Renovate, Restore, Repurpose
In an era dominated by the proliferation of sprawling, cookie-cutter housing developments, design/build contractor Enoch Snyder is doing something rare. He listens carefully to the stories that old houses have to tell. Then, he peels back the layers of time and reverses decades of neglect to restore homes that are true to their past and functional for today.
His firm, Snyder Design Build, specializes in new construction, custom home design, and renovation. The last item on that list of project types holds a special place in Snyder’s heart. For him, each renovation is an act of stewardship, requiring historical fluency, craftsmanship, and imagination. “We build plenty of new houses,” Snyder says, “but we really love saving old structures and breathing new life into deserving buildings.”
LEARNING THE TRADE
Snyder’s passion for architecture and building began in earnest at age 13, when he began working summer construction jobs alongside Mennonite carpenters in the mountains of West Virginia, where his father worked as a blacksmith. “I grew up in a renovated church,” he explains. “There were friends of our family still living in log cabins from years past. Old buildings are in my blood.”
That early foundation of craftsmanship led him to the University of Virginia, where he earned his architecture degree in 1994. “I came to UVA to learn to build well,” Snyder says. Drawn to the area’s rich architectural tradition, he stayed in Charlottesville. “I was excited by the opportunity to work on many of these older houses, some of which go back to Jefferson’s era.”
After years designing with Charlottesville’s Train & Spencer Architects and later managing construction projects at Alexander/Nicholson, he merged his experience into a single vision. Snyder Design Build was born, a firm built on the concept of bringing architecture and construction back together into a seamless process. “Historically, architects managed the entire project, not just the design” Snyder explains. “Our firm harkens back to that era, with a clear chain of responsibility and open dialogue that keeps clients in control. Designing and building a home can be challenging, but with a thoughtful process, it can also be deeply rewarding.”
RE-CREATING HISTORY
That approach has proven itself as he’s taken on some of Central Virginia’s most demanding historic restorations. Several years ago, his team was simultaneously restoring five houses listed on the National Register of Historic Places. One of them, a stately brick house in the area that dates back to the early 19th century, required an almost forensic level of attention. “We tracked down old photographs from the 1920s so we could re-create the original railing details,” Snyder says.
The result was a fully renovated exterior and interior—all designed and constructed to maintain historic accuracy while subtly blending the line between old and new. That kind of care and attention to detail extends across the board. Whether he’s rescuing a humble cottage or reimagining an abandoned church, Snyder insists that any addition or alteration must honor the character of the original structure.
RESTORING A LOG CABIN
Take, for example, a two-story log cabin from the early 1800s. Moved from the Shenandoah Valley to Albemarle County in the 1990s, it found new life under Snyder’s guidance. His team restored the cabin and added an expansion that feels both contemporary and true to its roots. Even the garage has a backstory. It began as an addition to the original cabin that the crew disassembled, cataloged, and rebuilt elsewhere on the property as a guesthouse.
“We are often asked to enlarge existing structures and we try hard to add on to older buildings in a respectful way, in harmony with the original structure,” he says. “If you aren’t improving the structure, think twice about the project!”
SAVING A CHURCH
One of Snyder’s favorite projects is an abandoned 1895 church in Bath County that he and his team converted into a weekend home without losing its historic spirit.
“We kept all of the original detailing,” he says. “New elements were added to complement, but not compete with the church’s original character.” Often, his projects overlap and complement each other. The wormy chestnut kitchen cabinets, salvaged from another project, found a perfect new home in the renovated church.
Other times, materials that match the age and character of the project are sourced from local suppliers. “We are blessed to work in an area that has great resources for historic work,” Snyder says. “There are companies that specialize in reclaimed flooring and beams, others that can build doors and windows to match historic parts, and others can provide mouldings and cabinets that are just right for any historic house.”
TRANSFORMING A COTTAGE
Snyder is quick to point out that not all projects are huge and complicated. A small house in Crozet, abandoned for years, was transformed into a rental property with dramatic interior spaces. Vaulted ceilings, refinished floors, and reused doors reveal a hallmark of the firm’s work: a thoroughly modern house with ample references to its vintage past. “I love preserving the soul of these old structures and preparing them for the next hundred years.”
From grand historic estates to modest cottages, Snyder applies the same ethos to each project—restoring and repurposing to ensure that structures have a future as meaningful as their past. “Every project matters,” he says. “Together they preserve the rich architectural tradition we’re so fortunate to have in Central Virginia.”