Posts from May 2010
room with a view
Once the loft began to take shape, we started thinking more about windows and skylights. The easiest solution would be to install a window on the gable end, but ehh…we couldn’t make it work with the composition of that elevation. So, skylight. But where? If we placed it on the north side we would have great diffuse light and avoid excessive solar gain…but if we placed it on the south side, would we get a view? We quickly dug into our archives and pulled up the photos that we took on the roof right after we closed 3.5 years ago (because doesn’t everyone climb up on the roof to get a sense of their new surroundings?) This is the photo we found:
Not bad…it’s what realtors would call a “territorial view”. Ok, so we could get a solar shade if it meant we could have that. Just to be sure, Kyle crawled up on the roof again last weekend to confirm the situation. Sadly, once he got to the right place and put the camera at the level of the skylight, we discovered this was our view instead:
(And no, the tree is not on our property. Don’t get any crazy ideas.) We panned a bit to the west. Bah, no good. I’m not taking the news well.
The crane-your-neck view to the west was better, but was it still worth the solar trade-off?
Or could we be happy with better light and this view to the northwest?
And actually, it’s not even a skylight. In order to provide egress (in the event that there was a fire and someone was sleeping up there), we decided to go with a roof window. Something like this by Velux:
In addition to interior solar shades, Velux also offers a “heatblock awning” – a shade mounted to the exterior of the unit (but operated from the inside as seen in the lower left photo). While interior solar shades definitely help, the best way to reduce solar gain is to keep it from coming through the window in the first place. And if we want this little oasis to be tolerable during the summer (remember, we’re Seattleites – we think 80 degrees is unbearable), a little solar barrier might be worth it. As an extra incentive, Velux also offers a standard 40% discount for licensed architects (who are using the products in their own home). Yes! They know the way to our hearts!
So, now all we have to do is cut three big holes in our roof. The roof that we installed by hand less than 3 years ago. It will be worth it.
Images above from www.veluxusa.com.
progress report: week 7
Ok, anyone getting tired of framing yet?
We didn’t have time to do much during the week, but a rainy weekend turned into a fairly productive two days.
1. The loft framing is done! Here’s a quick stitched-together (and slightly distorted) panoramic photo.
Here’s the opposite view looking back into the rest of the attic and the “light shaft” over the basement stair.
Another view of the light shaft. The plan is to install a fan from the sloped rafters that will help regulate temperature between volumes.
A view from the attic looking back into the loft (with the light shaft in the foreground) – so glad we decided to go ahead with the space!
The attic/loft framing was my own personal jungle gym today as I tried to get different shots. Good thing neither of us are afraid of heights!
This shot was taken from the basement stairs looking up. The shaft will provide peek-a-boo views up into the loft (and vice versa) and help with natural ventilation (via a fan and large operable skylight).
Sorry Bails – not for you. (We actually had a loft in our previous rental house and made the mistake of coaxing a young Bailey up the ladder. He got up ok, but getting him down was a nightmare!)
2. We also installed the new window for the dining area! Last year, we decided to go ahead and remove the old kitchen window and patch it in, since the size and location wouldn’t work with the new layout. And because we had kitchen cabinets along this wall, we had to wait until demo was over to install the new window.
Last year we scored a great deal on some windows that were left over from a larger project. The only problem, they were long and skinny and sort of awkward. We used six of them for the front porch, and decided to install the seventh in our dining area. The size and shape probably wouldn’t look right by itself, but we’ll be installing a long and narrow skylight above so it will (hopefully) read as a vertical ribbon of light.
In no time, the window was installed and we were amazed at how much light came in! We’ve also been thinking about planting bamboo or some type of fast growing, tall plant to provide a little greenery outside this window. Sadly, the Camellia bush transplant seems to have been a failure.
Here’s another view of the new window – the higher sill works well since we’ll have a bench seat or banquette of some type in this location. I didn’t have the right light to capture it, but the trunk of our neighbor’s large fir tree is perfectly framed as you come in the front door.
