Gentry Homes

Advantages to remodeling your home

2009-08-25T15:11:00.000-07:00

There are many advantages to choosing to remodel instead of moving to a different home:
You can stay in your comfortable neighborhood near friends, church and familiar shopping centers.
Moving often means relocating farther from work. By remodeling your home, you can keep your convenient commute to work.
Children can stay in familiar schools with good friends.
You can update a home with new amenities while maintaining the charm of an older home.
Many times there are only a few areas of your home you want to change. You can choose what you want to upgrade and what you want to keep.
You can creatively design your home to meet your particular lifestyle.
You can work with your remodeler to design unique, one-of-a-kind plans.
You will increase the value of your home.
Now more than ever, homeowners are tearing down walls to make their homes brighter, more open and more compatible to their lifestyles. Homeowners remodel to update outdated homes, to add a kitchen/family room, to add a bonus room for teenagers to keep the them at home, to bring in views of the outdoors and natural light, and to add a bath so parents don't have to share one with the children.
In addition to updating interiors, some remodeling projects are important to the structure of the home. One of the most common remodeling jobs is roof replacement. Other projects include replacement of siding, storm doors and windows, and insulation. All of these enhancements add to the comfort and energy-efficiency of your home.
Professional house remodels bring big return on investment
One of the first questions people ask about any remodeling project is whether the project will substantially increase the value of their home if and when they choose to sell it. A general rule is that any remodeling project that will bring a home up to the level of the others in the neighborhood is a worthy investment.
Not coincidentally, many of the popular trends and good remodeling investments mirror the trends in new housing, such as a master bedroom suite, exercise room and media room. Potential buyers compare remodeled homes with those that are newly built. So, it makes sense the most sought-after amenities follow similar patterns with new housing and remodeling. Minor kitchen remodels where the homeowner adds a few amenities and resurfaces worn and obsolete tiling, counter tops and cabinets not only raise a home's value, but they may mean the difference between selling or not selling the home.
Remodeling master suites has been one of the most popular projects in recent years. These suites can include everything from skylights to exercise facilities, a hot tub and state-of-the-art video and sound systems. Another popular remodel addition is a second full bath to house with only one. The average home has two-and-one-half baths. So, adding a second full bathroom to a home with only one is likely to pay for itself.
The following is a list of the nine remodeling projects that provide the best return on investment (listed from biggest return to least return). This list assumes the project is professionally constructed.
Minor Kitchen Remodel
Bathroom Addition
Major Kitchen Remodel
Master Suite Conversion
Family Room Addition
Exterior Remodel
Deck Addition
Sun Space Addition
Home Office Addition

The completed Face LIft Project photographs

2009-02-07T08:45:00.000-08:00

I realized as I posted the last set of photographs that I had not posted the final pictures of this project. To see the before pictures click here.

What a beautiful difference it made to have the added attraction of a bay window, columns, and new garage details. The rockery and new deck, and the new door with sidelights are a tribute to the owners good taste. I really like the black door. That has become my new favorite door color.

If you remember the garage doors had the clipped corners that were common in the 70's and 80's. The new door trim helped to bring the home up to date.

Gentry put a lot of thought and time into all the details of the steps/columns and the roof/columns junctions. They are even more elegant up close. He does do tight joints!

This view shows off the copper roof and the stamped concrete pad.

The door style and color are a perfect match.

Simple and pleasing to look at.

The cedar soffit draws your eye upward. I know the homeowners are enjoying the upgrades.

A Thank You Gift!

2009-02-06T10:51:00.000-08:00

It pleased Gentry to no end to receive this beautiful felt lined, inlaid box made with fine joinery and complete with our logo! Incredible talent! Keep up the good work Barb!

It is going to be a great for business cards! Thanks so much for appreciating Gentry in such a marvelous way. He loves it.

An update: Completed Remodel Photographs

2009-02-05T15:13:00.000-08:00

This project turned out beautifully and functions wonderfully too. The new approach to the garage/shop. You should see all the beautiful stacks of wood, and the lovely way the workspace is now organized with hand made hanging tool chests. They are a work of art. I love a womans workshop. I will be posting some of her handiwork soon.

