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INTRODUCTION
SHORTCOMINGS &
CORRECTIONS
THE CHANGES
DESIGNER &
CONTRACTOR
FINALLY...
FLOORPLANS
SOURCES
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| Interior glass block windows and partitions
that stop short of the ceiling create an ordered openness. |
The Michaelsons took a deep breath before
giving the go-ahead for such an extensive makeover, but their long friendship with Drager and his wife bolstered
their trust. "They were almost perfect clients," says Drager, who enjoyed an unusual degree of freedom
in conceiving the design.
Still, the architect took pains – drawing elaborate
perspective sketches – to ensure that his friends knew exactly what they were getting. With remarkably few exceptions,
the final product reflects Drager's initial proposal.
The couple took a similar approach in hiring remodeler
Gary Howe. They found someone they trusted and then let him do his work. "Gary was the only contractor I interviewed,"
says Jayne. "We had really good recommendations, he had roots in the community, and he seemed really excited
about the project, which a lot of people wouldn't be."
Howe, a soft-spoken man with graying hair, is a
native of Gig Harbor. "That's my fishing ground right out there," he says, pointing to the waters off
Point Defiance. "I got 50 or 60 salmon out there this year."
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| A shallow bay in the master bedroom
compensates for the room's modest dimensions by adding an inviting sitting area. |
Howe isn't afraid of a little rain, but when his
crew began work in normally dry August, the weather surprised even him. "We opened up the roof, and it rained
for 30 days and 30 nights," he says. To fend off the deluge, Howe relied on two weapons: "Tarps and tons
of labor."
At the far end of the job, another ton of labor
went into the cedar shingle siding. "Each and every shingle was hand-dipped in our shop," Howe says.
"That's an area where I probably underestimated. It was a task that went on and on." Still, despite the
trials of Mother Nature and Benjamin Moore, Howe brought the job in on time and on budget.
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