That is cool, BB, but how do you change the sheets and make the bed? Looks like a tough job!
@BunsenBurner, I’m glad you mentioned it; I was thinking about the same thing myself. Here’s a picture of a fabulous lofted space with sliding doors for semi-privacy:
http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/sleeping-loft-from-a-swedish-a-86165
See #566 for link to photos
My guesstimate on ceilings was a little off. Actually got out the measuring tape today. We are going to have to put in a drop ceiling because there are pipes and ducting on ceiling. When we finish the ceiling, we will have 12’ high ceilings in area. I’m planning to drop ceiling to 8’ and put storage area above bathroom and closet.
I like the idea of staircase storage and built in cabinets
Sounds like a good plan, CB. Once you hide all the ducts and pipes, the 12’ ceilings will be great, partial drop down for extra storage a good idea.
figure out how/ where to fit the staircase?
Coralbrook, did you completely eliminate garage / covered parking now that the front garage space is being converted into living space? I know it “never rains” in Southern CA, but it would be a deal breaker for some.
Apologies if I missed where this was discussed.
^^^I dont remember that the small 1 car garage on the upper level was being eliminated[?] :-/
I thought that was the garage that she wanted to put the cool frosted glass garage door on for “curb appeal”?
^^ me too
Main level garage stays, that’s CB’s plan - with a super cool glass door. There is a lower level garage accessible by that steep driveway, and that’s what is being converted
The front one-car garage is being converted, right?
I’m looking at her floor plan hand sketch and I only see a long steep driveway to a flat (parking) space on the opposite side of the house. Am I missing something?
OK, I was confused by the floor plan when I went to look at it again, especially in light of discussion over stairway. Thanks for clarifying.
Apologies that I missed this before: @coralbrook, I know you’re planning to make the former “landing pad” from the steep driveway into a patio off the new family room. What happens with the steep driveway? IIRC, you are required to leave that, so someone can potentially drive onto the new patio??? I don’t get that – am I misremembering? (I hope so.)
Based on what CB said, i believe the “new patio” technically has to remain a parking spot to comply with the code requiring 2 off street parking spots. Driveway is needed to get to parking spot. However, building dept can’t enforce how it is actually used so if new owners block off the “parking spot” with moveable planters to make a patio, that’s fine. CB could also use paving materials to delineate a “patio” area, but they’d have to be materials you could drive on to meet the code.
Ah, thank you. Yes, now I remember that. What a shame that the driveway has to remain. It could have been a lovely place for landscaping.
Actually, though, now that I think about it: Wouldn’t it be feasible to have the second off-street parking spot be at the top of the driveway? That way, terraces could be carved from the rest of the driveway,
Ka-ching, I know. I’m just thinking.
EDIT: I just reviewed all the pictures again. Why can’t the second off-street parking be the driveway that exists in front of the one-car garage at street level??
I encourage you to leave the ceiling ht at 9 ft in the basement room if you can. 8 ft is too low for that expansive feel. Oops. never mind. I see you will leave taller ceilings in part of the room
Back to garage issue…
In order to convert the garage under the house into liveable space, I have to provide one off street parking spot (to create a total of two off street parking). The long steep driveway gets steep immediately so they will not allow the top portion to be a legal parking spot. The bottom of the steep driveway levels out at the garage area - there is about 13’ wide x 20’ deep level parking at bottom of driveway.
There is a legal ‘set back’ for the parking spot. It has to be 12’ from street. The small driveway in front of the one car garage is too short for a car to park - plus they will not allow ‘tandem’ parking. The one car garage at street level is remaining exactly as it is.
Yes, I could do a huge huge huge retaining wall to try to make a level parking spot at top of the steep driveway, but that is just too cost prohibitive.
So, the bottom of the driveway will remain open to the steep driveway to allow a car to go down there. I will put pavers or some kind of concrete paint down there (maybe paint the whole driveway) to make it feasible to be a nice patio. I am going to build a low fence around the bottom area and stage it with patio furniture.
The buyers can decide how they would want to use that area - parking or patio (or just pull out some patio furniture when they are having a party)
No decision on how to do the stairs yet. The planner/designer/draftsman is going to lay out preliminary blueprint with all of the measurements we took today. Then we will brainstorm how to do the stairs, although he says, per Code, there may have to be multiple landings.
He mentioned that it may cost close to $16,000 to put in the super large vanishing doors in the living room. Yikes!!! I just wanted it so bad. The current opening is two 8’ patio sliders with about 20" post between the sliders. That means I have a 17’ plus opening and it may require a steel header beam. And, then it may require a dang crane to lift that beam over house to other side and on and on and on. Uggh…
I now have to do a lot of research on cost and structural feasibility before we can finalize the plans. Also, we are going to need a structural engineer to design the enlarged deck - there goes another $2 or $3k!!!
So, I have a lot of homework on my plate.
Meanwhile, we had a bunch of crazy water emergencies today. I called the City yesterday and I was informed that they would come out and turn off their main valve. They were supposed to come out yesterday. Water still on this morning when I arrive so I had to get on the phone and beg them to please come and turn water off.
One guy arrives while I was out picking up rental scaffolding (that’s a whole other story!!). He starts yelling at the kid doing wall paper stripping… turns out we broke the City’s valve! Then he starts calling me on cell phone and explaining that I could get fined but he calmed down and said he would not fine me, but he’s got to send the City crew out to repair the valve and I will have to pay for it. I think it is going to be about $250 to $500.
We finally located the property’s main water shut off valve. You are not going to believe where it is. You have to go downstairs into the garage. Then you have to go through a small door into the large crawlspace under the original house. Then you have to climb up the steep dirt grade under the house to get to a shut off valve that is located just inside the stem wall foundation up at the street level. Oh… and then we finally find it and it is frozen shut… we cannot turn the water off or on. Can you believe that someone would put the emergency water shut off under a house? WTH???
So, the crew comes and I explain this all to them and they are very nice about it. Now, we have an emergency to do special plumbing in the ground in the front yard to put in a water shut off valve. While we were at it we installed a Water Pressure Regulator because there wasn’t one on the house and the water pressure is dangerously high.
Another glamorous day… no running water whatsoever. But now we are smart and load up a couple of buckets so we can refill the toilet when needed 