Residential Elevator Completed In Naperville

We recently completed work on a residential elevator retro-fit in Naperville.  Our clients were very happy to take their first ride in their new elevator.  Health problems have made navigating the stairs a real concern for them.  The new elevator was buy no means a luxury, but a real necessity to staying in their current home.  Having lived in the home since it was built 20 plus years ago, moving was not really a consideration for them.  The elevator gives them the ability to stay in their home for many years to come.

The largest challenge with this project was finding a place to put a six foot square elevator shaft through all three stories of the home.  Luckily there was an existing spiral staircase that we were able to remove and put the elevator shaft in its place.  By adding windows in the shaft walls and in the cab itself we were able to keep the light flowing through the home so that the new structure did not create a dark and foreboding feeling in the family and kitchen areas.

The cab interior makes a real statement and adds a level of class and sophistication to what could have turned out to be no more than a painted box.  Luckily the clients saw the value in upgrading the cab interior and it turned out great!

In addition to the elevator, we also repainted quite a bit of space on the first floor of the home as well as replaced the old outdated oak flooring with some great bamboo flooring.

This was our third project in this home and one that will make a lasting impact.

Naperville Elevator Project Wrapping Up

It will only be a couple of days before our clients are enjoying their new elevator.  This has been a relatively short project for us, but it will have a huge impact on the daily lives of our clients!

Our clients struggle with physical ailments that hinder their ability to use the stairs in their home.  This new elevator will give them the freedom they have been lacking in their own home. No longer will they need to plan their day to minimize trips up and down the stairs.  As an added bonus, the new structure for the elevator and the cab itself are quite attractive and doesn’t make the home feel institutional.  Quite the opposite.  The cab is made from raised oak panels and stained to match the nearby cabinetry in the kitchen.

Also as part of the project we installed all new bamboo flooring throughout the kitchen and family room where the elevator is located.  It has made a dramatic difference in this space.  And it will make a dramatic difference in their lives.

Naperville Family Room Renovation

Old fireplace surround refurbished into new contemporary design!

The old fireplace was straight out of 1980 and no longer fit in with the rest of  the client’s updated home.

It was a big ugly stone box that had to go. The new fireplace is much smaller in mass but still is able to be the centerpiece of the room. 

 The mantle top is made of a solid cherry board and the tile is a green/grey limestone.

In addition to the new mantle the fireplace and chimney was also rebuilt.

The interior of the firebox and the exterior brick work were suffering from years of water damage. The oak flooring is also new and matches the existing hardwood in the kitchen.

Progress On Downers Grove Second Story Addition

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This photo shows the part of the addition which includes the new family room.

Electricians and HVAC contractors are currently working on the addition,

 and drywall will start to be put up in about two weeks. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Here’s a side shot of the progress on the new living room.

New Second story Addition in Downers Grove

Work on a second story addition began in Downers Grove this month. All told, 1,100 square feet will be added in new additions to the house. This shows the original look of the house before the start of the remodel.

 

 

Included in the addition are 3 new bedrooms,1 new bathroom along with a family room. As well as the laundry room will be moved from the basement up to the new addition.

 

 

 

 

 
You can see in the photo to the left a new wall is being added for one of the bedrooms that will later be built. Shown in the picture below is how the house looked on Thursday afternoon.

 

 

 

St. Charles Deck Project Comes To A Close

Do you remember this old concrete patio in St. Charles?  This is what the patio area looked like just eight weeks ago.  By this time, we had already replaced the patio door and cut-in two new Pella windows to overlook the new deck.  You can see the door and windows in the upper left corner of this photo.  Since this time we have been busy with backhoes, bobcats, saws, shovels, concrete trucks and landscapers to get the project to its completed state.

 

The new deck has Azek composite decking making up the floor, skirts and benches.  The new rails are constructed of stainless steel posts with stainless steel cables for balusters.  It’s a very cool look that goes great with this contemporary home!

