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exterior contractor and you're adding on or changing the layout, it looks much more difficult in the plans than it actually is," he adds. Realistic Expectations Strategically placed windows give the master suite a sleeping porch feel. without having to back the bed up to windows," Smith says. Because of the home's age, finding windows to match the existing divided lite windows was important. Pella's Architect Series was chosen to accomplish this task. The windows are aluminum-clad exterior with wood interior, Smith adds. Evolving Design Connecting a new space to an older one is a challenge because you never know what to expect, DeCenzo says. "Nothing in an older old house is level or square. And working over existing space in the middle of winter adds to [the challenge]," he says. At the same time, the addition was easier than DeCenzo expected. "When it's an old home The design/build nature also helped the challenge of getting the homeowners to understand what would and wouldn't work in the space. It was imperative for Teakwood Builders to show the homeowners their expectations in the limited space they were working with. This is where the continuous sketches came in to play. "The benefit of being design/ build is that we have a fair idea of what we can and can't do in the space," Smith says. "In 3-D, they can see and get a feel of why it does or doesn't work. You need to have the patience and willingness to put it on paper and go through iterations. And coach them." The team provided at least five sketches before agreeing on the final version, which was an important aspect to getting the roofline to match, achieving a design that met the homeowners' expectations and using space efficiently. In fact, the bathroom ended up on the other end of the original floor plan sketch, Smith adds. The homeowners were very involved in the process, living in the home during construction. This aspect presented an opportunity for DeCenzo to share advice to other remodelers who are working with live-in clients. "Keep the place as clean as possible all the time — not only your work space but also their space," he says. "Clean up dust every day everywhere you've been. It makes the homeowner feel like you care about their space and their life." Smith adds that Teakwood's clients are almost always involved in the projects, and it's key to a successful project. "It's very important to work with clients who are willing to invest time and effort," he says. "These were great clients to work with. They knew what they wanted, and were very engaged in process." Maureen Alley writes about remodeling and design from Madison, Wis. The homeowners were very involved in the design process, going through several sketches before deciding on a final plan. Replicating the bungalow roof style was crucial to maintaining the seamless integration of the second-story addition. The solution involved numerous design sketches before the final version was chosen. Teakwood Builders partnered with an architect on the project, but Teakwood drove the design as is often the case with their projects. "We do a lot of the legwork. This was a perfect fit for that. We did a sketch, received budget and had [the homeowners] buy into design process. It's a collaborative effort," Smith says. ForResidentialPros.com QR March 2013 67