These Homeowners had set some very ambitious goals to open space and make their home more functional for their lifestyle and that of their family. The design involved taken down many of the interior walls which divided this main level, closing of the entry to the rear yard and basement to make use of additional square footage, and installing flush girders to support the load above with post to transfer the load below.

Furthermore, the renovation included remodeling the kitchen and converting the existing half bath to a functional three fixture bathroom featuring a level entry shower system. For an explanation of the level entry system click here.

The construction required building numerous temporary walls to install the required girders and headers. Because this home was constructed in the late 1930’s, the construction methods used to build this home were much different then construction methods used today. The style of wood-house building that was used, uses long, vertical 2″ x 4″s for the exterior walls. These long “studs” extend uninterrupted, from the sill on top of the foundation, all the way up to the roof.

During the course of this project we were faced with several unforeseen issues with the home, such as termite damage, two wall which turned out to be load bearing supporting the stairs, and a dropped mortar bed which interfered with the installation of a required double header.

After overcoming the obstacles, we were able to move forward with the progress of the project.