A Sparkling Gem from the Dilworth Home Tour

As real estate prices continue to skyrocket, more homeowners are choosing to remodel rather than building or buying a new home. Remodeling is becoming increasingly practical, convenient and affordable—allowing homeowners to keep what they enjoy most about their home while adding value through additions and renovations.

Many cities, especially those with large historic districts, are witnessing the popular remodeling trend. In Charlotte, the vast majority of remodeling ventures are taking place within “old Charlotte” neighborhoods like Myers Park, Elizabeth, Eastover and Dilworth. Homeowners in these areas take great pride in the architectural integrity and original flavor of their residences so when they decide to remodel, they rarely settle for anything less than perfection.

Several months ago, the Dilworth community hosted its annual home tour, and Urban Home Magazine was there to see some of the finest remodeling projects in the city. One home on the tour, the Hohnbaum residence, was particularly noteworthy. We caught up the award-winning firm who worked on the project, Absolute Remodeling, to talk about Charlotte’s premier historical residences, and specifically to find out more about their work on the Hohnbaum residence. Rick Norvell is Absolute Remodeling’s president. With over nine years of experience working in Dilworth and surrounding areas, Absolute Remodeling has emerged as one of Charlotte’s most trusted remodeling companies.

“The Hohnbaum renovation was a complete, whole house renovation that included the addition of a new master suite, guest bathroom, all-new mechanical systems, and the conversion of a side porch into a breakfast room,” said Norvell. Quick to address the inherent challenges of renovating an older home, Norvell states, “Many of the houses that I work with, including the Hohnbaum home, have never had a major renovation and are often somewhat neglected. When I found the Hohnbaum’s home, there were tree limbs actually growing into the house.”

Norvell believes one of the greatest challenges of any company in his field is ensuring that the architectural integrity of the home is preserved through the renovation. Absolute Remodeling took great measures, including the in-house manufacturing of all the Hohnbaum’s interior trim, to ensure that 100 percent of the trim added was period appropriate, exactly matching the house’s original woodwork. “The work has to be 100-percent perfect,” insists Norvell. “After a successful job, one shouldn’t be able to tell where the old home stops and the new addition begins.”

Because the Hohnbaums share Norvell’s passion for perfection, they were overjoyed by their renovated home. “Preserving the architectural integrity of the home throughout the project was extremely important to us,” explains homeowner Catherine Hohnbaum. “Rick Norvell and his crew at Absolute Remodeling took extensive measures to ensure that our home’s integrity was upheld and that we were completely satisfied with the finished product.”

Ms. Hohnbaum also notes the importance of being able to easily and openly communicate with the builder. “In any home project such as this, clear communication between the homeowner and contractor is of primary importance,” she explains. “Rick was there with us every step of the way, answering questions and readily accepting our input.”

“Always do what you say, and always stand behind your product,” proclaims Norvell. Because he does exactly this, Rick and his team at Absolute Remodeling continue to please customers such as the Hohnbaums and stand out above their many competitors.

Absolute Remodeling, Inc. is one of Charlotte’s premier remodeling firms. They can be reached at 704-332-4343 or online, at www.absoluteremodel.com.