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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1998-10-21, Page 23With a new design, add brighter colours, the friendly. ed storage and work space, and kitchen becomes more user Through the steps Bathroom redesign after raising roof creates space, function and much needed linen closet. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 21, 1998. PAGE 23. MERE S ALWAYS • HomeImprovements MERES ALWAYS • Fall ROOM FOR 1111 . - - 1998 ROOM .....i, HOME IMPROVEMENT HOME IMPROVEMENT] Renovations add storage, light and openness By Janice Becker Citizen staff Purchasing an. older home comes with its charms as well as its headaches. When my husband, Ray, son Christopher and I moved into a century-old home in Morris Twp. more than six years ago, it was just what we had been looking for. It only needed some updating. The renovation project began two months after we moved in. The stairs leading to the second floor were extremely steep and too dangerous for a small child. After weeks of sitting and staring at the rooms, looking for inspiration on a relocation, we agreed the best choice would be to move the stairs into the livingroom, raise the back half of the 1 1/2-storey roof, giving headroom for both the stairs and the main bath and the second floor. Having a five-bedroom house allowed us to eliminate one when we cut through the ceiling for the stairs. • Though Ray and I are rather handy with the tools, this job, as well as the roof replacement we left to local contractors. More people on the job could get it completed more quickly as it was late October. Fortunately, sleeping under the 'stars for a couple nights worked out well. There was no rain. Once closed in, the finish work was left to us. It was interesting how the design changed as the plan evolved. We had originally decided to leave the hall walls on the now eliminated bedroom, but when the contractors - work was finished, it was gone. This was for the best, as it opened up the entire second floor, giving it a more airy feel instead of the tunnel effect previously experienced. With the roof raised, we were able to correct problems in the main bath: a bathtub in front of a window, the toilet under the slope of the roof and the inability to brush one's hair without hitting the ceiling. Approximately four feet was added to the height of the sloped side of the room, enabling us to rearrange the entire layout. The room was gutted, with tongue-in-groove floorboards lifted so that plumbing could-be upgraded and rearranged, electrical outlets moved and added and increased insulation put in. All plumbing and electrical work should be completed and/or inspected by a professional. When drywalling in a bathroom, water-resistant or cement board should be used around the tub and shower area to withstand moisture. A ceiling vent with specifications for the correct square footage can also help reduce moisture buildup. We purchased sheet vinyl which only requires gluing at the edges. This style is much easier to lay if experienced, but caution must be taken to glue it well and evenly as it tightens as it sets. The small dimensions of the room helped, only about seven feet wide by 12 feet long. Ray was able to do the tile work around the tub with help from a cutter rented from a local shop. It is wise to have a few extra tiles on hand in case of breakage. When designing the room, we also moved a six-foot length of the left wall in approximately 28 inches to allow for a built-in closet in the adjacent third bedroom and a linen closet in the bathroom. With storage space, an enclosed tub and shower area and larger vanity, the cost of raising the roof was worth the huge improvement to an important room. Once the upstairs facilities were completed, it was time to move downstairs. The kitchen was annroximately 20 feet long by 15 feet wide. The old staircase led from the room and the laundry facilities had to be passed to enter the two-piece bath. Again, after much talking, reworking and thrown-out ideas, we developed a design which would create an enclosed laundry area, walk-in pantry, larger bath and improved kitchen. The first step was to eliminate the remainder of the old stairs and enlarge the low-clearance doorway to the basement. With the stairs gone, approximately three and a half feet was taken from the kitchen length for a pantry in the old stair cavity and a laundry area on the other side of the hall. The pantry now has floor to ceiling shelves for the storage of large kitchen supplies, extra pots and pans or those things you just don't know where else to put. By building a large closet to accommodate the washer and dryer, they could be handy, yet out of sight and were moved away from the bathroom entrance. The downstairs bathroom was once a closet for the main floor bedroom and therefore was about seven feet long by four feet wide, not a lot to work with. The removal of the washer allowed four feet to be added to the length and a wider doorway added. The extra footage gave us room to include a four-foot long linen closet in the extended bathroom. Though only one foot wide inside, it works well for bath supplies, towels and extra laundry detergent. The standard vanity was removed and replaced with a pedestal sink to create more floor space and a more open look. With the cabinets removed from the end wall, a cleaner look resulted. One difficult thing to improve was the location of the toilet. It had been facing towards the door, but was only inches from the wall, allowing little elbow room. We decided to turn it 90 degrees so it faced the side wall. However, this brought other difficulties. With very little room to work, an offset flange had to be installed to move the tank away from the wall for proper installation. A drop ceiling was also removed to expose nine foot ceilings. Though long and narrow, the room is much more comfortable after the renovation. With the smaller rooms completed, the major task of redesigning the kitchen began. Months earlier, we had visited several hardware and kitchen stores looking for ideas. Basic information on size, depth and height obtained from pre-fabricated cupboards enabled us to develop our own design before going to the professionals. Though their suggestions were useful, none seemed to meet our needs as our own had. After all, we were the ones living in and using the kitChen. The cupboards were eventually purchased through a local hardware store which refers custom work to a craftsperson. We were assisted in the selection of colour, cut, accessories and even hinges. Countertops were matched to the flooring and cabinet colour. We had about two months to get all the work in the kitchen area completed after the order was placed. When demolition began, some treasures and problems were discovered. Sloping walls and crooked floors were the worst. The kitchen floor had a wave which had to be jacked up from the crawlspace below and uneven walls had the drywall shimmed. However, amidst all the frustration, we found a beautiful tongue-in-groove ceiling hidden beneath one-foot ceiling tiles. The drywall was put aside and Ray spent considerable time patching and repairing. It was not in good enough condition to stain so a fresh coat of white paint brightened a room which had previously been very dark. .With time running out, paint for the walls was purchased and applied late on the night before the cabinets were to be installed. We had gotten a call that they were ready two weeks early, just before Christmas. As with many jobs, the installation did not go smoothly. Some of the fitting was not done to our liking. However, we persisted, calling the craftsperson back about his installers until the work was completed to our satisfaction. The key to working with any contractor, carpenter or other craftsperson is to ensure they understand what you want and expect and that the work is completed before payment is made. Depending on the size of the job and arrangements with workers, some bills may be expected to be paid partially before completion. Now finished, though the kitchen has lost square footage, it is brighter and more functional that before. Sure, we noticed a few design flaws in our cabinetry which may have been prevented by using a professional designer, but we are happy with the end result. We only have five rooms to go.