A side view.

The new front doors, entryway and skylight all add so much interest and beauty. Inviting.

The skylights really made this covered porch light and bright. The new cedar soffits all around the house are gorgeous! This home does a great job of blending in with its cedar surroundings.

This is my favorite view, there are so many interesting shapes and textures.

A view from the front door.

The back deck with double doors and all new windows and trim. Sharp!

The new doors and windows with beautiful hardware. Many many details in this job.

A Nice Word

2008-12-11T06:44:00.001-08:00

A previous client had a small job that needed taken care of right away so Gentry just handled it for them. It is nice to know they appreciated his response.

A Home Makeover and Garage Addition

2008-10-13T10:45:00.001-07:00

Inside the new shop, view of new windows, and the new garage/shop face lift addition is shown in these first 3 pictures. I believe these were taken before the final paint job.

All new siding, windows and doors and even a new driveway were in order for this lovely home nestled in the trees. The shop addition will be a wonderful place for the homeowner to do her fine woodworking. I hope she will let me show a picture of her latest creation. We are anxiously awaiting the photographs of the final result, the homeowner himself is a professional photographer so I won't try to compete.

This is a before (bottom) and after (click to see better view) of the same window. The old windows of the kitchen had leaky seals and so were a constant dripping problem unfortunately all too common in our climate. The upgrade was more than functional as the overall effect was big improvement.

The front entryway is now graced with a new skylight, new doors, rock work, and columns. This is the early stages of the process. The new siding and paint added so much to the final outcome. Again, I await more professional pictures.

Progress Report on Face Lift project.

2008-05-07T16:31:00.000-07:00

Progress photo of the door and the columns which were excessively fussed over to make them work with the style of the new look, and yet fit in with the framing of the entryway. Proportion is so important, and yet so often ignored. There is a copper roof on the bump out but I did not get a good picture of it.
Inside things are starting to happen, the wall to the kitchen has been opened up, allowing for views to be expanded from the living room while still keeping the potential messes that happen from time to time in a kitchen from the eyes of a guest walking in the door. Not pictured but getting close to or completely finished is the tile in the entryway (finished and it looks great!) and the bench seat for the new alcove. This bench is unique in that it has a drawer with 3 sections rather than a lift up lid. Totally custom designed by Gentry and just waiting for another coat of paint. It is time for me to go back out and take more pictures. The rest of the interior trim is about wrapped up also.

This is the before picture of the old deck and door, and below is the old round top window without the bump out and window seat andthe entry before the new roof and columns.
A very dramatic change from the road, but even more impressive up close!

Remodeled Kitchen and Bath Tour 2008!

2008-04-07T20:10:00.000-07:00

Please stop by and see our work at the Remodeled Kitchen and Bath Tour and see what can be done for your own home. April 26th and 27th, tickets are available at any Dunn Lumber location or at www.remodeltour.com !

Progress!

2008-03-24T13:24:00.001-07:00

It is looking much different already. The deck looks great, and the door ties it all together. The house will also be repainted, and Gentry is working on the columns right now. Check back later to see the next step!

Face Lift

2008-03-10T20:07:00.001-07:00

This is our newest project and the house will look completely up to date when the work is finished. We are adding a covered entryway with decorative columns and a tongue and groove cedar ceiling, ledge stone rock work, new Trex deck, and a new fir door and sidelight with leaded glass and updated hardware. The bay window is another improvement and the windows will all be replaced on the entire front of the home. A stamped concrete walkway has been added by the entryway to give the home more interest and for even more appeal copper roofing will be used on the bay window.

