In 2006, Chris Timura saw a 1930s Colonial house for sale while he was walking in a neighborhood in Arlington, Va., with one of his sons. Drawn by the back yard with a pond and easy access to the subway, he and his wife, Elise Frasier, moved quickly to buy it. But they outgrew the house. The interior configuration made it difficult to get from the living room to the back yard to enjoy their garden and patios. And, because it had only two bedrooms, their two sons, ages 10 and 12, had to share one. “An important thing was to gain a bedroom,” said their architect, Robert Gurney. The couple also wanted more open space and outdoor views. The original above-grade house was approximately 2,300 square feet, including the lower level. The couple had to decide whether to move; renovate; renovate and enlarge; or tear down and start over.
One couple renovate entire home without tearing it down
