Something Wasn’t Quite Right
Born in the D.C. area, the Aikmans were returning after years away. They found a 200-year-old farmhouse they fell in love with and chose to call it home. It wasn’t long before they began to notice some issues with the exterior that didn’t seem quite right. It started with concerns about the gutter system and expanded from there. They wanted to get the envelope of the house inspected by a professional to identify potential problems, so the Aikmans enlisted Exterior Medics to help.
The Potential for Disaster
The Aikmans were able to easily spot some of the home issues themselves: they could see that they would need to replace some of their siding, and their windows had clear signs of wear. However, they were subject to the rules of a strict Architectural Review Board, so Exterior Medics offered to work with them to secure the board’s approval. Working with the board, we went out to the property to examine the home only to discover that the problem was much more serious than we realized: under the older parts of the house, there was no foundation. The house was sitting on dirt, meaning that a strong storm or weather event could cause the home to shift — setting the stage for potential disaster.
The Details
Hearing that your home has the potential to suffer from major damage can be overwhelming. At Exterior Medics, our job is not simply to deliver professional exterior renovation services, but also to reassure homeowners that their investment is being well cared for and protected. When the Aikmans realized how serious the issue was — that their two-story home had originally been built on only a wooden sill and that it could fail — they were understandably scared.
They expressed their concerns to Arash Hassanzadeh, our Production Director who oversaw the project, and emphasized the importance that constant communication held for them. Arash, along with team members Josh Bond and Yong Hwang, stepped up to show the Aikmans that communication is a key part of the Exterior Medics experience. Arash sent the Aikmans daily texts to provide updates on the project, making them feel like a true partner.
To ensure the work would be structurally sound, we reached out to one of our partners, Tim Robinson, a structural engineer who’d worked with us on previous large projects. We acquired the proper blueprints and permits and got started. It was no easy task: we had to lift her house to pour concrete, resulting in unavoidable damage to siding, drywall, and flooring.
The Results
With an updated home and a sturdy foundation, the Aikmans are now able to truly enjoy being back in D.C. We replaced their damaged, mismatched siding with cohesive and beautiful wood siding that complements the beauty of their home and meets the approval of their area’s board of architectural review. They now have a gorgeous, fully-functional copper gutter system that protects their home from leaks and damage. To complete the transformation, we repainted the deck boards we moved to get to the foundation and added a new storm door to protect the back porch. The client was thrilled with the final result. In the end, this became one of the biggest residential projects our team has ever undertaken.