Utilitarian concerns that needs to be addressed - mostly because I bought a house with lots of deferred maintenance issues. They provide some constraints - and strains -- on the budget - close to 120K!!!:
1. I need to resurface the roof - according to the roof repair person, it might not last another wet season. Some issues that may affect the decision about materials etc. Abril quoted me a 3000 sf foam roof last year [20K, Abril]
a. There is ponding on the garage roof. Apparently the 4x12's that carry the span of the roof are insufficient. Reroofing may make the pond go away, but will it last? Or would i need to add footing and posts midway, or beef up one or two beams with steel I-beams (and footings at each side of garage)?
b. Current roof is hardly insulated. One option is the foam roof which is "self-insulating". Another idea is tapered solid foam under a single ply factory assembled membrane (kind of expensive, 30-40K). A third option is to build up with 2x4s and blow in insulation. The build-up would also allow installation of recessed lights in ceiling - and even plumbing for fire sprinklers. [guess +$10K]
2. I may need to replace the furnace. It is from the 50s and is not as efficient as today's furnaces - and it rattles like a freight train! I really would prefer another heating method - I hate the forced air blowing - but I am afraid it is not really feasible to change to hydronic heating. So perhaps I should just accept it and simply replace the furnace. If I just replace, it should be straight forward - and it actually does not have to wait on the rest of the remodel. Right? [$2.5K, Nielsen/Aire]
3. I need to do something serious about heat loss through the current single pane windows, and the sliding doors are in no good shape either (attempts to adjust them seem to not last). And a final troubles spot: it is hard to vent the bedrooms without also letting in burglars and whatever.
A simple work around could be:
- windows: add strom windows, possibly plexiglas to be really cheap ;-)
- doors: have them serviced (Though that would only make sense if I am going to keep them...
- venting: there are little attachment locks that can be mounted on the door track to lock it in place.
However, I am more tempted to replace them, or rather redesign the window/door configuration:
a. All the windows/doors in the older part are positioned in weird ways - going counter to the structure of the house. I would like to relocate and reshape the windows and doors to better fit the Eichler'ish style of the house.
b. Ideally all windows should all be replaced with larger ones that go all the way to the ceiling - same thing with the doors.
c. An important concern in design new window configurations is to make sure I get good natural ventilation.
[~ 36K, Palo Alto Glass + guestimate 10K for prep. framing]
d. The idea about raising the window panes all the way to the roof/ceiling decking will require some structural enforcement of the top of the windows - which may be done as a header on top of the roof decking (not 100% sure I understand why this would work). Such a header would work well with the idea of building up the roof to allow for blown-in insulation. [guestimate addl. 5-10K for reinforcement framing]
4. I need to do something about the fireplace. I definitely need to spice up the design, Eichler'ize the sides where window panes meet chimney, get rid of the ugly mantel and relief - possibly make the surface completely smooth, like polished concrete. It would be great to get an insert - I have no idea what that might cost; most likely I would have to replace liner and more (at least that was what I needed in Seattle), [incl complete insulation and new sheetrock on LR walls, $7000 Nielsen / Aire]
5. The south-west corner of the house (the SW corner of the blue BR) “dips”. Do we need to have it jacked up?
6. The garage door is in bad shape, no lock, no handle, no automatic opener, and so on. I am hoping it will be replaced as part of a major make over of the entire entry area. One issue is that it is a one-piece (non-sectional) overhead door, which leaves the opening very short. The distance from the floor to the bottom of the beam is 81". With the garage door opened, there may be only 72" under the door. If I replace it with a sectional overhead door, I'll need to lower the exterior opening some 6", i.e. siding repair and need trim [Glass garage door, $5500 Overhead doors]
7. I don't care much for the painted wood siding - the brown color is way too dark. I really wish I had an untreated wood surface - I love the look of untreated cedar... I guess that there will not be much left of the old siding if I actually replace windows and doors. [ guess: 30K, Semso]
