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The early stages of the addition
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With two kids away at college, Cynthia and Edmund Nelson were ready for a new house. The only problem was, they didn’t want to move. After living in their quiet, comfortable Upper St. Clair community for 20 years, the Nelsons didn’t want to say goodbye to their neighbors or to the convenience of being 10 minutes away from everywhere they needed to be.
So rather than change their address, the Nelsons decided to change their house through an extensive renovation project headed up by Regis McQuaide’s Master Remodelers Inc.
Since summer, McQuaide’s staff has been adding rooms and expanding others to create the couple’s dream house. In addition, the home’s kitchen is being moved from one side of the house to another along with a bathroom installed in the basement.
Because she had heard several stories of contractors producing unsatisfactory work, Cynthia did her homework before deciding on a company. For two years, she followed McQuaide’s projects through his Web site, www.masterremodelersinc.com. Impressed with his work and reputation, she e-mailed him. Thirty minutes later, he called.
“He listened intently to what we wanted,” Cynthia says. “You hear so many horror stories about contractors, but his guys started working in August and have missed only one day because of rain. Every morning at 6:30, they’re out there waiting to get started.”
The six-month-long project is expected to be finished this February.
The addition on to the left of the existing structure required that two peaked trestles be mounted atop the home’s once flat roof. Moreover, the home’s dingy blue paneling was removed, opting instead for a warm autumn tan shade complemented by wine-colored shutters. The add-on flows effortlessly into the existing structure, making it seem the house was originally built that way.
“One of my son’s friends came over and said, ‘Oh, you got new siding,’” says Cynthia with a laugh. “He didn’t even realize we’d gotten the addition.”
The rooms being enlarged are the master bedroom and the family room. The master bedroom is growing out by about 12 feet and will have access to a new small deck overlooking the property. Cynthia, who took interior design courses, plans to create a small sitting area with the king-sized bed the main focal point. Her favorite bedroom alteration, however, will be the walk-in closet she’s adding.
The bathroom off the master bedroom will have a Jacuzzi tub and spacious shower and vanity area in addition to a spot for a washer and dryer, thus eliminating Cynthia’s trips into the cold basement to do laundry.
The new kitchen will have an island and will flow into the expanded living room, complete with stone fireplace under a flat screen television, Edmund’s No. 1 request.
“He already purchased it,” says a smiling Cynthia. “He was insistent on it.”
The family room will have access to a new deck, perfect for sipping iced tea and enjoying the sight of the big trees surrounding the yard. A small patio also will jut off from the kitchen, creating an ideal grill spot.
The existing kitchen, now crammed into a room behind the living room, will become part of the dining room, creating a much more inviting entertaining area. The Nelsons’ two oldest children, aged 20 and 18 (they also have a 6-year-old son), have been questioning their parents’ motive for fixing up the house after they left for college.
“We tell them we’re comfortable here,” says Cynthia. “We’re going to be here for at least 20 more years, so it might as well be what we want.”
