Kieffer House

We're Back!

2009-05-19T22:55:00.000-07:00

We returned to our home on Mother's Day, May 10th, after an unplanned five weeks away! The wait was worth it, as we have been able to complete most of the painting, and now can focus on completing the baby's room and doing touch up work.

Excitement Building...

2009-05-19T21:57:00.000-07:00

Third week in April. The glass for the downstairs shower has been installed and it looks wonderful (the tape will come off of course). The shower has been grouted and is ready to use, although the rest of the bathroom is not yet complete. This is one of the most exciting parts of the project for me, and the result is really satisfying!

After the hardwood floors were finished, we realized that painting would be much easier and safer for everyone if we stayed with my folks and worked on it during the week. So...I've spent every night for several weeks working on the rooms, and finally finished the first one, the new bedroom. On a positive note, I now feel confident painting without tape!

The floors look great.

The room won't be completely done until I finish the closet and bookshelf.

Joaquin's room is also nearing completion.

Sometimes Mistakes are Good

2009-05-17T22:44:00.000-07:00

During the first week of April the tile installers finished the installation in our downstairs bathroom. When I first saw the completed product, I noticed immediately that they had neglected to include an accent piece of lightly colored glass tile that was sit above and below the main accent strip of small recycled glass rectangles. Despite that error, both Cynthia and I found we actually liked the look as much, perhaps more, than the original design.

The shower will have a natural stone floor and soapbox, something I've always admired. The walls are 3x6 subway tile.

As the project nears completion, our contractor's guys have been completing some finish molding around the house, including the passage between the kitchen the new office.

The threshold between the dining room and the family room, previously just exposed drywall, will now feature a very nice molding.

Fulfilling a long-held wish, we added crown molding around the existing house, as the original had likely been removed years ago.

Facing reality

2009-05-17T22:31:00.000-07:00

During the initial design and construction phase, Cynthia and I had convinced ourselves that we would not need a formal closet in our bedroom, that we would use an armoire or something else. Unfortunately, as the project draws closer to it's completion, the need for a closet has become obvious. We asked our contractor to add one during the first week of April, after the floors had been done. He agreed and it was constructed in just a day, leaving me much less anxious.

The new floors look great.

The closet will be large enough for our clothes and some storage and will close with two swinging doors. We considered sliders and even a nice set of bi-fold doors I found online, but in the end aesthetics won out.

Old lath and plaster visible in the new closet.

The new closet requires a small amount of the bedroom that will become the baby's. We will add a small built-in to this entry area to make the closet appear more functional.

Floors!

2009-05-17T22:06:00.001-07:00

During the last week of March, the new flooring was installed. The flooring contractor advised he would need to sand the entire hallway/landing area to ensure a uniform appearance with the new oak upstairs. Given that necessity, we decided to have both of the other bedrooms done to ensure a match. This required moving out of the house for at least a week.

The work took just a few days, and with very little dust.

The flooring upstairs is oak.

We matched the existing fir downstairs, although the installer's recommendation was to install clear fir initially and allow it to age to match the existing color.

Bean's room.

Landing and hallway.

Baby's room.

Paint! Paint! Paint!

2009-03-26T00:03:00.000-07:00

March 22nd. Cynthia and Joaquin have left to enjoy California, time to paint. Our friend Kyle and my folks pitch in help out.

The Reveal

2009-03-25T23:55:00.000-07:00

March 20th. The addition has been opened to the rest of the house, very exciting.

Built-in's have been installed in the bathrooms, office, and bedroom.

Bookshelf.

Somewhat surreal view.

The built-in's are made of very simple material. All will be painted.

Little by Little

2009-03-25T23:45:00.000-07:00

March 16th. The pan for the shower has been poured. Tile coming soon.

Wainscoating going in.

Originally we planned to paint both primer and color with Mike and Lupe, but things were delayed a bit. We struck a deal with the contractor to spray the primer. Big help!

