Gallery of Work
Large-Scale Renovation
This large-scale renovation encompasses a new kitchen, family room and master bedroom addition, and enclosed porch, as well as considerable updates to the exterior of the home. When the owners of this vintage 1971 home contacted Van Deusen regarding a possible basement remodel, their considerations grew to include the entire home, inside and out. Van Deusen resided the entire house and replaced worn windows with new Andersen windows. The roof also required repairs due to leaking and neglect.
Van Deusen Construction designed and constructed the new spaces, including a 330 square foot family room addition with a floor-to-ceiling stone fireplace. Above, a new master suite addition increased the bedroom by 140 square feet. The dramatic new kitchen features custom cabinetry with granite countertops and top-of-the-line stainless steel appliances. At the rear of the home, a former three-sided porch was enclosed to increase living space. Even the backyard received a makeover with a new 600 square foot patio complete with a deluxe fire pit for entertaining.
Project Statement
Quality of Construction
What began as a call to the remodelers office with a questions as to whether or not they did basement remodeling, evolved into a whole house remodel for a dated sixties rancher. When the remodeler and the homeowner walked the property and the home, the builder listened to what the homeowner was looking for. ‘My basement was only half completed, a victim of another project that went uncompleted for many years with unprofessional contractors. In the first floor I had an ok kitchen but very small rooms that had no connection. My second floor bedroom had a tiny bath that had long out lived its life. The back of my house was the best part of my property, but I couldn’t even see it. A lot of the wooded area had come closer inside of the property line, becoming overgrown over time. I wanted to bring the outside in to my home, have better flow in the rooms and have a more open floor plan. I also wanted to be able to spend more time out of doors, even when the weather was inclement.” The owner rattled off five or six projects that she wanted to attack on the house, but never considered completing them all at once. The builder offered a design program to encompass all of the areas of the home she wanted to change. What started as a basement remodel turned into a whole house remodel when the owner recognized that she could have all of what she wanted in her new home.
Degree of Difficulty
Working in a sixties era home is a challenge when converting it into a 2000’s life style was going to be a challenge. Narrow hall areas, small rooms and limited areas to re-partition meant having to expand out beyond the walls of the home. What evolved in utilizing the remodelers design scenario, was demolishing the existing den area, removing the old chimney area and adding a new family area and sitting area, an expanded kitchen and screen porch on the first floor level. The new family room bore a vaulted ceiling, open from the kitchen area and also now open to the sitting area. Completing this area called for removing 28’ of bearing wall with a full story resting above it. The remodeler completed all of the plans with this new open floor plan in conjunction with a structural engineer to complete proper sizing and completion of structural steel to support the new floor design. Interaction with the remodelers Truss designer allowed for the master bath on the second floor to be suspended on the ceiling trusses of the new addition. Virtually every room in the house was touched:
- New bath on first floor, accessible from existing bedroom
- New laundry area, first floor
- Replaced existing furnace and air conditioning
- Completed basement remodel and basement bath area
- Constructed screen porch area
- New patio and fire pit area
- Added new family room and nook area
- New kitchen
- Expanded master bath on second floor
- Remodeled bathroom on second floor
- Repainted entire house
- Replaced all floor coverings and refinished all floors
Value and Cost Effectiveness
This home (approximately 30 years old) had outlived its usefulness in terms of floor plans and design for modern living. Investment of the contract value infused new life into the home and provided all of the accoutrements the owner was looking for. A great lot in an established development meant that the value of the lot, the existing structure and the improved home on the same lot was a winner for the client.
Design and sensitivity to existing structure
The original home was more of a two story rancher than a colonial. The owner chose not to do away with the overhangs on gables and soffits that gave the house it’s age right up front. New windows, siding and soffits brought the house up to a reasonable date, while still keeping some of the attributes that let you know this house is a product of the seventies from the front, but has all of the amenities of good design. Reverse gables compliment the house and break up the long horizontal lines that most houses of this era have. Vaulted areas in the family room with the feature window and vaulted roof in the porch area bring the outside in the for the client. The patio area was added for outside entertainment, complete with a textured concrete patio area, a fire pit and seating area for outside entertainment.