Why will you not quote a renovation by the square foot?

Because the number would be wrong. On new construction we publish $250 to $275 per square foot because we control every variable. On a renovation the largest costs are set by the house you already own: the foundation, the framing, and whatever the last three owners did without a permit. Two houses on the same Arlington street, the same size and the same scope, can land a long way apart. Any builder handing you a renovation price per square foot before plans exist and somebody has been in the crawlspace is either padding it heavily or setting up a conversation you will have later at framing, when you have no leverage. What we give you at a walkthrough is a range with the unknowns named as unknowns. What we give you after finished plans and a real site investigation is a price.

What actually drives the cost of a renovation or addition?

In rough order of how much they move the number: whether the foundation and first-floor framing can carry a new load path, how much structural correction the existing house needs, whether mechanical and electrical systems get replaced or extended, how much of the envelope we can reach, whether the project triggers an Arlington stormwater permit, and only then finishes and allowances. Demolition, hauling, temporary shoring, and correcting unpermitted work are real line items that buy you nothing you can see.

Can my house support a second story?

It depends on the foundation and the first-floor framing, not on the roof. A second story is a new load path from your new roof all the way to the footings. Some houses take it as-is. Others need new footings, a reinforced foundation, or first-floor walls rebuilt to carry the weight. That work happens before anything you will ever see, and on some houses it is the single largest line in the project. We walk the basement and the crawlspace before we price anything.

Renovations & Additions in Northern Virginia and D.C.

Q: How long does a renovation or addition take?

Smaller renovations and additions are typically six months or less. A whole-home renovation with an addition runs on a similar clock to a custom home, 14 to 23 months from first design meeting to keys, and can take longer. Permitting is roughly three months of that when a Land Disturbing Activity permit is required. Without one it moves faster.

Q: How does cost-plus work on a renovation?

Our fee is agreed before the project starts and does not change with your allowances. You see actual costs at every draw and invoices on request. On a renovation, where unknowns are real, this matters more than it does on a new build: when we open a wall and find something, you see what the fix costs rather than a change order with a margin buried in it.

Q: Do you renovate homes in Arlington and Washington, D.C.?

Yes. We work throughout close-in Northern Virginia, including Arlington, Alexandria, Falls Church, Fairfax, McLean, and Great Falls, and we are licensed and permitted in Washington, D.C. Arlington is home base.

For families who like their street, their lot, and their neighbors, and want the house to finally work.

Renovation and Addition of a white house with a steep black roof in Arlington, VA

Renovation and Addition of a white two-story house with large windows, a screened porch in Arlington, VA

What do we build?

Whole-home renovations. Gut to the studs, new systems, new building envelope, and fixing problems behind the walls.

Rear and first-floor additions. This is a common project type for us with an expanded first floor and new kitchen with a new primary suite above.

Second-story additions. This is often a pop-top and is a common project to bring modern living to a growing family in an existing house.

Kitchens and baths. We do them as standalone projects and as part of larger scopes.

ADUs. These are allowed and the rules are more workable than most homeowners assume.

What will Arlington and Fairfax County actually let you build?

Setbacks and lot coverage dictate house placement and design. In Arlington, it’s generally 25 feet front, 25 feet rear, and 8 to 10 or more on the sides depending on zoning. If your house sits where current setbacks or an easement would not allow, that placement may be grandfathered, which is a real argument for building up instead of tearing down. Lose the structure and you rebuild to today's rules.

How does a cost-plus renovation contract work?

Cost-plus means our fee is agreed up front and does not change with your allowance selections. You see real invoices and real costs at every draw. Our builder discounts with our vendors gets passed on to you.

We send a weekly every Friday. What got done, what is next, and photos. If the schedule moved, we tell you before you notice.

We do not disappear at closing. Two brothers, eight years, almost entirely word of mouth. That only works if you answer the phone after a year.

What actually drives the number?

1. Whether the foundation and first-floor framing can carry a new load path. On a second story this is the largest single variable in the whole project and it is decided before you pick anything.

2. How much structural work the existing house needs. Notched joists, undersized headers, a beam somebody removed. It gets fixed, correctly.

3 How much of the envelope we can reach. Insulation and air sealing are cheap when the walls are open and impossible when they are not. If we are in there, we do it.

4. Whether the project triggers an Arlington stormwater permit. More on that below. It is a real cost and it catches almost everyone.

5. Finishes and allowances. Last on this list on purpose. This is the part homeowners spend the most time thinking about and it is rarely what moves a renovation budget.

If you want a number for your specific house, the fastest path is not a calculator. It is somebody in your basement with a flashlight. We do that walk before we price anything, and we will do it as a free meeting.

A moment of candor

Is a tear-down and rebuild better than a renovation or remodel? We wrote up how to make that call.

So understand what it means when we say this: if your house is structurally sound and you need space in one direction rather than every direction, an addition is almost always the better financial decision.

