an addition for Aunty in ithaca

This fall we had the privilege of designing and buildng an attached mother-in-law unit for some great clients on the south side of Ithaca.

The work started with an intese bit of demolition requiring a large U-haul moving truck to remove the debris-2 trips in fact. Once the house was prepped for the new addition.. no small task we began the creative process of attaching new to old. After a few days we were framed in and things were looking up! For a number of reasons, additions can be more difficult than straight up new construction. Site access is often one of those reasons.

This project had next to impossible site access. Fortunately arrangements were made with the exceedingly friendly neighbors to allow us to use their adjoining backyard to bring in a skid loader for the drilling of he foundation holes. These neighbors were in fact more excited about the addition it seemed than the client was! Maybe you had to be there....

Anyway, the limited access made for a lot of carrying marterials the 30 yards or so around from the front of the house and of course the aproximately 6000 lbs of debris out. Oye Veh!

Even so, building is for the most part enjoyable work. But what i enjoyed most about this project, was how much it meant to the family we were doing it for. They told us each day how much they appreciated our efforts and how pleased they were that the addition was fianlly being built. You see, the family was struggeling to continue to share their living space with a well meaning great aunt who had come to live with them a couple years earlier. They loved the relative, they just couldn't take the accompanying lack of privacy much longer. They had considered building an addition a year before, but felt that it would be too expensive for there budget. Much to their delight, our estimate came in around 25% under what they had previously been quoted. Their desire to stay in their home by "adding on" for the aunty was now possible and quickly becoming a reality! The simple but nicley appointed independant apartment was completed with hardwood and tile floors, a full kitchen and bath, and simple pine trim throughout. Aunty just loves it!

The home owner writes "As soon as the project started, they moved so efficiently and professionally. We were pleasantly surprised at how much they could get done in a short period of time. Further, as they got closer to finishing, we saw that not only was this going to be done in a timely fashion, but also the work was clearly of the highest quality.

as I sit and write this brief note, my aunt is comfortable in her new independent apartment, close but not too close, and my wife and daughter are playing cheerfully with the privacy that we dreamed of. We couldn't be happier!!!"

to each building... his or her own

Over the past few months we at Creative Constructions have been involved in 4 distinctly different building projects.  Each of them designed by our partner Rod Lambert and each addressing a family's unique housing needs.  As we approach completion on three of these projects and I have a few days off for the Thanksgiving holiday, I return to the keyboard to update you on my building life and consider the reasons for our work.

Among the needs we have helped to fulfill in recent months is an addition to house an endless pool.  This will allow a child with a debilitating physical disease to enjoy weightlessness and receive physical therapy that will hopefully legthen and add mobility to his life. 

Another family who had an elderly Great Aunt move in with them a couple years back came to us in desperate need of more private space in their small home.  They asked us to build them an attached mother in law unit for the Great Aunt.  For under $38K if possible.  They of course love the relative but have been longing for an evening alone in their living room- for a long time now.  In just a couple of weeks they will have it as much as they want.

The third client, a young couple without kids (yet), were looking to build their unique version of an environmentally friendly dream home.  This home, on 60 acres with dramatic nature views, was to use -as much as sensibly possible- local materials, passive solar design and energy efficiency throughout. They were planning for no fossil fuels to be burned in the home by including a masonry stove and complete PV system.  They also planned to physically work on the project themselves and have done an amazing job in the process!

Another goal in the design of the dream home was to create a large and open enough space that it would feel comfortable and inviting to any and all friends and family that may wish to come and stay a while.  I believe they have succeeded. 

And even though they are a few weeks out on being done, they are enjoying T-giving with the family there as I write.

Currently we are getting started on a "retirement home" for a couple who built a cabin on the same land and have been living there for nearly 30 years.  Their new home- small by modern american standards (913 sq ft) will have all they will need to be comfortable on one radiantly heat floor.  It includes beautiful views of the local hills and will be built on a budget significantly under $100k.  Stay tuned for additional installments on this project.  It is just getting started.

I wonder what interesting new building needs you might you have for us?

rob

Bob and Denise's addition- part 2

With the addition finished, Denise writes this...

"We love our addition! We have already moved in. We love the light, the stained cement floors (great idea Rob!), the skylights, the high ceilings and the energy efficiency. I also like it that the house was built by a team of people that put a lot of heart into everything they do. Rob, Rod and Kerrie have great friendly energy and are eminently trustworthy. If we ever have another build project we would not hesitate to call them."

Bob and Denise's addition

Our current building project

is a home addition that will double the living space for a family living in a lovely cottage style home on the edge of Ithaca. Unique to this project are the ten foot SIP walls, a cathedral ceiling and a 28 x 12 foot loft space for overflow guest sleeping and much needed storage. As well, the new space has a radiantly heated concrete slab floor- (to be stained) and ample windows for enjoying the woodsy surroundings. The exterior will be finished with locally milled, pine board and bat siding to match the existing home.

Home owner Denise Thomas writes:
When our son was three months old we discovered that he had been born with Cerebral Palsy and would require extensive therapuetic services in our home. Up until then our home had been small (750 sq ft) but adequate for my husband and I. Now with a new son and therapists coming and going, we needed more space, and quick! After receiving several bids for an addition to our home, we chose Creative Constructions. Not only was their bid reasonable, but my husband and I genuinely liked the team. Rob and Rod were both very professional and yet laid back and friendly.
They were also willing to let my husband, who was a professional contactor, do as much or as little of the work as he wished. So far we are very pleased with the addition. Rod took our simple design and made it exactly what we wanted. The
team has used quality materials always with an eye to towards energy efficiency, which is fantastic.

Even when we have changed our minds or added

something new, the team's answer is always" we can do that!" We can hardly wait for it to be complete and to spread out into the newspace. Our son Byron is quite mobile now so we know he will love it too.

Check back for an update as the project gets completed!

rob