That’s the part I’m having trouble with also. If the front door was on the left, then I could do it.
Yes, the front door might move to the left - unfortunately requires moving out a window and moving front door. Not cheap. Cannot add anything to Bedroom 1 in current configuration because the front door is at the side of room.
Right now I planning to open up a lot of walls so that there is a ‘Wow’ as you walk in and you see through to the views. If I move front door to left and close in the square feet to the right to add laundry room and enlarge Bedroom 1 you would have to walk down about 10 ft hallway before the full Wow hits.
Laundry seems fine where it is - in the garage with that lip so you don’t drive your car too far in. I’ve had a garage like that before and really liked it. Why change something that’s already working?
Is anyone else having problems accessing the pictures? I can pull up the main link but when I click on individual pics, it says “file not found.”
I don’t know how big of a problem that steep driveway is, but would another option be to keep the lower level garage as garage space and convert the street-level garage to living space?
I wouldn’t wish that driveway and garage entry on my worst enemy 
It’s one of those things where you would have to see it in person.
PROGRESS UPDATE:
My hunch to just go to the dump with the pickup truck was right!! We are done with the first phase of demolition in just 2 days. Everything has gone to the dump in 3 runs and the garage is cleared out and clean. The only things remaining in the house that need to go to the dump is an old dishwasher and the big bathtub. Can’t take the dishwasher to the regular dump and it would not have been allowed in the dumpster. It has to go to the appliance graveyard which is a different location. And, eventually we will pull out the toilet and sink in the master bathroom but we are using those right now during construction.
There will be another wave of debris when we finalize the wall changes to open up the kitchen and when we decide if we are building an interior staircase.
Got very lucky… there is not any termite damage or water rot or leaking pipes anywhere in the kitchen or bathrooms.
We are not even going to work over the weekend because I ‘loaned out’ my lead carpenter to my friend’s daughter’s remodel and she has a young family trying to live in one room and they need him to finish baseboards, etc before they can fully move into their new home. That’s more important than pulling him off to start my project. Hopefully he can return on Monday.
Photos Loaded
https://www.■■■■■■■■■■/groups/2858110@N21/
PLEASE REMEMBER… start from the bottom and work up through the photos
Ok…in that entry hall…what about a large closet with nice well trimmed doors on the wall to the left. You can never have enough closet space!
I can’t judge whether the photos can be seen by everyone because when I go to Flickr it recognizes me as the Admin and everything shows fine
^^ I was thinking replacing my mini van with the large box van.
There are two benefits:
- Using the van as storage, you can keep all your “junk” in the van, release space use in the garage.
- More efficient hauling material or debris. Especially like sheet rocks or 2x4’s, I can directly load it and haul it away.
My plan is to leave the box van at the site and drive a fuel efficient small car around for small stuff. I have places to park the van when job is finished at my house.
I don’t really have a good off street parking place for a large van. I have found that my giant Toyota truck can handle any load I need to haul. The only thing that I have to pay to deliver is when I need more than 10 sheets of drywall or beams longer than 16 ft. In those rare cases I pay $75 for a large delivery directly to the front of the house, or even better, I’ll open up a big gate and the forklift will drive it into the backyard and put everything on pallets and then cover well with tarps
The few times that I thought I had the luxury of driving my small family car to the job is the exact day that there is a plumbing emergency and they need “2 more pieces of 10 ft long ABS pipe”. Uggh, my day is thwarted and I have to drive all the way back home, get the truck and head off to Home Depot. I just gave up on trying to second guess if I was going to need to go to Home Depot on any given day.
OK, had a chance to look at the small garage photo. I’m not really sure about the two diagonial pieces of wood in ceiling. I cannot imagine how they are providing roof support or why they are needed there. I’ll look at it closer next time I’m in there.
I can see all of your pictures, CB.
I’m on my iPhone - can see the tile, but as soon as I click on any individual photo, Flikr gives me “404 file not found.”
“Design is feeling” - saw this written on the back a tee. A very appropriate slogan for CB!
I had issues earlier seeing one or two of them, but I can see them all now. I’m guessing flickr is having some issues.
The view off the back deck looks killer. I really hope you can find a way to expand the deck so you can get some furniture on it. Just imagine grilling up some brats while chillin’ on that deck at the end of the day…
cb, remind me: You plan to put hardwood in the LR?
Yes,
I am planning to install the same white oak solid hardwood in the big living room so that it is continuous throughout the home. Probably in the kitchen also because it will be ‘open’. Still deciding whether to spend the money to extend it into the Master Bedroom also - or just lay carpet.
Haven’t had a chance to try to take pictures of the views because it has been foggy and drizzly the last 2 days.
My personal opinion is that the thin deck across the back of the house creates a ‘condo’ type feeling. Like a balcony… not a living space. And, since there is no other outdoor area, an enlarged deck is probably a ‘must have’.