FAQs

Do you renovate homes throughout Northern Virginia and Washington, D.C.? Yes. We are licensed in Virginia and Washington, D.C. and we work throughout close-in Northern Virginia, including Arlington, Alexandria, Falls Church, Fairfax, McLean, and Great Falls.

How long does a renovation or addition take? Whole home renovations and small additions are typically six months or less. A large home addition project runs on a similar clock to a custom home, which is 14 to 21 months from first design meeting to keys, and can take longer. Permitting is 9 to 12 weeks of that if an LDA permit is required, but if not, then permitting can be to 4 to 6 weeks.

Can we live in the house during the work? Additions can often be sequenced so a family stays put. A whole-home renovation usually cannot, because it reaches a point where the kitchen, the heat, or the only working bathroom comes out. The work is more streamlined when nobody is living inside the house.

Do I need a stormwater permit for an addition in Arlington? Possibly. Arlington County requires a Land Disturbing Activity and Stormwater permit when a project disturbs 2,500 square feet or more of land, and for additions the calculation includes a 10-foot work zone around any portion of the structure being demolished or having a story added. A good-sized addition can cross the same threshold as new construction.

Is it cheaper to renovate and add-on or tear down and rebuild? Less often than people assume. A full gut plus a large addition can land close to the cost of building new, and sometimes above it. Once a renovation budget reaches $750,000, price the new-build option side by side before committing to drawings. We will run both numbers for you.

How does cost-plus work on a renovation? Our fee is agreed before the project starts. You see actual costs at every draw and invoices upon request. On a renovation, where unknowns are real, this matters more than it does on a new build. We have a built in contingency that is your savings if the project doesn’t require unforeseen work.

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Renovation and Addition of a white two-story house with a garage, stone steps, and manicured lawn, surrounded by trees and greenery, under a clear blue sky in Arlington, VA

Renovation and Addition of a covered outdoor patio with seating, a fireplace, and a flat-screen TV mounted above the fireplace in Arlington, VA

Renovation and addition fo a house with a screened porch, brick and blue siding exterior in Arlington, VA

Renovation and addition of a screened porch or balcony with outdoor furniture in Arlington, VA

Renovation and Addition of a two-story house with white trim, featuring a small wooden deck with glass sliding doors and a retaining wall in Arlington, VA.

Renovation and Addition of a dark blue home bar area with closed cabinet doors, upper bottles of liquor, a countertop with decanters and glasses, a gold faucet, and a windowed dining area with a potted plant in Arlington, VA

Renovarion of a kitchen with white cabinets, a marble countertop, and a wooden floor in Arlington, VA

Renovation of a doorway in a kitchen with white cabinets, a wooden floor, a patterned red and black rug, and a hallway with a framed painting on the wall in Arlington, VA

Renovation of a modern kitchen and dining area with a marble countertop island, four bar stools with woven fabric seats, a gold faucet, large windows with white frames in Arlington, VA

Renovation of a kitchen with white cabinets, a stainless steel oven, and a marble countertop, with a view into a dining area with a wooden table in Arlington, VA

Renovation of a kitchen with a white countertop, white cabinets with gold handles, a stainless steel sink with a chrome faucet in Arlington, VA

Renovation of a kitchen with large windows and a glass door leading outside, white cabinets with gold handles in Arlington, VA

Renovation fo a kitchen with beige cabinets, marble countertop in Arlington, VA

Renovation of a living room with hardwood floor, white walls, multiple windows, a mounted flat-screen TV, a gray built-in window, fireplace, and a chandelier in Arlington, VA

Renovation of a kitchen with mint green cabinets, white marble countertops, a window above the sink, a glass-paneled door leading to a porch, and wood flooring in Arlington, VA

Renovation of a modern kitchen with a large central island, light blue cabinets, open shelves, marble backsplash, pendant lights, and wooden barstools in Arlington, VA

Renvovation and addition of a lLaundry room with a window, dark gray cabinets, and black front-loading washer and dryer, with beige and white checkered tile flooring in Arlington, VA

Renovation and addition of a backyard patio with a wooden deck in Arlington, VA

Renovation and Addition of a living room with beige sectional sofa, hardwood floors, built-in gray bookcase and media center, double glass doors leading outside, white ceiling with recessed lighting and a ceiling fan in Arlington VA

Renovation of a modern bathroom with a freestanding oval bathtub, marble tile flooring, a glass-enclosed shower with marble tiles, a green vanity with a white countertop, a mirror, and wall-mounted lights in Arlington, VA

Renovation and Addition od a home theater room with a large blank white projection screen, black framing, a ceiling-mounted projector, and two green rugs on wood flooring in Arlington, VA

Renovation and Addition of a built-in bench decorated with brown and beige pillows, overlooking lush green trees outside. The space features vintage brass wall-mounted lamps, in Arlington, VA

Renovation and Addition of a shoe storage cabinet with closed doors above and open cubbies below, filled with various shoes, in a room with wood-paneled walls and a brick floor, in Arlington, VA