To say these homeowners needed a full house remodel and addition is an understatement. Picture this: a loving couple with two growing kids, all living in a lofted one bedroom, one bathroom house. You read that correctly, four people sharing one bedroom. A small portion on the space was sectioned off for the oldest child while the youngest had their bed in the closet. Thankfully, this family saw the need for more space and Better Builders knew exactly how to execute their plans.
Starting Fresh
This 1909 Craftsman was riddled with asbestos and lead, had no insulation, and nowhere near enough room for the family. Our primary focus was creating more space while maintaining the craftsman feel.
We demolished everything but the living room and front porch, starting fresh while adding a new second story. The original framing required extensive retrofitting to support the new structure. Being on a small lot with non-conforming setbacks, the house is situated unusually close to the front property line. While the first story was grandfathered in, the new level had to meet current setbacks. Resulting in the addition sitting 5 feet back from the front of the first level. We maintained the existing front porch with ample reinforcement and refinishing to stay in the grandfathered setbacks.
The homeowners had a unique request to preserve the original coffered ceiling and fir floors in the living room. This meant going to considerable lengths to protect these features when there was no roof or enclosed walls on the home! With new can lights, insulated walls and bright colors, the living room is now the perfect family space.
More Space
Past the living room, the rest of the first floor saw an increase in square footage. The original kitchen was tiny and closed off from the rest of the house. The appliances and fixtures were outdated and there was hardly any storage.
The new kitchen was outfitted with maple cabinets painted a lovely shade of blue, HanStone quartz countertops, a cast iron farmhouse sink and top of the line appliances. We also laced in new fir flooring, stained to match the original in the living room. The new square footage also allowed for a large built in pantry to be added to the space, more than solving the storage problem the family faced before.
For a fun touch, the antique kitchen sink was repurposed as a vanity in the new powder room off the kitchen!
New Second Story
The original second floor “loft” bedroom is where all four family members slept. With the new seconds story addition, we created two new bedrooms for the kids, a shared bathroom, and a luxurious master suite. Another major challenge was the second story roofline. The homeowners opted to change the design mid project from a flat roof to a non-standard swung hip roofline over a unique footprint. Vaulted ceilings, with exposed asymmetrical glulam beams led to unique architectural profiles in the luxury master suite and two kids’ bedrooms.
To see a few more photos of this full house remodel and addition, visit our project gallery here!
