Inside, the first floor was completely remodeled. An existing dining room, closet and bedroom were eliminated to create an open plan, making the small footprint feel more spacious. To the east an existing bathroom and stairwell were removed and windows added to take advantage of views over Madison Valley. The existing kitchen cabinets were reused and relocated to accommodate the new floor plan. An existing deck remains off the new dining room.
A new stairway leads to the second floor where three bedrooms and a bath were added to serve the family of four. Each room is located at a corner providing for natural light and ventilation from two sides. The bathroom is designed with a second sink outside the bathing area to allow for multiple users at one time. An attic loft, accessible by a ladder in the second floor hall, provides additional family space and storage. The new stair also serves the existing basement containing an existing garage, mechanical room, laundry room, and children's playroom. As on the first floor, interior partitions were removed for more open space and the laundry relocated for better connection of the playroom to the yard.
Windows, interior doors, plumbing and electrical fixtures were removed during demolition and stored for reuse. The existing basement provided dry, safe storage for these components as well as new material. Kitchen cabinets were left in place and protected during construction, as was an existing basement bathroom. Mechanical ducts to be reused were left in place and sealed to keep out construction dust and will be cleaned before occupancy.
Construction of the project began in the fall so much of the framing was done during Seattle?s wet winter months. Work on site was sequenced such that the exterior framing, building wrap, and siding were installed as quickly as possible to make the house weather tight. Before installing interior finishes, however, heaters were brought in to dry the structure to 16% moisture content, preventing water molecules from becoming trapped in the wall assembly and growing mold. Also related to water protection, special attention was paid to wall penetrations, particularly proper window opening wrap and installation. Click here to learn more about this process.
Energy efficiency was another important goal for the remodeled home. Solar hot water is installed at the south façade and wiring is provided for future rooftop photovoltaic array. High efficiency equipment was selected for heat and domestic hot water. Existing walls were opened up and new cellulose insulation was installed throughout. A blower door test was performed to confirm optimum building envelope performance. Windows are double pane, highly insulated, and have a low solar heat gain coefficient (SHGC) to prevent unwanted solar gain in summer months. Operable windows provided at the top of the staircase will contribute to stack effect and natural ventilation in summer. No air conditioning is installed in the home.