The accent color has been applied.

Wake up!

2009-03-25T23:34:00.000-07:00

March 14th. Now that's color! We decided to repaint the kitchen with the help of Cynthia's parents, Mike and Lupe, who came up to assist. The first paint choice came out like pepto, so we decided to go bold. Side benefit: I never thought I would say this, but the cabinets look ok.

Insulation is good!

2009-03-25T23:13:00.000-07:00

Work has slowed down a bit on the project as it moves to the interior finish. The insulation and drywall have been installed.

Slow Week

2009-03-07T10:02:00.001-08:00

March 2nd-6th. Hello! This has been a relatively slow week when compared with the rest of the project, but the highlight was the application of paint to the upstairs. Cynthia and I researched several options, and selected colors that are bright currently, but will likely fade to the hue we really want. Most of the house faces south and west, and receives brutal sun and harsh weather throughout the year. Fading WILL happen.

These pictures indicate the application of two of the three colors we selected. The house will additionally have an accent color that will run around the crown molding beneath the eaves, on a bullnose in the middle of the upper trim, and underneath the windows.

Our contractor made a good offer to paint the upstairs portion of the house, something we gladly accepted. I don't want to die!

A small piece of trim was added this week under the window sills to complete the look and provide an additional area for the accent color.

We have heat! The HVAC system has been fully installed and we came home on 2/27 to find our upstairs nice and warm. The register installed by the contractor was not as flush as we'd hoped, however, and we'll be replacing these within the next few weeks.

New Bedroom

2009-03-07T09:41:00.001-08:00

March 2nd. The new bedroom addition has been sealed and the ductwork installed.

This is the view from what will be a small hallway leading to the room, with entry from a new doorway in the upstairs landing. You can see the plumbing for the washer/dryer on the right. Everything has it 's space on this job, and there is very little left over!

Ducts are insulated as they run through the ceiling and attic.

Old to new.

One of the biggest goals we had in achieving this project was to finally connect the upper half of our house to the central heating system. Up until now we have lived with only a single register in the upstairs hallway, making for some very chilly nights! You can see here that we had to sacrifice a small part of the corner of the bedroom for the HVAC stack, but we believe it's more than worth the loss of space. At the conclusion of the project, all of the upstairs rooms will have their own registers.

Twin skylights above the bed will be nice.

A somewhat jarring sight. Old roof meets new addition.

Drywall is here.

This will be a small nook for books, artwork, cell phones, etc. A small can light in the ceiling will provide illumination.

Who Hoo!

2009-02-28T09:26:00.001-08:00

Thursday the 26th. Yes! The siding has been installed and trim boards attached to complete the desired look. We are very happy with the result and our contractor is as well. The trim details will allow the house to really return to it's original design.

We added large fascia boards above the windows to return the house to it's original foursquare design. The boards are 18" wide, and we added a small trim detail in the middle to carry an accent color once painted. Additionally, we widened the corner trim, added crown above the fascia, and widened the trim around the windows. Once the siding is complete, we will add a small detail under the window sills to complete the look.

Where the addition meets the orgiginal house will probably bother me for years, but we simply can't afford to re-side the entire house currently. The transition will become less jarring once paint is applied, however.

The carport is gone! Now we need to design the backyard.

The rain has come

2009-02-28T09:08:00.000-08:00

Tuesday the 24th. The felt is on and siding will begin tomorrow. We were very happy to see the trim begin to be installed on Monday, including the water table board near the foundation. We realized only a few weeks ago that these details were not included in the bid from our contractor, and had to scramble to make sure he could add them.

These trim details will make a big difference on the exterior once complete.

