Just a quick update for you this week, on the 50’s House in the Woods project! This coming week we finally get to start putting things back together, as the framing crew redraws the lines of the whole structure: first they’ll frame the outline of the new addition, then completely reframe the roof over the “old” part of the house, the new wing and the patio. I can hardly wait to see how they tie the roofs together!
Since I’m NOT going up on the roof to show you how it looks while being deconstructed, here is an idea of the back (from the ground!) with only about 75% of the rafters remaining. The guys basically peeled the roof like an onion, one layer at a time. After all the shingles and tar paper, they had to remove decking boards one by one; when this house was built, decking was not 4 x 8 sheets of OSB, but single boards. They literally had their work cut out for them this past week!
Question: how do you make it rain in Texas in July???
Answer: start removing the roof decking on a house!
Yes, the day before work on the decking was to begin, the forecast showing a solid 2 weeks of 102-105 degree weather. I quipped, “Just watch, as soon as we remove the decking it’ll rain!” Haha, but never did I think it really would! Sure enough, the next morning when I walked out to open up the job site, it was dark and cloudy – and, within 30 minutes, it was pouring rain! We scrambled to get tarps up there and to cover what was below, but we just weren’t prepared. Since it was ‘supposed’ to rain again that afternoon, I went out and bought heavy-duty roof tarps so we could properly cover the next time. Do you think it rained that afternoon??? Nope!
Just now I was walking the site with the AC guy, discussing pros and cons of keeping the old ductwork or starting over, when I was struck by how interesting the house looked with only rafters overhead…the whole house is a loggia! Here, see what you think:
Someone asked this past week why we didn’t just tear the house down and build a new one; you may be wondering as well, since you cannot really “see” the house and the site. First, deconstruction is very expensive; well-built older homes do not fall apart easily. Well-built older homes are also, well, just that: WELL BUILT! This home was custom built in the late 1950’s, one of the best eras in modern America for home construction. While we are taking advantage of modern technological advances by replacing all windows and doors, using energy-efficient appliances and systems, and insulating throughout with foam, the structure itself, and the foundation it was built on, are very sound. In an area of East Texas where slab-built homes regularly settle and foundations crack, this 1950’s pier & beam foundation is solid and the floors are level. By taking advantage of quality construction, adding new energy-efficient features, and imbuing it all with a bit of modern style, we are creating a beautiful, sound home that will last for many more years. Perhaps the BEST part is the serene park-like setting this home sits on, surrounded by numerous mature oak trees not only in this yard, but the entire neighborhood.
This past week, two trucks brought building materials for the construction ahead; this being a small neighborhood with a narrow street ending in a culdesac , large-truck deliveries can be interesting, to say the least! Between the sagging overhead powerlines, narrow lane, and bicycle-darting kids across the street, I was just a tad stressed getting this all done! My stress, though, was nothing compared to the fantastic driver, who had to figure out how he could get close enough in his big rig to shuttle all the materials to the back yard, navigating through a maze of oaks the whole way! After weighing all the options, he decided to “straddle the drainage ditch”, which I admit I didn’t understand, until he actually did it: take a look!
Next week I’ll show you the newly-framed structure, and the finished shape will begin to emerge! My client is making some big final decisions as we speak, notably whether to go with a bronze metal roof or stay with standard shingles. You’ll be seeing the results of all the big decisions soon, and I can hardly wait to share! So just for fun, here’s a sneak peek at one of the great design elements coming to this house….
Have a great week, stay cool in this July heat, and come back next time for fun updates!
We were surprised to find that under ALL the layers of flooring, the kitchen did in fact have the wood planks. I had argued with Jose that it couldn’t be anything else! But it was buried so deeply…to his credit he did not give up until every piece of every old floor in the house was scraped up and added to the dumpster! But even IF we could patch the former grate in the living room, getting this yucky smucky stuff all the way down wouldn’t have been easy.
Blue Sky Interiors 