Nelson, West Vancouver

Official papers say this home is 90 years old, but after a major renovation by Upward Construction it has been given a new lease of life. When we first saw the house it was in need of some major TLC. It had subsidence problems and was a good candidate for total demolition. But the owners were determined to restore the home to its former glory and we put a plan into action to get the job done.

At the beginning of the project, one side of the house was three inches higher than the other, the floors in different rooms were at different levels, some of the windows were stuck shut and the existing basement was letting in the local wildlife.

To build the new foundations we needed to lift the house off the old sliding foundations so we called in the specialist house movers Nickel Bros. By choosing a company with some of the most sophisticated structural moving equipment in the Pacific North West and many years of experience, we were able to give our clients peace of mind.

While the house was on support blocks, the Upward crew built new foundations and a new 1,400sq ft basement to replace the old dirt-floor basement.

The basement was designed to let in plenty of natural light and the 9ft ceilings create a real sense of space. New rooms include a sewing room with plenty of built-in storage, a workshop, a bathroom with heated floors and a laundry room.

As well as the basement extension, we upgraded the drainage system, re-plumbed and re-wired the whole house.

The exterior of the house was also given a facelift with new windows and doors, asphalt shingles, a new roof, a cozy veranda, re-built rear steps and landscaped gardens.

Over seven months we helped our clients turn a much-loved but creaking family home into their own personal retirement retreat. Whether your home is ready for an extreme makeover or modest remodeling, please get in touch and we will show you what is possible.