The first and hopefully last disappointment of the project for me is something that's relatively small. We arranged for our builder to install tounge and groove under the eaves as opposed to plywood, as it clearly is more in line with the age of the home. This was an expensive addition as T&G is not cheap, but unfortunately I was not specific about how it was to be installed. As a result, the ends of the T&G, as they round the corners, are cut at 45 degree angles, whereas most older homes have a design in which the ends are staggered and create a weave effect. A simple miscommunication, our contractor indicates this is the way he's always done it and I think once it's painted it will look fine. It's a lesson for me, as a slightly OCD person, that I need to be very specific about details if they are going to matter in the future!

French door is in!

Demolition is progressing on the carport. I'm glad I handed this off.

Where's the rain?

2009-02-28T08:15:00.000-08:00

Saturday the 21st. Beautiful day, although the forecast does call for showers later. Cynthia, Joaquin, and I took the opportunity to inspect the work and came away very happy. Joaquin is especially pleased with all the new opportunities to get dirty!

Our builder was able to roof both stories on the 20th, so rain should not be an issue. The old house is now completely closed off and no longer exposed with the exception of the old siding on the western wall.

The skylight for the office is looking good.

The deck is done! We love it.

New bathroom space. This will be the sink and medicine cabinet.

Shower here.

Perhaps as exciting as any development during this project, the carport is leaving! After years of enduring a love/hate relationship with it, we're bidding it fond goodbye. I originally planned to remove it myself, but after pricing the rental cost of a jackhammer, concrete drop box, dump run, and rebar cutter, the price our builder offered was nearly the same, and didn't require two days of grueling work!

Revealing Itself

2009-02-28T07:59:00.000-08:00

Thursday the 19th. The roof outline is nearly complete and the application of felt will soon begin on the plywood. We have been EXTREMELY lucky with the weather, as we've had sunny days nearly throughout the framing process. This has been crucial, especially during the days that the old house had to be opened to make room for the new addition. The builder will try to actually roof the house on Friday the 20th, as the forecast finally calls for rain over the weekend.

We will finally have an easy means of accessing the backyard.

The Trex is being installed. Trex is a recycled material, a bit more expensive than wood, but with a much longer lifetime and again without the maintenance issues.

We found a cool old french door at the Rebuilding Center, a local nonprofit that takes in used items and makes them available to everyone. The door will hopefully grace our bathroom downstairs.

Taking Shape

2009-02-28T07:41:00.000-08:00

Wednesday the 18th. The roof trusses have been raised above the 2nd story and the outline of the addition's profile is beginning to become apparent.

The deck is quickly beginning to take shape, and the Trex material has arrived. We are very excited to have stairs on three sides.

The siding has arrived and will likely be installed next week. This is Hardiplank siding, a fiber cement product that will be very durable and require far less maintenance than wood.

Meanwhile, in the kitchen, pipes from the new bathroom needed somewhere to go, and this was the easiest fix. To compensate, our builder created a nice soffit that had room for heavy insulation to reduce noise significantly. Additionally, we decided to seize the opportunity to brighten the kitchen a bit and added three halogen can lights above the sink and main counter areas. Expecting a huge box, we were pleasantly surprised to see how the soffit came out as it really fits nicely into the kitchen.

2009-02-22T14:12:00.000-08:00

2/17/09. The second story is framed.

The beginnings of the deck are apparent.

Construction continues unabated

2009-02-22T11:07:00.000-08:00

Monday the 16th. Interior framing of the downstairs is done.

The contractor is adding a barrier to ensure the deck, when and if it begins to rot, does not transmit the decay to the house.

Cool!

We discovered the house continues to have tounge and groove siding under old plywood installed in the 50's or 60's. Hope to salvage.

Framing Begins

2009-02-14T10:49:00.000-08:00

By Friday the 13th the first floor walls have been framed! This has been a very fast moving week with a new sight and look everyday.

The exterior layout is beginning to take shape. The opening for the french door is visible, along with the windows for the bathroom and office.

This is the space where the office/craft area will be. That window on the west wall will actually be moving up to match the others.

