Among the most important improvements to the house are the balconies. In particular the Montview balcony which underwent a complete transformation from porch covering with a parapet wall to an entertainment space that can accommodate dozens of people enveloped by the massive tree canopies.

A number of steps had to take place to make it a reality beginning with removing a huge swamp cooler from the porch roof. Next came access through the vaulted ceiling room by switching out the two end windows for doors. Then came the rebuilding of roof rafters so that it would be safe for the weight of many people. Then it had to be sloped for water under a deck to drain efficiently through the scuppers. This required sleepers to pitch the deck, an impermeable membrane on top and waterproofing the connection to the scuppers. Next came the deck installation.

Patching weak mortar on the parapet wall was necessary for providing a solid base for the railing. After the tuckpointing, stone caps were sourced from a quarry and installed. The caps provided protection from

 water and snow. Finally the rod iron rail that mimics the retaining wall and rail next to the sidewalk was ready to be installed. Lighting was also introduced on the walls and soffit along with power to the balcony.

The rafter tails that ring the balcony presented a challenge in sourcing the wood, deciding on the profile along with oversizing them to cover stained brick, drying them out slowly to avoid cracks, getting the most durable stain possible to protect the exposed end grain and installing them.

The ornate security doors on the Hudson balcony presented an opportunity to correct a poor architectural choice. The unique original French doors had a transom that just needed to be copied that conformed to the double hung windows on either side of it.

The last major project done this summer was replacing the painted shingled gables with an oil based stained shingle.