Finesse Wins NARI Grand Award for Historic Renovations
The National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) Metro DC Chapter named Finesse Design Remodeling, in Washington DC, a 2019 Capital CotY TM winner in the Historic Renovations category of its annual awards competition at their “Evening of Excellence” held on Saturday, February 9, 2019 at the Westwood Country Club, in Vienna, VA.
Contractors from the Metro DC area vie for CotY Awards each year. Judging is carried out by a panel of impartial industry experts and is based on problem solving, functionality, aesthetics, craftsmanship, innovation, and degree of difficulty.
About Finesse
Finesse Design Remodeling is an award winning, full service design-build firm with over 50 years of combined experience, owned and operated by Elizabeth Mitchel and Brian Bielski. Finesse specializes in fine renovations and restorations in the Washington DC area, providing personalized service, creative designs, expert craftsmanship and meticulous construction. Finesse is dedicated to providing an outstanding remodeling experience while creating distinctive spaces that are tailored to each client.
The Home
A beautiful 16th St. Heights home underwent major bathroom renovations in the 1980s that digressed from the historic character of the home. Layers of tile and several leaks in the bathrooms caused structural wooden support beams and studs to deteriorate. This deterioration led to sagging in the floor system as the support beams and studs are vital to the structural integrity of the floor.
The clients wanted to create two new bathrooms that aligned with the historic nature of the home. The guest and master bathroom were completely gutted, and re-laid out with significant attention focused on the underlying structural issues.
The following steps were taken to achieve our goals:
- Existing boiler (no longer in use), and plumbing piping (galvanized) was completely removed from the floor system.
- The rotted 2×10 header and roof supporting wall that separated the hallway from the bathrooms was completely replaced from below.
- The old improperly installed sister joists were removed.
- New floor joists were installed throughout the entire section of the house where the two bathrooms were to be re-laid out and renovated.
- New sub flooring and 2×4 wall framing was installed.
The bathroom finishes are custom made to evoke the classic upscale 1920’s hotel style with the Honed Carrara marble and Nero Basketweave tile.
Both bathroom vanities are made with custom drip edge marble and Rohl Wellsford faucets. The custom linen towers were built and painted in Benjamin Moore’s Violet Mist color and finished with Jeffery Alexander’s Lexa pulls. Additionally, the client provided a steel enamel tub which was designed to be used as a separate tub or a drop in application. Because the tub was not designed to be under mounted, the structure for the Stately Carrara marble soaking tub was created on site and a Rohl Palladian tub filler was installed.
Each year NARI Metro DC presents Capital CotY awards to members who have demonstrated outstanding work through their remodeling projects. The entries of this year’s competition totaled more than $26 million worth of remodeling projects. NARI is a professional association whose members voluntarily subscribe to a strict code of ethics. To be considered for a Capital CotY Award, a company must be a NARI member in good standing.
Finesse Design Remodeling became an active member of NARI in 2014 and has been nominated for the Grand Level Contractor of the Year Award several times since joining.
Finesse Design Remodeling is an award-winning full-service design-build firm specializing in fine renovations and restorations in the Washington DC Area.
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