
Eighteen months ago, a close friend approached me with a challenge: remodeling a 103-year-old, dilapidated home. He had already spoken with several other
general contractors, but the quotes he received were astronomical. As a relatively new builder in the area, I saw this as an opportunity I couldn’t pass up. I wanted to establish my reputation, and what better way than to take on a project of this magnitude?
I reached out to a few of my mentors for advice. They all warned me against it, citing the complexity and the potential for unexpected issues. But I’ve always been an eternal optimist, and I felt confident that with the right approach, we could bring the house back to life—and do it within budget.
So, with unwavering determination, my team and I dove in. The planning process for this immense remodel went surprisingly smooth, thanks to clients who were clear about what they wanted and the proven process that my mentors had developed over the years. I owe a special thanks to PJ, JP, and Chris for their invaluable guidance throughout.
The preconstruction phase was seamless. We handled permitting, planning, ordering, and site preparation without any major hiccups. But as is often the case (I was warned) with historic homes, unforeseen challenges soon surfaced.
We encountered deed restrictions and historical preservation requirements that prevented us from demolishing the original structure. Instead, we had to carefully jack up the second floor and roof, remove them from the foundation, and rebuild the first floor in place. Once that was done, we set the house back down and repeated the process with the second floor and roof. It was a painstakingly slow process, but we made it work.

Another major hurdle was the 103-year-old sewer system, which was riddled with breaks and tree roots. It was clear that it was beyond repair, so we had to abandon the old system and install a high-pressure pump system.
This house quickly became a labor of love. There were days when it felt like we were battling the odds, but we never lost sight of the end goal. Time delays and unexpected setbacks taught us countless lessons, but my team’s dedication to completing the job never wavered.
Despite going two months over schedule, we were able to finish the project under budget—a result that felt incredibly rewarding. The most fulfilling part of the journey, though, was seeing my friend and client move into the home we had built together. Watching them step into the finished space, knowing all the hard work and love that went into it, was priceless.
In the end, this project wasn’t just about building a house; it was about the relationships we forged, the lessons we learned, and the pride of knowing we had created something special.

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