3. Progress was also made on Bailey today. He went to the groomer and came back feeling very good about himself.
There are still some framing odds and ends to do, plus the skylights. Those will probably take an entire weekend, but we’re hoping to move on to electrical by the start of next month (June! AHH!).
men will be boys…occasionally.
On Sunday evening, I came home from the grocery store and found this:
No, the motorcycle is not new. But it is (as far as I know) the first time that it has been allowed inside the house. Apparently, the ramp we built for demo day (and a little coaxing from Dustin) was just too much of a temptation.
Bailey was perplexed.
Kyle was delighted.
(Don’t worry, it was a one night stand.)
progress report: week 6
Had we not decided to add the loft, I think this week’s post would have shown us finishing up the framing. But alas, that’s not the case. The good news is, we did make some major headway converting the west part of our attic into a cozy 200 SF loft space.
1. First though, we finished framing the opening for the 2nd bedroom. All the seemingly superfluous framing at the top will be blocking for the barn door track. The piano continues to be stubborn.
2. We finally built a temporary guard rail at the stair, using scrap pieces of MDO and 2×4’s. The blue ladder is more or less where the future loft ladder will go.
3. We finished framing the vault over the kitchen/dining area!
4. Next, we moved on to loft framing. Not only did this involve working in tight spaces and lots of ladder climbing, but it was ridiculously stuffy (even though it was only in the 60’s outside).
Oh, and there was also the insulation. Before demo, Kyle and Dustin spent a grueling afternoon shoveling all of our loose attic insulation over the north side of our house (the part that wasn’t about to get obliterated). Now that we’re adding the loft, we needed to move even more insulation in order to put down a new subfloor and knee wall. By the time Kyle was done, he was drenched.
Fortunately, Kyle had the foresight to install some plywood insulation shields that would keep the growing pile of insulation from further blowing down into the space below. After the drywall is up, we’ll fill the flat portion of the kitchen ceiling (upper right corner) and then lay the plywood shields/sheets down over the joists so we have a walking surface from the exterior attic hatch. The photo below also shows the extents of the floor area and the sill for the north knee wall.
In addition to framing the surrounding walls, we also had to sister new 2×6’s to the rafters in order to get enough depth for r-30 polyiso insulation. I think we have officially doubled the amount of wood that was used to build the original house. Also, I have no idea why we own a snow shovel, but it has certainly come in handy around the house.
We transferred some of the extra insulation into the triangular space behind the knee wall (the plastic sheeting holds it in place until we get the drywall up). We’ll do the same thing on the opposite side, and the remaining pile will provide a super-insulated ceiling over the bedroom and bathroom. Good thing we never got around to adding more attic insulation!
Here’s a glimpse at how the loft is coming together. We’ve thrown around a few ideas on how we’ll furnish the space, including low chaise-like daybeds on each side with a desk in the middle and maybe some low slung shelving. We’ll also be installing a rather large skylight (more on that later).
This week we’ll finish up the north knee wall and start framing the “light well” that will visually connect the loft down to the space below. The framing fun just doesn’t stop. Also, check back later this week to see what happens when you combine a gutted house, a ramp and a motorcycle.
good neighbors
We have some pretty amazing neighbors. Not only did they help paint our house last summer (in the rush to beat the rainy season), but last night Kyle and I came home to this:
True, it may be just the same ol’ mulch we’ve been rocking for the last few years…but you should have seen what it looked like two days ago (hint: weed haven). With all the work happening inside, it’s easy to forget about the yard and we are oh so grateful that our neighbors understand this and are sympathetic to our cause. So, Kyle and I took the evening off to celebrate the (almost) end of the week by walking over to Delancey for dinner. The food was, as usual, amazing and the honey pots de creme were heavenly. A wonderful way to end an (unusually warm!) evening indeed.
Happy weekend!
