Quality At Every Level

It’s important to be beautiful on the inside, but first impressions are important too. Whether it’s a result of major reconstruction or just some new siding and a door, turning a remodeling eye toward a home’s exterior can create something the whole neighborhood can enjoy.

That was the case this year when Mosche and Michelle Mor of Sunshine Construction Inc. in Pleasant Hill, took on two very different Lafayette projects resulting in homes that said ‘welcome’ in a new way.

The first was a major remodeling project for homeowners that are interior designers. Mosche oversaw major construction that included moving the kitchen to the front of the home, lifting ceilings, relocating the laundry room, and adding a full bathroom. Larry and Anna Uhrich added 600 square feet to the home via the four-month long project. Moving the kitchen meant the front of the house needed an update of its own, which offered a chance to change its curbside style. The Mors and Uhriches worked together to turn a 70’s era box into a modern home with interesting angles and a tinge of Asian flavor. The back of the house was also updated to maintain continuity. “We added to the front, but we also gave the back a facelift,” Michelle says.

Major exterior improvements in the $200,000 remodel included larger windows and skylights and a switch from classic horizontal siding and brick to modern lines in stucco and vertically placed siding. Other touches included energy efficient exterior lighting and a custom cherry wood front entry door.

“Extensive remodeling such as the Lafayette project is one end of the spectrum for exterior remodeling,” Michelle says. Another Lafayette remodel represents a simpler facelift. The $90,000 project for Georgette Bhathena and husband Martin Karpuk included new siding, a sun resistant fiberglass door, and new deck and railing.

Martin spoke with numerous contractors before hiring Sunshine. Mosche impressed him as someone who would be diligent and not cut corners, he says. After four years of staring at a rotted, unsafe deck, the couple was ready to step outside. They also wanted to give the 1968 home new siding without significantly changing its mid century modern architecture. “We wanted to update the outside to reflect the style,” Martin adds. “We had some water seepage too, so they fixed that.” 

Sunshine also replaced sagging insulation, assuring the insides of the exterior walls got the same care as the new exterior. Long lasting and environmentally sustainable were watchwords for the project, says Michelle, pointing to the weather resistant, sustainably harvested IPE decking as an example.

For the Mors, flexibility is the key in providing both sorts of remodels. In the Uhrich remodel, they had a plan and were very clear on their goals, right down to the source of the front door the homeowners ordered. For jobs such as the Bhathena/Karpuk makeover, clients often turn to the Mors for help finding an architect and representation throughout the planning to prepare for the remodel. 

“We can step into a job where the homeowners already have their plans, or Mosche can work with them from the beginning,” Michelle says.

Call Sunshine Construction, Inc. at (925) 472-8760 or (800) 953-0053 for a free, in-home consultation on a remodel/addition or new home project. Or visit the company website at www.sunshine-construction-inc.com for information and photos of company projects.