A conversation with the husband-and-wife team behind H&H Construction in Cookeville, Tennessee
When Josie Davis walks into an old house, she doesn’t just see what’s broken. She sees what’s possible.
“I think that there’s a lot of beauty in the bones,” Josie shares in our latest episode. “There’s also a lot of termites and mold, but there’s a lot of beauty too. And I think that can be harnessed and made really beautiful again.”
This philosophy—finding and preserving what’s special while creating something new—drives everything Alec and Josie Davis do at H&H Construction. In a revealing two-part conversation, the duo opened up about their approach to home renovations, why they believe construction is “a marriage of a certain form,” and how they’ve built a thriving business by putting relationships first.
Every Job Matters—No Matter How Small
Unlike many contractors who only take on major projects, H&H Construction starts small on purpose.
“To me and Alec, there’s no small job,” Josie emphasizes. “Every job has an impact to the customer and to the family that’s living in the home.”
That drywall hole? That loose baseboard? Those seemingly minor repairs become the foundation for long-term client relationships. Many of their biggest kitchen remodels and bathroom transformations started with a simple call to fix something small—and grew into years of trust.
“We’ve been working with one family for about three years now,” Josie explains. “We started with them just fixing little things here and there. And then they brought us on to do their kitchen, and now we’re doing their bathroom.”
How Should Your Space Feel?
Josie’s signature question for every client isn’t about function or layout. It’s about emotion.
“How you’re wanting a space to feel should often dictate how you develop this space,” she says. “A lot of people go into kitchens and bathrooms with functionality first. And while that’s extremely important, I think what do you want it to feel like when you walk in is even more important.”
This design philosophy sets H&H apart from cookie-cutter remodeling approaches. When working with the team on renovations, clients don’t get a standard kitchen triangle or a generic bathroom layout. They get a space tailored to how they actually live—and how they want to feel when they’re home.
“We have more time, and we carve out more time to be very specific with the customer themselves,” Josie notes. She’ll spend hours researching specific kitchen formats or design styles just for one client’s unique vision.
The Art of Seamless Additions
Not every house should have an addition. And Josie isn’t afraid to say so.
“Some houses, the way that they’re structured, they’re just perfect the way they are,” she offers honestly. “Sometimes it’s meant to be that way. And so adding onto that changes the feel of that home. I would say, ‘Nah, friend, just go ahead and find a new place that you can grow into.’”
But when an addition is the right move? H&H Construction approaches it with surgical precision.
“In my opinion, a good addition never feels like an addition,” Josie explains. “It feels like you’ve successfully continued to walk through the house from start to finish.”
The key? Understanding rooflines, preserving architectural flow, and never forcing something that disrupts the home’s natural rhythm. “You get the right contractor and the right budget, and you can do just about anything,” she adds.
Sunrooms: Outside Without Being Outside
One of H&H’s specialties is sunroom construction—spaces Josie describes as “being outside and enjoying outside without being outside.”
The team has transformed everything from decks to porches to old sheds into beautiful year-round living areas. Some are climate-controlled extensions of the home. Others are non-conditioned three-season rooms. The difference comes down to budget, building codes, and how the homeowner wants to use the space.
“If you want to put a TV out there, if you want to put furniture, you want to make it feel like it’s a living room but with the outside feel, then we’d probably suggest enclosing the space and making it climate-controlled,” Josie explains.
Either way, sunrooms have become a signature offering—a way to add usable square footage without the complexity of a full addition.
Custom Decks for Tennessee Terrain
While Josie focuses on interior design, Alec lights up when talking about custom decks.
“I love anything that’s out of the norm, anything that’s different,” he shares. “We’ve done multi-level decks, decks with grand staircases, decks with fire pits within them, octagonal decks, decks with pergolas.”
In Cookeville’s hilly terrain, decks often make more sense than patios. “We’re in Cookeville, Tennessee. There’s a lot of mountain ranges,” Alec points out. “You can’t have a patio without flat land.”
From simple single-level designs to elaborate multi-level structures with built-in fire pits and outdoor kitchens, H&H treats each deck as a custom project—one more way to help Middle Tennessee homeowners maximize their outdoor living space.