"New Old House" Photo Book Link

2008-02-26T09:04:00.000-08:00

I have learned something new! Here is the photo book from our Spec. house project. Apparently I still have more to learn as I can't figure out how to get the book itself here. I know it can be done! Until then:

http://community.shutterfly.com/gallery/post/start.sfly?postId=/gallery/1/post/GMGDFgwYNmbho1Yghgtg0m

Elevator Update

2008-02-15T09:14:00.001-08:00

This is a home that was originally built in 1973. There are 5500 square feet on 3 levels and all of it is used by the homeowners. The house fits the beautiful wooded lot ideally and has a timeless design. The owners are very attached to the home and and happy to be there so they wanted the elevator to extend their time in the home. The bump out on the right hand side is the elevator shaft, which looks like it has always been there.
This shows a little bit of the foundation wall that had to be built into the hill (that was a very deep hole!) for the lower level.

As you can see from the drywaller on the ladder it has been tight quarters to work in.
I hope to take pictures of the day when they get the elevator installed. My question...how are they going to get it in the door? Check back and see!

And a couple more....

2008-02-12T14:46:00.001-08:00

Gentry custom designed the Cherry cabinet for this redesigned master bath. He added the detailed Ebony inlays to tie into the tile work on the floor and the shower. The flow of the bathroom and closet has been changed around to take better advantage of the space and to allow for more room in the master closet. The tub surround and the countertops have a gorgeous granite slab in black with flecks of irridescent blue. This is another view of the startling transformation of the kitchen which shows the induction range, vent hood and lovely cabinetry.

A Preview of Remodeled Kitchen on Tour

2008-02-09T17:24:00.000-08:00

Before: An adequate but small kitchen with tile countertops (not recommended for those who enjoy a clean kitchen.)

Framing the addition, and tearing out the old cabinets.

Framing beginning for the kitchen addition.
The "before" exterior.

A classy kitchen Remodel with all new Cherry Cabinetry, a very dramatic slab granite countertop and a contrasting painted island that serves as a prep area, and also has a bar for kids to do homework or sit to eat a snack. The faucets, lighting and other details are spectacular in design and function.

Remodeled Kitchen and Bath Tour Update

2008-02-07T11:15:00.000-08:00

I spent most of the day with the photographer and also had a mandatory meeting to get all the details about the Remodeled Kitchen and Bath tour. It was a big day for our client as she had to be there to supply us with staging pieces and she was a great help with design. It definately has a French flavor and after spending time in the kitchen with her and seeing some of her cookbooks and bakeware I know that I need to get to know her better! For the break she gave Gentry and the photographers bread, cheese and fruit, that I assume was part of the staging. There was a bottle of really nice French wine but since it was a work day I don't think it was part of the meal. I am anxious to get the photo's back, many hours were spent to make everything perfect! I think the homeowner was a bit taken aback by the detail and time spent but I know from experience that it will be all worth it.

Please check out the site of the photographer we used at:
http://www.svfphoto.com/

Locals: mark your calendars for the RKBT event which will be
April 26-27th, 2008
10:00 am to 5:00 pm
Scattered-site tour
Tickets and additional information available at : http://www.remodeltour.com/
Tickets can also be purchased at any Dunn Lumber location
Tickets are: $15.00 online or in advance, $20.00 day of tour

Library/Den in Birdseye Maple, Ebony, and Mahogany

2008-02-01T08:37:00.000-08:00

These photos are from a den that Gentry created a couple of winters ago. The wood was a real treat to work with and the couple that he did the work for are really special too. As a wood connisseur himself our client wanted something that used mahogany and birdseye maple with accents of ebony. He described what he wanted in terms of where to put some of the wood, what he planned on displaying, and what he used the room for. Gentry drew out the design, and then put all the pieces together. The room is covered floor to ceiling in the wood. The ceiling and the floor are mirror images of each other, and the custom details Gentry added are many and beautifully done. The photograph above show the ceiling and some of the bookshelves in detail before it was finished. By finished I mean a coat of finish applied.
The inlay of ebony and the complexity of the shape of the room with all the different surfaces colliding are shown above.
This is one of my favorite pieces of his work. The angled drawer front makes the drawer usable and adds a lot of character to the room. Also of note is the curved window ledge, that curve is repeated on the desk top.

