Things are about to get a little messy (and loud) around here.
I’m not concerned about all hell breaking loose, but that a PART of hell will break loose…it’ll be much harder to detect.
— George Carlin
Tearing it down to build it up
The design for our home remodel is set, but before any walls could come down before any foundation could be dug, and well before any new framing could go up, we had a short but important to-do list to complete: alert the neighbors, secure building permits, and bid goodbye to a beloved tree.
Giving the neighbors a heads-up
Before breaking ground on the new project, we wanted to alert our neighbors to the organized chaos about to descend on our corner. We sent hand-delivered letters to tell them about our plans and get their feedback. It was important to us to communicate that we were building something that would honor the neighborhood’s history and spirit.
Saying goodbye to an old friend
After we obtained the necessary building permits, we could schedule the demolition of the three-season porch off the back of the house to make room for the addition. And, in a bittersweet moment, the time had come to remove the old maple tree that had hugged the corner of our house for decades, providing shade and seasonal color.
As much as we wanted to keep this beautiful old maple tree, it would have to come down to make room for the second story and create space for the substantial digging around the foundation that would need to happen.
We saved large trunk sections for Nate to incorporate throughout our new home, honoring the tree and keeping its memory alive.
The walls come down
Demolition began with removing the three-season porch added in 1927, a few years after the house was built. The roof and attic would be removed later when the second story was added. Before that, we’d reinforce the existing foundation and dig a new basement and foundation for the addition going up in the backyard.
During this first stage, we were still living in the house. As much activity as there was outside the home, with construction equipment, earth movers, and a giant dumpster in place, we were just as busy inside the house. The sorting and packing, as if we were moving to a new home (which, in effect, we were), had begun months before but was now reaching peak level. Breakables were packed up and removed, and we used this opportunity to purge the home of unnecessary stuff accumulated over the year.
It’s time to lay the groundwork for construction–underpinning a century-old brick foundation.
Next up in the series, Our Little House Grows Up: A Peek Inside a 100-Year-Old Home Addition – Bigger Dreams, Stronger Foundation (coming soon).
