There's a certain kind of project that defines what a home remodeling company is truly capable of. This is one of those projects. A dated single-story house on Edison Street in Arlington became a three-level, 3,500 sq ft modern residence — rebuilt from the foundation up, expanded vertically and below grade, and finished to a standard you'd expect from new home construction. Not a refresh. Not a renovation in the cosmetic sense. A complete reinvention of what a home can be on an existing lot. Take a look through the gallery, the results speak louder than anything we could write here.
What Actually Happened on This Project
The term home remodel covers a lot of ground in this industry, ranging from a fresh coat of paint to a complete structural overhaul. Let's be direct about where this project sits on that spectrum.
We started with a foundation. A single story sat above it — functional, but limited in every way that matters to a modern family. The client's vision called for something far beyond what a typical renovation could deliver. So we stripped the structure down, redesigned it in collaboration with Axis Architects, and rebuilt it as an entirely new home on the original concrete perimeter.
The transformation by the numbers:
- Original structure: one story, dated finishes, undersized for the lot
- Delivered: 3,500 sq ft across three fully finished levels
- New second floor added — framed, engineered, and built from scratch
- Basement converted from unfinished utility space to a complete living level
- 100% new framing, mechanical systems, electrical, plumbing, and finishes
- Full compliance with Arlington County building codes — all permits pulled, all inspections passed
Expanding the Footprint: Square Footage That Didn't Exist Before
Adding livable square footage is one of the most consequential decisions in any whole home renovation. At this Edison Street property, we approached it on two fronts simultaneously by building up and finishing down.
A Second Floor Built From the Ground Up
The upper level of this home is entirely new construction. There was no second story before we built one. Working from Axis Architects' drawings, our crew engineered the structural tie-ins, framed every wall and roof line, and delivered a complete second story addition that now houses four bedrooms and three bathrooms.
The centerpiece is a primary suite occupying the full rear of the upper level, featuring a 14×18 ft bedroom with its own balcony, a 12×7 walk-in closet, and a 12×9 ensuite with a freestanding soaking tub, walk-in shower, double vanity, and LED lighting. Three of the four bedrooms open onto private balconies. That kind of indoor-outdoor connectivity at the bedroom level isn't something you retrofit — it has to be designed in from day one.
Upper level summary:
- Primary Suite — 14×18 ft, balcony, walk-in closet, full ensuite
- Bedroom 2 — 13×10 ft, balcony access
- Bedroom 3 — 16×10 ft, balcony access
- Bedroom 4 — 12×10 ft
- Two full shared bathrooms
A Basement Worth Living In
Unfinished basements are among the most underutilized assets in Northern Virginia housing. As part of the basement finishing scope, we converted the below-grade level into a fully finished, code-compliant living environment that functions equally well as a guest suite, an entertainment space, or an extended family quarters.
A private basement walkout with a side entrance makes the lower level genuinely independent from the main house, which significantly expands how the space can be used. Expert basement waterproofing and a sump pump system were installed throughout as a core part of the structural scope from the beginning, rather than an afterthought.
Basement level:
- Recreation Room — 20×14 ft
- Wet Bar — 12×7 ft
- Bedroom — 17×11 ft
- Full bathroom
- Walk-up side entrance
- Waterproofing system with sump pump
All-New Everything: Systems, Structure, and Finishes
One of the core principles behind a true full gut renovation is that you don't build around existing infrastructure; instead, you replace it. Aging systems hidden behind new drywall are a liability, not a renovation. At this Edison Street property, every mechanical, electrical, and plumbing system is new, sized correctly for a 3,500 sq ft home, and installed to current code.
Structural & exterior:
- All-new second-floor framing and structural connections
- White painted brick veneer on the central gabled facade
- Dark charcoal HardiPlank siding on the side volume — a deliberate two-tone contrast that gives the home a composed, architectural presence on the street
- Full roof replacement with architectural shingle
- 6–8 ft black-framed Andersen windows throughout — every opening new
Mechanical, electrical & plumbing:
- 200+ amp electrical service
- Natural gas heating combined with heat pump
- Central air conditioning
- Tankless water heater
- Completely new plumbing rough-in on all three levels
- Fiber optic broadband infrastructure
- Exterior security camera system
Every line item above was inspected by Arlington County at the appropriate phase. Nothing was closed in until it passed. That's not a selling point, but rather the minimum standard for legitimate home construction work.
Interior: Designed to Live In, Not Just to Look At
A full home remodeling project at this scale gives you a rare opportunity — the chance to rethink how a home actually functions, not just how it looks. We took that seriously on every level.
The main floor was completely reconfigured. The original layout is gone. In its place: an open, continuous living environment where the kitchen, dining, living, and family room all connect without interruption. Ten-foot ceilings throughout. Engineered hardwood flooring on all three levels. An electric fireplace accent wall anchoring the family room. Double sliding glass doors opening the kitchen directly onto the rear deck.
Main level:
- Living / Dining Room — 18×19 ft
- Kitchen — 10×17 ft with 9-ft waterfall island, 42" upper cabinets, 6-burner gas range, pot filler, walk-in pantry
- Family Room — 16×17 ft, electric fireplace
- Office — 11×9 ft
- Mud Room / Laundry — 11×10 ft
- Powder Room
- Front Porch — 16'9"×5 ft
- Rear Deck — 19×5 ft
The kitchen remodel alone justifies a closer look. With a 9-foot waterfall island, a 36-inch six-burner gas range with a pot filler, 42-inch upper cabinets, and a dedicated walk-in pantry, this is a kitchen configured for people who actually cook.
How NextDay Remodeling Ran This Project
NextDay Remodeling handled this Edison Street project as the home remodeling general contractor from permit application through certificate of occupancy. Our work spans both full home remodeling and ground-up new home construction across Northern Virginia. Projects like this one, which blur the line between the two, are exactly where that dual experience matters.
Running a project of this complexity requires more than skilled labor. It requires sequencing. Structural work before mechanical rough-ins. Inspections cleared before walls close. Trade partners scheduled so no phase waits on the previous one longer than necessary. That coordination is the general contractor's job, and it's where projects succeed or fall apart.
What our clients experience on a project like this:
- A single point of accountability from day one through final walkthrough
- Full permit documentation — every inspection on record with Arlington County
- Licensed and insured trade partners across every discipline
- Transparent communication before issues become change orders
- A finished product that's clean on paper, not just in photographs
This project was completed in full compliance with local building codes. Every permit was pulled. Every inspection was passed. Everything is documented and on record.
Thinking About a Full Home Remodel?
Your home has more potential than it's showing right now. If you're sitting on a property with good bones and limited square footage, or if you're ready to stop working around an outdated layout, this is the kind of project NextDay Remodeling was built for.
We specialize in full home remodeling and new home construction throughout NOVA. We take on a limited number of projects each year, which means when we commit to your job, you get our full attention rather than a project manager juggling fifteen sites at once.
Reach out to NextDay Remodeling and let's have an honest conversation about what a whole home renovation could look like for your property.