The home at 604 Second St. in Brentwood, Calif., is looking a little spiffier these days—but it hasn’t lost its historic charm. The Bungalow-style house was the latest renovation project for James and Morris Carey, aka The Carey Brothers, a remodeling team and hosts of the “On the House” radio show and podcast. The pair sought to update the house to modern standards while still preserving the look and feel of its storied past.
And what a story it has: The original two-bedroom structure was built in a nearby mining town in the early 20th century, likely from a kit. At some point, the house and a few others were relocated to Brentwood’s now quaint downtown.
The brothers’ goals for modernizing the 1,177-square-foot home were significant yet thoughtful: add 341 square feet to make room for a third bedroom and to convert one existing bedroom into a master suite; replace the deteriorating front porch; repair the foundation; redo the plumbing, heating, electrical system, and insulation; and completely remodel the bathrooms, kitchen, and laundry room.
The team also replaced nearly every exterior component, including the windows and doors, siding, trim, decking, railings, roofing, and patios. Finally, they removed the single-car detached garage and added a 960-square-foot freestanding garage that also includes an office and storeroom.
The home’s original wood siding had extensive rot and pest damage, and its removal was further necessitated by the need for earthquake retrofitting and waterproofing upgrades to the core structure. The Carey Brothers selected TruExterior Siding & Trim for the cladding because it offered the authentic look to replicate the original façade along with high performance and low maintenance.
“We sought to find an attractive, durable, and cost-effective alternative for this special project, and we discovered TruExterior Siding & Trim,” James Carey says. “Their V-Rustic siding profile matches to a T the siding that was originally used to side this charming home’s exterior.”
The homeowners liked it too: “The thing I like about the siding is that it exactly matches the old-time siding that was on our house,” says Mike McClennan. “And it’s made from eco-friendly products. Being a recycled material that gives the old-time look that we wanted, it really fit our project wonderfully.”
To learn more about the use of TruExterior on 604 Second Street, watch this short video: