Won’t the decisions regarding doors and glazing on the lower level depend on the deck configuration you ultimately come up with down there; whether and to what extent you will be able to open what is now the side wall of the garage to access the new deck; and whether and to what extent you will have clerestory windows in that 12 foot high space; etc.? At a minimum it seems that you will want to use the same kinds of doors on both sides of the room, if you end up opening up that west facing wall to the lower deck (after screening the air conditioner compressor).
Also, you’ll have to think about the effect of having two different window systems visible from that upper deck, if that’s an issue. Are the same sort of sliders used in the bedroom that is accessible from that same deck?
I’d also consider whether the accordion fold doors will end up interfering with the view when they are closed because of the need for more vertical dividers breaking up the glazing. (you’ve probably already considered this).
PS i really think this place has the potential to be spectacular and that you could really catapult it to a whole other price range with the right design choices!!
Nottelling, you are asking such intelligent questions.
I had completely forgot that there is a large 8’ patio slider in the master bedroom on the same upper deck. I have to maybe use some kind of online window and door visualizer to see what it will look like to have the two different door systems on the same deck. However, it will not be visible from the inside. There is no way anyone sees the back of the house from the back yard because it is such a steep slope. It will only be visible to someone that is standing out at the edge of the deck looking back at the house.
Deck design is going to be an extension to 10ft deep, but the 10ft extension is only going to go 21 ft of the back of house. The 10 ft will return back to the existing 4 ft deck for the span running outside the master bedroom. This is going to save a ton of money - only have to engineer a 21ft span of deck out onto the steep slope. Also, want to keep the 4ft deep on the upper level because we are building a 6 ft wide deck across the family room area of the lower level which will be about the length of the skinny upper deck.
Right now I am drawing up plans that will have a 6 ft French door to the outer lower level deck, replacing the existing 6 ft window. Adding a 4 ft wide window just to the right of that French door. Then the eastern existing garage door will be replaced by the two patio sliders.
So yes, there will be a French door on north wall to lower deck and then two patio sliders to the concrete pad on eastern side. They will both share a clear glass type design (no grids). Because of the nice trees on the slope, there is not much Wow views from the lower deck area. There are Wow views going NE to Sea World and inner Mission Bay area from the concrete pad - no obstruction.
I will be able to visualize these different door systems when my draftsman creates the plans and he has software where I can ‘visualize’ the exterior elevations.
When we have our set of preliminary plans I may ask a couple of architect friends if they can do a ‘review’ for me to give their input.
Currently there are 2 ‘breaks’ in the view and a large 20" post in the middle that is breaking the view
Jeld Wen (Home Depot) makes a vinyl accordion door style. Quote for 16 or 17 ft span is running $15,000 just for the door system (does not include installation or structural change costs). It would require 5 panels which will have 5 ‘breaks’ in the view
My guy at Home Depot is recommending Anderson four panel sliding door. The two side panels are stationary and the middle two panels slide open. This will create only an 8 ft opening in middle. Cost $4,000. This solution would have 3 ‘breaks’ in the view
Found a local company that makes gorgeous folding doors with a really cool sliding system (Panoramic Doors - check out the website). They would require a five panel system with 5 ‘breaks’ in the view. They make a solid vinyl product (which saves money from the other companies that have aluminum, clad or wood products). Cost for 17’ span is $6,000. Don’t have a quote for delivery or installation.
The other choice is La Cantina Doors which is the most popular in the nation for these types of doors. I think their cost will be about $12,000 which includes shipping to project.
I’m thinking that I might have to pay the company to do the installation because my carpenter has not installed this type of system before, although he is a genius with window and door installation.
No, not going to build stairs between upper deck and lower deck. Spending enough money just building the interior stairs
Honestly, the only reason there is going to be a lower deck is because it provides a ‘feeling’ of outdoor space to the family room downstairs and I can avoid trying to terrace the steep dirt slope.
Whatever the style of French doors and if you are going with wood, I vote for aluminum-clad wood doors. We have 4 of those solid glass panel doors you are considering in various places around our house. They are not directly exposed to the elements because they are under overhanging covers. H is tired of calling the painters and wants to replace them with the aluminum-clad ones.
Made an appointment and ran off to the Kitchen Designer guy at Lowes this morning. He has worked with me on most of my projects. He is a whiz at configuration and gets it all down in his system for good print outs of the layout for electrician, plumber and cabinet installation. Most of the time he can work a big discount to get just the right type of cabinets for the design. For example, I bought the gorgeous pale grey Kitchen Maid cabinets for Guizot Hoarder House from him.
I explained my contemporary style I wanted. Of all cabinet manufacturers out there, only one has a similar style. Most of them have the Shaker style or traditional door styles. He also said that all cabinet manufacturers are running 5-6 weeks out for delivery of cabinets right now. A sign that the economy is recovering!
He insisted that I should go to IKEA for the cabinets. He said the cabinet manufacturer would be double the price and 5-6 weeks out. He says that once the cabinets get installed they look and feel exactly like any other manufacturer. Only reason people don’t like them (from his customer base) is the ordeal of assembly and installation.
So… moving forward with IKEA. One key reason is that I have to get these cabinets installed and kitchen somewhat presentable before we start all the work downstairs. I’m under a time crunch.
I love the way the deck configuration sounds. I like the fact that there will be a difference in the width of the deck from the living room and bedroom because that will read as two different zones, giving the feeling of more privacy for the bedroom. Plus, you’ll be able to see the lower deck from the upper deck which will give a feeling of expansiveness to the project. And having that big view patio off the lower level family room will be amazing. And I like the fact that the lower deck will have a more enclosed, cozy feel due to the trees. Variation is good! Having all of this additional outdoor space will be a GIANT selling point.
I’m still confused as to the orientation of the house. Is the wall of windows in the living room west-facing or north facing?
You mentioned being able to hear the airplanes. Can you see them too? That may be a big selling point for certain people who enjoy watching airplanes.
where are the interior stairs going to be located -upstairs and downstairs?
how will they be configured inn relation to the new bedroom/ bath downstairs?
I finally looked at the property bird’s eye view and I am going to change the naming I use for each side of the house
WEST - View side of house on steep slope (living/master bedroom/deck)
NORTH - Steep driveway side of house with parking patio at bottom
EAST - Street side of house
SOUTH - Stairs to bottom floor side of house
The floor plan that I drew out doesn’t show a perfect area available for the interior stair case, but there actually is an area that works perfectly.
The back of the master bedroom has a very large closet. On the living room side of that closet is a wall and then a wide ‘linen closet’ type of thing that opens to living room. It is located between the hallway to master bedroom area and the dining room area in original house.
Going to open up that linen closet as the beginning of the stairs and steal as much space as we need from the large master closet for the first run down to a landing. The issue is going to be how much of the master closet we have to steal in order to get enough headroom
The bottom of the stairs will land into the family room area (near garage door opening). The bedroom and bathroom are on the South side of the big room
You cannot see the airplanes going over while sitting inside the house. The reason is that they are rising from the airport takeoff over the hill. However, you can definitely see them outside on the deck.
In San Diego, when we have Santa Ana winds, the planes take off in the opposite direction and then we will have ‘landing’ planes over the house. I don’t think you can see those inside the house either.
Some of it may depend on how much sun/UV will hit the door at issue. UV is tough on vinyl and around here, aluminum rusts terribly (we are 4 blocks from the ocean). Wood does take maintenance and can rot and have termites and need painting, but it generally seems to weather fairly well in Hawaii. We have not been too excited about aluminum or vinyl around here.
