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CLIENT PROFILE
These clients are from Andover, MA, and own a large family-run business that they are getting ready to retire from. They bought their York Harbor, Maine home in 2007 as a summer home and with full expectations to renovate at some point and they also have a home in Naples, FL. The goal is to retire soon and sell their large Andover, MA home and become “snow-birds” living in York until after the holidays then head to FL for the winter.
They have three grown children so the design was also dictated that they could have their children there yet still be independent of them as their family grows with in-laws and grandchildren.
THE LOT
The lot is .71 acres and across the street from the ocean. That means they have amazing views of the water as well as the Nubble Lighthouse in York, Maine. It is located in a sweet neighborhood that is somewhat seasonal and a great walking neighborhood between two public beaches.
We were able to do everything we wanted on this property without pulling any variances yet it still took over 2 months to pull the building permit.
DESIGN PROCESS
We started with the concept of a “connector addition” to the garage and actually that first design stuck so we expanded and developed from there. The existing house actually went back to the studs as they found rot in their entire wall facing the water. So, windows have all been replaced with never configuration. We revised the kitchen layout as well as located the dining room in the old family room. The new family room is located in the connector as well as a first-floor office/bedroom. The mudroom connects the spaces with a full bath and staircase to the second floor.
The second floor makes some minor changes to the layout with taking the entire second floor of the existing home to the master suite. A new first-floor screen porch off the dining room will also become a new porch from the second floor both balancing out the spaces as well as creating great space! The “connector” on the second floor will function as the closet and the space over the garage will be a living room, kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom.
STATE OF CONSTRUCTION
The first floor of the existing house is actually re-framed and has the rough-in plumbing and electrical completed that they can do to date. The “Connector” has the exterior walls framed but we are waiting until we get a roof on there to install the interior framing and pour the slab floor for the connector. We decided to heat the connector first floor with radiant so will also be the plumber coming back to finish all rough-ins in the existing house and connector. Sound confusing? It is, there are a lot of moving parts and orchestrating between all the subs. The framers have done a great job figuring out the paths of least resistance. With renovations like this, there are always changes to the plans as we are building because it is impossible to foresee the complexity as we connect old to new.
The goal is to get the homeowners in as early in the season as possible just into the existing home. We will continue with the addition and details while they are moved in.
Stay tuned to the progress on this special project as I am also designing the landscapes on this project.
