Making clients feel at home is one of Bethany House’s most important goals, and a $16,000 project recently completed by Builder Captain Craftmark Homes and HomeAid Northern Virginia has resulted in two fully renovated bathrooms and some much-needed TLC for one of the care provider’s domestic violence safehouses.

The two bathrooms needed significant renovations due to ongoing water damage. “Both bathrooms were damp, uncomfortable environments,” said Catherine Hassinger, executive director of Bethany House of Northern Virginia. “The upstairs bath leaked badly, causing mold and other damage. It was getting to the point where our plumber told us he just couldn’t do anything more—it was time to stop band-aiding the problem and do more extensive work.”

With the help of HomeAid, Craftmark Homes and 11 trade partners the main level bathroom was completely renovated, stripping it down to the studs and installing all new plumbing fixtures, ceramic tile, toilet, pedestal sink, tub, mirror and drywall. Downstairs, the team repaired additional water damage and installed new tile flooring, a vanity with a granite top, a toilet, ceramic tile and fixtures.

“We serve victims of domestic violence, and our goal is to always welcome clients into a home-like setting,” Hassinger added. “We want comfortable, well-decorated homes that don’t feel institutional, and having operating bathrooms is part of any ‘home’ experience! HomeAid is just a fantastic organization, and I wish there were more organizations like them. They make everything so easy—in this case, all the trade partners and Craftmark Homes adjusted their schedule to meet our residents’ needs of confidentiality and security, so no one had to move out or be inconvenienced. It’s just a joy working with them, and our residents love their new bathrooms.”

Craftmark Homes—a first-time Builder Captain—learned about the project through HomeAid Board Member Cecilia Hodges of M&T Bank. “While we try to do as much philanthropic work as we can,” said Court Treuth, vice president of Craftmark, “our line of work doesn’t always mesh well, as we’re a new home builder rather than a remodeler. But we build a lot of affordable and entry-level housing in the D.C. metro area, so we have the right experience. We were able to complete this project at no cost to Bethany House because our trade partners contributed a significant amount of labor and resources, and all we had to do was close the gap. It’s been a very rewarding experience for everyone involved.”