HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1992-05-13, Page 12PAGE 12. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, MAY 13,1992.
& Qarcfen 1992
Grey township home a blend of old and new
"We get plenty of compliments
on the job we did of renovating our
old house," chuckles Dave Rapson
as he sits with his wife Sharon,
chatting at their kitchen table,"so I
guess we must have been success
ful at what we set out to accom
plish."
What the Rapsons set out to
accomplish at their Grey Township
house just south of Brussels, wasn't
to renovate an old house. They
wanted the best of a modem house,
with the kind of classic design of
an older home and the warmth of
decades-old materials. They've
ended up with a new house, light
and bright and modem, yet with the
feel of a tum-of-the century tradi
tional western Ontario one and a
half story home. They did it by
building a house that is made of
about 75 per cent of recycled mate
rials. Bits and pieces of their home
originated in condemned buildings
all over southern Ontario.
It was cost, not any environmen
tally trendy philosophy that was
behind the Rapsons' decision to
build a home from reused building
materials. They had a very practical
need to save monev.
The project began in the late
seventies, before they were even
married. Dave began designing the
house they wanted, even though he
had no training except some high
school drafting courses. He had a
look in mind, a traditional look that
gave the conveniences of the cur
rent age. He was careful about
things like balance and proportion
and experimented for a long time
before he discovered the pitch for
the roof he felt looked proper.
"We weren't trying to copy
another house," Dave says. "We
just wanted to build a comfortable,
easy to live in house."
"Some older houses are disap
pointing when you get inside,"
Sharon adds. "They can be cut up
and awkward to live in."
The house was built to their own
tastes. They wanted a home with
lots of light and large windows.
After they settled on their
design, Dave began building the
house part-time, on weekends and
in the evenings. "It cut in to dating
time", Sharon remembers.
Faced with a tight budget, it was
perhaps only natural that Dave
would turn to materials recovered
from demolished buildings. He
runs his own company, Total
Demolition, that ranges across
southwestern Ontario, taking down
buildings and recycling as much of
the material as possible.
In fact when he started building
the couple's dream house, he had a
lot more experience tearing down
houses than building them. He got
help from relatives and friends who
did have more experience.
As the house began to rise, there
were plenty of questions on main
street in Brussels. First went walls
of old-looking studs instead of the
usually bright new wood of new
lumber.- Then over the top of that
went used rough-cut lumber, nailed
diagonally over the stick-walls.
That dry old building material was
TREAT YOURSELF TO A
CHANGE OF SCENERY
Discover the difference landscaping can
make in beautifying your home or property.
Count on Treebelt for all your lawn care and
garden needs.
• Design, Installation and Maintenance
* Full line of nursery stock including:
flowering shrubs, standards, ornamental shrubs and
large calibre trees
: • Peat Moss, crushed brick, mulch and top soil
♦ Large rocks and fancy-stones
./ \
Treebet,
LANDSCAPING AND SI
CaU Don Blake 523-9771
R.R. # 1 Auburn
PLIES
to pay a dividend, however, Dave
says. Green new lumber often con
tinues to dry after the house is built,
sometime splintering, or causing
cracking of plaster. There were no
problems in their old house. It was
more difficult to work with, howev
er, because the old lumber wasn't
cut to standard sizes, requiring a lot
of measuring.
While the structural materials
continued on page 13
A perfect balance
The sun room, the final part of the completed house,
combines factory beams with reclaimed brick and lots of
windows for a cheery atmosphere and a perfect balance of
old and new.
GRAND OPENING
SPECIALS CONTINUE
For Carpet & Designer Solarian Flooring
1RISTMAS
'COUNTRY
Flowers & Gifts
< 523-4820
_____ /f 1
FOR YOUR GARDEN ....
• Boxed annual plants
• Perennials and herbs
• Beautiful hanging baskets &
• Geraniums ®
• Mixed planters
• Fancy ivys to make your own planters
FOR YOUR HOME ....
Check our upper level for our large selection of beautiful
afghans and mats in several colours and price ranges.
Choose From These Quality Brand Names
CARPET
• Omni
• Philadelphia
• Barrymore
• Cornet
• Centura
VINYL
• Mannington
• Domco
• Armstrong
HARDWOOD
• Bruce
• Wood-Lam
• Mannington
I1LE
• Centura
• Olympia
• Ramca
BEAUTIFUL WICKER FURNITURE
4 piece white settee set
(includes cushions)
Summer Special
DON'T MISS IT!
Hurry in while our Grand Opening
prices are still in effect
$399.00
Limited number available 0
IHefloca
Choose from our large selection of white wicker occasional chairs, rocking
chairs, end tables, hanging planters and lamps to complete your sunroom or
verandah ensemble.
GODERICH
Owners/Operators Greg Hamilton - Mark Chisholm
PROFESSIONAL FLOORING INSTALLATIONS - TILE, CARPET & VINYL
299 BAYFIELD RD. (Be&s"att
524-6141