The addition will be strapped to the new foundation using these bolts. Should be very strong and will actually anchor the main house!

The ground cover has been laid and you can see additional straps for the foundation. This was required by the city and will incur an extra inspection. The straps will be connnected by bolts drilled into the existing foundation wall of the main house and then will be secured with epoxy. While there is an extra cost, we may be able to qualify for earthquake insurance or a discount from our homeowner's insurance provider (fingers crossed).

Beginning anew

2009-02-14T10:44:00.001-08:00

Wow! Our contractor requested, and we agreed, to use new beams to reframe the addition instead of relying on the old 2x4's. Instead, we will use 2x6's to ensure enough strength. That being said, the old addition is completely gone except for the subfloor.

Hmmm....

Joaquin is very excited about the project!

Everyday brings a new sight.

Demolition continues

2009-02-14T10:34:00.001-08:00

We arrived home on Wednesday the 11th to find all the siding gone and just a skeleton.

The house looks very different.

Yikes! No wonder the water pressure has been an issue.

Found these old newspapers in the wall used as insulation. Unfortunately there was no date visible, but I suspect they date from the 1930's, when the addition was put on.

New foundation is ready to go.

Demolition

2009-02-14T10:27:00.001-08:00

Demolition began on Monday the 9th of February with the removal of all of the interior plaster and lath. We came home to significant dust and debris in the house, so our contractor was able to rig up a better system for Tuesday.

What a sight!

The new foundation was also poured.

The Addition Begins!

2009-02-14T10:10:00.000-08:00

The old addition slanted down about 3 degrees, making for a very noticeable slope, especially in the bathroom. The plan is to completely deconstruct the old addition, pour a new foundation and level the new framing with the rest of the house.

We are really ready to say goodbye to the old bathroom!

Unfortunately the fir floors in the TV room cannot be saved, we will have to try and match them with salvaged or new floors.

Tile and Trim Cont..

2009-02-08T09:54:00.001-08:00

The soapbox is one of the features we're most excited about. We love how it looks!

Once the medicine cabinet was installed we realized it was about an inch too low! Hopefully it can be moved up. The vanity will also be raised a bit.

Finally a sink you can wash your face in!

The tile installers did a wonderful job. We are very happy with the result.

Tile and Trim

2009-02-08T09:44:00.001-08:00

Ta Dah! Tile required most of the week of February 2-6th, but on Friday the 6th we came home to a fully operable bathroom. Subway tile with a small accent strip at shoulder height in the shower and wainscoating of subway tile with a matching accent strip around the room. The floor is made of 2" hex tile with a subway and accent border.

Our contractor was able to bring the trim in-line with the rest of the upstairs. Most of the trim around the windows in the house was butchered 15-20 years ago during installation of double-pane glass, so we were happy to see it return.

The space for the washer and dryer is ready to go. Sears is coming in the next week to install.

Paint

2009-02-08T09:34:00.000-08:00

Many hours of painting over the weekend, but happy with the results. As always, edges are the most difficult and time consuming. Here's to hoping the tile distracts from the imperfections!

Drywall

2009-02-08T09:28:00.000-08:00

Drywall up! We left one morning for work with bare studs and came home to find the entire bathroom walled, taped, mudded, and textured! This left Gabe the weekend task of priming and painting.

Incredible to see things move this fast after waiting so long.

Insulation

2009-02-08T09:23:00.001-08:00

Insulation of the space moved quickly. We're most excited about adding a skylight to the new bathroom! This has been a dream of Gabe's for a number of years. The contractor also widened the walls a bit to allow for full insulation.

Demolition and Framing

2009-02-08T09:14:00.000-08:00

Demolition of the bedroom and framing of the new bath began during the week of January 19th. The work moved much more quickly than we anticipated, a nice surprise! After years of wondering what the old house looked like underneath, it was wonderful to see the layers peeled back.

