Dunthorpe Home Remodeling & Additions

Dunthorpe is Portland’s most exclusive residential enclave, home to historic estates and grand properties that demand the highest caliber of construction expertise. Masters Construction specializes in the sensitive restoration and modernization of these significant properties, bringing second-generation knowledge and master-level craftsmanship to every project.

Every project starts with architectural restoration design, so you can walk the design before construction begins.

Even the grandest Dunthorpe estates benefit from updated kitchens and bathrooms. We design and install high-end kitchens with custom cabinetry, premium stone, and professional appliances, plus spa-caliber bathrooms with quality materials and fixtures.

Dunthorpe is unincorporated Multnomah County, so land-use and building review runs through Multnomah County rather than the City of Portland or Lake Oswego. The Riverdale area carries its own development standards. That distinction matters, because the county's residential land-use review can take longer than a city building permit.

• It applies to things city homeowners never think about: setbacks on very large lots, accessory structures, tree removal and site disturbance near steep slopes. Interior kitchen and bath remodels inside the existing footprint typically clear review in about three to six weeks.
• Additions, structural work and accessory structures commonly take ten to sixteen weeks once land-use review, engineering and, on the bluff side, geotechnical work are included. Many Dunthorpe properties also have private wells or septic systems, which brings a health-department review whenever bedrooms or bathrooms are added.
• Masters Construction manages every part: measured existing-conditions drawings, construction documents, and structural and geotechnical engineering coordination. We also handle the land-use and building submittals, written responses to review comments, and all inspections from footing through final. We price the project only after those requirements are settled, so the contract and the permit set describe the same building.

Dunthorpe is one of the oldest and most architecturally serious neighbourhoods in the metro. Estates were built largely between the 1920s and the 1960s: Colonial Revival, Tudor, Georgian and mid-century modern houses on acre-scale grounds. The work these homes need is historic-style additions and whole-home renovation, executed so the new work is indistinguishable from the old.

Behind the plaster the issues are the familiar ones at a larger scale: knob-and-tube or mixed-era wiring, galvanized supply lines, unreinforced foundations and unbolted mudsills. Balloon framing without fire blocking, minimal insulation, original steel or wood windows, and lead paint and asbestos requiring licensed abatement are also common. Systems like boilers, radiators and early ducted heat frequently need replacing outright.

The craft side is what separates a good outcome from a poor one. It means milling trim profiles to match the originals, and keeping window proportions and muntin patterns consistent between old and new. It also means detailing beams flush so ceilings read continuous, and sourcing stone, slate, plaster and hardware that will age alongside the existing house.