ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, January 5, 1997 TAG: 9701060092
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-14 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG
SOURCE: LISA K. GARCIA STAFF WRITER
When Bob and Liisa Curtis renovated their home, they wanted it to be stylish, comfortable, energy-efficient and well-suited for entertaining.
When an architect referred the couple to Sterling Smiley, president of Sterling Design & Construction of Blacksburg, Bob Curtis knew he had the right man for the job.
As it turned out, the $175,000 renovation won not only the Curtises' high praise, but a 1996 Chrysalis award for "Best Whole House Renovation $100,000-$250,000." The competition, sponsored by Lowe's and judged by Southern Living magazine, was open to architects, developers and builders across the Southeastern United States.
Ask Smiley about the 1994 project today and he will pull out a company project book with before and after photographs that he displays like a parent showing off baby pictures.
The renovation of the Cape Cod on a charming, older street in this college town increased the living space from 2,700 square feet to 3,900, the number of bathrooms from three to five. The single fireplace on the main floor is now complemented by two more built into a new 24-foot chimney.
Smiley said his four-man company (he includes himself in that count) completely gutted the 1943 structure and rebuilt the home from its skeleton. The exterior gained vinyl siding, and walkways, planters, patio and steps accented with bull-nose brick - a brick molded with a rounded edge. They added rooms, all new walls and ceilings and put in hardwood flooring to match the original maple flooring. Subcontractors installed new heating, plumbing and electrical wiring.
After tearing down the original garage and breezeway, Smiley said his company worked hard to build a new garage with added space without losing a homogenous look.
"We tried to hold the whole thing together - especially the roof line," Smiley said. The result was an exterior that blends well with the original roof lines, yet incorporates an added master suite above the new garage.
What made the renovation work so well, Smiley said, was planning and attention to details.
Curtis said he and his wife are veterans of the remodeling scene and already had several projects to their credit by the time they took on the Blacksburg house. Unfortunately, Curtis, who was director of development for Virginia Tech's College of Engineering, and his wife had to sell the house within a year of its remodeling so he could take a new job in Alabama. In a telephone interview, he talked with enthusiasm about the house he left behind.
By the time he and his wife sought out Smiley's company, they had their design ideas nearly complete. The ideas, he said, came from years of watching housing trends, attending open houses and looking at magazines - such as Southern Living - for ideas. Some ideas, such as a butler's pantry that serves as an entertainment staging area next to the kitchen, came from a 1920s house the couple lived in in New York.
Curtis said his relationship with Smiley "made the difference" in the project's success.
"We respected each other's ideas and suggestions," Curtis said. "I'd work with Sterling again any time. He provides a lot of insight."
Smiley, who graduated from Virginia Tech's College of Architecture building construction program with honors in 1982, said he had to credit Curtis for most of the design work. Experienced planners like the Curtises make a job go much more smoothly, he said.
"It was a nice combination of abilities and vision," Smiley said of the relationship with his clients. "The project does stand out in my memory; I think it's really exceptional. I rarely find clients that want to take on this size project and have the experience and the vision to see the final product."
Smiley said his years of hands-on work in the construction business as a carpenter help him with the design work he does.
"I have a clearer idea of what can be done that is attractive and expedient," Smiley said. "It allows me
to communicate with both the clients and the construction [workers]" about what is feasible.
Smiley said he began his college education at the University of Virginia where he spent two years in the religious studies program. Quick to point out that he has lived in Hokie territory for 18 years now, Smiley said, "To my credit, I quit and became a carpenter's apprentice." That was 1972.
By 1974 he had a contractor's license, and in 1975 he built his first house.
* * *
The Curtis house came several years and jobs later.
Smiley said the Curtises made a wise investment when they bought "the most modest house on the block" and renovated it.
Curtis said the choice paid off when he and his wife had to move: The house sold in less than four weeks during an off time for home sales.
A tour of the home, which is conveniently located within walking distance of downtown and minutes from campus, makes it apparent why it sold so quickly.
Curtis said one of his goals was to give the house an "airy, open feeling with lots of glass."
Walk through the main floor and the upstairs level and one is bathed by natural light cascading in from new, wider windows. The dining room, which opens into the kitchen, has three walls whose windows again add a sense of depth to the space.
Curtis pointed out that anyone considering remodeling should be aware that changes in the middle of the project cost time and money. That's why his advance planning not only kept the seven-month project moving, it allowed the forethought for details that give the home a quality unmatched in standard construction.
