The main living area in a Hideway home remodeled by Jason Healey. (David White/White Photography) 

Jason Healey doesn’t mince words when describing the home he bought in 2016. “It was absolutely a piece of junk — an eyesore. It had every problem in the world.”

But Jason, the owner of East Texas-based Healey Homes, knew that the one-story brick ranch with a sad looking deck could with a stroke of creativity and a lot of hard work become the envy of the neighborhood.

And better yet, the home was located in Hideaway desirable community known for its lakes and golf courses and had a million-dollar view of a section of the lake that seems to go on forever.

A builder who does both high-dollar custom builds and remodels, Jason saw a keeper when others saw something ready for the bulldozer.

“Nothing ergonomically worked in the house,” Jason recalls.

The foundation needed to be rebuilt. There were leaks that had to be fixed. The interior needed to be rearranged to take better advantage of the view. Brush and trees needed to be cleared from the lot.

There were no quick fixes. 

Jason took on the challenge of bringing it back to life.

“I saw potential when I first saw the house but honestly when I began drawing up plans (for the remodel) I could see more of the potential it had,” he says.

Because of the configuration of the narrow lot and deed restrictions, there was only one possibility — build up.

His solution was to reconfigure the layout of the first floor, drastically raise the first-floor ceiling and add a second floor.

The finished remodel is a showpiece.

The old brick facade facing the street has been replaced with an attractive stone exterior. The windows are now framed with brown shutters. The low, flat roof has been replaced with a towering roof that has multiple pitches. The updated front deck looks modern yet retains the relaxed vibe of lakeside living.

The front door opens to a great room housing a kitchen with white countertops and cabinetry, a dining room and den. Large windows looking out over the lake frame a spectacular view and allow natural light to pour in. A back deck running the length of the house offers a place to relax and enjoy refreshing breezes that come off the water.

The master bedroom with its spacious bathroom and walk-in closet, a guest room and a convenient mud room off the garage also are downstairs.

Upstairs are a bathroom, bedrooms, a kitchenette and a multipurpose room that could serve many functions.

Jason uses the home to help potential clients understand the power of possibility when it comes to remodeling a property. Photos showing the home in its pre-remodeled state and documenting the improvements are on view just inside the front door.

“I take people through the home three or four times, sometimes as many as six times, a week,” Jason says.

Many swear that they never would have believed it without seeing the before and after photos. And that is exactly what Jason wants to happen.

“To be honest, clients can have a hard time seeing the vision (of what a remodeled house can be). They look at their house and say ‘no way.’ I tell them that we can do this and that and they look at me like I’m crazy.”

Nobody is looking at Jason like he’s crazy anymore.

“The trick with a remodel is to make it look like it was never a remodel. You want to make it look like a brand new house that was originally built.”

Turning the old house into a showstopper has been one of the most rewarding experiences of Jason’s career.

“It was fun to watch the transformation. This started as an absolute disaster, a piece of junk, an eyesore and we made it into this beautiful jewel.”