This mid 19th century home had been constructed with a very traditional two-story porch along the face of the ell. When plumbing was introduced, a sction of both porches was partitioned off to form a new bathroom on each level. Unfortunately water infiltration and construction compromises left the porch and the bathrooms both in poor condition by the turn of the 20th century.
We are reconstructing two bathrooms on a new solid foundation, using modern plumbing and amenities, and completely recreating the porch using modern best practices, but with all trim and siding details of the original replicated to preserve the look and feel of the home.
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This home features the traditional two-story porch along the ell, so typical of this style building.
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A small section of each porch floor was converted to enclose a bathroom space sometime in the early 20th century.
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The porches are railed with an interesting and unique shaped slat baluster, but the rails have suffered the same deterioration which is slowly causing the porch roof to sag.
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Starting to demolish the failing existing structure.
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Clearing the path for new foundations.
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The framing is of a traditional mortise-and-tenon style, but very lightly framed to support a bathroom.
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... And what framing is there is in quite bad shape due to rot.
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We'll excavate deeply enough to provide a secure footing well below frost and below the adjacent areaway floor.
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A new foundation of CMU block veneered in antique brick will be a much better base to carry two bathrooms and a slate roof.
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1st Floor bathroom framed in on the new foundation.
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To properly support the reconstructed porch, we built solid piers with footings below the frost line.
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The new bathrooms are now enclosed and the porch framing is complete. We've begun to gently lift the roof back into its proper line.
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Modern framing, windows, and plumbing will make the home much more livable.
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Beginning to install the new trim and siding.
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The trim and siding are clear yellow pine for durability. The siding is custom-milled "dutch lap" pattern to match the original. All wood is treated with linseed oil and painted with a traditional lindseed oil paint.
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Siding complete and New Porch Posts Installed
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We're installing a new traditional porch ceiling of double-beaded 2" boards which are spaced slightly apart to allow good airflow through the porch framing to promote drying if any moisture enters the porch floor.
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We replicated the existing dentil-style window head trim at the heads of our modern, energy efficient windows.
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The "Linseed Blue" color of our natural linseed oil-based paint fits perfectly in this historic setting.
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We used Icynene sprayed-in open cell insulation in the walls and ceiling to make the structure as airtight and well-insulated as possible. It also has the benefit of greatly discouraging vermin from making homes in the wall cavities.
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Shower pan liner installed, ready for tile.
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These bathrooms, unfinished though they are, are now the most energy efficient rooms in the house.
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With the porches re-established, the refreshed historic character of the home begins to shine through once more.
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A beautiful, hand made set of basement doors of mahogany grace the refreshed entrance.
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Porches and Bathroom Addition Complete
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This renovation is well complimented by the Summer Kitchen Restoration we performed adjacent.
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