2019 Year End Wrap Up

2019 was another great year for RIC. While we wrapped up a few projects we had started in 2018, we also completed a nice set of renovations within the year and got started on several exciting projects we’ll be sharing with you in 2020.

That’s a Wrap for 2019

One of the projects we wrapped in 2019 was an addition and renovation project on one of the oldest houses we’ve worked on. This Church Hill home was built in 1880! 510 Architects (@510architects) created the design, which included a modern addition that juxtaposed with historic elements from the original house. We love the “old meets new” feel of this home and we think you might also, as pictures of this house were among the most “liked” on our social feeds this past year.

Also in Church Hill was a project we did in collaboration with Bella Designs Studio (@belladesignsstudio). Another modern design, this project involved a 2-story stucco and wood-cladded addition with a renovated kitchen and master suite.

Over in Northside, we turned a seldom used screen porch into a year-round sunroom for owners Matt and Lilly. We featured this project in our blog where we discussed some of the methods we used to create this one of a kind space including the ancient technique of Shou Sugi Ban..

All in a Year’s Work

Within the year of 2019 we started and finished several fun projects. For this house near the river we teamed up with Johannas Design Group (@johannasdesign) to build out an addition that included a new master suite and a great nook space for the homeowners’ pets (pet door included!) The project involved a lot of excavation and site work, which was a fun challenge for everyone involved and that turned out to be a great use of the space.

This Northside craftsman bungalow house was due for a major renovation. If you follow our work online you may have seen the termite damage we uncovered. It ended up requiring a massive rebuild on large portions of the house. Things like this can always pop up in older homes, which is why we take a holistic whole-home approach to our projects. Once this issue was dealt with, the owners could rest easy knowing their home was solid and ready to do its job for another hundred years.

While we usually prefer to renovate or expand buildings, we did have one instance this year where a structure was beyond repair. Even though we tore down this entire one-car garage we still found a way to make the most of the existing structure by salvaging all of the original bricks to build a new two-car garage. We didn’t have to purchase one new brick! The new garage included chargers for the owners’ electric cars and is overall a more functional, efficient space.

We overhauled this Carytown rental home, making it a more competitive, desirable unit. The new tenants will have updated bathrooms, a new kitchen and a new hvac system.  While we mainly work for homeowners we also occasionally work with investors on their properties, especially when it comes to older or historic homes.

Not all of our projects involve cosmetic improvements.  This year we completed a couple of renovations where our scope of work was just insulation and hvac improvements.  We love making these energy efficiency improvements on historic properties - these old houses are no longer drafty and the utility bills are lower. Win win!

Back over in Northside, we added a screen porch to the back of this house, creating more liveable space to enjoy.

We’ve Only Just Begun

There are a few projects that started in 2019 that we will wrap up in 2020. One of our favorites has been this whole home renovation to a mid century split-level house in Bon Air. We are about halfway through the work on this house and are looking forward to putting the finishing touches on it and sharing more about it with you in 2020!

We stepped away from our comfort zone (literally) with a renovation project on a 1980’s home in the Blue Ridge Mountains. The homeowners have been dealing with leaking water over the years and knew that a renovation would require building techniques that would create a tight enclosure against all the weather that this mountain top home endures. Working on this project throughout the winter is going to be a bear, but who knows - maybe it will be a good excuse to get some skiing and snowboarding in?

Looking Ahead

There are a lot more exciting projects that we haven’t broken ground on yet, but design is well underway. This upcoming work includes all scales of home renovations - from bathroom remodels to whole house renovations to additions. Stay tuned as we dive into these, and, as always, share the process with you through our Instagram and Facebook accounts.

Team Tenure

Our team grew and we held on to several of our amazing project managers, designers and carpenters including Seth, John, Bronwen, Pat, Hunter and Gregg. We said a friendly farewell to Nate as he headed off for new adventures, but we welcomed Ben and Jakob to the team, and look forward to seeing them grow this year.

Thank you all for following along on our journey this last year! A big thanks especially to our clients, partners and vendors who make each year not just a job, but a joy. Happy New Year!