Our contractor advised us he would also be able to raise the ceiling height in the bathroom without any additional cost. The bathroom will now have 9' ceilings to match the addition.

Upstairs Bathroom

2009-02-08T09:11:00.000-08:00

One day we came home and found we could look directly into the old bedroom/new bathroom from outside. Needless to say, the house is a bit more drafty than it used to be.

Foundation Work

2009-02-08T09:01:00.000-08:00

During the 2nd week, the crew excavated the existing foundation for the addition and began to prepare the site for a new pour.

Renovation Begins!

2009-02-08T08:24:00.000-08:00

The process began on 1/15/09 with the removal of the asbestos siding from the addition and the back wall of the house. Cynthia and I removed all belongings from Joaquin's old room and took pictures of the beautiful mural she and her mom painted before he was born, soon be no more.

Construction Update

2009-02-01T22:59:00.000-08:00

Construction on our project began on 1/15/09. Contractor Alex Ioanaide of Western Oregon Builders is completing the work.

A1.0 - Cover Sheet

2009-02-01T21:30:00.002-08:00

A1.1 - Project Notes

2009-02-01T21:30:00.001-08:00

A1.2 - Site Plan

2009-02-01T21:25:00.001-08:00

A1.6 - Main Level Demo Plan

2009-02-01T21:23:00.002-08:00

A1.7 - Upper Level Demo Plan

2009-02-01T21:22:00.003-08:00

A2.0 - Basement Plan

2009-02-01T21:22:00.001-08:00

A2.1 - Main Level Plan

2009-02-01T21:21:00.000-08:00

A2.2 - Upper Level Plan

2009-02-01T21:19:00.000-08:00

A2.3 - Roof Plan

2009-02-01T21:16:00.001-08:00

3.0 - Elevation

2009-02-01T21:15:00.004-08:00

A3.1 - Elevation

2009-02-01T21:15:00.003-08:00

A3.2 - Elevation

2009-02-01T21:15:00.001-08:00

A3.3 - Elevation

2009-02-01T21:11:00.000-08:00

A4.0 - Section

2009-02-01T21:10:00.002-08:00

A4.1 - Section

2009-02-01T21:10:00.001-08:00

A4.2 - Section

2009-02-01T21:09:00.000-08:00

A5.0 - Interior Elevations

2009-02-01T21:08:00.000-08:00

A5.1 - Interior Elevations

2009-02-01T21:00:00.000-08:00

A6.1 - Main Level Ceiling Plan

2009-02-01T10:20:00.000-08:00

A6.2 - Upper Level Ceiling Plan

2009-02-01T10:13:00.000-08:00

A8.0 - Details

2009-01-31T13:53:00.000-08:00

A2.1 - Main Level Plan

2008-07-27T19:34:00.002-07:00

A2.2 - Upper Level Plan

2008-07-27T19:34:00.001-07:00

A3.0 - North Elevation

2008-07-27T19:33:00.002-07:00

A3.1 - West Elevation

2008-07-27T19:33:00.001-07:00

A3.2 - South Elevation

2008-07-27T19:32:00.001-07:00

A3.3 - East Elevation

2008-07-27T19:30:00.001-07:00

Project Description

2008-07-06T21:30:00.001-07:00

Cynthia and Gabe Kieffer's 1908 foursquare house has an existing addition in the back that Cynthia and Gabe wish to renovate, mainly in order to gain a full bathroom upstairs. They would also like to renovate the main bath on the main level of the existing addition - making it bigger. The existing passage to the back yard is awkward, so Cynthia and Gabe have thought of making a new door and deck from the back addition that will be closer to their garage. Finally, they would like space for the laundry room in the back addition, if possible.

The feasibility of this project will depend upon the construction cost, and we are aiming at a cost of under $100,000. For this reason, we would like to use the City of Portland's "Minor Dormer Addition" criteria to avoid costly seismic upgrades. Also, we would like to keep the waste stack in the existing location to keep the plumbing cost down.

