Willo Historic District · Phoenix
A familiar face.
Renewed from the brickwork out.
A rebuilt bay window, carefully repaired masonry, and outdoor spaces made for gathering give this 1935 Spanish Colonial Revival home a more useful life outside its walls.
Residential Exterior $100,000–$200,000
Spanish Colonial Revival
Phoenix, Arizona
garage renewal, and updated utilities
The couple’s return to a family home began with a simple ambition: make it feel cared for again, from the front walk to the backyard.
The husband had grown up in this house. As he and his wife prepared to move back, the exterior needed the same careful attention as the rooms inside. Aging mortar, deteriorated window supports, and weathered finishes called for repair. Behind the house, worn paving and awkward connections between the rooms and yard limited how the property could be used.
We approached the exterior as part of the larger homecoming. The brick façade and familiar entry would keep their identity. The patios, garage, and service areas would be reconsidered around the homeowners’ daily life.
The view from the street
Giving the house room to be seen
A large, diseased tree had become a dominant presence in the front yard. Its removal opened the view of the house and brought more daylight to the façade. The renewed landscape gives the brickwork, low roofline, and recessed entry a clearer place in the streetscape.
The front step received new tile selected to sit comfortably beside the original materials. Low-maintenance plantings and a revised approach to the entry complete the setting without crowding the architecture. The before-and-after views show how much the arrival changed while the house itself remained recognizable.
Repairing the original fabric
The bay window needed more than new glass
Replacing the bay window exposed a problem beneath its familiar shape. As the old assembly came apart, weakened masonry began to crumble. The opening needed new support and a rebuilt sill before replacement windows could be installed.
That repair belonged to a broader effort to restore the exterior brickwork. Masons removed deteriorated mortar from the joints and repointed them by hand, retaining the brick surfaces that give the home its texture. At the bay, the new framing and sill support the replacement window while preserving the projection that helps define the front patio.
What the finished window depends on: Sound support beneath the sill and carefully repaired masonry around the opening. The visible finish was the last part of the work.
Fresh stucco and paint addressed other exterior surfaces. Together with the windows and repaired brick joints, these changes renewed the building’s weather protection while keeping its mix of masonry, plaster, and wood details legible.
A better way into the backyard
Opening the door meant fixing the threshold
The old backyard door had allowed water into the home. A replacement door alone would have left the surrounding drainage problem unresolved. We rebuilt the exterior opening, regraded the area at the threshold, and sealed the transition to address the route water had been taking inside.
A new three-panel door brings more light to the adjoining room and makes the passage to the patio easier to use. Pavers replace deteriorated flagstone outside, creating a new surface for the outdoor dining and kitchen area. A small dog door and step accommodate another member of the household.
Making space for company
More than one place to gather
The backyard now offers room for a meal, a conversation, or an afternoon outside the music room. Patio areas connect the house to the yard, with planting and open space between them. Exterior lights inspired by vintage gas lanterns carry the home’s older character into the evening.
The reconstructed den also changed the rear elevation. Rebuilt walls and a raised roofline bring that part of the house into a more comfortable relationship with the music room. Fresh stucco and coordinated paint give the repaired areas a more settled appearance.
Planning around the utilities
A new electrical service changed the gate’s location
The homeowners requested a 400-amp electrical service upgrade as the house’s systems were modernized. The existing panel was at the rear of the property. The replacement needed an accessible location on the driveway side, which meant the gate and service equipment could not be planned independently.
We relocated the gate to the rear corner so the new panel could remain accessible. The work coordinated the service upgrade with the property’s circulation and enclosure, alongside the new HVAC system and tankless water heater. The water heater was positioned near the original grate, with landscaping helping it sit more quietly in the backyard view.
A new block privacy wall replaced the old wood fence along the driveway. Custom gates complete the enclosure and define the route between the driveway and backyard. These changes improve privacy while leaving the service area reachable.
The outbuilding earns its place
Returning the garage to everyday use
The detached garage needed repairs as well as a clearer purpose. We opened deteriorated walls, added framing, and installed new windows and doors. Renewed stucco brings the outbuilding into the same material palette as the main house.
Moving the washer and dryer inside the home freed space in the garage. A wash sink keeps a useful work area available, and an original side-entry door was reused to replace a deteriorated door. The result serves the practical needs of the property while carrying a piece of the older house forward.
“Like she’s always been loved.”
Homeowner response recorded in the exterior project’s award entry
The completed exterior
Familiar from the sidewalk. Different to live with.
The restored brickwork and bay window still belong to the house the family remembers. Behind them, repaired openings, renewed surfaces, and updated utilities support the homeowners’ return. Outside, the patios offer places to spend time together, and the garage once again serves the property.
This exterior restoration received the 2026 NARI National Remodeler of the Year Award for Residential Exterior $100,000–$200,000. Its story continues inside: explore the complete Willo home renovation to see the reconstructed den, connected kitchen, and renewed living spaces.
What does your older home need to keep doing well?
Start with the places where age is affecting daily use: a window that needs repair, water at a doorway, an outdoor area you rarely enjoy, or a garage that no longer works. Understanding how those conditions connect can shape a more useful restoration plan.
Award-Winning Home Remodeling Services
Tell us what you want to preserve and where your home needs attention. We’ll begin with a conversation about its character, the repairs it needs, and how you would like to live there.