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Cambridge Building, Inc. and owner Frank Guidobono are proud to be celebrating more than 30 years in the building industry on Hilton Head Island and in the Lowcountry. “Our team at Cambridge works on a one-on-one basis with our clients throughout every step of the building process to ensure we are providing quality construction and customer service to meet and exceed expectations.” The philosophy of Cambridge is quality construction, individualized service, and competitive pricing combined to provide the greatest customer value.
In the early 1980s, several years after earning a degree in building construction from Michigan State University, Frank Guidobono ventured south to Hilton Head to explore the building opportunities on the island. He had several years of construction experience under his belt, having worked with his father in the cement business growing up and then founding Cambridge Homes in Michigan with his brothers. His father was a concrete contractor, and he and his brothers had worked in the company growing up and after college. He knew how to drive a bulldozer when he was 10 years old!
Frank had seen luxury homes being built on the island, and he was confident that he could build them better than anyone. He knew that it was all about quality and uniqueness, and that there was a need on Hilton Head for a construction company that provided quality home and commercial construction. He realized that the difference between a nice house and a phenomenal one is often in the details.
So he established Cambridge Building Corporation and later Cambridge Building, Inc. on Hilton Head Island. Today, more than 600 homes later, his company is the leading residential construction firm on the island. Remodeling has always accounted for a good portion of Cambridge’s business. They also have built more than 100 commercial structures, with an ‘Unlimited General Contractor’ License in South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, North Carolina and Mississippi.
Frank’s response to why he chose Hilton Head Island to do business was, “It’s a great place to live. You can work all year because there are no ‘down’ seasons like there are in Michigan where I moved from. Also, you meet world-class people here – industry leaders, celebrities, and even inventors.”
“Our mission is to custom-build our clients’ dream homes from top quality materials and the highest construction standards in the industry,” said Frank. “The customers’ needs and desires are at the heart of everything. Our task is to make the entire building experience as painless as possible, from the design to construction to the finished product.” Cambridge is known for their attention to detail at every level of construction. “Our many years of local experience is extremely valuable for navigating local review committees and town code issues. We handle all that for clients – from ARB through the final closeout of the project.”
“The majority of our clients are not in town throughout the design and construction process, and many reside out of the country,” Frank said. “The greatest benefit for the client and for us is to be involved early in the process, before the design is started. There’s nothing that we can’t add or change with their plans while in the design stage.”
Frank Guidobono credits his relationship with top craftsmen, contractors, and suppliers for much of the company’s success. “They are the ones who are responsible for the execution of the work on each of our homes.” The quality of the relationship and work is evident in the numerous awards Cambridge has received. “We specialize in the design and construction of quality homes and commercial buildings,” Frank said.
Challenging projects are their specialty. “We focus so carefully on the design of a difficult project that we often end up with a masterpiece,” Frank said. “Most of our construction is waterfront – on the water in Wexford, Sea Pines, Palmetto Dunes, Spring Island, Colleton River, Berkeley Hall, and Long Cove. Often these houses are built on lots worth more than the value of the houses we build on them,” Frank said. “We are the brand masters of construction.” A Cambridge home is built to stand the test of time, resulting in very few warranty callbacks, even under harsh coastal conditions.
The average size of a Cambridge home is between 4,000 and 5,000 square feet, though they have built some that are as big as 15,000 square feet. Although the company specializes in luxury homes, they are able to compete favorably on any kind of project, large or small. “We custom build our clients’ dream homes from top quality materials and the highest construction standards in the industry,” Frank said. “Comparatively, we’re not expensive. We just build homes that have a lot of detail and specialized systems.”
The Cambridge team particularly enjoys being involved with projects marrying the old and the new. Frank takes advantage of the rich architectural history of Charleston and Savannah, and even Italy, to gather ideas for homes with Old World style and modern amenities.
“The average time it takes to build a high-end luxury home is a year,” Frank said.“Although the houses we build are very detailed, the whole process rarely takes longer than that. We try to exceed expectations.”
“We are proud that a lot of real estate ads use the phrase ‘Cambridge built home’ to advertise the quality of the building,” Frank added. “We have been in business longer than any other builder on the island, with the exception of one. There have probably been a thousand different builders that have come and gone since we started in 1982. We have been here forever; we take care of our projects and our clients.”
Cambridge Building, Inc. is located at 19 Bow Circle on Hilton Head Island. For more information, call (843) 341-2444or visit cambridgebuildinghhi.com.
