It was love at first sight for one local, retired couple when they first crossed the threshold of the eighteenth floor condo. Situated among the bustling streets of Seattle's University District, and masked by a somewhat boring concrete exterior, the two-bedroom, three bathroom condo nearly kissed the clouds and offered breathtaking views of the city and mountains beyond.
The only problem? The flat's oh-so dated styling. The 24-story high-rise had been built in 1974 and looked it. Tan and brown marbled travertine flooring ran throughout the condo, cheesy wallpaper flanked the rooms and the kitchen and bathrooms left something to be desired. One bathroom even had carpeted flooring, ostensibly for ill-planned absorbency. The new owners took one look at the space and declared that since it felt "just like heaven" it ought to look the part. Their vision spoke of an open, airy feeling, with light colors throughout. To obtain this personal paradise, they called upon the help of Master Builders Association members, Irons Brothers Construction, Inc.
The couple had found Irons Brothers Construction through a referral from another client but also chose to hire the Irons team because Joseph Irons, the owner of the company, is a Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist (CAPS) in addition to his Certified Graduate Remodeler (CGR) and Graduate Master Builder (GMB) certifications. The husband of the couple has Parkinson's disease and the couple was interested in making the condo as user-friendly for his physical needs as possible. In addition to the cosmetic aspects of the remodel, all room transitions would need to be kept as minimal as possible and incorporate his physical limitations into the design.
The main challenge Irons Brothers faced, however, was far removed from any wants or needs the couple may have had. A formidable force would need to be appeased, namely, the condo association. Unlike a single-family home remodel, multi-family housing remodels require one crucial, additional step of preparation and consideration before the project can begin. Before construction could begin, the plan had to pass through the association for approval. The "heavenly home" project proved to be no exception.
Read on to learn how Iron Brothers worked with the condo association to find the solution!
