The Story: When Hidden Damage Changes Everything
Older Detroit homes are full of surprises. The inspector signed off. Our crew found the real work.
What the Inspector Missed
The city inspector cleared the roof before closing. Standard inspection, standard approval. But Arise Above doesn't trust standard inspections—not on 203K projects where the lender's draw schedule has to cover every problem discovered.
Within hours of gaining roof access, we found it: lifting shingles throughout, a bad valley that had clearly been leaking, and structural decay in the decking underneath. A full tear-off and replacement was mandatory. Then we spotted the dormer—pulling away from the wall. More structural repair needed.
This is what separates a 203K specialist from a general contractor. We know what inspectors miss, and we know how to document and budget for it.
Opening the Walls: Mold Behind the Drywall
The back upstairs room had a history of water infiltration. When we pulled the drywall to investigate, the entire ceiling cavity was mold. Not a spot. Not a section. The whole thing—nothing but mold behind what used to be an old addition to the house.
The toilet was positioned on one side of the bathroom, leaving no room for the large double-sink vanity the homeowner wanted. We repositioned it to the other side and full-gutted the bathroom. But that mold in the ceiling? We had to pull all the decking, remediate, and rebuild from the framing up. Full ceiling tear-off, not just patching.
This is why mold remediation on older homes is never a small scope. Once you open the walls, the work grows. A 203K loan has the flexibility to handle it—a regular construction loan would have shut down the project.
The Transformation: Bringing It All Together
What started at $90K covered a far more ambitious scope than anyone anticipated. The homeowner now has a kitchen with custom cabinetry and granite counters, hardwood flooring throughout the main spaces, a completely reconfigured bathroom with that large vanity they wanted, and a wrought iron staircase that ties the whole interior together.
The roof is solid. The dormer is reattached and secure. The ceiling is dry. The mold is gone. Curb appeal is restored. The house went from a financial liability to an investment.
And it all happened because Arise Above knew how to flex the draw schedule, manage the scope, and keep moving through the surprises that always come with older Detroit homes.