Empty bookshelves and ceiling view: you can really see the beauty of the three wood species here as well as the complexity of putting all those angles together. The rounded desk front I was describing earlier is pictured above.
And the finished product! The wood just gleams when the coat of finish is applied. Mahogany shows what it is made of; it has eye pleasing ribbons of rich chocolate in deep hues of red and all of it with streaks of shining iridescence. When the finish is applied all the details that have been hiding in the wood just pop out. It is a very exciting and rewarding part of the work. These photos also show off the under-cabinet lighting installed on every bookcase and display case and above the computer work area.

The dazzling floor... you can really see the birdseye maple luminesence in this photograph.
Display case for the collection of vintage golf clubs, golf balls,and brandy.

Box beam ceiling and bookshelves finished to perfection.This photograph shows the door and drawer fronts and more bookshelves, with the ceiling detail. The juxtapostition of the different wood species really makes the room sparkle.

Joe's Bookcase

2008-01-31T20:04:00.000-08:00

I think it is important to showcase some of Gentry's special projects so you can get an idea of what he is enjoys doing in his free time. As some of you know he is extremely interested in exotic hardwoods. He was on a special den project (I will post some pictures of that soon-it turned out fantastic!) that required him to go to our local hardwood specialty store. That is a very dangerous place for Gentry to go.....since he came home with a stack of very cool wood (impulse buying by the foot) He then asked me to design a bookcase for our new nephew so thinking along the lines of children, I wanted to design something fun and a little bit funky to show off the wood. Here is what we came up with. The woods used were: Yellow heart, Gonko Alves, and Wenge (the black). I want to draw attention to the inset circles, the little woopty- woop at the bottom, and the proportions that were inspired by the "Beauty in the Beast" ....modified Walt Disney style.

Starting a New Remodel

2008-01-29T17:29:00.001-08:00

Gentry has started a new remodel today that will involve a new entryway including stamped concrete on the exterior, cedar columns, and exterior rock, adding a bay window to the dining room and new windows and doors. He took his truck out today to pull out some bushes that need to be removed. That is always fun! The home is on a fairly narrow street and a steep slope down towards Lake Sammamish which will make it more interesting. It is already getting dark at 5:30 so I doubt much more will get done on it today. This promises to be a very nice project with a dramatic change to the exterior as well as the interior.

The Elevator project has had a small set back. The homeowner wanted to stain the exterior siding himself but the fumes really got to him. Gentry is trying to find a better spot to do the staining and will most likely take that on himself. That stuff can be pretty harsh and a mask and proper ventilation is critical. Meanwhile the drywall crew is working on taping and texturing. It really doesn't matter how large or small a project is, the process and waiting time is pretty much the same.

The kitchen and bath remodel he has been working on is now complete and we plan on entering it into the Kitchen and Bath Remodel Tour on the Eastside! That will be on April 26th and 27th if anyone locally would like to see more of our work. Photographs of the amazing transformation will be coming to the blog soon!

Elevator Project

2008-01-18T15:12:00.000-08:00

Gentry is currently working on a home in Kirkland for a couple with a three story home built in part by themselves and designed by an award winning architect. They now want to install an elevator and tie it into the original design of the home. The project involves building a shaft for the elevator, so it is 3 stories tall. To get to the lower level he had to excavate down past the basement floor to pour footings, build walls and install all the power to the elevator. The days he was doing this were pouring down rain and he was working in very close quarters. He rented an excavator and removed the dirt from the hole and there was not much room to put it. The home is on a steep slope (with a beautiful view of Lake Washington) and he had to build a road of sorts for the dirt to be stored for later. Even though the space is tight the nature of the project has required many subcontractors, (don't all come at once!) including the electrician, a concrete sawing company, concrete finisher, roofer, drywall crew and so on. Gentry has done the framing and opened up the house now to add the doors. So far it has gone very well and taken less time than anticipated, even with the storms. I will post pictures as soon as they are available

New Blog

2008-01-18T13:46:00.001-08:00

Welcome to the entryway and living room of our home in the Tree Farm Village. It is very welcoming with a 2 story stone fireplace, white oak floors and a wrought iron staircase. The curve at the top of the picture is a glimpse of the curved entry of the dining room adjacent to the entry. For more pictures see our new addition under New Homes on our website: grburgess.com