We build what you draw. Square One Development Group is a custom home builder working with architects on new homes, additions and renovations across Frederick County, from downtown Frederick to the Middletown Valley.
Steve Howard grew up in Frederick County, Maryland, and has always loved the area. Square One is now intentionally focusing closer to home.
Frederick County covers a lot of ground. There are the historic streets of Downtown Frederick and Baker Park, the ridges of Braddock Heights, the open land of the Middletown Valley, and the country properties around Jefferson, Urbana, Ijamsville, New Market and Lake Linganore.
More of the people building here are moving up from Bethesda and DC. They want land and privacy, and they want the same kind of architect-designed modern home they would have built closer to the city. That is the work we do.
Homes we’ve built for leading architects have received national AIA honors, International Architecture Awards, and recognition in publications including Dwell, Interior Design, and Architectural Record. Those awards belong to the architects. The work behind them is board-formed concrete that is also the finished wall, exposed steel, large glass, and details with no trim to hide behind. It is the same standard we bring to a house in the valley or a renovation downtown. See the portfolio and the Blue Ridge House story.
New custom homes on land. Architect-designed homes in the Middletown Valley, Braddock Heights, Jefferson and Urbana, including steep and difficult lots.
Downtown and historic work. Careful renovations and additions in Downtown Frederick and Baker Park that respect the house and the historic district.
Architect-led additions that look like they were always there.
When the work is done, Square One Care keeps the home running well for years.
We also build smaller buildings: backyard cottages, pool houses, guest and in-law suites, and detached studios, on Frederick lots and on acreage. As an ADU builder in Frederick, MD, we treat a small building with the same care as the main house, with the same architect, the same detailing and the same care with the site work. Examples include a recent pool house ADU in Alexandria, VA, designed by MODE4 Architecture, and the guest house at Blue Ridge House for Olson Kundig, where a rolling wall with a Murphy bed on each side lets one room work as an office, a studio or a two-bedroom suite.
Building on acreage is different from building in town. Before the house comes the site: septic, well, grading, driveways and steep slopes, plus the permits and inspections that come with them. We coordinate the clearing, grading, excavation, perc testing, septic, well and civil work with the architect and engineer from the beginning, so the site work is planned and priced in preconstruction.
Whether you’re evaluating a historic Frederick property, considering a substantial renovation, or beginning plans for a custom home, early construction insight can prevent expensive surprises. Square One works alongside homeowners, architects, and designers to evaluate feasibility, establish realistic budgets, and resolve construction challenges before they become problems in the field. The goal is simple: make informed decisions early, protect the architecture, and establish a clear path forward.
Discuss your Frederick project
For architects and designers: we collaborate from early budgeting through final construction, protecting design intent and resolving challenges in the field. How we work →