Back in the 1970s, Johnny Cargill began his career as one of Columbus’ finest carpenters. After working for some of the greats at the time, Johnny began his own full-service construction company after breaking his hammer hand and earning his contractor’s license during the downtime. Since then, John R. Cargill Construction has been exceeding clients’ expectations on jobs both big and small.

Whether you’re doing a complete renovation of an existing home or just remodeling a room, bathroom, or kitchen, Johnny Cargill can make sure that your job is done on time, on budget and with a level of execution you’re not going to find anywhere else in Columbus. He sat down to talk to SVM about what sets him apart from other home builders in Columbus, trends in the coming years, and how the housing market is shaping up for 2021.

By Marla Caligaris

You’ve been building in Columbus for over 40 years. When did you know you wanted to dedicate your life to this work? Very early. I started working for Larry Bussey when I was in the 9th Grade doing general labor on job sites. I continued on to various aspects of the business learning framing, carpentry, trim, and foundation work. I worked in heavy construction at Ft. Benning with Hewett Construction where I learned to operate heavy equipment. I worked for the greats like Buddy Roberts and Bill Mann building houses and eventually starting my own business. I love that I get to work with people all day, every day, to bring their vision to life.

We spend so much time in our homes, especially this year. It should be an environment you love that is not only beautiful but functions well for your family. I love building – to see a project go from an idea to plans, to reality and helping a client realize their dream.

You’ve run a successful company in a competitive market. What sets Cargill Design Build Remodel apart from other home builders in Columbus? Building client relationships and delivering the highest quality work are the core values of Cargill Design Build Remodel.

Many of our clients have become great friends, which I think is a testament to the way we do business. We always believe in doing the right thing. Over the years, I have had so many opportunities to work with some incredibly talented clients, decorators, and architects and I can share those experiences and knowledge with all clients to fill their needs. Years of experience gives us a unique perspective to solving problems, and we believe that no detail is too small. We have a very broad network of suppliers and partners to bring the highest quality materials to you.

Home designs are always changing. What trends do you see coming in the years ahead and what are the most popular home features that clients have requested this year? The challenges of 2020 have made the flow and function of homes more important than ever before. Your spaces have to be multipurpose and work harder for you - a combination gathering space for cooking, eating and entertainment is always key for families. A comfortable space for working from home is key but may need to be carved out of an existing room, and it may have to serve as a homeschooling location as well!

Many clients are investing in their outdoor spaces, as we are all spending more time at home, and outdoor gatherings are the safest option. As for trends – we always recommend keeping the core elements of your home classic and bringing in trends with interior design elements. Those are easier and more cost-effective to change in the long-term, but the classics never go out of style! Our recent new construction in Bibb Village and Old Town are great examples of marrying traditional, classic architectural and design elements with some interior design trends.

What aspects of green design do you recommend? A total rated “green home” could cost a person up to 20 percent more, and you are unlikely to recoup those cost savings. However, small changes to make your home smarter and more energy efficient can have a big impact. Programable thermostats, mid- to higher- rated in efficiency HVAC units, high- efficiency windows, and improved insulation can improve the efficiency of your home. We recently installed a bottle filler in our office to eliminate plastic waste and we love it - it would be great in a home, especially one with a lot of children!

How do you see the housing market shaping up in 2021? I’m optimistic about the housing market in 2021. It looks as though lumber prices are dropping, which always reduces costs and that means more people are able to qualify for home loans. Interest rates are also historically low, so now is a great time to build…. and remodel!

This is a guess on my part, but I think as we get the COVID virus behind us and, the job market begins to reopen, I could see things staying relatively steady – especially if lumber prices remain low. Obviously, we need to get through the first couple of months of the year to understand consumer confidence. Hopefully the recent de-regulations will remain intact.

JOHNNY CARGILL