Renovation
20 W 4th St
Frederick, MD
Work on this property earned the
2018
HISTORIC PRESERVATION AWARD
from the City of Frederick for
Bricks and Mortar Rehabilitation
Scope of Work:
The subject property was purchased June 30, 2017.
The original structure was built in 1895. It had been vacant for 24 years, with the rear of the house exposed to the elements for decades.
The house was a 2 story brick structure with 1,092 square feet and a dirt cellar. The original structure had 3 sections on each level - front, middle and rear. The rear section had collapsed into itself and needed to be demolished to the dirt cellar. Once that demolition was complete, we found the reason for the collapse - the southeast footer had given way and that section of the house dropped over a foot -- causing the ensuing foundation cracks, which lead to the splits in the masonry walls, which let to the collapse of the roof. The footer was repaired, and the rear section of the house was rebuilt, allowing for a renovation that matched the original footprint of the home.
Originally, the home had kitchen, living and dining on the first floor and three bedrooms and one bath on the second floor. After renovation, the first floor now has a living room, kitchen, dining room, half bath and pantry. The upstairs has two master suites each with their own bath. The attic has conditioned space for a playroom or an office. The newly dug out and concreted basement has laundry facilities, a slop sink, a wine cellar and a recreation room with flat screen TV and a stone fireplace.
A new true slate roof was installed on the front of the house, and imitation slate on the rear. The original windows in the front two sections were salvaged - at about 40 labor hours per window. Each sash was removed, scraped, sanded, reglazed and painted. All the jambs were scraped, sanded painted, pulleys were cleaned and oiled and new ropes installed on the weights. New wood windows were installed in the replaced section at the rear of the house. All new heating and cooling, all new electric, and all new plumbing were installed. The outside got a fresh coat of paint, and a new balcony off the upstairs rear bedroom.
The three original fireplaces were restored, and a gas log sets installed in each.
Original floors were refurbished in the front two sections of the house on both levels. In the replaced section of the house, vintage wood floors were installed to match the original.
The back yard was overgrown, mostly filled with poison ivy. A large damaged pine tree was removed, and a huge maple was limbed up. The weeds were removed, the brick patio was restored, grass was planted and the salvaged brick and stone from demolition was used to built a hardscape feature in the backyard.
