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Delivering Great Client Experiences...

...One Project At A Time

home additions

Time-Sensitive St. Paul Remodel

October 1, 2017 By Tom Sweeney Leave a Comment

Many remodeling projects are similar. This one was anything but. It also was one of the most rewarding and satisfying challenges APEX faced all year.

vintage stove

Vintage stove in kitchen addition.

Start with a beautiful 1912 St. Paul Victorian on a tight lot with no open access from the alley. Then add accomplished DIYr clients who envisioned an authentic environment for vintage kitchen appliances they had been collecting and restoring for years. Finally, bump out to improve the kitchen layout and add a mudroom and bathroom without encroaching on their storybook backyard. Oh, and the “new” space needed to blend seamlessly with the old so you would never suspect it wasn’t part of the original house.

None of this was a problem for APEX because JB prides himself on listening (okay, reading lips) . He’s also good at assembling the perfect team to execute the clients’ remodeling vision and overcome unexpected obstacles, which are as common as sloping floors in historic homes.  And he has the processes in place to manage complex projects.

Remodeling Clients Inspired Us

Truth be told, the real stars of this project are the clients themselves, Rich and Shirley. Rich is an attorney who appreciates that details matter and who happens to be a heck of a woodworker, painter and eBay/CraigsList shopper. Shirley is an avid gardener and executive director of a nonprofit that supports parks and trails.

Richard said something to me as the project drew to a close,“Houses are durable goods.” He feels remodeling should improve upon the past, not erase it. That’s why the kitchen has three types of cabinets, marble and granite countertops, and millwork profiles that matches the rest of the house.

The vintage appliances are extraordinary, but my favorite feature is the bank of four new windows that look out over the Secret Garden with its colorful sauna and plantings.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Filed Under: bathroom remodeling, Home additions, kitchen remodeling Tagged With: bathroom remodeling, historical remodeling, home additions, kitchen remodeling

Make Your Home Addition a Plus

May 4, 2017 By John Biancini Leave a Comment

Sometimes, bigger IS better, especially in remodeling. But a poorly planned home addition can just as easily make your home worse off structurally, functionally and aesthetically. No worries. We address the critical considerations and common misconceptions during our design-build process so you get it right and there are no surprises. At least no unpleasant ones.

Home Addition sideview

Home Addition Misconceptions

If there’s land, there’s room – Just because you are willing to forfeit some lawn for living space doesn’t mean your community will let you. Zoning regulations require minimum setbacks from your property lines. To be safe, start your home addition concept with your plot plan and survey, not the fence the neighbor erected. Know your limits. There’s nothing worse than planning a project only to have the permit rejected for insufficient sideyard setback.

Going up is always less expensive than bumping out — Depends. Adding a second story saves the expense of a new foundation but the first-floor ceiling joists may have to be enlarged or reinforced. You will need to open up some walls on the first floor to run mechanicals. And you still will need a roof.

Must enlarge to gain space — When existing living space is underused, an addition won’t overcome the problem. The new space could make the old area even less appealing. Before considering expanding up or out, look within. It may make more sense to expand the kitchen into the dining room, convert the formal living room and main level powder room into an accessible bedroom suite.  Or make the basement livable with a proper egress window, radon mitigation and drain tile.

Worth Considering for Home Additions

What’s big enough? – I call this approach “go big or go home.” Once you’ve committed to adding on, the cost per square foot actually may shrink a bit when you increase the footprint. On the other hand, if you only need an extra 18-in. to make your new kitchen layout work, keep it small. A cantilevered bump out may be fine.

Melding new and old – Additions need to work with the original structure indoors and out. They should reflect and be scaled to extend and enhance the home’s architectural style. Aligning windows and keeping siding and trim details consistent will help. The enlarged home also should fit the character of the neighborhood. For instance, make a second story addition more down to earth by creating  false soffits along the sides. Or  add a porch to the front of the home to break the elevation. Indoor considerations include traffic flow and the addition’s impact on natural light and sight lines from existing rooms. Will the porch make the kitchen darker? Will the french doors to the new sunroom conflict with the kitchen table?

The best additions are the ones that look like they were always there. They don’t just add living space. They fit. They flow. They make sense.

Foundations — Additions can be built on piers, footings or foundations. Excavate for a full basement under the addition, install slab on grade if the height is right, or create a crawlspace. Incorporating the new basement with the old will require engineering for a beam to support the load where the original foundation wall is removed. However, if you already have a 36-in.-wide window in the existing foundation wall, you can convert it to a doorway to save time and money.

Home Addition rendering

What’s Keeping You?

Perhaps the most important question when considering a home addition is whether it makes more sense to move to a bigger house or expand the one you’ve got. If you like your neighborhood,  have the room and plan to stick around, an addition is a fine option.  Let APEX help you improve your quality of life at home. Contact me.

Filed Under: Home additions Tagged With: home additions

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2021 Guildmaster Award

From the APEX Blog

APEX Awarded 2022 Guildmaster Award

Again this year Guild Quality, a consumer service providing customer satisfaction surveying, performance reporting, and marketing for quality-minded home builders, remodelers, and service providers, has awarded Apex Design Build the Guildmaster Award with Highest Distinction. This is the third year in row that APEX has received the award. 

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