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Tip to Toe Remodel of a badly abused 1906 Victorian

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By deedsdesign

 

 

Sarah Deeds (and deedsdesign) got her start in solo architecture practice while remodelling this neglected old house. In the process of renovation she used many salvaged materials, high volume flyash concrete, recycled blue jean and recycled newspaper insulation, a high efficiency furnace, on-demand water heater, dual flush toilets, energy efficient appliances, locally crafted light fixtures, countertops, & windows, 50-year roofing, zero-voc and low voc paints, engineered lumber, marmoleum, drip irrigation, and more.

Interestingly, Hub pages also got its start living and working on site in this project.

 

 


Back of the house
Back of the house
East side
East side
Entry to old partial basement, note crumbling concrete
Entry to old partial basement, note crumbling concrete
The garage: look at all the extra stuff I got with the house!
The garage: look at all the extra stuff I got with the house!
Third floor heating system and low 7'3 ceilings
Third floor heating system and low 7'3 ceilings

Almost four years ago I started this restoration/renovation project. The first steps were a modern reinforced concrete foundation and a new 50-year roof. Slowly I have been repairing, replacing, remodelling, and adding on in between.

Due to budgetary constraints, it was never an ideal construction environment. There was a tenant napping downstairs (unbeknownst to me) when the house was lifted. She woke up to Phil Joy, the enormous owner of Phil Joy House Movers, showing me how he could shake the whole house by doing a little dance in her living room! An Internet company got its start in my garage while I tore the siding off and acid-etched the concrete floor, and my architectural office was on site the entire time.

These first pictures (to the right and above) are of the house when I bought it.

The existing foundation was mostly brick. It was capped at some point...and had big cracks. There was a partial basement with low ceilings and dirt or cracked concrete floors. I knew that the foundation had to be replaced, but decided to go beyond just replacing it. I decided to dig out all the dirt and lift the house and create a whole basement level with 9 foot ceilings and windows all around.

All the plumbing lines were shot, the electrical was mostly knob and tube and hadn't been upgraded in many years. The heat was a flimsy sheet metal fireplace and an old direct vent heater. Most of the windows needed replacement. There was no insulation anywhere. The entire thing was covered in aesbestos shingles and peeling paint. There was a crappy rotting wood porch along the west side. Maybe it should have been torn down....but for some reason I fell in love with the place.

The first step was to dig out enough dirt to make room for the stacks of cribbing. We had to take out some of the interior concrete retaining walls to allow access for the Bobcat. It was a bit scary to live on top with those unbraced wooded posts
The first step was to dig out enough dirt to make room for the stacks of cribbing. We had to take out some of the interior concrete retaining walls to allow access for the Bobcat. It was a bit scary to live on top with those unbraced wooded posts
This is another photo of Hillary in his Bobcat...looking out toward the street.
This is another photo of Hillary in his Bobcat...looking out toward the street.
This is Ruben and Henry (of angress construction) tearing off the rickety and rotten porch on the west side of the house. There was no point in lifting this with the rest of the house. Later on, this is where we added the new kitchen nook and small
This is Ruben and Henry (of angress construction) tearing off the rickety and rotten porch on the west side of the house. There was no point in lifting this with the rest of the house. Later on, this is where we added the new kitchen nook and small
This is Phil Joy's truck with connections to each of the six hydraulic jacks that raised the house as the workers stacked the cribbing higher and higher.
This is Phil Joy's truck with connections to each of the six hydraulic jacks that raised the house as the workers stacked the cribbing higher and higher.
This shows one of the jacks and a steel beam that supported the center of the floor joists
This shows one of the jacks and a steel beam that supported the center of the floor joists
Once they got the house just a bit higher than it would eventually be, they removed the jacks and set it down on the cribbing.
Once they got the house just a bit higher than it would eventually be, they removed the jacks and set it down on the cribbing.
and this is how it was for a couple of months. My clients had to reach my office by wooden gang plank!
and this is how it was for a couple of months. My clients had to reach my office by wooden gang plank!
This is the rebar for the new foundation
This is the rebar for the new foundation
These are the board forms for the new foundation/retaining walls, cribbing beyond
These are the board forms for the new foundation/retaining walls, cribbing beyond
Once the new foundation was poured, the new walls were framed on top, and the old house was setback down.
Once the new foundation was poured, the new walls were framed on top, and the old house was setback down.
These are the brand new garage doors and the rebar for the new driveway.
These are the brand new garage doors and the rebar for the new driveway.
The kitchen addition on the first floor could be framed after the house was set back on the foundation.
The kitchen addition on the first floor could be framed after the house was set back on the foundation.
Matt Hornby used the old foundation and slab (and some rubble from a neighbor's house)to build these new walls and stairs
Matt Hornby used the old foundation and slab (and some rubble from a neighbor's house)to build these new walls and stairs
I eventually tore out everything but the studs, sanded smooth...but old lath is beautiful
I eventually tore out everything but the studs, sanded smooth...but old lath is beautiful
This shows some progress in tearing up the third floor
This shows some progress in tearing up the third floor
We uncovered and enormous wasps nest in the attic. Fortunately no wasps.
We uncovered and enormous wasps nest in the attic. Fortunately no wasps.
This was my office during the process.
This was my office during the process.
Packard Jennings carefully caulks the new fibercement window trim.
Packard Jennings carefully caulks the new fibercement window trim.
New composite treads and redwood risers (salvaged interior window trim)
New composite treads and redwood risers (salvaged interior window trim)
We had to repair all of the window sills that had been butchered by the asbestos shingle installers. rotted sills were treated with smiths epoxy...and hopefully they will last another hundred years.
We had to repair all of the window sills that had been butchered by the asbestos shingle installers. rotted sills were treated with smiths epoxy...and hopefully they will last another hundred years.
The re-siding process
The re-siding process

The next few pictures show the third floor. It is still a work in progress, but coming along nicely

These pictures are of the middle floor coming together.

ceiling of the new nook....with painted tongue and groove fir saved from the kitchen walls and a custom bracket to hang the pendant light from a sloped beam
ceiling of the new nook....with painted tongue and groove fir saved from the kitchen walls and a custom bracket to hang the pendant light from a sloped beam
The damaged wood floor became a thing of beauty once sanded and finished. That is purple marmoleum on the nook floor.
The damaged wood floor became a thing of beauty once sanded and finished. That is purple marmoleum on the nook floor.
The sunny nook
The sunny nook
Another shot of the kitchen: new cabinets, old sink, and a fluorescent light with warm yellow glass. You cant quite see James Macko's beautiful concrete counter top over the dishwasher.
Another shot of the kitchen: new cabinets, old sink, and a fluorescent light with warm yellow glass. You cant quite see James Macko's beautiful concrete counter top over the dishwasher.
I don't have a photo of these built-in shelves finished. Stay tuned.
I don't have a photo of these built-in shelves finished. Stay tuned.
This is the New Garage. Do you remember the picture of the old garage?
This is the New Garage. Do you remember the picture of the old garage?
Acid etched concrete floor
Acid etched concrete floor
The new front facade
The new front facade
The new patio by Matt Hornby
The new patio by Matt Hornby

100th Birthday Party October 2006

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