Take, for instance, the living room on the main floor with its original hardwood floors and fireplace. The current owners plan to use the room for a dining area. In either case, the room's function would be mainly entertaining.
Smiley said the Curtises were worried about noise from the bathroom directly overhead. The solution: cast-iron pipes wrapped in a sound attenuation blanket to dampen noise. The overall design also integrated insulation or sound-deadening wallboard around bedrooms and bathrooms, again to control noise.
In a recent tour of the home, Smiley pointed out those details with satisfaction.
A design suggestion he offered himself brightened the home.
The original second-floor landing had one small window that provided some natural light during the day. Pictures before the renovation show the stairwell as relatively dark.
Today the stairwell is bright with natural light that pours in from skylights and creates an artistic pattern on the walls as ceiling beams break the light and cast uniform shadows. At night, indirect lighting recessed into the ceiling beams bounces off the ceiling to gently illuminate the space.
Smiley suggested removing the ceiling joists over the stairwell and converting the space to a cathedral ceiling and adding the beams "to maintain a structural connection between both sides of the house."
Upstairs, a master bedroom was added above the garage. Despite the older home's 7-foot-9-inch ceilings in other rooms, this room was designed with higher ceilings and transom windows to give it an airy atmosphere. Step into the master bath, and a luxurious whirlpool sits framed with bright white tiles.
Each of the home's bedrooms was enlarged and some were relocated.
In an effort to make the home more energy-efficient, high-quality insulation was used throughout.
The design even takes the future into account.
The garage is wired and has windows at the proper height so the space can be converted easily to a master bedroom. Curtis said housing trends show that older couples often want first-floor master suites and it's easier to prepare the space in the rough stages.
The simple fact that Curtis had such considerations built in was indicative of his No.1 piece of advice to make a success of such a large project:
"You have to know what you want before you start," he said.
Business profile
Name: Sterling Design & Construction
Former name: Smiley Construction, from 1988 to 1994
Age: Nine years in Montgomery County; originally started in Richmond, in 1974.
Number of full-time employees: 4
Location: Blacksburg,
Telephone number: 953-0049
Owner: Sterling Smiley
Service: Design and construction of residential additions, renovations, kitchen remodeling, bathroom remodeling, construction of wooden decks; also, construction of custom-designed homes. Projects range from smaller, one-room remodeling jobs costing $10,000 to house construction valued at more than $400,000. Company uses computer-aided design on nearly all projects.
Main customers: The original base of Virginia Tech faculty and staff has expanded to include New River Valley professionals and retirees.
Market: Primarily Montgomery County
Growth: Annual volume has increased 125 percent in the past five years
Mission statement: ``To provide excellent value to our clients through attractive and efficient designs, quality materials and workmanship, and exceptional customer service."
Bob Curtis' tips for successful remodeling
1. Hire someone you have a lot of confidence in and then listen to his or her recommendations.
2. Choose a contractor who shares your concern for quality.
3. Ask for five or 10 references. Then talk with several - and don't let the contractor know which ones you will call.
4. Visit the site of a project on which the contractor is currently working.
5. Remember, there will always be compromises in a renovation. Be flexible.
6. Settle payment arrangements in advance.
7. Communicate daily with the contractor.
8. Do your homework in advance because you will make hundreds of decisions about materials and interior design.
9. Have 10 percent to 15 percent more money than the estimate to pay for contingencies.
10. Know what you want. Changes cost time and money.
LENGTH: Long : 200 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: ALAN KIM/Staff. 1. Sterling Smiley (left) shows theby CNBpresent owner some slides of the house before it was renovated. In
the background is the new bumped out dining room addition. 2. Before
and after: Upstairs, the ceiling was raised and skylights installed
to bring in natural light, and the floorplan was extended to span
above the garage as well, where a master suite was added. 3. A
former bedroom was expanded to become a spacious family room with
connections to the kitchen and breakfast room. 4. An interior wall
facing the back yard was removed and a new breakfast room extended
out through the opening, with one of the old bedrooms above extended
as well. 5. The renovation of this Blacksburg Cape Cod won national
recognition (ran on NRV-1). color. 6. A new master suite was added
above the expanded garage. A combination of four casement and accent
windows provide an expansive view of the back yard and the sky. B&W.
STERLING SMILEY. 7. & 8. Before and after: The renovation of this
Blacksburg Cape Cod increased the living space from 2,700 square
feet to 3,900, the number of bathrooms from three to five.