The Newlyweds' Cottage - Before

John Sr. and Maymie had The Newlywed Cottage built for their son John Jr. & his new bride Annie just before the U.S. entered World War II.  It was a little home with a living room, kitchen, and dining room on the first floor and the bedroom & bath up on the second.  The parents lived on the property just two houses down from the honeymooners.  When John Jrs. parents passed, the couple moved into the bigger house and rented out their first home for the rest of their lives.

When I bought the cottage it had been vacant for quite a while.  The layout of this small home was not too much different than it had been when the cottage was originally built in the early 1940's.  There were a few clear changes to the finishes inside and out, but in most ways it had been the same for three quarters of a century. 

This was a fun project.  I really enjoyed making the most of what we had to work with and I hope you all like what we ended up with.  Stay tuned for more.

Step 16 - Evaluating the Base, Bones, & Roof

If I'm breaking down what I do and how I do it, the thirteenth step would address the trio of foundation, supporting structure, and the roof. (In no fixed order).  The foundation forms the base of any structure and it's construction is usually the first major component of a new building.  After this groundwork is in place, the structural framing usually goes up next, and then the roof is added up top.  However, there are exceptions to this.  For example, with many pole buildings, the framing is first, the roofing is second, and the concrete/foundation is after (and may even get placed following the installation of the siding, doors, windows and plumbing rough-in).  Think of extreme home renovating as another exception to the norm and remember that you don't necessarily have to tackle it in the order of: foundation first, framing second, and roof third.

The Fire House - Framing/roof came first.

For me the sequencing of these three has varied.  On The Fire House, I focused on the framing, then did the roof, and had no issues with the block or concrete work supporting the home.  The Hurricane House was the same; no foundation issues there either.

On The Cottage, the roof didn't leak and the shingles were in good shape.  So I started with the foundation work on this property before heading inside to move walls and redesign the interior.  On this project I didn't need to add a new roof until I was ready to sell a few years later.

The Bungalow was an example of a project that started with the roof.  When it rained, water came in everywhere.  There were buckets and large plastic containers under the leaks and for the first months of the project these had to be watched and dumped regularly.  On The Detached Garage at the Bungalow (which was a pole building), the slab and the original nine poles were fine, but everything else had to be redone.

The Duplex - The roof was the hot issue due to tenants

On The Duplex, the roof was the hot issue right away as well and was even more significant because I wanted and needed to keep the tenants dry.  (Leaks in the units would lead to unhappy tenants/vacant apartments and I needed that monthly rent to make this project work financially.)  

The Detached Garage at The Fire House was like two different projects that was taken on two distinct ways.  When I bought the property it was half storage and half carport.  The roof had no issues, so I closed in the open areas and then placed concrete after that to make it a two car garage.  However, after the oak tree next to it got struck by lightening and it burned down, I had to rebuild it from what was remaining, which was the concrete slab.

So, understand that every project is different, especially when the home has been condemned or forgotten.  There's no one way to bring it back to life, but you need to be ready to deal with the foundation, the structural framing, and the roof right away. 

The Duplex After - Same view as above

The Fire House After - Same view as above.

The Bungalow - Before.

The Bungalow - After

The Hurricane House - Before

The Hurr. House - After  (Slightly diff. angle)

The Det. Gar. at The Fire House was originally a carport.

The Det. Gar. at TFH after it burned down.

The Rebuilt DG at TFH that started w/ the slab that survived the fire.

Jump to Step 14 - Windows and Exterior Doors

Step 11: Redraw the Floor Plan

For me, the changes to the layout of my rehab have varied. On some projects, I've kept them to a minimum while. On others, I've reworked the entire home, moving nearly every wall, door, and window. I really enjoy redrawing my house because this is when the property begins to transform in my thoughts to what it's going to be when I'm done. That gets me excited, which makes me even more hyped up to get to work. 

As you review the layout of your project house, consider it in three ways: the common areas that everyone shares—kitchen, dining, family room, and hopefully a half bath or powder room. Secondly, the sleeping quarters—bedrooms and any bathrooms dedicated for them. And finally, the smaller rooms—laundry room, linen closets, pantry, utility closets—those necessary rooms that are easier to squeeze in amongst everything else. 

My finish rehabs all tend to feel bigger than their actual square footage. I like to add headers, columns, knee walls, and pass-thru openings to the main living areas. I think this helps to create this open feel, making my houses seem larger than they really are which helps at resale time. If a potential buyer is walking my 1,500 square foot house that feels like others measuring in at two thousand, and priced accordingly, it improves my chances of getting an offer. 

I make an effort to be practical when I redraw the floor plan. What would I want if I were to live there? What would a prospective buyer want? Sometimes a bedroom doesn’t have a closet, which means it’s not going to be considered a bedroom in the eyes of realtors, home shoppers, or appraisers. A dishwasher is another example. I can live without it, yet I'm always sure to find room for one in the kitchen because it helps the house sell. When you're redrawing your layout, think of how you can make it better and what you're going to want, but be most considerate of what others will want, and play it smart. The practical route will get you the biggest payday down the road.

Jump to Step 13: Know Your Limitations