 

 

 

 

 

 

You can see in the photos the new concrete storage shed that we constructed underneath this deck.  The shed is 8 feet by 14 feet and has fiberglass doors to keep out the weather (and critters).  Check out the great stone wall constructed by Western DuPage Landscaping.  The two walls together hold back about seven feet of earth and make for some great planting beds.  In the next couple of years once the plantings fill in this will be a great space.

Naperville Addition/Kitchen Wraps Up Construction

We recently wrapped up construction on the second-story addition/kitchen renovation project that was in progress on the North side of Naperville.  We are happy to report that the homeowners are thrilled with the results and wasted no time moving back into their kitchen.  These photos were taken in our last full week at the project so you will notice some things not quite done and temporary plastic and floor coverings in place.

The kitchen features Alder hardwood cabinets from Fieldstone Cabinetry.  Caleb did a great job installing them and they are full of features such as roll-out shelves, a spice rack an apothecary drawers.  The countertops are New Venetian Gold granite and the sink and faucet are from Kohler.

Paul did an awesome job installing the backsplash tile.  Unfortunately for him the pattern worked out that he needed to install 75% of the tile pieces individually and not as sheets as they were designed.  Luckily he stuck with it and it turned out beautifully.

The new floor is red oak that was stained in place and finished with three coats of a water-based finish.  All the appliances were from the existing kitchen and we laid out the new kitchen to accommodate them.

I will need to get this kitchen into the before and after gallery just as soon as I get some real photos (no offense iPhone) of the completed project.

Landscaping Begins In St. Charles

The new deck and storage shed are now framed and the landscape work has begun.  This week there were several crews on site from Western DuPage Landscaping building retaining walls from block and natural stone found on the property.  The lanscapers also created a new walkway from the deck to the driveway and they have started on a new paver patio in front of the house as well as a new front sidewalk and porch.

Next week we will begin to trim out the deck with Azek deck boards.  We will also add low-voltage lighting in the deck to illuminate the stairs at night.  The railings have shipped and will be installed soon.  They are all made of stainless steel posts and cable.  Very modern!

The landscapers will soon have the hardscapes done and will move on to plantings and grass.  It won’t be much longer before the owners can enjoy and quite evening on a marvelous deck!

Back In St. Charles For A New Outdoor Deck

We’ve been invited back to St. Charles to work at this gorgeous property once again.  You may recall that last year we spent a few months gutting and renovating over fifty percent of the interior of this fifties ranch to make a new master bedroom suite.  Evidently the owners really liked what we did, because they asked us to come back this summer and make a new outdoor living space for them.

We started by cutting in two new windows and a patio door into the brick exterior of their home so they will be able to take advantage of the great new view we will be creating.  As you can see, our masons and to disassemble most of this wall to bring these views into the home, but it will be well worth the work!

The main scope of the project is to take a fifty year old concrete patio (with a pool buried somewhere underneath it) and turn it into a great new maintenance free deck with storage space underneath. The concrete is crumbling from fifty years of weather and it will be good to remove it and make something newer, safer and much more useable.

The new deck will be made with Azek decking (one of our favorites).  It will have two levels, built-in benches, hidden lighting and stainless steel railings.  It’s been a shame to waste these great backyard views.  A new deck will be just the thing to make backyard lounging a great pastime!

Second Story Addition Gets Foam Insulation

Work continued on our latest Naperville project today with the installation of the spray-foam insulation.  It’s very similar to Great Stuff, only on a much larger scale.  The foam we used on this project gets a whooping R7 per inch!  That allows for up to an R25 valued in a standard 2×4 exterior wall.  That’s a far cry from the standard fiberglass insulation products that only allow for an R13 in a 2×4 wall.

On this project we used 2-3/4″ of foam for an R20 value.  This new 650 square foot addition will be far superior in insulation value to the existing home.  As well as offering a superior Rvalue, foam also acts as a great barrier to air infiltration.  The foam seals virtually all gaps in the walls allowing for no air movement.  It is also impervious to water so no moisture can move through the wall.  It really is a great product and we are looking forward to using it more on future projects.

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