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CONTACT D.G. Liu Contractor, Inc. 25400 Old Hundred Rd Dickerson, MD 20842 866-99DGLIU 301.831.8865 fax © Copyright 2008 D.G. Liu Contractor, Inc. All Rights Reserved |
The Smith's home wasn't always picture perfect. Like many big, older houses, it featured huge living and dining rooms and a too-small kitchen. With four children, the Smiths needed more space, and to make the most of the space they had. They began by expanding the kitchen and den, building a patio out back and remodeling a rec room downstairs. Over the years, all five bathrooms were renovated, the front entrance was enlarged and, after the children were in college, a fifth bedroom became a huge master bath and closet. Most recently, the kitchen was enlarged again. But the best work of all, says Carol, was the sun porch expansion. "It was half that size before,” she says, "And now we love it. We're out there every evening before dinner relaxing. It's our favorite spot.”
Having undergone three major renovations, Tate and Melissa Armstrong's house has seen its share of change and growth. It's also seen its share of contractors—three different ones for all three jobs.
How did the first two contractors miss out on all that repeat business? The Armstrongs simply weren't pleased with their first crew, which had a penchant for poor quality materials and craftsmanship. The second contractor produced better results, but, as Tate explains, "the staffing and manning of the job led to concerns about the more extensive things we knew we wanted to do later on.”
Enter DG Liu. Since we were working in their neighborhood, the Armstrongs asked their neighbors about us. We were "recommended without hesitation,” says Tate. First, we replaced the Armstrong's masonite siding, which was showing signs of mold and deterioration. We then began repairs made necessary by the previous contractor's materials and workmanship, and placed stone on the front of the home, which Tate feels "really changed the character of the house.” Last, we expanded and combined the kitchen and living areas, and replaced flooring, windows, and door units.
Finally, Tate says, the job was done right. "DG Liu's attention to detail was impeccable—from planning and discussion, to the way they staffed the job. When they said they'd start, they started. When they said they'd be working, they worked. They definitely exceeded our expectations.”
How many times have you found yourself chopping onions on a cramped cutting board tightly wedged between the toaster oven, the food processor, and that bread machine you bought and almost never use? Oh, and with the kids’ stuff and the mail piled at the other end of the counter. Most standard kitchens are too small for the way we live today. These clients decided it was time to live large. Our design gave them ample lengths of granite counter space, a central island with cooktop, and double-door stainless refrigerator and microwave recessed among generous, richly crafted cabinetry. The lighting tops it off—a rich blend of fluorescent, recessed, and hanging incandescent lamps that make the kitchen just the bright, warm room the family loves to share on chilly autumn mornings. Let our designers show you how we can make your kitchen more functional, comfortable, and beautiful at the same time.
These clients hated their home’s shadowy living room and “Plain Jane” façade. The portico stole sunlight from the parlor windows, while the exterior lacked any hint of grace. Using a full pallet of design techniques, our remodeling team transformed this large but unremarkable house into a grand residence. A classical entrance with pilasters and sidelights, five enlarged second-story windows with classical molding topped by keystones, generous shutters, new siding, a high-sloping roof, and grand crowning gables for both the house and garage gave our clients a new home with elegance and authority. Let our designers show you how we can make your home new without the hassle of moving.
Breakfast at Tiffany's? That’s just about how these clients feel each morning as they sip coffee in their brightly sunlit new breakfast room. Tired of “this old house”? Often an addition can transform your home so completely that it seems brand new. Here we took unused backyard space and created a simple addition that adds both spaciousness and glamour. The key is in the lighting. The room is brightened and warmed by five large fixed-pane and casement windows, recessed ceiling lamps, and a domed skylight to top it off. And as our clients enjoy their morning coffee, they know they’ve added thousands to the value of their home. Let our designers show you how the right addition can make your home feel new.
"Curb appeal.” It's a term real estate professional use to describe the first impression your house makes when you drive up and park in front of it. Experts say it's probably the biggest factor that influences prospective buyers when you decide to sell your home. In other words, it's a key to your home's value.
Can you improve your curb appeal? Yes, and dramatically, as these “before” and “after” photos show. In this case, owners of a home in Falls Church decided to go for curb appeal, and D.G. Liu Contractor gave it to them—in spades. Simple, colonial front and rear porches transformed an unremarkable exterior into a picture of true elegance.
The falling down garage on the side of Emily Miller’s Washington, DC home was useless. As a writer working on her first novel, she longed to turn it into a quiet studio where she could work.
Since DG Liu had done a major renovation on her mother’s home, Emily chose us as well. “My mom’s house looks really good,” she said. “She told me DG Liu was prompt and did a great job on everything. And they were very responsive. Whenever I needed anything, they were there. I would recommend them to anyone.”
Emily had initially envisioned building on to the old garage, but our designers concluded it would be better to tear it down and start clean. What emerged was a gorgeous room built for year-round use, featuring high ceilings and large windows, and accented by huge built-in bookshelves.
“Now I have this nice, open space with skylights, a bathroom, and lots of light,” Emily said. “Everybody who walks in the studio is amazed at how beautiful it is. We’re even planning to use it as a guest house.” She paused, then said with a laugh, “Only I don’t want them to get too comfortable.”
The front door was in a bad spot. If you didn’t pay attention when opening it from inside, you could mash your fingers against the railing leading to the upper level of the home. For one of our clients, this small problem, along with the inconvenience of a too-small master bedroom and lack of a mudroom, provided reason enough to renovate.
Dale Kramer, salesman/estimator for DG Liu, says two of these remedies were pretty straightforward. He and his crew bumped out the existing entrance a couple of feet, which easily fixed the door problem, then installed a portico and columns with stone work outside to give the house better curb appeal. Another existing entrance, which Dale says originally featured a simple “metal overhang on the outside where people could step out of the weather and maybe leave their shoes” was also done away with. “It wasn’t the first thing you wanted people to see,” he explains.
While plans for the mudroom and master bedroom were being drawn up, other ideas surfaced. The family wanted a screened porch and sunroom, and since the home had no garage, it came to light that one would fit nicely into the new scheme. “After talking to the homeowners, we realized they really wanted a garage,” Dale says. “So this then became a major part of the project.”
The new two-car garage now leads to the mudroom, then the sunroom, screened porch and deck. The master bedroom and bath sit above, and new storage spaces are tucked neatly below it all, giving the house a fresh, engaging look, with a lot more usable space inside.
