Project Highlight: Charleston Coastal Home Builder’s Inside and Out Renovation
The inside and out renovation of this Charleston home brought new life to the aging island home. When the owners of this home decided to do a complete inside and out renovation on their aging island residence, they knew they had to find a Charleston coastal homebuilder with experience and a track record of success. After all, even with a budget of several hundred thousand dollars to work with, it was vital that they stick close to that amount and get the work done on time.
Luckily, they found Sea Island Builders. Despite discovering rotting beams and other water damage to the frame of the house, Sea Island Builders completed the renovations in exactly the time allotted – 17 weeks! – and finished within 1.3% of the original budget.
What does a complete interior and exterior renovation consist of?
Experienced Charleston Coastal Home Builder’s Make Their Vision a Reality
1816 Back Street received a modern update with classic touches during our inside and out renovation.
All the homeowners had when they came to Sea Island Builders was an elevation from an architect of the home they envisioned. Our job was to create the detailed scope and estimate as to what needed to be done to achieve that vision and ensure the work was done right and on budget.
To help them open up the first floor, we had to remove an interior wall between the kitchen and the living room. To get the home back to its original country/barn feel, we removed three window dormers in the roof and on the porches, using stainless steel mesh with x-brace railings, so they could keep their amazing views without losing the old farm appearance of the home.
There were also many of the typical updates you would expect for any older house:
- Changing out cabinets that were old and dark to make them lighter and brighter
- Replacing exterior siding that wasn’t in good shape with Hardie Artisan lap siding
- Switching out the old windows for Anderson A-Series fiberglass, impact rated windows
- Getting rid of the old countertops and installing granite
- Putting in new floors
- Fixing decks that had warped
Some of these updates led to other necessary work. For instance, when we discovered that the original siding hadn’t been flashed correctly, causing the rotting of beams and structural members over time, it meant creating a watertight construction by correcting problems that could not be seen prior to beginning the project. Our and the homeowner’s emphasis was to make sure that everything was done correctly, and this is where open lines of communication and trust played a great factor. We made sure to openly communicate and make the owner aware of any unforeseen issues and then gave them all the information necessary to make the best most informed decision possible as to how to proceed without delaying the job.
And, of course, there were unique touches the owners decided they wanted to add. Their study is finished with stained mahogany wainscoting on the walls and overhead beams. The living room and kitchen feature horizontal ship lap wall finishes. Locally harvested oysters were incorporated into the tabby finish of the home’s two fireplaces--and the mantle in the living room comes from a piece of driftwood the owners found on a barrier island near Charleston that we modified and secured into place using hidden fasteners.
The owners were thrilled at the finished product, and it’s even being featured in several local and national publications that will be appearing soon. All in all, this is definitely a project special to Sea Island Builders, one that anyone looking for a Charleston coastal homebuilder should take note of.
