Hugh and Melissa Burke contacted us initially in August of 2006 to look at drawings created by their designer Mark Semanko. Like many of our clients they went through an extended time of collecting and evaluating multiple bids, and then had to decide if it even made sense to go ahead with the project. Ultimately the Burke's did choose to move ahead and they hired Rittenhouse Builders to do the project beginning in the spring of 2008.
Hugh would tell me later that they choose Rittenhouse Builder's because we offered the most "realistic" approach to the project in terms of costs, thoroughness of bid and projected time frames.
Part of our realistic approach is reconciling that the Burke's would be living in the house with their twin girls during an invasive construction project.
Hugh travels as part of his work and providing a secure environment for his family during construction is as much a part of the project as putting shingles on the roof. Ryan our job supervisor is great at creating a secure perimeter around the work area and creating the ability to secure a home during evening hours.
The photos illustrate a basement and 1st floor addition onto a contemporary style home. The existing house is built on a significant slope and this provided some challenges. It was clear that the soils would be very rocky that we would deal with during construction. We realized this and worked these costs into our initial bid.
I'm always amazed at the ingenuity that our supervisors use to solve construction issues. One of the challenges on this job was to provide straight clean lines in the newly created rooms within the house. To tie the addition space into the existing rooms we needed to use steel. I called Ryan to talk through how we might install the I-beams only to be told that they were already installed and that he opened up a section of the house roof in order to use a crane to lift the steel in place.
Renovation work has a rhythm to it. The framing is usually the most exciting phase of the project. Everyday our clients come home from work to see clearly visible progress. The framing comes to a close and our clients feel like the hard work is done. It is hard to get excited about ductwork being installed, electrical wiring, and plumbing, and these trades take about the same amount of time to complete as the framing. For most of our clients this can be the 2nd most difficult phase of the project.
The big turning point happens when we receive our rough-in inspection from the municipality. This let's us insulate the walls and begin drywall. These two phases happen very fast. Almost instantly the house is brighter and the rooms are much better defined. As you compare the drywall phase pictures on the left with the finished photos on the right you can see that it is now much easier to visualize the final finishes.
Because of the detailed planning by the designer and the careful execution by our staff you can see that the enlarged basement connects seamlessly from the existing basement into a new space. Ultimately renovation is just not about adding additional square footage it is about completely rethinking how you use your home.
One of the features of the Burke's project that I enjoyed checking up on the most was the Burke's master bathroom. You may have seen the Kohler ads promoting their water tile system. We have been asked to install several of these systems and each one is a combination of technology and art. The photo on the left can give you a sense of the meticulous planning that is required to make the final project aesthetically pleasing while being functional. (After all, it is a shower.)
The Burke's and their designer chose to stay with the contemporary style exteriors of their home. The challenge was to select finishes with minimal maintenance requirements. In this case, fiber cement siding was a good choice to closely match the wood on the existing home.
The experience was pleasant from start to finish. Ryan did a great job and was very diligent to ensure things got done right. We are extremely happy with the end results and would not hesitate to be a reference for projects in the future. Thank you!
Hugh and Melissa
1240 W. Lincoln Hwy. • Coatesville, PA 19320 • (610) 380-9570
