential problems before they become a reality. It allows drawings to be laid upon a model to see if they match up. “Even architects aren’t infallible,” Corey says, and he’s worked with the best of them. Corey said the future is in virtual reality itself. It’s a step beyond looking at a 3D visual, it’s providing you with the actual 3D experience; you can take a virtual tour of the finished home—providing you with the feeling that you have actually already been where the plans are leading you to. Once the project is in process, the communication is constant as is the follow-up upon completion of the project. When asked about some of his best customer feedback, Corey humbly tells the story of a client up in Coopersburg. He did a farmhouse restoration back in 2011. About six years later, Corey received an email telling him how much they still love what he had done and how fantastic it looks. But, as happens, they’re moving—and want Corey to work on their new project which contains a silo, and that will be converted into a round kitchen—yes, round. A construction project becomes a partnership; a relationship that requires lots of time spent together. So Corey advises to make sure you’re comfortable. For certain he is with his projects, be it a major addition/renovation or at one of his canvasses doing oil paintings of landscapes, and architectural structures, defining all of the details. Self-taught, the eye of an artist is unique, capturing nuances that aren’t necessarily visible to the naked eye—an added benefit in the construction business. You see, Corey may be more than a Renaissance Man. He might actually look familiar, because he graced the pages of this magazine once before; not for his 14-year-old custom building company, but for his fine art work, some of it exhibited at Phillips Mill (a non-profit here in Bucks, dedicated to the arts). Yep, Corey is right. It does all go back to creativity. Always has. Always will. Corey-Built, Inc., Custom Building & Improvements is located at 114 Ridge Avenue, Perkasie, PA 18944. For more information, call 215-234-7621 or visit www.corey-built.com. Chrysa Smith is a freelance writer who dreams about a new custom kitchen.