Before finalizing a design, the team had to determine how much of the existing structure could realistically be reused. A house this deteriorated doesn't reveal its full condition until work is underway — so the plan going in was built around the expectation that it would evolve.

The homeowners were open to every design recommendation the team brought forward, which mattered — the plans were revised several times as inspection of the existing structure turned up conditions that needed updated engineering specifications. Rather than lock in a design and fight the building, the team adjusted the design to match what the structure actually required.

The clearest example: what began as a renovation plan turned into a full steel-beam replacement under the entire first floor once the extent of the structural deterioration became clear. It was demanding work, but it gave the finished home a structural foundation that has nothing in common with the one it started with.

Construction was staged in sections to match the client's available capital rather than run as one continuous build — a two-year plan that let the project pause and resume cleanly between phases. Communication ran primarily through email, keeping the client informed at each decision point without requiring them to manage the process.