Transforming Pine Street - A Renovation Journey with The Buildwell Group
If you’ve worked with Buildwell, then you know we take pride in our meticulous approach to home renovation, ensuring every detail is crafted to perfection.
We’re excited to introduce an ongoing blog series documenting our latest Rittenhouse Square project in Philly. In partnership with Crisco & Frisco Design and Fama Okto Studio, we are fully renovating a charming three-story brick-row home.
Follow along as we transform this historic property into a luxurious modern residence.
Project Overview
Our Pine Street project is nothing short of ambitious. Here’s a snapshot of what we're aiming to achieve:
Gutting 90% of the Home
We’re stripping down the interiors to lay a fresh, modern foundation.
Adding 2 Full Bathrooms and a Primary Suite
Enhancing the home with additional amenities for ultimate comfort.
Relocating Walls
Redesigning the layout for a more functional and aesthetic living space.
Custom Built Kitchen Cabinetry
Featuring bespoke kitchen cabinets from Village Handcrafted, ensuring unique charm and quality.
8' Interior Doors Throughout
Adding a sense of grandeur and openness to the home.
Luxurious Finishes
From bathroom fixtures to every door knob, every detail is chosen for its elegance and quality.
6-Month Timeline
Our team is dedicated to completing this transformation efficiently without compromising on quality.
Week of 10/27/24 Status: Crafting the Finishing Details
We’re excited to share that our Pine Street Project is nearing completion, with each detail adding up to a remarkable transformation!
Every corner of this Rittenhouse Square residence is taking shape beautifully, with every finish meticulously chosen to bring luxury and charm to this historic home. Here’s what our team has been up to:
8-foot Solid Core Doors with Emtek Hardware
They’re big, bold and beautiful.
We’re thrilled to see the 8-foot solid core doors from Trustile coming together with sleek Emtek hardware.
These doors add a real sense of grandeur to the home and with Emtek’s sophisticated hardware, they’re as durable as they are stylish. It’s all about the details and these doors add an immediate sense of quality and elegance to every room.
Classic Charm with Custom Historical Mouldings
One of our favorite touches? The custom historical moldings.
Designed by the incredible Brent Hull and crafted by the Kuiken Brothers of New York and New Jersey, these moldings capture the charm of classic Philadelphia homes while blending perfectly with the updated design. They’re a nod to the home’s rich past, adding a layer of character that truly sets this renovation apart.
Village Handcrafted Cabinets in Kitchen & Laundry
From the start, we envisioned a kitchen that’s both functional and visually striking. Thanks to Village Handcrafted in Lansdale the custom kitchen cabinetry is bringing that vision to life. Each cabinet is tailored to fit the space like a glove, adding warmth and depth that feels just right. The laundry room cabinets, equally beautiful, ensure even the most practical spaces are up to par with the home’s luxury standard.
Tile Work: Creating Art in Each Bathroom
Each bathroom is being transformed into its own retreat.
Our friends at Love Tile and Marble are bringing their expertise to each of the 4 ½ bathrooms, installing tiles that are functional and artistic. The tile work is set to make every bathroom feel like its own oasis, balancing luxury with comfort in every design choice.
Countertop Template Completed: The Final Touches on the Way
We’ve wrapped up the countertop templates, which means the final installation is just around the corner.
These countertops will add the perfect finishing touch to the kitchen and bathrooms, elevating each space with elegance and durability. We’re eager to see how they complete the look in each room.
Every detail — from door hardware to tile patterns — is aligning to create something truly remarkable. This transformation has been a labor of love and we’re excited to share each step with you.
Stay tuned as we install the final touches on this incredible home!
Week of 9/8/24 Status: Rough Inspections Cleared, Prepping for Drywall
We’re thrilled to share some exciting progress from our Pine Street project – we’ve officially passed all rough inspections with the city! This clears the way for the next major phase: drywall installation.
In any construction project, passing rough inspections is a significant milestone. It marks the completion of the critical behind-the-scenes work that sets the foundation for a smooth finish. Our team of skilled tradespeople has worked meticulously to ensure every detail meets the highest industry standards, paving the way for the next steps in transforming this house into a luxury home.
Why We Chose Rockwool Insulation: A Commitment to Performance
As we prepared to move forward, we made a crucial decision regarding insulation. For this project, we opted for Rockwool insulation in both the exterior and interior walls, and for good reason.
On the exterior, Rockwool provides a superior thermal barrier that resists moisture, making it an ideal choice for homes with red brick exteriors like this one. Red brick can allow small amounts of moisture and vapor to pass through, which would quickly compromise traditional fiberglass insulation. Rockwool, however, maintains its insulating properties even in damp conditions, ensuring the home remains energy efficient and protected against the elements.