Construction as Marriage
The metaphor Josie uses most often? Marriage.
“Construction is a marriage of a certain form,” she says candidly. “You’re gonna be spending a lot of time with those people.”
That’s why she encourages potential clients to trust their gut about fit. “If you meet us and you don’t want to go get coffee with us, then find a contractor that you really enjoy speaking with,” she advises. “If you have a bad feeling in your belly about somebody, even if it’s a week into the project, I would say go with your gut.”
This relationship-first approach means H&H might not be the right fit for everyone—and that’s okay. For clients who connect with their values, the partnership often extends far beyond a single project.
“Alec and I want to talk. We want to pray over your family. We want to meet your children if you’re willing. We want to encourage you in steps of life,” Josie shares.
Forever Home vs. Resale Value
One of the most valuable services H&H provides? Honest consultation about when to customize and when to play it safe.
“If you’re planning to be there forever, then we really want to customize it to what you’re wanting to feel,” Josie explains. But for clients planning to sell in a few years? “We’re gonna try to gear you towards what’s marketable in this area and what people are looking for.”
This isn’t just good business advice—it’s the kind of relationship-focused guidance that turns one-time clients into lifelong advocates.
Marrying Old Charm with New Aesthetics
Some of H&H’s most rewarding work happens in historic homes from the 1930s and 40s.
“I think that there’s a lot of beauty in those homes. I think that those are the most beautiful spaces when you marry the older charm with the newer aesthetics,” Josie enthuses.
The approach? Preserve what’s special—original hardwood floors, historic fireplaces, architectural details—while updating everything else. New HVAC systems. Modern electrical. Updated plumbing. Contemporary finishes.
“You’re taking something that’s already there and already has flavor,” she describes. “It already has its own embodiment, and you are tweaking it, aesthetically smoothing it out.”
The Wet Room Obsession
Ask Josie about her favorite type of project, and she doesn’t hesitate: wet rooms.
These are bathrooms where the entire space becomes the shower—no separate shower pan, no glass enclosure. Just seamless tile work from floor to ceiling with a drain in the floor.
“It’s almost like artwork where one thing stops, the next thing starts with very seamless transitions,” she explains. “I love the artistic component to it.”
It’s one more example of how H&H approaches every project: not just as construction work, but as an opportunity to create something beautiful.
Faith, Family, and Craftsmanship
At the core of H&H Construction is a set of values that go beyond business metrics.
“Build well, work honestly, and treat every project as if it were our own home,” Alec summarizes.
Construction runs in Alec’s blood—passed down through generations. Now he’s teaching those same values to his children, bringing them along to job sites and showing them what quality craftsmanship looks like.
“We want to do what we can to serve those around us well and keep the morality of how we were raised in the forefront,” he shares.
Ready to Start Your Project?
Whether you’re considering a kitchen remodel, dreaming of a sunroom addition, planning a custom deck, or just need to fix a few things around the house, H&H Construction approaches every project with the same philosophy: understand what you want the space to feel like, then build with integrity and care.
View their work on their portfolio page or contact them to start a conversation.
H&H Construction
Phone: (931) 329-5754
Email: davishandh@gmail.com
Serving Cookeville, Sparta, Smithville, McMinnville, and all of Middle Tennessee
Learn more about Alec and Josie and see why their clients keep coming back—not just for the quality work, but for the relationships.
Listen to the full conversation with Alec and Josie Davis on the Unscripted Small Business Podcast. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.
Episode Highlights:
- Why every job matters, no matter the size
- The importance of “feel” over function in design
- When NOT to build that addition
- Creating vision for homeowners who struggle to see possibilities
- Why construction is like a marriage
- Marrying historic charm with modern aesthetics
- The midsize contractor advantage
About Unscripted Small Business
Unscripted Small Business features real conversations with entrepreneurs and small business owners who are building something meaningful. Hosted by Jeremy Rivera, the podcast dives deep into the challenges, wins, and philosophies that drive successful small businesses across every industry.
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Visit unscriptedsmallbusiness.com for full episodes, transcripts, and more.