About Us
Lifelong Horry County resident, Harrell Hardwick, decided in 1999 that it was high time he pursue his lifelong dream of designing and building quality custom homes throughout Horry and Georgetown counties. Although his formal education and professional career had been devoted to serving as the Chief Financial Officer for Horry County Schools for nearly 30 years, he always had the desire to design and build homes which reflected not only the charm of our community, but also the dreams of the homeowners. After coursework in drafting and residential construction, Harrell became a licensed builder in South Carolina and founded Benchmark Construction in 2003.
Since that time, Benchmark Construction has won numerous awards for design and construction in both Horry and Georgetown counties. In 2005, Benchmark was awarded the City of Conway's prestigious Quattlebaum Award for Excellence in Design and Construction for the personal residence of Bill and Julie Livingston. This unique design is a two-story low country home with a basement - an unusual commodity in Horry County. In 2007, Benchmark Construction was also awarded the Builders Award by the Horry Georgetown Home Builders Association for The Charleston home in The Village at Conway Country Club - a small community with alley garages and wide front porches. One of the most coveted awards was also received in 2007 by the Horry Georgetown Home Builders Association - the "Best of Show" for The Southern Comfort home built in the Reserve at Litchfield. The Southern Comfort is a $1.75 million home built on the prestigious Reserve Golf Course in Litchfield Beach.
In 2016, Benchmark noticed an increase in demand for home renovations and brought Barrett Grooms onboard to assist with the many projects in the area. Barrett, a Conway native, has helped grow Benchmark Construction into the business it is today. He not only manages various projects, including remodels, new builds and site estimations, but is also quite the handyman and puts his previous carpentry experience to work most days.
Most recently, Russell Johnson joined the team to take the lead on local home renovation projects. Don't let his quiet demeanor fool you; this Aynor native is always available and eager to get the job done right the first time.
Our team strives to ensure we listen to your wants, evaluate your needs and suggest the best possible ways to achieve your dream home.
