Michael Tierney (left), owner of Battlefield Homes, looks over construction plans with William Cain of Jennings Construction, an Orange County contractor. van

Custom-built archways (above) frame a scenic view of Lake Anna in Morgan II subdivision. The house (below) stands tall on the shoreline. van

Michael Tierney of Battlefield Homes loves where he lives, loves what he does

By RICHARD AMRHINE

Date published: 9/26/2004

THE FREE LANCE-STAR

BUILDER Michael Tier- ney is as enthusiastic about the beauty of houses he builds as he is confident about how well they are built. He's got 35 years of experience in the industry, so he should know what he's doing.

But that's only part of it. The key is that his company, Battlefield Homes, builds only about 30 houses a year. And that allows him to get to know every family he's building a new home for.

"I've worked for national builders, the ones who might build 500 or 600 homes a year" in Northern Virginia, he said. "That wasn't for me."

When the housing market cooled down in the late 1980s and early 1990s, Tierney was doing some soul-searching about his own future in the business.

"A friend gave me some advice. He said, 'When times are tough, do what you know.' What I know is building houses," Tierney said.

As many builders did, and still do, Tierney saw the potential of residential construction in the Fredericksburg area. And by 1991, here he was, starting up Battlefield Homes in Spotsylvania County.

To raise awareness of his new business, he needed someone with marketing and advertising experience. He called on Chesapeake Marketing & Design, run by a woman who in 1993 became Maxine Tierney. Their companies merged along with their lives, and they are now co-owners of both Battlefield Homes and Battlefield Land Development L.L.C. on Cherry Road off State Route 3 at Five-Mile Fork.

Tierney noted that as area land has become scarce and lot prices have soared, more communities are being built by one or two builders.

Tierney would rather be the guy people call when they want a custom house built on their own lot or one that Battlefield helps them find. Most of the houses Battlefield builds are on large lots next to or near water. And they are generally large, though Tierney emphasizes that he gives the same attention to detail on any house he builds.

"We do them all the same, no matter the price," he said, right down to every design detail and piece of trim.

Tierney said he did remodeling work for years in Alexandria, where he picked up Colonial design ideas that are apparent in the moldings he uses in his homes today.

Date published: 9/26/2004