Inside the home, we installed Rockwool Safe n’ Sound insulation throughout the interior walls, particularly between bedrooms, bathrooms, and mechanical closets. Given the home’s location in a bustling Philadelphia neighborhood, soundproofing was a top priority. While no insulation can completely block out all noise, Rockwool will significantly reduce sound transmission, creating a peaceful and quiet living environment inside.
What’s Next?
With the rough inspections complete and the insulation in place, we’re gearing up to begin drywall installation. This is an exciting phase, as the home’s interior will truly start to take shape.
As each room comes together, the thoughtful planning and attention to detail we’ve invested in the project will shine through. From the solid structural foundation to the premium finishes that will follow, every element is being carefully crafted to ensure a beautiful, functional and modern home.
Stay tuned for the next update as we move forward on this exciting journey of transforming Pine Street into a luxurious and modern residence.
Week of 7/8/24 Status: Mechanical Work Kicks Off
As July unfolds, we’re excited to share some significant milestones in our Pine Street, Rittenhouse Square renovation project.
Windows and Doors Ordered
We have placed orders for all windows and doors, ensuring they meet our high quality and energy efficiency standards.
Plumbing Fixtures Ordered
All finished plumbing fixtures have been ordered. These fixtures have been carefully selected to align with our vision of luxury and elegance, ensuring both style and durability.
Mechanical Phase Initiated
We’ve kicked off our mechanical phase, where our skilled plumber, HVAC technician, and electrician are hard at work. This phase is crucial as it involves installing essential systems to ensure the home is comfortable, safe, and energy-efficient. Rough plumbing, HVAC, and electrical are all underway.
Fireplace Removal Completed
The old fireplace we mentioned in our last update, which posed structural risks and occupied valuable space, has been removed successfully. This change mitigates potential hazards and frees up space that can be utilized more effectively in the new design.
Design and Subcontractor Meeting
We had a productive meeting with the design team and some subcontractors to confirm the layout for finish fixtures and lighting.
Electrical Layout Walkthrough
The designer, Christopher Tellef Hansen from Crisco and Frisco, stopped by for an electrical layout walkthrough to ensure everyone is on the same page.
Tile Work Preparation
Kevin McCall, the owner of Love Marble and Tile, stopped by for a walkthrough to have a better grasp on his future tile work.
Operational Updates
Cindy, our director of Operations, visited to hang plans and elevations on the walls of every room, so all of our trade partners have quick and easy access to every critical detail.
Stay tuned for more updates as we progress in this remarkable row-home renovation project on Pine Street in Rittenhouse Square, Philadelphia!
Week of 6/23/24 Status: Structural Integrity First – Demolishing an Old Chimney and Completing Framing
This week, we tackled a significant structural challenge: an old chimney that was not properly supported.
Old chimneys that lack proper structural support can pose significant safety hazards, including the risk of collapse, which can lead to severe damage to the home and potential injury to occupants.
Beyond damage concerns, improperly supported chimneys can cause leaks and drafts, compromising the home's energy efficiency and indoor air quality.
With all of these concerns in mind, we decided to demo the entire chimney from the first floor to the roof for safety and design coherence.
Framing Complete
Beyond the chimney demo, framing has been successfully completed and we are gearing up to start the mechanical installations. This includes HVAC, electrical and plumbing systems. Additionally, we had a productive meeting with Village Handcrafted Cabinetry in Lansdale to kickstart the production of the custom kitchen cabinets.
Stay tuned for more updates as we progress in this remarkable renovation project on Pine Street in Philadelphia.
Week of 6/9/24 Status: Demo Phase to Rough Framing
We are making great progress with framing this week!
We’re carefully planning each step to ensure everything goes smoothly as we move into the finishing stages. Every detail counts in a project like this, especially during these rough stages. It’s all about building a strong foundation for the beautiful finishes to come.
This week, we're adjusting several window and door openings on the ground level to accommodate modern window sizes and larger exterior doors. These changes will enhance the home's aesthetic and functionality. The larger windows will allow more natural light to flood in, creating a brighter and, naturally, more inviting space. Meanwhile, the larger exterior doors will provide easier access for strollers, groceries and deliveries, making everyday life more convenient
Week of 6/2/24 Status: Demo Phase to Rough Framing
This week, we are finishing the demolition phase and moving into rough framing. The excitement is building as we lay the groundwork for what will soon be a stunning, modern living space.
Stay tuned for more updates as we progress in this remarkable renovation project on Pine Street. We’ll be sharing insights, progress photos and more for a behind-the-scenes look at how Buildwell Group brings vision to life.
As we always say. Build Well or not at all.
