Remodeling a house in Grant Park
Kitchen, bath and whole home remodels in Grant Park, from Fernwood's older blocks to 1920s Dolph Park, permitted in Portland.
Talk to Don about your projectHe comes out and prices it himself
- Oregon CCB
- #208048
- Washington L&I
- #DWVCOCL7540W
- Coverage
- Bonded and insured
- Established
- 2008
Fernwood from 1887, Dolph Park from 1924.
The area was partly settled in the 1850s as a donation land claim called the Bowering Tract. Fernwood was laid out into city blocks in 1887, and the city acquired the park that gives the neighborhood its name in 1922.
Dolph Park, between NE 28th and 32nd from Thompson to Tillamook, was platted in 1924 by Eliza Dolph with 10 blocks and 122 lots, and it sold out quickly. Its houses are younger than Irvington's and sit on larger lots than Fernwood's to the east. Beverly Cleary grew up here and set her stories on these streets.
What is behind the walls of your house.
The age of the house moves the price more than anything you can see. This is what is typical for a Portland house of that age. The site walk confirms what yours has.
8 of 8 are likely on a 1925 house.
Knob and tube or early cloth wrapped wiring is common in houses of this age, and it is live in more rooms than the panel suggests.
Electrical service and panel: $2,000 to $12,000
What DWV does: Full electrical replacement with a service upgrade, as on the Foster-Powell bungalow.
Ask Don about thisGalvanized steel supply lines narrow with age. On the Foster-Powell bungalow they were replaced from the meter through every fixture.
Part of the electrical, plumbing and heating line
What DWV does: New plumbing from the meter through every fixture.
Ask Don about thisThe waste lines in these houses are often the original cast iron, out of sight under the floors.
Part of the electrical, plumbing and heating line
What DWV does: Replaced with the plumbing where they have failed.
Ask Don about thisBrick chimneys of this age are unreinforced masonry, which matters as soon as the structure around them changes.
Priced on the estimate after the site walk
What DWV does: Looked at with the structure before any wall around it moves.
Ask Don about thisThe walls are usually uninsulated and the windows are single pane wood. Insulation comes up to energy code once the walls are open.
Part of the structure and envelope line
What DWV does: Insulation to current energy code while the walls are open.
Ask Don about thisMany of these houses were first heated with oil, and the tank can still be under the yard. A tank taken out of use is decommissioned by a DEQ licensed service provider.
What is behind the walls: $8,000 to $60,000
What DWV does: Decommissioned by a DEQ licensed service provider.
Ask Don about thisPaint applied before 1978 is treated as lead paint under the renovation rule, and work that disturbs it follows lead safe practices.
A line item, priced before demolition
What DWV does: Lead safe practices, priced before demolition.
Ask Don about thisOregon DEQ requires a survey by an accredited inspector before a house built before 2004 is renovated. Older duct wrap and sheet flooring get tested before anything is disturbed.
A line item, priced before demolition
What DWV does: Surveyed first, then handled the way the survey says.
Ask Don about this
Same spot, before and after.
Siding, trim and facade restoration on a Portland bungalow.
Drag to compare.
A 1924 bungalow with an addition on the back.
“Don Vedaa was our contractor for the huge remodel and addition that we had done on our 1924 Portland bungalow. The work consisted of adding an extension to the back of the house for a bedroom/bath, new kitchen and laundry. Along with these, a dining room was created, existing bathroom remodeled, topped off with a new roof and paint all around. We hired Don based upon the recommendation by our architect that designed the work that we had done, and we could not have been happier with Don's service. From the very beginning Don was responsive and worked hard to get us all of the information needed to make the ultimate decision to have the work done. The COVID-19 pandemic did create some significant challenges between the increased costs and the supply issues, but Don managed to find options that would work when those problems arose.
As always happens with construction, unanticipated issues occurred. We were very pleased with Don's communication with us when these issues arose and his responsiveness in working with his subcontractors to resolve the problems.
The quality of the workmanship and materials
he chose were excellent. Don's expertise shines in the bathroom and kitchen remodeling we had done. We are thrilled to be living in our much improved homed and appreciate all of Don's hard work.”
Jennifer L'HommedieuGoogle reviewThe work Grant Park houses ask for.
The photographs are from our own jobs in Portland.
Kitchens
Most full kitchens we build take six to ten weeks from demolition through final inspection. Fully custom cabinets can add several weeks.
Houses from two different eras
Fernwood's blocks date from 1887 and Dolph Park's from 1924, so the year the house was built decides most of the job. The slider above shows what is typical behind the walls for each.
Additions on Dolph Park's larger lots
Dolph Park lots are larger than Fernwood's. A rear addition goes through structural engineering and the city's plan review before the permit issues.
Bathrooms
Full bathrooms run from about $20,000 to $50,000. Tile, plumbing moves and glass decide where yours lands.
Permits come from the City of Portland.
Grant Park is one of Portland's 95 recognized neighborhoods, and building permits for houses come from Portland Permitting & Development. It is not on the city's list of historic or conservation districts.
Irvington, next door to the west, is a historic district. Its National Register nomination puts the east edge at NE 27th Avenue, so a house near that line gets its address checked before anything is drawn.
Dolph Park was sold in the 1920s with deed restrictions, including a minimum cost for each house.
Check which permits your job needsOur jobs near Grant Park.
Our closest jobs are the two bungalows in Southeast Portland. Tap a pin to see the job.
Creston-Kenilworth
A Portland bungalow with a rear addition matched to its roof pitch.
See this jobNext door: Irvington, Alameda, Laurelhurst
Questions from Grant Park homeowners.
No. Grant Park is not on Portland's list of historic, conservation or National Register districts. The Irvington Historic District begins just to the west.
The district's National Register nomination puts its east edge at NE 27th Avenue. If your house is near that line, we check the address before design, because exterior work inside the district goes through historic resource review.
Yes. Adding a bathroom in an existing space needs a building permit, plus a plumbing permit for the fixtures. We file them and book the inspections.
Most of our full kitchens take six to ten weeks once demolition starts. You get a milestone schedule before the work begins.
Talk directly to Don about your project.
Or pick a time for Don's site walk
“With his good communication comes efficiency and punctuality, he creates a timeline and amazingly sticks to it.”
Kevin Duran · Google review