Whole House Remodel - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

**ChrWright** · 03-28-2009, 10:51 PM

This is a whole house remodel we completed about 2 months ago that I just got around to photographing.

The house was built around 1920 and was hardly touched during its lifetime. The last owner died there, having lived in it since the 60s. Many of the original light fixtures and other architectural elements were still intact and we were able to restore and re-use many of them.

Some highlights of the project:

The exterior masonry was completely restored, along with both an iron railing and one in wood. The slate roof was replaced, along with new copper gutters, scupper boxes and spiral downspouts.

On the inside, we combined 5 spaces to create the new kitchen/mud room/hearth room. The new master bath was a combination of an original bath and two closets. The guest bath was left the same size, but reconfigured. The master suite closet area was re-partitioned to create his and hers areas, along with a vestibule centered on two double French doors which access a second floor covered balcony.

The hardwoods in the entire house were refinished, and new ones added and matched for the kitchen areas. We also added a new laundry on the second floor in a bonus area over the kitchen. The entry hall marble floor is original and was in amazingly great shape--we carefully protected it during construction, and then cleaned and restored it at the end of the project.

The owner sub contracted the roof, landscaping, and painting himself--and we competed the entirety of the other work.

**ChrWright** · 03-28-2009, 10:55 PM

The master suite:

**ChrWright** · 03-28-2009, 10:57 PM

The original entry floor, which is amazing:

The torchiere sconces and ceiling light are also original.

**ChrWright** · 03-28-2009, 10:58 PM

If you're interested, the remaining photos of this project are here:

http://wrightworks.net/Showcase-Eight.htm

RCPainting · 03-28-2009, 10:59 PM

That is beautiful!

Beautiful does not begin to describe!
ok, I went to link, you are a craftsman! I am going back to site to see rest!

shanekw1 · 03-28-2009, 11:03 PM

Awesome, those original lights are so frickin' cool.

**ChrWright** · 03-29-2009, 07:38 AM

Thank you. It is rare to find so many original fixtures in a house of that age. Often they are cannibalized over the years and sold to architectural salvage companies who sell them for big money.

It's funny the things you find in old houses and some of the history you can tell about their previous owners.

In the basement is a heavy steel I-beam crisscrossing one area. It doesn't seem to be supporting anything above and has rolling pulleys suspended from it.

The story is that the basement was used to assemble ammunition during WW2 (don't ask me why.

) When the moving company cleaned it out after the death of the previous owner they found a great deal of paraphernalia still down there from that time (nothing live.)

**framerman** · 03-29-2009, 07:39 AM

That is some exceptionally professional work. White Oak flooring original? And what do I see there? Is it the heads of cut nails? Looks like rows of something about 6" or 8" OC.

**ChrWright** · 03-29-2009, 07:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by framerman

That is some exceptionally professional work. White Oak flooring original? And what do I see there? Is it the heads of cut nails? Looks like rows of something about 6" or 8" OC.

In this neighborhood, white oak was a very common flooring material. Most of the grander homes were built from the 20s to the 40s--with in fill happening all the way through the 60s and 70s. The flooring you see is actually 5/16" strip, faced nailed and filled. Again, a common format and method of the time.

A.W.Davis · 03-29-2009, 07:59 AM

Beautiful!

My company is way overdue for another whole house remodel!

AtlRemodeling · 03-29-2009, 08:02 AM

Very Very nice work.

rbsremodeling · 03-29-2009, 08:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by A.W.Davis

Beautiful!

My company is way overdue for another whole house remodel!

Tell me about it. I got one about 2-3 months out (sigh)

Nice work as usual Chris.

SK Builders · 03-29-2009, 08:55 AM

Outstanding work! Great architectural style, don't really care for the masterbath sink area, but everything else in pretty cool.

neolitic · 03-29-2009, 09:08 AM

Great work.

Love the big basket weave tile.
Is that Meridian/Kessler neighborhood?

**ChrWright** · 03-29-2009, 09:11 AM

Yes, it's actually on Meridian st.

I'm disappointed no one has spotted the rough-in mistake in the master bath...

neolitic · 03-29-2009, 09:19 AM

It's Sunday morning!
We can be charitable about
a couple of outlets.

**ChrWright** · 03-29-2009, 09:23 AM

Ouch, what's wrong with my outlets?

There's something else...

neolitic · 03-29-2009, 09:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChrWright

Ouch, what's wrong with my outlets?

There's something else...

Just a tad low for my taste.
Nothing else jumps out
at me.

I'm sure I'll feel stupid later.

**ChrWright** · 03-29-2009, 09:43 AM

We had to double escutcheon the vanity drains--they were roughed in for wall tile by mistake.

neolitic · 03-29-2009, 09:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChrWright

We had to double escutcheon the vanity drains--they were roughed in for wall tile by mistake.

See.
I like the look of them.
Lots of times dealing with the
positioning of the old cast iron
plumbing, a trick like that is
necessary, and those look intentional.
Good save by my lights.