This custom home overlooking Lake Washington was overdue for an update. Our client, who worked from home, was cramped in his bedroom with his laptop and envisioned an enlarged and brighter space for productivity.

The addition included a full exterior facelift all the way up to the third story. He wished to improve his home-office function while addressing water intrusion and enhance the views of Lake Washington.

Fortunately, he contacted us before the water damage on the top deck rendered the framing unusable. The failing top floor uncovered a deck with poor structural support and waterproofing was an eyesore – covered with a plastic tenting and collecting water into a kiddie pool. After several water intrusions over the years, invading all three floors, he was hesitant to trust a remodeler after having such bad luck with the home builder’s work.

The innovative design included framing in the old leaky deck and building a more spacious home office. Budget was a priority, but did not outweigh the level of finishes the homeowner desired.

New features include:

– A vaulted office ceiling with custom, ordered-to-size wood beams with exposed hardware.

– A transom window between the office and adjacent bathroom. Doubles as a white board.

– A mini-split unit for heating and cooling on the third floor.

– Energy-efficient windows.

– New hardwoods with a seamless transition into the existing areas that were sanded and refinished.

Additionally, the remodel included a new roof, electrical and mechanical system upgrades throughout, recoating the bedroom balcony, and new exterior siding with custom details. We replaced the entire roof as there were multiple failures, including all three chimney chases that were dysfunctional.

Being on the third floor required additional safety precautions, including three stories of scaffolding with stairs and a chute during demolition. This way our team could safely access the work areas, without passing through the rest of the house. This meant less disruption to the client and his two elementary-age children, who were working and completing online learning during the construction.

During construction, the homeowner was so pleased with the work that he asked to expand his remodel to include the primary bathroom and adjacent bedroom and closet. All located on the same floor, the new office, bedroom with fireplace, and bathroom were fully renovated.

The result is a bright and modernized office-space with a spectacular view. His next project is an elevator, to continue aging in place.

— By Melissa Irons, operating and marketing manager
Irons Brothers Construction, Inc.