FEATURED PROJECT · FULL GUT RENOVATION

Brightwood, Washington DC

A classic 1939 DC Colonial in Brightwood, reimagined from the ground up. MJS acquired the property in July 2025, gutted it across all four levels, added a third-story expansion, and brought it to market in April 2026 — repositioned for today's high-end DC buyer with a gourmet chef's kitchen, spa-grade primary suite, finished walk-out lower level, and a premium finish package throughout.

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PROJECT DETAILS

Type :

Full Gut Renovation + Expansion (Residential)

Address:

1507 Underwood St NW, Washington DC 20012

Neighborhood:

Brightwood / 16th Street Heights

Year built:

1939 · Rebuilt 2026

Size:

3,278 sqft (2,485 above + 793 finished below)

Lot:

4,960 sqft

Levels:

4 stories

Bedrooms / Bathrooms:

5 beds · 4.5 baths

Parking:

1-car attached garage + driveway space

EXECUTION

The full scope, by area.

Structural & mechanical
Main level
Upper levels
Finished lower level
Exterior

Demo to studs on all four levels

Third-story expansion (new framing, roof, exterior)

New electrical — panel, service, wiring, recessed lighting throughout

New plumbing rough-ins throughout

New central HVAC

New roof (architectural shingles)

New energy-efficient windows throughout

New front and rear entry doors

New siding on upper floors, painted brick on main level

Load-bearing reconfiguration for open kitchen, living, and dining flow

White oak wide-plank engineered hardwood throughout

Gourmet kitchen: custom wood cabinetry, quartz counters, Viking 36" gas range, pot filler, farmhouse apron sink, premium appliance package

Restored wood-burning fireplace with custom mantel

Built-in features and custom millwork throughout

Main-level powder room with LED smart mirror and brass fixtures

Enclosed sunroom with new wall of windows

New primary suite on third floor: vaulted ceiling, walk-in closet, abundant natural light

Primary ensuite: double vanity, freestanding soaking tub, walk-in shower with marble-look porcelain and dual rain + wall heads, penny-tile floor, matte black fixtures

Three secondary bedrooms across 2nd and 3rd floors

Two additional full baths with premium tile, glass enclosures, and LED smart mirrors

Upper-level stacked Whirlpool washer/dryer

Second kitchen with wet bar: black marble counters, wine refrigerator, sink, floating shelves

Entertainment room with second wood-burning fireplace (painted brick feature wall)

Additional bedroom / flex room

Full bathroom with rain shower

Private rear walk-out entry — in-law or rental-ready configuration

Rent Zestimate on lower level: ~$6,900/mo

Modern black horizontal railing system (front and rear)

Full bluestone patio with tiered stone retaining walls

Custom cedar horizontal privacy fencing

New landscaping, mulch, drainage, hardscape access

Exterior lighting and security-ready wiring

Rear-loaded 1-car garage + driveway restored

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About the Project

Brightwood is one of DC's strongest-appreciating pockets — a neighborhood with the bones of old DC and the demand of new DC. We saw 1507 Underwood as a strategic play on both.

The house was a 1939 Colonial holding about 2,000 square feet of tired, underutilized space when we bought it. Good street. Good lot. Wrong finishes, wrong layout, wrong era.

We took it down to the studs. We added a full third-story primary floor. We reconfigured the main level for open, entertaining-ready living. We finished the lower level as a self-sufficient suite with its own kitchen, bath, and private entry — a real point of leverage in a city where rental income adjacent to a primary residence is rare and valuable.

Every decision ran through one filter: does this move the home from mid-market DC Colonial to top-of-market residence. Nothing subjective. Just disciplined strategy, executed phase by phase.

THE NUMBERS

$745,000 in. $1,699,800 out. That's the case for disciplined construction.

MJS acquired 1507 Underwood St NW in July 2025 for $745,000. After a full top-to-bottom gut, a third-story expansion, and a premium finish package, the home was brought to market in April 2026 at $1,699,800 — a 128% uplift over acquisition, at $519 per square foot.

This project is the clearest possible example of what disciplined construction management does. We didn't get lucky on the market. We executed the plan we built — every phase, every trade, every dollar — and the value followed.

FINISH PACKAGE

What top-of-market looks like in the DMV.

Kitchen

Viking 36" gas range · pot filler · quartz counters · custom wood cabinetry · farmhouse apron sink · glass pendant lighting

Primary bath

Freestanding soaking tub · double vanity · matte black fixtures · marble-look porcelain · penny-tile floor · dual rain + wall shower heads

Secondary baths

Textured tile shower surrounds · glass enclosures · LED smart mirrors · brass accents

Throughout

White oak wide-plank engineered flooring · matte black hardware · recessed LED lighting · shaker interior doors · high ceilings

Lower level

Black marble wet bar · wine refrigerator · restored brick fireplace · walk-out private entry

Energy

Energy-efficient windows · efficient HVAC · efficient appliances throughout