Existing Photos

2008-07-06T21:28:00.000-07:00

Design 1 - Main Level

2008-07-06T21:25:00.000-07:00

1. The kitchen really should be closed off to bathroom and laundry functions. Because we are adding a new back door which will be closer to the garage, bringing in groceries in the rain a better experience than it is now. And this may give you more space for countertops, recycling, etc. in the kitchen.

2. The new back door could be a slider (as shown) if we find one that allows an exterior keyed entry. Otherwise, we should install french doors. This door will need a deck on the exterior for code reasons (exterior doors need landings). Your existing overhang provides minimal shelter from the rain... perhaps we should think of building something more substantial. A pergola?

3. I imagine that you want to keep your existing closet... but if not, we could have more flexibility with the bathroom and laundry functions.

4. This little vestibule in front of the bathroom allows visitors a bit of privacy. I think this is especially important, as you use that back room as a tv room. We should make sure that you keep your existing cast iron waste stack - don't change it to ABS - as cast iron keeps flushing noises down. Also, we can add insulation in the walls between the bathroom and your tv room for added sound privacy.

5. The laundry room is a pretty standard size for a house this size, and full-size washer and dryer are shown in the plan. Also shown is a 3-ft. wide door, as this will make it easier to move the washer and dryer in, not to mention full loads of laundry. A bonus to this design is that we could install a laundry chute from upstairs to drop into this room!

6. A new window directly opposite the bathroom door would be a nice move. I've shown where a pocket door could be installed to allow further privacy in the toilet room. Let me know if this is or is not attractive to you as a feature. It's a pretty personal choice! Leaving the toilet in its existing location, as shown, is a cost saving feature. It costs less to locate all plumbing fixtures, especially toilets, close to the existing plumbing stack.

7. A 3 ft. x 4 ft. shower fits nicely here, with a long wall for towels. A frosted-glass window on the north wall would let the light pool in this space nicely. We could also consider a skylight or a solatube in this space, if desired.

Design 1 - Upper Level

2008-07-06T21:20:00.000-07:00

1. We've used part of the north bedroom to create a 3-ft. wide hallway to the addition.

2. The small bedroom is still a little more than 7-ft. wide. You're right that spatially, this space works better as a bathroom. But the existing waste stack serving the kitchen sink is too small to serve another toilet, shower, and sink upstairs without resizing. This would involve some concrete removal in the basement to tie a new stack into the existing drain line. I imagine that your existing drain line runs down the middle part of your basement. It's certainly possible, just a bit more money than is really necessary.

3. The existing parents' bedroom can easily gain another closet from this addition... if you want one. Let me know if this is a priority for you.

4. A long room with low bookshelves and lots of windows (double or single hung to match your existing style) would provide a nice 'away space'. The low bookshelves could become a window seat instead if we shift the addition a few inches north. Somewhere in this area a drop for the laundry chute could be located.

5. A standard size bathroom, leaving space for the existing waste stack (which will be extended up), fits nicely in this space. I've shown a window opposite the sink, just because I think this is a neat option. We could alternatively put a window looking into the back yard. And skylights and/or solatubes would also be easy to install here. But be careful! South and west exposures bring in the most heat. For windows in this room, we should consider a tint to the glass, at the very least.

Design 2 - Upper Level

2008-07-06T21:15:00.000-07:00

1. Again, a closet for the parents' bedroom is an easy thing to build with this addition. If it's more important to you, we can make a door here so that you have easy access to the bathroom.

2. This small vestibule can contain a window seat with a laundry chute underneath!

3. I thought a separate bath/shower room might be desired... and this fits easily. A pocket door would work here, too.

4. A sink and toilet in this somewhat generous room fit well, with windows on each side of the sink. Building a long counter along the sink wall would be easy, and give you more storage, too.

Model Animation

2008-07-06T21:10:00.000-07:00