the scope

Every project needs a scope. How big, how little, how much and when. Though I don't have the when or the how much finalized, I finally have the how big and it can all be nicely wrapped up into 5 little issues.

ISSUE 1: Flow
Our house has no flow. Zero. Zilch. Nada. We've got walls and doors and more walls and more doors and funny little peep through closets and a bathroom that is also a hallway. So to fix the flow - movement through the house - is one of our top priorities.

That means addressing:

STAIRCASE: the central internal staircase to upstairs
- Reduce 2 stairs to 1
- What is optimal location for internal staircase?

LIVING ROOM
- Remove wall between existing dining room/living room
- Remove fireplace
- Raise floor of existing entry area to same level of existing floor


DOWNSTAIRS BATH + BEDROOMS
- Keep location of downstairs bath, make cosmetic changes only
- Keep location of 2 downstairs bedrooms
- Solve closet issue for bedroom #1
- Replace french doors to wrap porch
- Create “hallway” to create privacy to “bedroom wing”


KITCHEN + DINING ROOM
- Create open floor plan between kitchen + dining
- Create enough storage for laundry, pantry and cleaning supplies


ISSUE 2: MASTER Suite
We don't have a master suite. And we don't necessarily need a master suite but for resale value, a master suite is a great investment. Currently, we have 2 funky rooms upstairs under the roof with funky head heights, bathrooms without full walls and very little privacy.

That means addressing:

MASTER BEDROOM + BATH
- Location? Front of house with view of San Francisco or back of house with access to garden?
- Where is the closet?
- Where is the bath?
- What do you do about the ceiling height?
- What kind of flooring?
- What kind of heating?

LOUNGE/GUEST ROOM/FAMILY ROOM
- Create “lounge” like guestroom and family living area in the space that will not be the "master"


ISSUE 3: Curb Appeal
"Now that is an interesting house?" I once heard someone say when they walked by our house. Well yes, interesting is a safe word. Weird and bizarre work too. We've got stairs in 2 directions, plywood cutouts under the wrap porch that was enclosed in the 70's and strange planters. And its brown. Two-tone brown. So though I agree that most of the budget is best spent on the inside of the house, we still need to address our outer appearance.

That means addressing:

FRONT DOOR + ENTRY
- This pertains to flow too
- Rethink exterior front stair
- Add Mudroom and new entry space

PORCH
- Keep enclosed or restore to open?
- Restore to wrap around?

DECK
- How does the front of the house connect to the back of the house?
- How do you access back yard?

PAINT EXTERIOR
- New siding?
- What color?

GARAGE
- Remove window
- Make water tight
- Add proper storage
- Replace door?


ISSUE 4: Foundation/2nd Unit
Our house is located in a RM Zone. That means that we are located on a multi-family/dwelling lot. That means we can add a 2nd unit. That means rental income or extra space or a combination of both.

That means addressing:

FOUNDATION
- We have an old shimmied foundation. Needs attention if we do any kind of interior work.
- What seismic “updates” do we need to?
- Remove chimney
- Excavate earth with minimal bedrock
- Level house? (We have a charming sloping floor - good for balls and toy cars!)
- Concrete slab/storage area

2nd UNIT
- Have design for future addition of 2nd unit
- Add internal staircase to main house
- Address access to backyard


ISSUE 5: SYSTEMS
An old house comes with old systems: electrical, heat and water. Can new technology be used to disperse heat better, reduce electrical bills and save water?

ELECTRICAL
- Update and replace complete electrical panel

HEATING
- Update forced air or add radiant heat?
- One room is cold while the other is a sauna.
- Deal with heater vent (runs through chimney shaft that is being removed)
- Improve ventilation for hot summer days


That about sums it up. Easy breezy, right?